Hope In His Steadfast Love
Key Verse 11: But the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love.
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Introduction:
The best way to celebrate Thanksgiving is to give thanks and praise the Lord. To give thanks to him and praise him, knowing who he is and what he does, especially for his own people. We may think deeply about who he is and what God has done, and we can give our great thanks and praise him. Through studying today’s passage, let us see his glory and his beautiful works.
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V. 1-4
Praise the Lord!
For it is good to sing praises to our God;
for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting.
2 The Lord builds up Jerusalem;
he gathers the outcasts of Israel.
3 He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds.
4 He determines the number of the stars;
he gives to all of them their names.
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Why is it good to praise the Lord, our God? (1) What does the Lord do for the outcasts and the brokenhearted and how does he do it? (2-3) What does God’s determining the number of the stars and giving them their names tell us about him? (4)
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Q1 A. Why is it good to praise the Lord, our God? (1)
“Praise the Lord!
For it is good to sing praises to our God;
for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting.” (1)
We need to praise the Lord, our God because it is pleasant and fitting.
Today’s psalm starts with “praise the Lord.” It is the main theme and teaching of the entire Bible. To his people praising the Lord is their duty.
“For it is good to sing praises to our God”. Praising God is good to God, and it is good to us too. God created all things including men. God wants to receive praise from all his creatures especially from men. The purpose of men’s existence, our existence, is to praise God. And God is the one who is supposed to be praised by all his creatures and men.
Praising God is good to us too. When we praise God we can have right relationship with God. And praising God gives us true joy, too as we see next part.
The kingdom of heaven is full of praising God. If we praise God we can experience the kingdom of God on earth. Even in this troublesome world if we praise God, we can experience joy of heaven. Furthermore, every one who praises God experience good thing.
“for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting.”
“Fiitting” God deserved our praise. It makes him pleasant.
One woman had a big trouble in baby delivery. No matter what doctors did, her muscle did not loose and the baby could not come out. Then both the husband and wife had a chance to praise God. They praised God for two hours. Then her womb opened widely. The tight muscle relaxed. We cannot control our muscles. But God relaxed her muscles when they praised him. Two hours of praising in singing brought such a miracle.
In other versions, “fitting” can be translated to “beautiful.”
“Fitting” means God should receive praise all the time as the Creator and Lord . It is right thing for us to do. God does not want his children to face down and downcast. Even in hard times God wants his people to praise him.
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Q1 B. What does the Lord do for the outcasts and the brokenhearted and how does he do it? (2-3)
“2 The Lord builds up Jerusalem;
he gathers the outcasts of Israel.
3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” (2-3)
He gathers the outcasts. He heals the brokenhearted. He does those things by building up Jerusalem and binding up their wounds.
Their hearts were broken because of their sin. Sin broke relationship with God. Because of their sin they suffered a lot. Sin causes brokenness, wounds, scars, and bitterness. They have a lot of wounds through sufferings and hardships. So they shed a lot of tears and lived in a deep sorrow. But God heals their brokenheart and binds their wounds.
What is the point of praise in verses 1-4?
God’s work of restoration is mentioned first. Decause their sin they failed and suffered. But God let them rebuild Jerualem again. Even if we fail due to our own sin and mistakes God always restores us. He allows us to build our relationship with him again and build up our lives again.
He gathers the ouctasts of Israel. Once we were outscats, meaning no relationship with God. But through Jesus, God wants to gather us. He scatters due to their sin, but he gathers them back.
3 He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds. He heals and binds through restoration. People can get hurts because of their own sin or others’ sin. What God does is to comfort them in Jesus Christ. When people experience his good work, they praise him and are thankful.
Knowing what God does here, we can pray for those who are wounded and broken. God’s comforting and restoring work may start out of their own broken lives and wounds. God will be honored through these kinds of restoration work.
God is doing his works, restoration and healing work, for each one of us.
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Q1 C. What does God’s determining the number of the stars and giving them their names tell us about him? (4)
“4 He determines the number of the stars;
he gives to all of them their names.” (4)
It shows his unlimited power and wisdom.
“4 He determines the number of the stars”. There are so many starts, so many billions of galaxies. One galaxy has billions of stars. No one can counts the number of starts. “Determines” shows he creates all of them. All starrs are under his control and sovereignty.
“he gives to all of them their names.” He gave each name of the stars. He knows each star very personally and names it. In ancient times, people believe that each person has his or her own start. God knows each person deeply. God knows and plans for each person. Each person is under God’s perfect are. Now there are 8 billion people on earth. God gives all of them their names. He takes care of 9 billion people.
When the Psalmist thought about the greatness of God, he realizes his power is beyond measure. Furthermore he still pays his attention to each person very personally. For this, the psalmist was so amazed. In the years of 2025 God really walked with each of us with his love, wisdom, mercy, and grace.
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V. 5-6
5 Great is our Lord, and abundant in power;
his understanding is beyond measure.
6 The Lord lifts up the humble;
he casts the wicked to the ground.
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Why do you think it is important to believe that God is abundant in power and his understanding is beyond measure? (5) What can we learn about God who lifts up the humble and casts out the wicked to the ground? (6)
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Q2 A. Why do you think it is important to believe that God is abundant in power and his understanding is beyond measure? (5)
“5 Great is our Lord, and abundant in power;
his understanding is beyond measure.” (5)
When we believe he has great power and unlimited understanding, we can trust him even when we are in a situation where we cannot understand.
Our God is great.”5 Great is our Lord, and abundant in power”. So we can expect great things from God. “his understanding is beyond measure.” He knows what is best. He has perfect power and perfect wisdom. Living by faith in this almighty God we can experience great power and wisdom of God.
William Carey’s motto is “Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God". He really changed the nation of India. He was a shoe repair man. He went to India. He built 5 universities. He translated English bible to India bible. He abolished the culture of burying wives alive with their husbands when their husbands die. His phsydial condition was not good. He was limping a little bit. But he expected great things from God and he attempted great things for God!
Indeed God did great things through him. When we really try to serve God’s will, God does greast things through us. We are more than conquerors rather than barely surviving people. We can serve God and serve others by faith in this mighty God.
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Q2 B. What can we learn about God who lifts up the humble and casts out the wicked to the ground? (6)
“6 The Lord lifts up the humble;
he casts the wicked to the ground.” (6)
He builds up justice. We doubt if there is a true justice. But there is a true justice in God. He will eventually establish justice to the full.
“The humble’ means those who recognize their weakness and rely on God and follow God’s way. God loves these humble people and lift them up. “The wicked” refers to proud people who depend on what they have and their power. “To the ground” memes to strike the wicked completely in shame.
This is what God does. God sees what is going on. People think that proud people who have a lot of strength are successful. But that is not true. At times, humble people are oppressed by powerful people and abused and treated unfairly. But God sees everything and judges fairly.
Sometimes this justice may not happen as in the case of Job. Some proud people and their children live good lives, according to Job. But still God does the final judgment. Poor Nazareth was begging, and dogs licked his wounds. Rich man in purpose close lived in luxury. In the end Nazareth was enjoying peace. But the rich man suffered from unquenchable thirst.
If God does not exist, powerful people can take advantage of weak people and do evil things. But eventually everything will fall into the right place. Paul said, “We cannot do anything against the truth only for the truth.” If God is not there, powerful evil people will dominate. But God does not allow it happen eventually.
Sometimes we can be humble due to our weaknesses and shortcomings. That’s okay. As we follow God’s way, God will lift us up. When God lifts us up it is true honor and glory. If God does not exist and does not do these things, these humble people will suffer to the end.
The humble refers to those who obey God’s words. People may have much knowledge of God and his words. But that does not mean they obey God’s words. David said we are like fogs which disappear. Abraham says we are “dust and ashes”. Humble people are those who depend on God and follow God’s ways.
Even some poor people are proud and seek their own way and depend on themselves.
Knowing who God is and who we are leads us to living depending on God. Then we become a humble people. People in this world want to have something more. If they do not have, they feel insecure. But a godly life, God wants us, is to depend on God alone and be satisfied with what we have. Jesus was born in a manger, but joy was there. The joy of life is to live by the words of God. Instead of helping our children to pursue success in the world, we need to help them to pursue God, sacrificing money.
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V.7-11
Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;
make melody to our God on the lyre!
8 He covers the heavens with clouds;
he prepares rain for the earth;
he makes grass grow on the hills.
9 He gives to the beasts their food,
and to the young ravens that cry.
10 His delight is not in the strength of the horse,
nor his pleasure in the legs of a man,
11 but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him,
in those who hope in his steadfast love.
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How can we sing to the Lord? (7) What does God do for His creatures, and what does this tell us about him? (8-9) What does God not take pleasure in, and what does he take pleasure in? (10-11) What does it mean to fear God, and to hope in his steadfast love? Why is it good to have our hope in God’s steadfast love and not the things of this world?
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Q3 A. How can we sing to the Lord? (7)
‘Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;
make melody to our God on the lyre!” (7)
Thanksgiving is our song. Making melody on the lyre is thanksgiving. Even writing life testimonies can be a way of thanksgiving.
One person wrote life testimonies many times, like 10 times. She did not like it. But eventually, she experienced a marvelous work of the Lord’s healing in all of her wounds and scars in life.
So one of the ways to praise God is to give thanks to him. And with some kind of music. If we praise God with our music, it is really pleasing to him.
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Q3 B. What does God do for His creatures, and what does this tell us about him? (8-9)
“8 He covers the heavens with clouds;
he prepares rain for the earth;
he makes grass grow on the hills.
9 He gives to the beasts their food,
and to the young ravens that cry.” (8-9)
He prepares shade through clouds. He prepares rain for the earth, and makes grass grow on the hills. He gives food to the beasts, and to the young ravens. It shows the care for the Lord even to the beasts and young ravens. His provision shows his tender care for all his creatures. Not only did he create all creatures, but he also cares for them.
“8 He covers the heavens with clouds;
he prepares rain for the earth;
he makes grass grow on the hills.
God knows God knows the earth knows rain. So he rains. He knew the grass needed rain and let it rain. And grass grows.
9 He gives to the beasts their food,
God knows the beasts need food, and he gave them food.
and to the young ravens that cry.
Ravens are forgetful and forget to feed their young. Elijah was fed by ravens. That was interesting. Ravens forget to feed their young. They do not forget to feed Elijah. Sometimes mom ravens forget and young cry, and God feeds. The point is, God knows what the earth needs.
God provides food for the beasts and young ravens. This is what God does. They cannot make rain to make green grass. All other creatures totally depend on God. God knows their needs and feeds them and takes care of them as their Creator. The earth continues because of God’s care. All the creatures on earth survive because of God’s care. All the living beings in the world depend on God, and God takes care of them. Jesus said in Mt 6, God takes care of flowers in the field.
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Q3 C. What does God not take pleasure in, and what does he take pleasure in? (10-11)
“10 His delight is not in the strength of the horse,
nor his pleasure in the legs of a man,
11 but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him,
in those who hope in his steadfast love.” (10-11)
He does not take pleasure in the strength of horses, legs of man. But he takes pleasure in those who fear him and whose hope is in his steadfast love.
10 His delight is not in the strength of the horse,
nor his pleasure in the legs of a man,
God is not pleased with people who live depending on their own strength or their legs. Legs of men mean (1) fast action with smartness. Some people have smart ideas and take quick action. (2) stand on their own strength. They try to do all things on their own strength. God is not pleased with such people.
11 but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him,
in those who hope in his steadfast love.
“Those who fear him” refers to those who recognize who God is and fear him and depend on him, knowing his greatness.
in those who hope in his steadfast love. “Steadfast love” means “Faithful love”. “Those who hope in his steadfast love” means those who live depending on God’s faithful love. Instead of relying on our own strength, he wants us to live by fearing him and putting our hope in his steadfast love. God wants us to have such a mindset.
If someone really wants to live by God’s power alone, they do not seek their own security. Like grass, beasts, and young ravens, they do not depend on themselves, but they only look up to heaven and depend on what God provides.
To live by faith in him means knowing how God takes care of all creatures. If God does not send rain, trees, grass, and the baby raven cannot survive.
When we think about how God takes care of all these things, we can believe God will take care of us and believe in his steadfast love.
Mt 6:25-34 Jesus says
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
We should not put our hope in the things of this world because they are fleeting. Thank God for 2025. Ultimately, God is the one who feeds us.
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Q3 D. What does it mean to fear God, and to hope in his steadfast love?
Those who fear him refer to “humble people”. Humble people fear the Lord. Here “fear” means “awesome respect.” It also means they are the people of faith. Faithful people live by faith in his steadfast love of God. Even when they do not see the evidence of God’s steadfast love, they still believe in it and put their hope in it.
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Q3 E. Why is it good to have our hope in God’s steadfast love and not the things of this world?
When we put our hope in God’s steadfast love, eventually we will see it. But the things of this world are unstable. They seem to be stable, but in the end, they are unstable.
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V. 12-18
Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem!
Praise your God, O Zion!
13 For he strengthens the bars of your gates;
he blesses your children within you.
14 He makes peace in your borders;
he fills you with the finest of the wheat.
15 He sends out his command to the earth;
his word runs swiftly.
16 He gives snow like wool;
he scatters frost like ashes.
17 He hurls down his crystals of ice like crumbs;
who can stand before his cold?
18 He sends out his word, and melts them;
he makes his wind blow and the waters flow.
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Where does our protection, blessing for our children, peace and provision come from? (13-14) Why do you think mankind often looks to other sources for these things? What can we learn about the power of God's Word through what happens in nature? (15-18)
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Q4 A. Where does our protection, blessing for our children, peace and provision come from? (13-14)
13 For he strengthens the bars of your gates;
he blesses your children within you.
14 He makes peace in your borders;
he fills you with the finest of the wheat.
From God, our God, comes our protection, blessing for our children, peace and provision.
Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem!
Praise your God, O Zion!
13 For he strengthens the bars of your gates;
God protects the wall of Jerusalem so that enemies may not enter the city. It is God’s protection. God bless all his people.
he blesses your children within you.
In addition, God is the only one who blesses our children. Although we want to bless our children, we are limited. Therefore, we need to entrust our children into God’s hands through our prayer, and help them to live by faith.
14 He makes peace in your borders;
God is the one who brings peace. If war breaks out, Ukrain and Russia, everday so far total number of death and wounded is 1 million. 200,000 soldiers and civilains died.
Men are so sinful. They cannot keep peace by themselves.
God is the one who brings peace. If war breaks out like Ukraine and Russia, it is a tragedy. Every day people die. So far total number of deaths and wounded is 1 million. 200,000 soldiers and civilians died.
Men are so sinful. They cannot keep the peace by themselves.
he fills you with the finest of the wheat.
He provides. His protection, blessing for our children and peace come from God.
In 2025 we enjoy his protection, blessing and peace not through our strength. But they all come from God. Without God’s intervention, chaos comes to us quickly/
The next verses show God takes care of nature and the whole world.
15 He sends out his command to the earth;
his word runs swiftly.
His word takes action quickly, and it is quickly done. God rules nature with his words. Some people think that God created the Earth. Now the world and nature run by itself by the law of nature. But these verses show that the world runs because of God's commands. God is the one who runs all nature.
16 He gives snow like wool;
he scatters frost like ashes.
17 He hurls down his crystals of ice like crumbs;
who can stand before his cold?
18 He sends out his word, and melts them;
he makes his wind blow and the waters flow.
So he makes cold. He makes warm. The world runs because of God’s commands and words. This world keeps running because of God’s intervention through his words. But people do not recognize. God is really involved.
19 He declares his word to Jacob,
his statutes and rules to Israel.
20 He has not dealt thus with any other nation;
they do not know his rules.
Praise the Lord!
Here, the author really praises God because of the words, statutes, and rules he gave to his people. Nature goes well. Nature follows God’s words. The Earth keeps going even though men are destroying the environment. But still the nature is kept going because of his words. When things follow God’s words, they are good.
But men are sinful. They do not follow God’s words. And they suffer because of that. But God loves his people and gave his rules and statutes so that they can have a right relationship with God. In the Old Testament, when God gave his law, he put his people between two mountains with blessings and curses. If you obey my words, all these blessings will come. If not, all these curses.
Israeli people were so blessed people. Through the word of God, they can establish a right relationship with God and serve God, and become holy people. In serving God, they could be blessed. But Gentiles do not have God’s rules, statutes. Gentiles have some social rules. But the problem is their rules and laws don’t help them to build the right relationship with God. It can help them to build their society. But they do not lead them to establish a right relationship with God. We are so thankful because we have God’s rules and commands and know who God is and worship him, and grow in his image. By keeping his words, we can remain in God’s blessings as if all nature does not do anything against God and they are under God’s blessings.
One was amazed how one orange tree bears so many fruits when it's just there. But God sends rain because the tree is under God’s rule. In the same way, 2025, we are very thankful because God gave his word and blessed us to remain under his care and blessings.
In conclusion, God really restores us with his mercy and great power. He blessed the humble. And let us live by faith in him and put our hope in his steadfast love. We are thankful for his words and commandments. God took care of us in 2025 with his care, provision, and words.
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Q4 B. Why do you think mankind often looks to other sources for these things?
Because other sources are visible, and it is easy to believe them. But true provision and blessing come from the Lord, and only believing people can believe and enjoy them.
People do not want to wait. The Lord does not give us in our time but in his own time.
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Q4 C. What can we learn about the power of God's Word through what happens in nature? (15-18)
15 He sends out his command to the earth;
his word runs swiftly.
16 He gives snow like wool;
he scatters frost like ashes.
17 He hurls down his crystals of ice like crumbs;
who can stand before his cold?
18 He sends out his word, and melts them;
he makes his wind blow and the waters flow.
He controls nature through his words. Nature obeys his words. The order of the natural world works through obeying God’s words.
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V. 19-20
19 He declares his word to Jacob,
his statutes and rules to Israel.
20 He has not dealt thus with any other nation;
they do not know his rules.
Praise the Lord!
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How are we treated differently from the other nations? (19-20) Why is it a great blessing to know God’s word, statutes and rules? Why is this a reason to praise God?
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Q5 A. How are we treated differently from the other nations? (19-20)
“‘19 He declares his word to Jacob,
his statutes and rules to Israel.
20 He has not dealt thus with any other nation;
they do not know his rules.
Praise the Lord!” (19-20)
By giving his word, statutes and rules.
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Q5 B. Why is it a great blessing to know God’s word, statutes and rules?
We can know God through them. We can establish our personal relationship with him through his words. By obeying them, we can participate in his divine nature.
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Q5 C. Why is this a reason to praise God?
God gave us his word and we can know him through his words. Knowing God is our great thanks and praise to God.
LA UBF Bible Study Materials
Copyright © 2025 LA UBF All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2025 LA UBF All rights reserved.