In the face of despair and danger, the psalmist says there’s only one thing he really wants: to worship God.How big of a deal is fear in our modern lives? In what ways do we attempt to overcome it on our own? How can remembering that God is our light and our stronghold help?.End the opening time with prayer, celebrating the joy God brings and asking for his presence in the midst of pain, suffering, and loss.Ask your community (all together or in smaller groups) to share with one another reasons they have to celebrate and reasons they have to be sad.Share about how Psalm 27 is both a psalm of confidence and one of lament.Spend a few of the opening moments of your time together exploring how following Jesus causes us to rejoice and to lament.Discuss last week’s challenge and encourage people to share how the challenge went for them.Ask the Spirit of God to reveal himself to all of you through the Scriptures and through your discussion together. Open your class/community time with prayer.Oppressors ( sharar) – v.11: This word is also translated as “enemies” and comes from a verb meaning “to watch.” The idea is that there will always be some people lying in wait, watching the people of God, looking to see us falter.Instead it implies a metaphorical search for a fresh experience of the presence of God, a renewed vision of his deep love and concern for his creation. Face ( paneh) – vv.8-9: Seeking God’s face does not literally mean looking for a physical face to gaze upon.Shouts of joy ( teruah) – v.6: This same word can also be translated as “battle cry.” Here, however, the context lets us know that worship of the living God is often accompanied with loud screams of utter happiness and contentment!.This means that he understands worship as a time not just for adoration, but also for bringing questions before the God of the universe. What does the psalmist mean? He could mean meditating or praying in the temple, though it seems more likely that the he is saying that he comes to worship at the temple with specific questions for God. Seek ( baqar) – v.4: Specifically in view here is the idea of seeking God in his temple.It should be noted, however, that anything that is created will pale in comparison to the magnificence of the Creator! The psalmist is likely thinking of the splendor of the temple in Jerusalem, which was intended to point to the beauty of God. Beauty ( nōam) – v.4: This is a rich Hebrew word which carries with it the ideas of physical beauty and overall loveliness.The psalmist here personalizes this goodness of God even more by saying that God is “my light.” Elsewhere it is a descriptor which indicates all that is good and creative about God. My light ( ōr) – v.1: This is the only place in the Old Testament where “light” is used as a title for God.Here are a few notes about particular words in this psalm: No matter our situations, this psalm reminds us that when we are enveloped by darkness we can and should reach out to God, who is our light, and the community that he calls together! Word Studies And the window into this reality is the life-threatening experience that the psalmist faced which caused him to write this wonderful psalm. This psalm is a beautiful work of art reminding us that as humans seeking to be connected to the eternal God, we should expect faithful moments and confusing ones also, moments of great trust in the Lord and times of doubt and anxiety too. Psalm 27 shows us the great diversity that Israel enjoyed when worshiping and praying. Find us on social media: | For current & accurate updates: or /mandymatney Support Our Mission: /support-the-show Support the Reporting: fitsnews.Print/Download This Guide Notes for Teacher/Facilitator Listen on any streaming service or visit to learn more. Follow along with Matney's reporting in real time from South Carolina as her exclusive sources guide listeners on a journey to expose the truth wherever it leads.
Matney's podcast provides unmatched insight into the horrific deaths, botched investigations and newly-uncovered crimes that are all interconnected. The now-infamous Murdaugh family is surrounded by seven criminal investigations into insurance fraud, obstruction of justice, the 2021 double homicides of Paul Murdaugh and his mother Maggie, the 2015 murder of young Stephen Smith, and the suicide-for-hire plot of family patriarch Alex Murdaugh. Award-winning journalist Mandy Matney of has been investigating the Murdaugh family since that fateful night in 2019. For nearly 100 years, one family traded influence and held power in the South Carolina lowcountry until a fatal boat crash involving an allegedly intoxicated heir-apparent shed sunlight on a true crime saga like no-other.