Daily Lesson for Monday 12th of February 2024

King David pours out his heart before the Lord, asking for the forgiveness of sin during the spiritually darkest moments in his life (2 Samuel 12:1-31). Forgiveness is God’s extraordinary gift of grace, the result of the “multitude of Your tender mercies” (Psalms 51:1, NKJV). King David appeals to God to deal with him not in accordance with what his sin deserves (Psalms 103:10) but in accordance with His divine character, namely His mercy, faithfulness, and compassion (Psalms 51:1; Exodus 34:6-7).

Image © Kevin Carden at Goodsalt.com

Read Psalms 51:6-19. How is forgiveness of sin portrayed here? What is the goal of divine forgiveness?

Divine forgiveness involves more than a legal proclamation of innocence. It produces a profound change that reaches the most inner parts of human self (Psalms 51:6, Hebrews 4:12). It brings about a new creation (Psalms 51:10, John 3:3-8). The Hebrew verb bara’, translated “create,” depicts divine creative power (Genesis 1:1). Only God can bara’; only God can produce a radical and lasting change in the repentant person’s heart (2 Corinthians 4:6).

David asks for cleansing with hyssop (Leviticus 14:2-8, Psalms 51:7). He feels that his guilt keeps him banned from the Lord’s presence in the same way as the leper is banned from the community while the state of uncleanness lasts (Psalms 51:11). He fears that sacrifices cannot restore him fully because there was no sacrifice that could atone for his premeditated sins of adultery and murder (Exodus 21:14, Leviticus 20:10).

Only unconditional divine grace could accept David’s “broken and contrite heart” as a sacrifice and restore David back into harmony with God (Psalms 51:16, 17). By asking for cleansing with hyssop, he wants to return to God’s presence.

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Key Thought: God’s mercy is everlasting as evident in Creation and the history of God’s people. He can take comfort that the Lord is faithful to His covenant. God’s grace and love can strengthen our resolve to worship and serve God.
February 17, 2024

1. Have a volunteer read Psalm 136.

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point is in this passage.
2. What thoughts dominate in this Psalm? Where does he find evidence for his claim?
3. Personal Application: How does God’s mercy help us be free from anxiety, a guilty conscience, and the shadows of our past? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your relatives states, “.How can we reconcile God’s forgiveness of our sins with the idea of God’s judgment on sin? How would you respond to your relative?

2. Have a volunteer read Psalm 51:1-5.

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. Why does the Psalmist appeal to God’s mercy?
3. Personal Application: If God can forgive David for adultery, deception, and murder; what hope exists for us? Share your thoughts
4. Case Study: One of your friends states, “What is God’s goal of Divine forgiveness? Why does He look to forgive? Are there any requirements for His forgiveness?” How would you respond to your friend?

3. Have a volunteer read Psalm 130.

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. How is the gravity of sin and hope for sinners portrayed?
3. Personal Application: Where would you be if God marked, or kept track of your sins? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your neighbors states: “If God’s mercy is everlasting for people’s salvation, why doesn’t this mean that one can continue on sinning, or does it?” How would you respond to your neighbor?

4. Have a volunteer read Psalm 113, 123

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. What two different aspects of God’s character are portrayed here?
3. Personal Application: What has Jesus saved you from? Why is it important to keep the cross foremost in your mind? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: Think of one person who needs to hear a message from this week’s lesson. Tell the class what you plan to do this week to share with them.

(Truth that is not lived, that is not imparted, loses its life-giving power, its healing virtue. Its blessings can be retained only as it is shared.”Ministry of Healing, p. 148).

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/your-mercy-reaches-unto-the-heavens-teaching-plan/

The beautiful picture on the front of our lesson pamphlet brings us our theme hymn for this quarter with it’s two variations in melody:
Hymn 552/546 – The Lord’s My Shepherd.

Psalm 96:1, 2 – Oh, sing to the Lord a new song! Sing to the Lord, bless His name; Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day.

The hymns for this week resound throughout the week’s study commencing with
Hymn 110 – God’s Free Mercy Streameth coming from the title for the week. This is followed by
Hymn 109 – Marvelous Grace.

 Sunday portrays the
Depth of Mercy – Hymn 521 that is given to us and we can then happily sing
O Love Of God Most Full – Hymn 77.

Hymn 323 – O For A Heart To Praise My God is Monday’s hymn with us then requesting
Forgive Our Sins As We Forgive – Hymn 299. We continue singing Hymn 299 on Tuesday and find the
The Saviour Is Waiting – Hymn 289.

 With our now happy hearts, we can
Give To Our God Immortal Praise – Hymn 106 – Wednesday.

To learn unknown hymns, you will find the accompaniment music for each one at: https://sdahymnals.com/Hymnal/

Another great resource is for when there is a hymn you wish to sing but can’t find it in your hymnal. Go to https://www.sdahymnal.org/Search and in the search bar type a special word in that is in the hymn. I am sure you will be amazed at the help you will be given. 

 2 Timothy 2:15 KJV – “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

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Daily Lesson for Sunday 11th of February 2024

Psalms 136:1-26 summons God’s people to praise the Lord for His mercy as revealed in creation (Psalms 136:4-9) and in Israel’s history (Psalms 136:10-22). “Mercy” (Hebrew khesed, “steadfast love”) conveys God’s goodness and loyalty to His creation and to His covenant with Israel. The psalm shows that God’s immense power and magnificence are grounded in His steadfast love.

Image © Review & Herald Publishing at Goodsalt.com

The Lord is “the God of gods” and “the Lord of lords,” which is a Hebrew idiom that means “the greatest God” (Psalms 136:1-3), not that there are other gods but that He is the only God.

The Lord’s great wonders, which cannot be replicated by anyone else, are the undeniable demonstration of His dominion (Psalms 136:4). God created the heavens, the earth, and the heavenly bodies, which are worshiped by the pagans (Deuteronomy 4:19). The Psalms, however, strip the pagan gods, and by extent every human-based source of confidence, of their authority. They are mere products of the creation. They are merely created things—not the Creator, a crucial distinction.

The image of the Lord’s strong hand and outstretched arm (Psalms 136:12) stresses the efficacy of God’s power and the far-reaching domain of His mercy.

God’s mercy in creation and history should inspire His people to trust in Him and to remain faithful to His covenant. The refrain “For His mercy endures forever” is repeated 26 times in Psalms 136:1-26, thus reassuring the worshipers that the Lord does not change and will repeat His past favors to each new generation. God remembers His people (Psalms 136:23) and is faithful to His covenant of grace. The belief in the Lord’s enduring mercy is at the core of biblical faith, which includes joyous worship and confidence, as well as reticence and repentance.

Psalms 136:1-26 closes with God’s universal care of the world (Psalms 136:23–25). God’s mercy is extended not only to Israel but to all creation. The psalm thus speaks of the universality of God’s saving grace and exhorts the whole world to join Israel’s praise of the Lord (see also Luke 2:10, John 3:16, and Acts 15:17).

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Daily Lesson for Saturday 10th of February 2024

Image © Pacific Press

Read for This Week’s Study

Psalms 136:1-26, Psalms 51:1-19, Psalms 130:1-8, Psalms 113:1-9, Psalms 123:1-4.

Memory Text:

“I will praise You, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing to You among the nations. For Your mercy reaches unto the heavens, and Your truth unto the clouds” (Psalms 57:9-10, NKJV).

The psalmists realize that they are spiritually poor and have nothing good to offer to God; that is, they have nothing in and of themselves that would recommend them before God’s holy throne (Psalms 40:17). They understand that they, as do all of us, need grace, God’s grace.

In short, they need the gospel.

The Psalms stress the fact that people are fully dependent on God’s mercy. Fortunately, God’s mercy is everlasting, as evidenced in both God’s creation and the history of God’s people (Psalms 136:1-26). Before the everlasting God, human life is as transient as grass, but God pities humans and renews their strength (Psalms 103:3,5,15), and in Him they have the promise of eternity.

God’s people take comfort in the fact that the Lord is faithful to His covenant. The people’s appeals, no matter how pressing at times, are often filled with hope because they are directed to their compassionate heavenly Father (Psalms 103:13, Psalms 68:5, Psalms 89:26). Fresh experiences of God’s grace and love strengthen their resolve to worship and serve God and no one or nothing else.

*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, February 17.

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