Here are some questions based on last Sunday’s sermon text (Psalm 5), in case they’re helpful to you for personal growth or group discussion…

• [1-3] God gives us words to pray that include longing and watchfulness for the Day of his judgment to come upon the enemies of the church. The apostles encouraged believers with the promise of this Day (2 Thessalonians 1:5-10; 2 Peter 2:1-10; Jude 4-5, 14-16; Revelation 19:1-3). Do you long and watch for this Day to come? Why or why not? What does watching for God’s answer to a prayer like this feel like?

• [4-6, 9-10] Is it your own idea of judgment you would like God to execute, or his? Whose judgment do you think is better? How do you suspect your idea of judgment might be different from his? Do you love only what God loves and hate only what he hates? Do you resonate with the Psalmist’s request that God would judge those who kill through their deceitful words (especially false teachers)?

• [7-8] Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote, “I myself, with my sin, belong under this judgment. I have no right to want to hinder this judgment.” You cannot stand against God’s righteous judgment, you cannot appeal to his mercy against his judgment. In his steadfast love, God has provided a way for sinners to enter his house that is both merciful and just—through the atoning sacrifice of his Son, Jesus. Is Christ’s suffering love on the cross your appeal to God for both mercy and judgment for yourself? Can you also make this your appeal to God for your enemies? Why or why not?

• [11-12] The Psalmist prays that believers would be kept in the joyful assurance that their relationship with God is secure because of who God is. This assurance is founded upon the true knowledge of God that we have because God has made his name known to us in the Gospel. Is your relationship with God the thing you most want assurance about? Have you found this assurance because of who God is, or do you try to build your assurance on who you are? Do you love his name, especially his revelation about himself in Jesus Christ? Do you read the Scriptures because his name is proclaimed there for your joyful assurance? Are you growing in your ability to detect “counterfeit gospels” from the one true Gospel?