Small Group Questions
Background: Psalm 57 was written by David in a time of distress while he was hiding in a cave.
He had been anointed to be the next king, and as a result, he was fleeing from King Saul who was seeking to kill him.
Read Psalm 57:1-6
How does David depict his enemies and what imagery does he use to describe his situation?
How might the challenges we face be described with the same imagery?
Why do people often pray in times of disaster or when their lives are threatened?
What is the significance of verse 5 and especially it’s location between verses 4-6?
Read 1 Peter 5:8 and Ephesians 2:1-3
What do these verses tell us about the wider extent of spiritual warfare in this life as well as our need for God’s help?
How does David appeal for God’s help in this Psalm?
What are the different ways that David answers the question ‘where are you?’ in verses 1-6 and why is it important?
What is the significance of calling God our refuge in times of trouble?
How can we do the same in our lives?
How does the following quote by Charles Spurgeon show what it is to know God as our refuge? “When we cannot see the sunshine of God’s face, it is blessed to cower down beneath the shadow of his wings. “Until these calamities be overpast.” Evil will pass away, and the eternal wings will abide over us till then. Blessed be God, our calamities are matters of time, but our safety is a matter of eternity.
Read Colossians 1:13-14, 2:12-15, 3:1-3 and John 14:15-18
How do these verses speak of the Christian being located in Christ and what difference does this make in trials?
What does it mean for our lives to be ‘hidden with Christ in God’?
In what ways can our response to hardships reflect our faith in God, as suggested by David’s reaction in the psalm?
What does the illustration of the captain on the ship in stormy seas signify about understanding God’s presence during difficult times?
Read Psalm 57:7-11
How can gratitude and praise be a weapon against the enemy in our own lives, as taught in the Psalm?
