Psalm 40

Pray the Psalm together aloud, alternating verses between two sides.  When finished, share reflections on the Psalm as a group.

1  I waited patiently for the LORD; he inclined to me and heard my cry.

2  He drew me up from the desolate pit, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.

3  He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the LORD.

4  Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after false gods!

5  You have multiplied, O LORD my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you! Were I to proclaim and tell of them, they would be more than can be numbered.

6  Sacrifice and offering you do not desire; but you have given me an open ear. Burnt offering and sin offering you have not required.

7  Then I said, “Behold, I come; in the roll of the book it is written of me;

8  I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.”

9  I have told the glad news of deliverance in the great congregation; behold, I have not restrained my lips, as you know, O LORD.

10  I have not hidden your saving help within my heart, I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation; I have not concealed your mercy and your faithfulness from the great congregation.

11  Do not, O LORD, withhold your compassion from me, let your mercy and your faithfulness ever preserve me!

12  For evils have encompassed me without number; my iniquities have overtaken me, till I cannot see; they are more than the hairs of my head; my heart fails me.

13  Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me! O LORD, make haste to help me!

14  Let them be put to shame and confusion altogether who seek to snatch away my life; let them be turned back and brought to dishonor who desire my hurt!

15  Let them be appalled because of their shame who say to me, “Aha, Aha!”

16  But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation say continually, “Great is the Lord!”

17  As for me, I am poor and needy; but the Lord takes thought for me. You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God!

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

As it was in the beginning, is now and will be forever. Amen.

Opening Prayer Led by Group Leader

Fall of Adam & Eve

Genesis 3:1-7

1.       How does Genesis characterize the serpent? As a Patriarch, how does this inform your defense against evil for yourself? On behalf of your family?

2.       How do the very first words of the serpent betray the strategy of the Devil? What is his strategy, and how does it progress? How does he combine truth and falsehood?

3.       In Genesis, the woman never heard God speak about the tree. Who was responsible for communicating God’s commands to her? How have you exercised responsibility in communicating God’s commands to your wife? To your children?

4.       What does the woman perceive about the tree? Is her perception accurate? How does “desire” conflict with “obedience” in you? In your wife? How easy is it for you to stand for “obedience” to God against the “desire” of your wife?

5.       In Genesis 2:15, what was man charged to do for the garden (and for the woman)? How well did he accomplish his mission? How well are you accomplishing yours?

6.       “All that’s needed for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.” What was Adam doing while Eve was being tempted? Why are men sometimes silent in the face of evil? In the face of a wife’s temptations?

Prayer Partners

Discuss with your prayer partner the success/failure of your previous resolution & offer a vocal prayer for one another.