Psalm 7 - Lions of life

Lions are night and opportunist hunters. They have two main hunting methods. One way is to stalk from cover to cover then pounce on their unsuspecting prey. Or else a lion will determine and find a prey's need and hide by it. So they will position themselves by water and food sources and wait. Lions are not fast, at least not as fast as most prey animals, they have to rely on an element of surprise. They are great at hiding and are very patient. Their prey's biggest problem is not out running them it is seeing a lion coming, they loose sight of the danger or don't even pay attention enough to see it coming. They also don't have to capacity to learn from their own mistakes or others mistakes. They fall into the same trap over and over again. Sound familiar? I always seem to make the same mistakes over and over again. Or I am quick to fault my friend for the same thing I did wrong the previous week. And the classic trap we fall into is not even seeing the danger waiting for us. We go to the watering holes of life looking to satisfy a need and the enemy is there waiting to trap us. But God offers his protection and refuge from the evils that are represented by the lion analogy. He is the fair and righteous judge that executes holy justice and is sovereign over all, even the lions of life.

Psalm 7 Questions -

1. Who do you run to to take your side and justify you? Your mom, husband, friends, God?

2. Do we really want justice? Are we willing to accept the guilt and consequences for our own actions or just when we've been wronged? Are you as gracious to others as you expect them to be to you? Are you as gracious to others as Christ was to you?

3. Could you pray as in verse 8, to be judged according to your righteousness and integrity? Have you exchanged your righteousness and integrity with Christ's in order to receive salvation from the wrath of God we deserve?

4. In verse 9 is it a scary or comforting thought the God searches the mind and hearts of people? Does this lead you to confession or praise?

5. Have you ever thought you were handling things and it only got worse?

6. Examine the order in verse 14. Evil starts out small and inside of us. We nourish it allowing it to grow and conceive leading to trouble within us. The what is born out of us is disillusionment. Confusion on right and wrong and how to act. Ask God to reveal if their is anything that you are disillusioned about in your life?

7. Verse 17 encourages us to thank him for his righteousness, what can you thank him for today. What song will you sing to the Lord Most High? What does that name of God mean to you?