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Psalm THREE

 PSALMS [Praying our trouble] 

Psalm 3_ 

 
Prayer often begins when we come to the end of ourselves... in the realisation that we can’t help ourselves, so we have to reach out to God.  
“Help!” is one of the most basic (and honest) prayers we can pray. 
When we find ourselves in trouble will prayer be the first port of call or the last resort? 

 
[Group discussion starter] What is the worst trouble you were in this last week? Where did you go for help? Did you get help? 

 

Psalm 3 was written when David fled from his own son, Absalom, who was leading a rebellion against David. A huge battle ended with the death of twenty thousand. Then Absalom died: “He was riding his mule, and as the mule went out from under the thick branches of a large oak, Absalom’s head got caught in the tree. He was left hanging in midair, while the mule he was riding kept on going.” (2 Samuel 18:9) 

 

[Read Psalm 3] 

 

[Activity] David’s prayer, Psalm 3, naturally divides into five sections: verses 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7 and 8. Describe / name each section (stanza) with a single word or phrase. 

 

 

 

 

 

What progression do you see from each section to the next? 

 

 

In verses 1-2, David describes his enemies. 
Do you ever feel overwhelmed by threatening people or circumstances? 
Give example. 

Deliver / Deliverance is a key word in this Psalm. 
What do we learn about the nature of deliverance through it’s different uses here? 

 

 
 

What actions is God described as taking in this Psalm? 
Are you used to thinking of God in these ways? 
Explain. 

 

 

What actions is David described as taking in this Psalm? 

 

 

To what extent do these characterise you when trouble arises? 

 

 

The emotional centre of this Psalm is verse 5. 
When we are sleeping, what are we doing? 

 

 

What is God doing? 

 

 

What, in this Psalm, will help you to ‘pray your trouble’? 

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