Hope Because He Is Good

Psalm 33:13-22

13 The LORD looks down from heaven;

he sees all the children of man;

14 from where he sits enthroned he looks out

on all the inhabitants of the earth,

15 he who fashions the hearts of them all

and observes all their deeds.

16 The king is not saved by his great army

;a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.

17 The war horse is a false hope for salvation,

and by its great might it cannot rescue.

18 Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him,

on those who hope in his steadfast love,

19 that he may deliver their soul from death

and keep them alive in famine.

20 Our soul waits for the LORD;

he is our help and our shield.

21 For our heart is glad in him,

because we trust in his holy name.

22 Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us,

even as we hope in you.

We hope in God because He is good.

God’s Gaze (PSALM 33:13-15)

What stands out to you about the way Psalm 33 describes God’s gaze upon humanity?
How does knowing that God “looks down from heaven” and “sees all the children of man” shape the way you view your daily life?
Verse 15 says God “fashions the hearts of them all.” What does this teach us about God’s involvement with us personally?
Is God’s all-seeing gaze comforting, challenging, or both for you right now? Why?
How might remembering God’s attentive presence change the way we respond to current struggles or uncertainties? How might in change the way we make decisions, even while in private?

The Fool’s Hope (PSALM 33:16-17)

According to these verses, where do people often place false hope?
What are some modern equivalents of trusting in a “king’s army” or a “warhorse”?
Why do you think we are tempted to rely on our own strength, resources, or strategies rather than on God?
Can you think of a time when putting hope in something other than God left you disappointed?
How can our group lovingly help one another recognize and turn away from misplaced hopes?

The True Hope (PSALM 33:18-22)

What does it mean that “the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him” (v.18)?
How do these verses define true hope, and what makes it different from the “fool’s hope”?
In what ways does God’s steadfast love provide the foundation for our hope?
Verse 20 says, “Our soul waits for the Lord.” What does waiting on God look like in practical terms?
As a group, where do we need God’s help right now to grow in hope and trust?
How can we encourage each other this week to rest in God’s goodness and not in our own strength?

In the upcoming days and weeks, what would it look like this week to take one step in putting more of your hope in God’s goodness?

Pray for…

The people of Peace Church to be so aware of the goodness of God that we respond in praise, trust, and hope.
The members of your community group to be able to walk together and encourage each other as we live lives putting our hope in God alone.
The lost to be made aware of the fool’s hope that is anything besides putting their hope in God.
All Christians to stand in stark contrast to the world by being a people of hope.
Yourself to better understand and live in light of the truth that God is good and we can put our hope in Him.