I think you might be wondering this question at this point. I would be, if I were you. After all, we are not even one-third through our study of Psalm 1:1 and we have already been studying it for two days. So, doing the math, it would take us 6 days to get through each verse at this rate.
There are 2,461 verses in the Book of Psalms.
14,766 / 365 = 40.455 years is what it will take us to get through this study. right? (Hang on.)
This sounds extreme. Who on earth wants to do that?
Please relax. We will look more at this dilemma today. But, first, let me say that some verses, we will spend more than six days studying and some verses, we will spend less. It all depends on what God calls us to do. We will leave it to Him.
My guess, though, is we will spend three days per verse. So, let's do more math.
7,383 / 40 = 185 40-day books.
HOW HORRID OF A STUDY!
Who would ever want to do this, let alone commit to it?
That still sounds like a big number, doesn't it? How intimidating. How, shall I be honest here, boring will this be?
Who on earth would want to do this type of study? It sounds pretty horrid to spend that much time in one book few the Bible, doesn't it? Even with a book as incredible as the Psalms, this sounds about as pleasant as slamming one's hand in a car door--repeatedly.
However, do you know something we are doing here as these reactions well up within us? We are making judgment. We are actually doing worse than that. we are assuming--and you know what they say about assuming.
Whoever said Devotional Bible Study has to be as unpleasant as slamming your hand in your front door, or car door, repeatedly? Or, what about pulling healthy teeth?
It doesn't have to be.
But, isn't that the way we think today?
I will address these concerns in the next couple sections of today's Bible study. Hang in there.
ONE VERSE AT A TIME BIBLE STUDY
We should never read, study, or memorize only one verse of the Bible.
Let me repeat: Never.
Why? If we do, we take that verse out of context. We might study it and figure out what just that verse means to us when we read and understand it, but we fail to look at the context, which brings a completely different understanding to the one verse.
I know. You might disagree with me. After all, most sermons nowadays are based off of one random verse from the Bible.
But, try this one on for hand. Look up Matthew 18:8-9. read those verses alone.
According to those verses, we need to cut off our hands or pluck out our eyes.
But, if we read Matthew 18:1-11 (please do so now), then we gain a much greater understanding of Matthew 18:8-9. Don't we?
Isn't this just an extreme example? Surely context with each verse of the Bible isn't this important. Right? You may think.
This is what happens EVERY time we take just one verse and read it and memorize it out of context. Matthew 18:8-9 is what happens when we do not take things into context. Every time. Every single time. We lost the full meaning of the verse. We lose most of what God is saying then and now when we do this.
Now, let me take one more stand about this. It isn't bad enough that we miss most of what God is saying--then and now. But, then we need to take this into consideration. We are incorrectly handling the Holy Bible. We are not properly handling the Word of God.
Do understand the gravity of these two errors?
Yet, isn't that we do all the time--without thinking.
Stop right there. that's the problem. We aren't thinking.
So, do me a favor, the next time you hear a sermon, are doing a bible study, or hear a radio message, read at least four verses before and after the verse or passage of that message. Move to the next Bible chapter or book, and read them, if you need to in order to get the context. Make sure what you are hearing is really from God and isn't from man, from his or your wishful thinking, or from error.
Therefore, we should study at least the entire chapter, not just the verse when we do study the Bible.
How this study differs from those is we will study a verse at a time, but we will also study the entire chapter and the entire book. This helps up keep proper context.
A FULL STUDY OF A VERSEI think the reasons why we do not get as much out of reading the Bible and studying it, as we could or should, is because we move too quickly. We try to rush through things. When we rush our Bible reading and/or study, we do not get out as much out of them as we could. Moreover, we do not allow ourselves the time to allow things to fully digest, and for us to grasp it deeply, so we do not learn everything we can from it. Moreover, we do not allow God the time to talk a verse through in our lives.
What an injustice we do with the Word of God.
We are a rush, busy-busy-busy, fast food, digital society that even wants Bible study to be this way. When we take this mentality with us to the throne, and approach the Word of God (and God Himself), we are severely disrespectful to God and the Bible. We are irreverent. We act as though neither are sacred and holy.
Furthermore, when we rush Bible reading and study, it's all about us. Me, myself, and I, the trinity in our lives. Our lives. Ourselves. Our wants. Our needs. Our schedules. We are self-centered. Me-focused. Selfish people.
What about God? What does He want? (Have we even stopped to ask Him? And, did we give Him time to fully answer before we rushed off tto the enxt rat race or crisis?)
DAILY BIBLE READING
One of the dangers of doing a verse by verse Bible study, like this one, where we take several days to study each verse, is that we might miss the rest of the Bible and focus only on the chapter or book we are studying. This is a grave error and should make you concerned. This is why it's important to continue with your Daily Bible Reading.
What is your daily Bible reading? It's reading the Bible all the way through every 1, 2, or 3 years. I recommend every three years at the minimum. Why? So, the context of the entire Bible stays fresh in your mind. That's why.
So, make sure you continue this. If you aren't doing it yet, start. To read the Bible through in a year, you need to read 3.25 chapters per day for 365 days. (There are 1,189 chapters in the Bible.)
FOR EXAMPLE: I am reading the Old Testament all the way through in 2 years and the New Testament through in one year. But, I'm also reading the Psalms and Proverbs all the way through in another daily Bible reading plan in a year as well.
So, having a daily Bible reading plan will help you read the rest of the Bible, other than Psalms, during the time we do this study. This is important
But, also with the cross-references we will do with each verse, we will cover more of the Bible. This is important as well.
OTHER BIBLE STUDIES
It is possible to do our daily Bible reading, this study, and another Bible study. It just means making sure to schedule in time each day to do all three.
As a matter of fact, I would recommend this. You can apply what you learn here to the other Bible studies--and you;ll get a great deal more out of them.
LONG-TERM COMMITMENT
Taking everything we just read in today's lesson, are you ready to really make this a true long-term commitment, where you study it from verse one to verse 2,461?
Sure. It's intimidating. But, this shows how God is at work. God never calls us to our comfort zones. Never. Rather, He calls us outside of them so He can show us He is God and we, and other humans,a re not. He shows us His glory in the meanwhile. That's why this is a commitment that's so worthwhile. God will use us. He put this idea and book into our hands for a reason.
Stop. Ask Him the reason now. Prayer journal about this before you continue.
Now, let's continue with our study of Psalm 1:1.
AN AGREEMENT OR TWO
God put this book into your hands for a reason. He had your eye, curiosity, and attention brought to this book and study for a reason. Rest assured. But, you already prayer journaled about this, so you should know why--and in time more of the answer will be revealed.
So, do not continue forward until you make at least one of these commitments, if not both.
It's important for us to take seriously studying the Word of God. today, we looked at many of these reasons. Therefore, let's make an agreement or two now.
1 Let's agree to finish this book.
2 And/or let's agree to make the long-term commitment to finish this entire study of the Book of Psalms.
So, which will it be? 1 or 1 and 2?
Prayer journal your thoughts at this point.
Now, if you are reading this as an e-book, write out this commitment, word for word, in your prayer journal. In fat, even if you are using a paper book of this study, I would also put this in my prayer journal.
But, first, know the significance of this act. Read each of the verses below and prayer journal a summary of each:
Leviticus 19:12
Numbers 30:2
Deuteronomy 23:21-23
Matthew 5:33
Prayer journal your thoughts at this point.
1 I, (write your name here) __________________________________________________ , commit to finishing this book cover to cover--and finishing everything it says. In doing so, I will not skip one word or one prayer journaling suggestion. I make this vow on, (write today's date here) _____________________________________________________________ .
2. I, (write your name here) _________________________________________________ , commit to finishing this book, AND every single book of this series. I will do everything it says and will not miss one word or prayer journaling suggestion. I make this vow on, (write today's date here) ____________________________________________________________ .
There. We just made a vow to God. So, this is far more important than anything else in our lives and we have promised ourselves and Almighty God this.
I do not know about you, but I am far more intimidated at this point and am even more scared. I made the promise to #2 and know that this means I have set in stone what the next twenty years or so (maybe more, maybe less) of my life will look like. (Yikes.)
Prayer journal your thoughts at this point.
Now, let's continue with our study of Psalm 1:1.
PSALM 1:1 (CONT.)
We need to be careful who we hang out with, whose advice we listen to, and make sure we do not allow God to be mocked or scorned. We need to figure out if we should keep each of our friends and make sure to marry right or make sure our current marriages are right with God.
If we do all of this, then we will be blessed and happy.
GO AT YOUR OWN SPEED
As you do this bible study book, if you are doing this as an individual study, if you want to divide any day into two or three days, or even more, then by all means, do. go at the speed God is telling you. Do not continue forward until you no longer hear God speaking to you. Give Him time to speak in your life. Don't rush through it and do not rush God or His Word.
If you are doing this Bible study as a group, make sure to make notes in your prayer journal to study more of this later. Then, when you are done with this book, go back and study more those notes you made in your prayer journaling.
Do each day of this study in at least one day, if not more. But, only do two days or more if you will in fact meditate, pray, and think on it day and night. Otherwise, you are not getting as much out of it as you can.
But, whatever you do, do not do more than one day at a time. Again, we do not ever want to rush God or His Word.
3 CROSS-REFERENCES (CONT.)
Job 31:5 is the key verse, but look at Job 1:1-15. Prayer journal your thoughts.
Proverbs 1:15 is the key verse, but read Proverbs 1:8-22 as a whole. Prayer journal your thoughts.
Proverbs 4:14-15 are the key verses, but read Proverbs 4:20-23 as a whole. Prayer journal your thoughts.
I do not know about you, but I could spend a week studying, meditating, and praying on those three cross-reference passages we just went through. Each of them is jammed pack with jewels to observe and cherish.
If you want to think on these verses for the rest of the day and night, then by all means, do. If not, then, continue onward.
Proverbs 13:20
Ezekiel 20:18 is the key verse, but read Ezekiel 20:14-22 as a whole. Prayer journal your thoughts.
1 Peter 4:3 is the key verse, but read 1 Peter 4:1-7 as a whole. Prayer journal your thoughts.
Psalm 64:2
Genesis 49:6
2 Chronicles 22:3
Job 10:3
Job 21:16
Proverbs 1:22
Proverbs 3:34
Proverbs 9:12
We could study more cross-references, but, let's not. This has been more than enough.
CONCLUSION
Write a summary of today's reading, studying, prayer journaling, and praying of the Word of Psalm 1:1 in your prayer journal.
Now, write a prayer about what you have learned and what God has put on your heart.
