- SATURDAY – Introduction

The Book of Psalms was written during a time when the world was filled with a lot of wrongdoing, similar to today. These writings express God's disappointment and sadness over the sin and suffering present in the world.

However, God is patient. He waits before acting against sin because He wants everyone to have a chance to repent and turn away from their wrong actions (2 Peter 3:9-15

KJV ⁹ The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. ¹⁰ But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. ¹¹ Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, ¹² Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? ¹³ Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. ¹⁴ Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. ¹⁵ And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; CEV ⁹ The Lord isn't slow about keeping his promises, as some people think he is. In fact, God is patient, because he wants everyone to turn from sin and no one to be lost. ¹⁰ The day of the Lord's return will surprise us like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a loud noise, and the heat will melt the whole universe. Then the earth and everything on it will be seen for what they are. ¹¹ Everything will be destroyed. So you should serve and honor God by the way you live. ¹² You should look forward to the day when God judges everyone, and you should try to make it come soon. On that day the heavens will be destroyed by fire, and everything else will melt in the heat. ¹³ But God has promised us a new heaven and a new earth, where justice will rule. We are really looking forward to this! ¹⁴ My friends, while you are waiting, you should make certain the Lord finds you pure, spotless, and living at peace. ¹⁵ Don't forget that the Lord is patient because he wants people to be saved. This is also what our dear friend Paul said when he wrote you with the wisdom God had given him.
). God's timing in dealing with sin may not align with our expectations, but we are assured that He will eventually bring justice to all (Psalm 96:13

KJV ¹³ Before the Lord: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth. CEV ¹³ to the Lord. He is coming to judge all people on earth with fairness and truth.
; Psalm 98:9

KJV ⁹ Before the Lord; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity. CEV ⁹ Let them worship the Lord! He is coming to judge everyone on the earth, and he will be honest and fair.
). We need to trust God's judgment because He is both fair and righteous (Psalm 89:14

KJV ¹⁴ Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face. CEV ¹⁴ Your kingdom is ruled by justice and fairness with love and faithfulness leading the way.
; Psalm 97:2

KJV ² Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne. CEV ² Dark clouds surround him, and his throne is supported by justice and fairness.
). God is our Creator, the only one who has the authority to renew life or pass judgment. His plan includes saving those who are faithful to Him and punishing those who reject His mercy.

- SUNDAY – The Lord Is A Mighty Fighter

Psalms 18, 76, and 144 use vivid imagery to describe God as a powerful defender who saves His people from danger. These Psalms use the metaphor of God as a warrior to illustrate His strength and readiness to protect His followers from their adversaries.

For example, Psalm 18 depicts God's power with images of thunder, lightning, and earthquakes as means of defeating enemies. This Psalm reassures us that God is capable of providing protection and we should trust in His timing.

King David, a central figure in many Psalms, recognized that it was God who enabled him to be victorious in battles, attributing his successes to divine support rather than his own abilities. David's reliance on God for strength and victory serves as a reminder that our talents and successes come from God, and we should remain humble and grateful.

- MONDAY – Helping Poor And Needy People

The Psalms emphasize God's concern for the marginalized - the poor, widows, orphans, and strangers (Exodus 22:21-27

KJV ²¹ Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt. ²² Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child. ²³ If thou afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry; ²⁴ And my wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless. ²⁵ If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as an usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon him usury. ²⁶ If thou at all take thy neighbour's raiment to pledge, thou shalt deliver it unto him by that the sun goeth down: ²⁷ For that is his covering only, it is his raiment for his skin: wherein shall he sleep? and it shall come to pass, when he crieth unto me, that I will hear; for I am gracious. CEV ²¹ Do not mistreat or abuse foreigners who live among you. Remember, you were foreigners in Egypt. ²² Do not mistreat widows or orphans. ²³ If you do, they will beg for my help, and I will come to their rescue. ²⁴ In fact, I will get so angry that I will kill your men and make widows of their wives and orphans of their children. ²⁵ Don't charge interest when you lend money to any of my people who are in need. ²⁶ Before sunset you must return any coat taken as security for a loan, ²⁷ because that is the only cover the poor have when they sleep at night. I am a merciful God, and when they call out to me, I will come to help them.
; Isaiah 3:13-15

KJV ¹³ The Lord standeth up to plead, and standeth to judge the people. ¹⁴ The Lord will enter into judgment with the ancients of his people, and the princes thereof: for ye have eaten up the vineyard; the spoil of the poor is in your houses. ¹⁵ What mean ye that ye beat my people to pieces, and grind the faces of the poor? saith the Lord God of hosts. CEV ¹³ The Lord is ready to accuse and judge all nations. ¹⁴ He will even judge you rulers and leaders of his own nation. You destroyed his vineyard and filled your houses by robbing the poor. ¹⁵ The Lord All-Powerful says, “You have crushed my people and rubbed in the dirt the faces of the poor.”
). These texts highlight God's desire to support and uplift those in need, reflecting His compassion for all people, not just the chosen few.

The term "poor and needy" extends beyond financial or material lack, encompassing those who are vulnerable or alone. It also reflects a spiritual poverty, representing individuals who depend entirely on God for support and sustenance.

By aiding those in need, we live out our faith in a tangible way. Scripture condemns the mistreatment of the vulnerable and calls for proactive support (Deuteronomy 15:7-11

KJV ⁷ If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother: ⁸ But thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth. ⁹ Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought; and he cry unto the Lord against thee, and it be sin unto thee. ¹⁰ Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto. ¹¹ For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land. CEV ⁷ After the Lord your God gives land to each of you, there may be poor Israelites in the town where you live. If there are, then don't be mean and selfish with your money. ⁸ Instead, be kind and lend them what they need. ⁹ Be careful! Don't say to yourself, “Soon it will be the seventh year, and then I won't be able to get my money back.” It would be horrible for you to think that way and to be so selfish that you refuse to help the poor. They are your relatives, and if you don't help them, they may ask the Lord to decide whether you have done wrong. And he will say that you are guilty. ¹⁰ You should be happy to give the poor what they need, because then the Lord will make you successful in everything you do. ¹¹ There will always be some Israelites who are poor and needy. That's why I am commanding you to be generous with them.
). Jesus exemplified this care for the marginalized, offering spiritual richness and the promise of eternal life (Revelation 21:4

KJV ⁴ And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. CEV ⁴ He will wipe all tears from their eyes, and there will be no more death, suffering, crying, or pain. These things of the past are gone forever.
).

- TUESDAY – Evil Leaders

God expected the leaders of Israel, including kings and judges, to rule justly and care for the needy. When leaders followed God's commands, He promised prosperity for the people and the land. Leadership was meant to reflect God's justice and compassion, not human power or wisdom.

Psalm 82 criticizes leaders who fail in these responsibilities, highlighting God's judgment against unfair rulers. This Psalm challenges leaders to remember their accountability to God's laws, reminding them that they are not above those they govern.

- WEDNESDAY – Pour Out Your Anger, Lord!

Some Psalms express a desire for God to punish those who harm or oppose His people. While these calls for justice might seem harsh, they reflect a deep longing for God's righteousness and a hatred of sin.

These Psalms remind us that vengeance belongs to God, not us. They trust in God's promises to deal with evil according to His covenant (Deuteronomy 27:9-16

KJV ⁹ And Moses and the priests the Levites spake unto all Israel, saying, Take heed, and hearken, O Israel; this day thou art become the people of the Lord thy God. ¹⁰ Thou shalt therefore obey the voice of the Lord thy God, and do his commandments and his statutes, which I command thee this day. ¹¹ And Moses charged the people the same day, saying, ¹² These shall stand upon mount Gerizim to bless the people, when ye are come over Jordan; Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Joseph, and Benjamin: ¹³ And these shall stand upon mount Ebal to curse; Reuben, Gad, and Asher, and Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali. ¹⁴ And the Levites shall speak, and say unto all the men of Israel with a loud voice, ¹⁵ Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image, an abomination unto the Lord, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and putteth it in a secret place. And all the people shall answer and say, Amen. ¹⁶ Cursed be he that setteth light by his father or his mother. And all the people shall say, Amen. CEV ⁹ Moses stood together with the priests and said, “Israel, be quiet and listen to me! Today you have become the people of the Lord your God. ¹⁰ So you must obey his laws and teachings that I am giving you.” ¹¹ That same day, Moses gave them the following instructions: ^12-13 After you cross the Jordan River, you will go to Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal. The tribes of Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin will go up on Mount Gerizim, where they will bless the people of Israel. The tribes of Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali will go up on Mount Ebal where they will agree to the curses. ^14-26 The people of the Levi tribe will speak each curse in a loud voice, then the rest of the people will agree to that curse by saying, “Amen!” Here are the curses: We ask the Lord to put a curse on anyone who makes an idol or worships idols, even secretly. The Lord is disgusted with idols. We ask the Lord to put a curse on all who do not show respect for their father and mother. We ask the Lord to put a curse on anyone who moves the rocks that mark property lines. We ask the Lord to put a curse on anyone who tells blind people to go the wrong way. We ask the Lord to put a curse on anyone who keeps the poor from getting justice, whether these poor are foreigners, widows, or orphans. We ask the Lord to put a curse on any man who sleeps with his father's wife; that man has shown no respect for his father's marriage. We ask the Lord to put a curse on anyone who has sex with an animal. We ask the Lord to put a curse on any man who sleeps with his sister or his half sister or his mother-in-law. We ask the Lord to put a curse on anyone who commits murder, even when there are no witnesses to the crime. We ask the Lord to put a curse on anyone who accepts money to murder an innocent victim. We ask the Lord to put a curse on anyone who refuses to obey his laws. And so, to each of these curses, the people will answer, “Amen!”
). The poets see their prayers as aligned with God's future judgment, advocating for divine intervention against injustice.

- THURSDAY – Our Judge And His Temple

The concept of God as a judge is closely linked to the imagery of the heavenly temple. This setting is where God addresses the issue of sin and enacts His plan for salvation. The temple symbolizes God's presence and His role in redeeming humanity from sin, contrasting with pagan practices of dealing with sin through rituals.

God's judgment extends forgiveness and transformation to those who repent, while also serving as an avenger against those who persist in wrongdoing. This dual role of God as both forgiver and judge emphasizes His desire for His people to live in holiness and obedience.

- FRIDAY – Additional thought

Ellen G. White's writings reinforce the idea that following Jesus might lead to hardship, but it is a path blessed by God. She draws on examples of faithfulness from the Bible, showing that from the very beginning, believers have faced opposition because of their faith. Despite these challenges, the promise of God's kingdom and His justice offers hope and encouragement to remain steadfast in faith.

In summary, this week's lesson teaches us about trusting

God's justice, showing compassion to those in need, and understanding our role in reflecting God's righteousness in a world marked by sin and injustice.