Small Group Guide“Sing Your Trust”

Psalm 62

Message Summary

As we begin a mini-series focusing on five different psalms, we see that God has chosen to not only give us truths to believe in and to live but truths to sing. However, psalms are not just songs. Psalms is a book filled with the kind of singing that prepares us for living in a real world with an unshakable hope in God.

In Psalm 62, David addresses four different audiences: his enemies (v. 3), his own soul (v. 5), the people of God (v. 8), and God (v. 12), and in this psalm, David expresses truth about God being our refuge in the midst of feeling threatened and unstable and when people and circumstances are bent on bringing us down. While we know God is always dependable and trustworthy, we often want to add in something else to trust, but Psalm 62 emphasizes that God alone is a refuge for us (vv. 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 9). With this, David exposes two particular areas in which we seek refuge outside of God: the protection or acceptance of men and the increase of wealth. In response, David also expresses how God alone can be a true refuge because only He is both sovereignly all-powerful and loving. In order to live in light of these truths, we must stay close to God’s Word, pray and keep praying, and learn to trust as we look to God.

Discussion & Application Questions

After briefly reviewing the message summary, use these questions to further examine the sermon and to discuss how these truths apply to daily life, so we can “be doers of the word, and not hearers only” (Jas. 1:22). Based on your knowledge of the people in your small group, select the questions that will best help you frame the group’s discussion of this sermon and sermon text.

FALSE REFUGE #1: THE PROTECTION OR ACCEPTANCE OF MAN

1. What does it mean for God to be our fortress or our refuge?2. Read Psalm 62 and note the times when the world “alone” is used. In the sermon,

Pastor Matt referenced how we often trust in God but wrestle to trust in Him alone. Why

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would we have a “God plus” mentality here where we seek our refuge in God plus something or someone else?

3. How do we know if we are relying on something or someone more than we are depending on God?

4. Why are people a faulty refuge? While we know such truths in our head, how do we live in a way that actually reflects the belief that people are a faulty refuge?

5. Why would we attempt to find refuge in the protection or acceptance of men?6. How do we resist this? 7. How do we have healthy relationships with people without making those relationships an

idol in our lives? 8. Application: What can you do to repent and course correct if you realize you have

made a relationship an idol?9. Application: As parents, we should be directing our children to trust in God. What does

it look like to do that this week as a parent? How do we cultivate their trust in God and not their codependency on us?

10. How does trusting in God free us from feeling as though we have to prove ourselves?11. How does giving others the freedom not to be God actually free us to have healthier

relationships with those around us?

FALSE REFUGE #2: THE INCREASE OF WEALTH

12. Read Psalm 62:10. Why would we set our heart on fruitfulness or wealth when we know it cannot satisfy us?

13. How do we keep our view of money in its proper place in our lives?14. Application: In what ways does God want you to give thanks for what He has provided

and to share what you have with others? 15. Why are these things important?

TRUE REFUGE: KNOWING AND TRUSTING IN GOD ALONE

16. How do we know God is trustworthy, that He is a perfect refuge?17. Read Psalm 62:11-12. How did the truths in these verses stabilize David’s soul? Define

these particular attributes of God. How have you seen God show these attributes in your own life?

18. Application: What does it look like for you to trust God today?19. How does Jesus Christ extend to us the refuge promised in Psalm 62?

SO BROOK HILLS…STAY CLOSE TO GOD’S WORD, PRAY AND KEEP PRAYING, AND WE LEARN TO TRUST AS WE LOOK TO GOD

20. Application: What needs to happen for you to “stay close to God’s Word” today? The rest of this week? How will you do this?

21. How does staying close to God’s Word enable you to trust God alone as your refuge?22. How does prayer remind us Who are refuge is? Why is prayer important?23. We learn to trust as we look to God. Unpack this statement. How does looking to God

teach us to trust? 24. How is true that the way our faith feels can and will change? How do we acknowledge

and unpack how we feel yet not allow our feelings to dictate our lives?

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Things to Consider

If you have people in your group who did not hear the sermon, read the sermon text (Psalm 62) together and briefly summarize the main points of the sermon. Recapping the sermon text and sermon outline can also be a helpful way to start the group, even if everyone did hear the sermon.

In light of this sermon, focus the bulk of the group time on the “So Brook Hills” piece of the sermon, which has to do with application (see application questions noted above). In light of finding our refuge in God, especially when our circumstances are full of challenges, how do we stay close to God’s Word, pray and keep praying, and learn to trust as we look to God? How do we do these things as individuals, but also, how do we come together and do these as a small group?

As the group leader, feel free to invite those in the group to share about any challenges they are currently facing, and if you have something in your own life to share, lead out here by sharing first. However, do not just offer a time of sharing. Pray together as a group. Encourage each other with Scripture and even with singing. Praise the Lord together. Discuss how the group members can encourage each other and point each other to the Lord during the week.

Weekly Prayer Focus

Pray for Our Church: Pray we will cultivate an utter dependence on God and an absolute trust that is not

based on our current circumstances but on His character and eternal Word. Ask the Lord to help our unbelief, increase our faith, and give us strength where we are

weak.

Pray for Our City: Pray for the weekly Bible study at Olivia’s House led by Brook Hills members. Olivia’s

House is an alcohol and drug abuse treatment center that provides holistic care for chemically dependent women and their children.

Pray for Double Oak Community Church and for Pastor Adam Robinson.

Pray for Our World: Pray for Brook Hills member organization, SPEAR International, which exists to

encourage, equip, and empower believers worldwide to fulfill their role in the Great Commission. SPEAR primarily serves in Kenya, Cuba, Eastern Europe, and Southeast Asia. For more information, visit spearim.org.

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