Conflicted: How Can Complaint Be Turned to Confidence?

Community Study

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Notes for Teacher/Facilitator

This psalm is a poem written by a person who is facing two very different realities. On the one hand, the psalmist has great confidence in God who is his protector and who loves him deeply. On the other hand, the psalmist faces threats and dangers in his life that make him feel like a poorly-constructed fence that’s about to fall over. I imagine that all of us have been in similar situations in our lives. And this psalm is a reminder to us that when we feel conflicted in this way, we should turn toward God who is our refuge and rock! But we might also be tempted to cut corners and place our confidence in ungodly actions and things. The psalmist reminds us, however, with great clarity that it is God who should be trusted! He is powerful and loving! He can help and he wants to help!

Here are a few notes about particular words in this psalm:

• “Rest” (dumiyyah/damam) – v.1, 5: Both of these words point to silence and can be used figuratively of resting quietly in order to recharge and regroup.
• “Leaning…tottering” (natah and dachah) – v.3: These words literally mean “stretched” and “pushed.” When used of typically solid objects (such as walls and fences), these words point to the shakiness of these structures.
• “Hope” (tiqvah) – v.5: “That which is expected or waited for” – this is what this word means. Calling God “my hope” would indicate that God is the one who secures expectations.
• “Rock” (tsur) – v.7: This word literally means a rocky cliff or a boulder. When used figuratively about God it is pointing to God’s defense and support of his people. God is strong and reliable.
• “Lie” (kazab) – v.9: This word simply means “that which is false or deceptive.” Calling a human a lie might point to his or here own dishonesty. Thus, why would anyone place trust in such a person?
• “Power…unfailing love” (oz and checed) – v.11: The word for power encompasses material and physical strength along with personal, social, and political strength. The psalmist is shouting that God is all powerful! But he’s also loving (this word points to God’s loyalty to his covenant). In other words, God is powerful and loving; and if he is was only one or the other, he would be difficult to worship indeed!

Introduction

• Open your class/community time with prayer. Ask the Spirit of God to reveal himself to all of you through the Scriptures and through your discussion together.
• Discuss last week’s challenge and encourage people to share how the challenge went for them.
• Begin by having smaller groups answer these questions together: Do you ever feel conflicted about who you are in the Lord and how you feel in the world? What do you do with this feeling?

Bible Questions

• The psalmist is conflicted in this poem – his beliefs about God and his personal experience aren’t lining up easily. We see him saying in vv.1-2 that he has unwavering trust in God, while at the same time admitting that he is about to be toppled over by his enemies in vv.3-4. Have you had similar sorts of conflicted experiences in your life? How do you navigate them well?
• When we feel like a “leaning wall” or a “tottering fence (v.3), is it easier or more difficult to call on God and trust in him? Why did you answer the way you did?
• Twice the psalmist uses the word “rest” (vv.1 and 5). Why is rest so important? How can we get more of it? What does it mean that our best rest is found “in God”?
• In v.8 the psalmist connects trust with pouring our hearts out to God. Why are these two ideas connected? How can trust help us pour our hearts out to God? And how can pouring our hearts out to God help us trust more?
• We are told not to place our trust in temporary things and people in vv.9-10. Why is this such a difficult idea to live out? Why are we more likely to trust in temporary things rather than trusting in God fully?
• In v.11 we are reminded that God is powerful and loving. How do these two characteristics of God work together? If God was powerful but not loving, what would he be like? If he were loving but not powerful, what would he be like?

Discussion Questions

• How has God been your rest, your refuge, your mighty rock, and your savior? Turn these truths into prayers of praise to God!
• When we are conflicted, feeling one way in the Lord and another way in the world, how can we help one another? Is there some way that we can help one another lead lives that are less divided on themselves?
• How can finding our rest and refuge in God help us live missionaly, sharing and being the good news wherever God has placed us?

Takeaway

When our focus is on God and we’re living as He has taught us, there should be no duality in our lives. There should be singleness, focus, integrity, rest.

Challenge

Memorize Psalm 62.1-2. This week when you feel the pull of forces that are attempting to wrench you away from your identity as God’s loved child, stop and pray these memorized words.