Scripture Studies

Finding Safety and Spiritual Nourishment in God A Reflection on Psalm 36 Psalm 36 begins by describing people who do wrong and have no fear of God before their eyes. As I read verses 1–4, I noticed that their lack of respect for God affects everything. It changes how they see themselves, the words they speak, the plans they make, and the choices they make. They flatter themselves so much that they cannot recognize or hate their own sin. Their words become dishonest and harmful. Even while lying in bed, they plan what is wrong instead of rejecting evil. Reading this made me think: Maybe I should pray for those who do wrong because they do not know what it means to have a deep respect for God. It can be easy to see what someone is doing wrong and focus only on the harm they are causing. David does not pretend that their behavior is acceptable, but this passage helped me look beyond the behavior. If someone does not understand who God is, that lack of understanding will affect...

Psalm 35 is David’s prayer for God to defend him against people who attacked him without cause. As I read the chapter, I noticed that David does not pretend everyone is his friend. He sees people for who they are and speaks honestly about what they have done. That stood out to me because praying for someone does not mean pretending that person is trustworthy. We can show compassion while maintaining wise boundaries. When False Accusations Feel Personal Verse 11 says: «“Ruthless witnesses come forward; they question me on things I know nothing about.”» I know this experience all too well. Someone I thought I could trust called the police on me, and I was questioned by a friend who happened to be a police officer at the time. I was eventually able to answer my accuser using his own words. Verses 11 and 12 reminded me that betrayal is especially painful when it comes from someone we trusted. David was not simply facing strangers who disliked him. He was being repaid with evil ...

Welcome to Scripture Studies Scripture Studies is a place for sharing Scripture and what is being learned through spending time in the Bible. These posts will grow out of actual study—reading a passage, taking notes, asking questions, looking at the context, making connections with other parts of Scripture, and sometimes going back to something that deserves a closer look. The notes are an important part of this. Sometimes a single verse may stand out. Other times, understanding who wrote a passage, who it was written for, what was happening at the time, or how it connects to another part of the Bible can change the way an entire chapter is understood. These studies aren't about rushing through Scripture or following a particular study trend. They are about slowing down enough to learn. You may find observations, questions, cross-references, historical or biblical context, word studies, and personal reflections throughout these posts. Some studies may cover an entire chapter, while...