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Desiring to know God above all else
For our final session together, we will be taking a look at 3 Psalms together –
Psalms 25, 26, and 27. These are written out for you on the following pages from
the NASB version. Use them as you complete the following steps and answer the discussion questions
together.

1. Underline any statements David makes regarding his trust and confidence in the Lord.
2. Box verses or paragraphs that express David’s delight in God and desire to know Him more
3. Put a bracket in the margin around sections which describe God’s character and faithfulness
4. How does David describe the circumstances of his life in these psalms?
5. How does David’s deep trust in God and desire to know Him more affect the way he deals with
the circumstances of his life? Be specific!

6. What does David seem to desire more: vindication and triumph over enemies, or a deeper
knowledge of God? What does David draw confidence from? Support your answers from the
text.

7. Independently, think about the following questions in light of your own life and circumstances.
a. What drains you of faith, what challenges your confidence in God?

b. How would focusing on God’s character and faithfulness, rather than on yourself and
your circumstances, change your perspective?

c. What is the deepest hunger in your heart? Can you honestly say it is to know God more
fully? To “behold the beauty of the Lord” and be in His presence?

d. In your journal, use these Psalms as inspiration to write your own psalm, prayer, or song
to the Lord. You can use any of these three Psalms and rephrase them to fit your own
situation, or you can write something inspired by David’s confidence in God and desire
to know Him above all else.

8. As time allows, come back together as a group. If anyone is willing to share what she has
written after either session today, please do so!

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Psalm 25
To You, O LORD, I lift up my soul. O my God, in You I trust,
Do not let me be ashamed; Do not let my enemies exult over me.
Indeed, none of those who wait for You will be ashamed;
Those who deal treacherously without cause will be ashamed.

Make me know Your ways, O LORD; Teach me Your paths.

Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; For You I wait all the day.
Remember, O LORD, Your compassion and Your lovingkindnesses, For they have been from of old.
Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions; According to Your lovingkindness
remember me, For Your goodness' sake, O LORD.

Good and upright is the LORD; Therefore He instructs sinners in the way.
He leads the humble in justice, And He teaches the humble His way.
All the paths of the LORD are lovingkindness and truth To those who keep His covenant and His
testimonies.

For Your name's sake, O LORD, Pardon my iniquity, for it is great.

Who is the man who fears the LORD?

He will instruct him in the way he should choose.
His soul will abide in prosperity,
And his descendants will inherit the land.
The secret of the LORD is for those who fear Him,
And He will make them know His covenant.

My eyes are continually toward the LORD, For He will pluck my feet out of the net.
Turn to me and be gracious to me, For I am lonely and afflicted.
The troubles of my heart are enlarged; Bring me out of my distresses.
Look upon my affliction and my trouble, And forgive all my sins.

Look upon my enemies, for they are many, And they hate me with violent hatred.
Guard my soul and deliver me; Do not let me be ashamed, for I take refuge in You.
Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, For I wait for You.
Redeem Israel, O God, Out of all his troubles.

Psalm 26
Vindicate me, O LORD, for I have walked in my integrity,
And I have trusted in the LORD without wavering.
Examine me, O LORD, and try me; Test my mind and my heart.
For Your lovingkindness is before my eyes, And I have walked in Your truth.

I do not sit with deceitful men, Nor will I go with pretenders.

I hate the assembly of evildoers, And I will not sit with the wicked.
I shall wash my hands in innocence, And I will go about Your altar, O LORD,

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That I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving And declare all Your wonders.
O LORD, I love the habitation of Your house And the place where Your glory dwells.

Do not take my soul away along with sinners, Nor my life with men of bloodshed,
In whose hands is a wicked scheme, And whose right hand is full of bribes.

But as for me, I shall walk in my integrity; Redeem me, and be gracious to me.
My foot stands on a level place; In the congregations I shall bless the LORD.

Psalm 27
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the defense of my life; whom shall I dread?
When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh,
my adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell.
Though a host encamp against me, my heart will not fear;
Though war arise against me, in spite of this I shall be confident.

One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to meditate in His temple.
For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle;
In the secret place of His tent He will hide me; He will lift me up on a rock.
And now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me;
And I will offer in His tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.

Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice, and be gracious to me and answer me.
When Thou didst say, “Seek My face,” my heart said to Thee, “Thy face, O Lord, I shall seek.”

Do not hide Thy face from me, do not turn Thy servant away in anger;
Thou hast been my help; Do not turn Thy servant away in anger;
Thou hast been my help; Do not abandon me nor forsake me, O God of my salvation!
For my father and my mother have forsaken me, But the Lord will take me up.

Teach me Thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a level path, because of my foes.
Do not deliver me over to the desire of my adversaries;
For false witnesses have risen against me, and such as breathe out violence.

I would have despaired unless I had believed

that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the Lord.”