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Psalm 25:1-101NIV New International Version Translations
1 In you, Lord my God, I put my trust. 2 I trust in you; do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me. 3 No one who hopes in you will ever be put to shame, but shame will come on those who are treacherous without cause. 4 Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. 5 Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. 6 Remember, Lord, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old. 7 Do not remember the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you, Lord, are good. 8 Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways. 9 He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way. 10 All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful toward those who keep the demands of his covenant.

CommunionBackground2http://www.easyenglish.info/psalms/psalm025-taw.htm

It is not known when David wrote Psalm 25. In it he writes about his enemies (Psalm 25:2 and 19). But David always had enemies. This means that he might have written Psalm 25 at any time in his life. The Psalm is in 3 parts, with an extra verse at the end.

  • Psalm 25:1 – 7: David prays that God will not remember his sins and that God will be his guide. David also asks God for help against his enemies.
  • Psalm 25:8 – 14: David tells us about God and Because God is like this, he will answer David, and give him help.
  • Psalm 25:15 – 21: David tells God that his enemies have hurt him and made him unhappy. Again he asks God for help.

It is believed that somebody else probably wrote verse 22 so that everybody might use the psalm, not just David.

Psalm 25 is an alphabet psalm, like Psalms 9 and 10. So, verse 1 begins with the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Verse 2 begins with the second letter and so on. There are 22 letters in the Hebrew alphabet. One is missing in this psalm, the letter q. So, Psalm 25:21 begins with the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Psalm 25:22 does not begin with the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet. This is another reason why we think that David did not write the last verse. Alphabet psalms were hard to write. They were special psalms to show people how much the writer loved God. Other alphabet psalms are 9 and 10, 34, 37, 111, 112, 119 and 145.

Biblical Truth3http://www.christnotes.org/commentary.php?com=mhc&b=19&c=25

In worshipping God, we must lift up our souls to him. It is certain that none who, by a believing attendance, wait on God, and, by a believing hope, wait for him, shall be ashamed of it. The most advanced believer both needs and desires to be taught of God. If we sincerely desire to know our duty, with resolution to do it, we may be sure that God will direct us in it. The psalmist is earnest for the pardon of his sins. When God pardons sin, he is said to remember it no more, which denotes full remission. It is God’s goodness, and not ours, his mercy, and not our merit, that must be our plea for the pardon of sin, and all the good we need. This plea we must rely upon, feeling our own unworthiness, and satisfied of the riches of God’s mercy and grace. How boundless is that mercy which covers forever the sins and follies of a youth spent without God and without hope! Blessed be the Lord, the blood of the great Sacrifice can wash away every stain.

We are all sinners; and Christ came into the world to save sinners, to teach sinners, to call sinners to repentance. We value a promise by the character of him that makes it; we therefore depend upon God’s promises. All the paths of the Lord, that is, all his promises and all his providences, are mercy and truth. In all God’s dealings his people may see his mercy displayed, and his word fulfilled, whatever afflictions they are now exercised with. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth; and so it will appear when they come to their journey’s end. Those that are humble, that distrust themselves, and desire to be taught and to follow Divine guidance, these he will guide in judgment, that is, by the rule of the written word, to find rest for their souls in the Savior.

Items for Discussion

  • What are the “action words” in this psalm? In other words, what is David, the psalmist, asking of God?
  • Why is this still important to the generations of today?
  • Why is the human race so ill-equipped to do these things without God’s help?
  • Why is a humble heart always a precursor to building a trusting relationship with our God?

 

John 6:52-66
52 Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” 53 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. 57 Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” 59 He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum. 60 On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?” 61 Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you? 62 Then what if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! 63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life. 64 Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. 65 He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.” 66 From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.

Background

Chapter 6 in the Gospel of John contains: the feeding of the five thousand. (1-14) Jesus walking on the sea. (15-21) Jesus redirecting our thinking to spiritual food. (22-27) His discourse with the multitude. (28-65) and the abandonment of many of disciples. (66-71)

Biblical Truth4http://www.christnotes.org/commentary.php?com=mhc&b=43&c=6

The flesh and blood of the Son of man, denote the Redeemer in the nature of man; Christ and him crucified, and the redemption wrought out by him, with all the precious benefits of redemption; pardon of sin, acceptance with God, the way to the throne of grace, the promises of the covenant, and eternal life. These are called the flesh and blood of Christ, because they are purchased by the breaking his body, and the shedding of his blood. Also, because they are meat and drink to our souls. Eating this flesh and drinking this blood simply means believing in Christ.

We partake of Christ and Christ’s benefits by faith. Our soul knows its lost state and wants, finds whatever can to calm our conscience, and promote true holiness. This can only be done through our Redeemer, God manifest in the flesh. Meditating upon the cross of Christ gives life to our repentance, love, and gratitude. We live by him, as our bodies live by our food. We live by him, as the members by the head, the branches by the root: because he lives we shall live also.

Christ’s disciples struggle with the reality that the human nature of Christ had been in heaven, but being God and man, that wondrous Person was truly said to have come down from heaven. The Messiah’s kingdom was not of this world; and they were to understand by faith, a message of spiritual living “upon” Christ. As without the soul of man the flesh is of no value, so without the quickening Spirit of God all forms of religion are dead and worthless. He who made this provision for our souls, alone can teach us these things, and draw us to Christ so that we may live by faith in him.

Items for Discussion

  • Why would someone not accept a teacher’s message?
  • With respect to Christ’s teachings, what are the barriers that people face?
  • Why is it easier to accept Christ’s teaching if you accept the fact that He is God?
  • How should we respond to Biblical teaching when we do not understand it?
  • How should we respond to Biblical teaching when someone else does not understand it?
  • How would you explain communion?

Discussion Challenge

  • How do we help those around us know that Christ is God?