Opened Scriptures Bible Studies

This is probably the most well known Psalm of all. It is often called "The Shepherd Psalm" and it reminds us of David who was a shepherd boy growing up, and Christ the good shepherd. David was a shepherd boy prior to God singling him out to replace wicked Saul as Israel's king. This Psalm evokes beautiful images of fertile, rolling farmland with meandering streams, lush vegetation and lovely trees. Psalm 23 is frequently preached at funeral services because of it's comforting language, but it is far more than a text to use at a funeral. Psalm 23:1  A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.  David certainly recalled the times he spent tending his father's sheep as the Holy Spirit guided him to write this Psalm. He made the connection between how he cared for his family's flock and how Jehovah cared for him. David essentially says that "Since the LORD is my shepherd, I will never lack anything that I need in life, for He promised to prov...

In our last post, we left Jesus on the cross after reading from Psalm 22, about what Christ experienced on the cross as He suffered and died to pay for our sins. His words and thoughts were made part of the inspired record as the Spirit of God guided David to write this Psalm. Thus, we have insight into the agony of Jesus as He observed His enemies hateful malice and derogatory speech. However, the conclusion of this Psalm is distinctly different from the preceding portions. It is filled with hope and a confident assurance of Jesus' faith in His Father. Psalm 22:22  I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.  Now Jesus' thoughts turn to hope and assurance of His resurrection from the dead three days after His death on the cross. We must also remember what Jesus said about His death. In the chapter where Jesus declares "I am the good shepherd", He also spoke specifically about dying on the cross. John 10:17-18  Theref...

Psalm 22:12  Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round.  This Messianic Psalm gives us more insight into the heart of Christ as He suffered on the cross for us. What are the strong bulls of Bashan and how does this apply to Christ and His cross? The strong and fierce bulls of Bashan represent all the villianous enemies of Christ who relentlessly persecuted Him. Bashan was a country embraced on the east of the Jordan which was given to the half tribe of Manasseh (See Genesis 14:5 with Joshua 12:4-6).  It was a rich land for grazing cattle, sheep and goats. Deuteronomy 32:14  Butter of kine, and milk of sheep, with fat of lambs, and rams of the breed of Bashan, and goats, with the fat of kidneys of wheat; and thou didst drink the pure blood of the grape.  Rams and cattle bred in Bashan were noted for their strength and size. The prophet Amos spoke of the kine or cattle of Bashan. The bulls of Bashan in particular, were noted for size...

  Here is where to find indexes to all Bible lessons posted on this blog since its inception in 2019. Click on the drop down menu and look for the archives tab. Then find the date listed below to find the appropriate index. I hope this will help you find lessons on a particular book of topic that we have studied through. An index for all lessons posted from 2019 through 2021 , was published on September 7, 2022. An index for all lessons posted in 2022 , was published J anuary 24, 2023. An index for all lessons posted in 202 3 was published on February 28, 2024.  An index for all lessons posted in 2024 was published on January 21, 2025. An index for all lessons posted in 2025 was published on January 24, 2026. I missed posting Pastor Alvis' first sermon on keeping the LORD's day holy. This sermon is titled "Regarding A Day?" and was preached the last Sunday in August. I hope you will watch the livestream as Pastor Mike's passionate preaching on this important ...

The words "Aijeleth Shahar" are best translated as the  "hind of the morning." In this Psalm, a man who is suffering is compared to a hind or deer being pursued by hunters in the early morning. This Psalm pictures an innocent, suffering and meek man who is overwhelmed by sorrow and grief. This suffering man pleads most earnestly for divine help based upon his relationship with the LORD, because he was in eminent danger from his enemies. As the Psalm progresses his language of grief and complaint to the LORD are turned to rejoicing and assurance that God will help them. To whom does this Psalm apply? First, we would have to say that it certainly applies to King David because he often faced persecution from his enemies. However, the clearest application is that this Psalm is a glimpse into the heart of Christ on the cross, suffering for us. The proof that this is a Messianic Psalm is found in the gospels where Jesus utters the very words that begin Psalm 22. Psalm 22:...