Free group study handout
Psalm 40: Group Study Handout
How to use: read Psalm 40 aloud together, then take the questions in order. One page is enough for an evening.
Overview
The psalmist waits patiently for Yahweh. He cries out, and Yahweh hears him. Yahweh lifts him from a deep pit and places him on solid ground (vv.
Key verse
“He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay. He set my feet on a rock, and gave me a firm place to stand.”
Psalms 40:2 (WEB)
Outline
- Psalm 40:1–3 Patient Waiting and Divine Response
- Psalm 40:4–6 Blessings of Trust and Divine Works
- Psalm 40:7–10 Desire for Obedience and Proclamation
- Psalm 40:11–13 Plea for Mercy and Deliverance
- Psalm 40:14–15 Call for Judgment on Enemies
- Psalm 40:16–17 Joy in Seeking God and Final Dependence
Discussion questions
- In v6, what does the psalmist mean by 'opened my ears'?
- What does David declare about God’s righteousness in vv. 9-10?
- David's declaration in v7 about being 'written about' suggests what about his understanding of divine purpose?
- In v12, why does David express that his iniquities have 'overtaken me'?
- When have you felt 'poor and needy' like David in v17, and how did you respond?
Go deeper
Passages that echo Psalm 40: Jeremiah 29, Psalm 119, 1 Samuel 15.
Before next time: read Psalm 41.