by Jen | Nov 10, 2026 | DISO studies, Psalm 91
NEW TO THIS STUDY? START HERE.
Hello again! Thanks for joining me in this study. Today’s post reveals the prayer the Spirit inspired me to use every time I start studying Psalm 91, and the Huh?s and Wow!s I experienced reading through the passage with Him. Read on!
Last Week’s Work
MY PRAYER
Father God, thank You that You are Almighty, and You’ve given me a heart for studying Your Word so I can learn and grow and serve as you would have me.
For now, this will be my last study focused directly on Your names, but it’s only the beginning of getting to know You more deeply. I resolve to continually look for You in every passage I study, because I know I’ve only scratched the surface of Who You are, and it’s been amazing! Thank You also for the Holy Spirit to guide me as I learn everything I can from Psalm 91. In Jesus’s name I pray. Amen.
HUH? and WOW! MOMENTS
This is yet another study where I’m “wowed” by the passage! This time, I separated the HUH?s from the WOW!s in my notes. I’m not sure if I’ll keep doing that, though. Here they are:
HUH?s
- What does the writer mean when he describes someone who dwells in the shelter of the Most High (v1)?
- I found a few words and/or phrases that are unfamiliar to me:
- Fowler (v3). Fun fact: I grew up in southwest Kansas where there’s a town by that name. Until now, I had no idea it was associated with a snare (trap) in the Bible, though I am familiar with the term fowl (birds). Something to dig into, maybe?
- Pinions, and a shield and buckler (v4).
- Recompense (v8).
- The text of vv14-16 appears in quotations in the ESV translation: who is speaking? Based on context alone, I assume it’s God.
WOW!s
Dig-In Challenges
Below I’ve listed what I’ll be working through this coming week. As always, you’re welcome to just follow this study by reading and praying about what I’m discovering. Or, if there’s something else you want to work with the Holy Spirit to learn about in this passage:
- PRAY for the Spirit to direct your focus for the remainder of this study. You can choose anything from your survey from last week that raises a question or resonates with you, or you can use one of my responses above. In your journal, record that personal treasure, along with any verse(s) relating to it from the study text.
- MINE: Begin working through step 2 of this process by reading Psalm 91, focusing on and noting anything the Spirit emphasizes about the characters involved, any locations mentioned, and/or any timeframes discussed.
I’m looking forward to sharing my notes with you next week!
by Jen | Nov 3, 2026 | DISO studies, Introduction, Jen, Psalm 91
Welcome to the final eight-week DISO study on God’s names this year. Today, we’re beginning our exploration of El Shaddai, God Almighty, focusing on Psalm 91. I’m glad you’re here, and I hope you’ll be able to study (or at least check in) with me over the next eight weeks as I dig deep into the treasure the Holy Spirit reveals to me from this excerpt of God’s Word.
Let’s Study Psalm 91!
This week, I’ll begin by praying and surveying Psalm 91. If you want to study on your own with me, here’s what I recommend you have ready:
- A copy of Psalm 91.
I like to refer often to the text I’m studying and sometimes make notes on it, so I copy the passage from blueletterbible.org, paste it into a word processing program like Google Docs or MS Word, change the formatting to suit my preferences, and print it out. If you want to use the ESV translation, here’s a pdf of my Scripture study sheet with lots of room for doodles and notes.
- A study journal.
We’ll spend the next seven weeks immersed in and learning about Psalm 91. Since each week’s work builds on what came before, plan to record at least some highlights from your work over the coming weeks. I’m old-school and like the pen-and-paper method for journaling my studies, but it’s okay if that doesn’t work for you. If you don’t have time to write out or type your notes, consider dictating them into a notes app or recording audio files instead.
Or, you may decide to just try a few of the steps on your own as you feel led and/or read my notes posted here. That’s great, too. You’ll get familiar with the process and see how the Spirit speaks to my situation. Either way, I appreciate you checking in with me, even if you can’t dig into Psalm 91 yourself right now.
Dig-In Challenges
So, here’s how I’ll be studying this week:
- PRAY: I’ll be creating a prayer with which I’ll start each of my weekly study sessions. Full disclosure: I usually just adapt a previous prayer. Though I’ve pretty much memorized it, I still write my prayer in my study journal so I’ll see it when I begin my study and remember to pray each time I start my study.
- SURVEY: Then I’ll read Psalm 91, noting anything that makes me say, “huh?” (as in, “I wonder what that means?”) or “wow” (as in, “that is so awesome!”). I’ll record these and later ask the Spirit to direct me to the one I should dig into right now.
If you’d like more information about Steps 1-5, check out this printable summary of the process I’ll be using. Or, you can always reach out to me with your questions through my contact page or at [email protected]. I’m looking forward to sharing what I discover in this process with you. I hope you’ll make a habit of checking in with me each week!
by Jen | Oct 27, 2026 | 22-27, DISO studies, Exodus 15
NEW TO THIS STUDY? START HERE.
Once again, we’re wrapping up our eight-week inductive study on another of God’s names, YHWH Rapha, the LORD your healer. Next week, we’ll begin studying the final name we’ll examine in this series, though we’ve by no means reviewed all of them. If you want to study a name we haven’t examined, work with the Holy Spirit and dig into it on your own! I’d love to hear about your experience: feel free to reach out to me at [email protected] or through my contact page on this website and let me know how it’s going.
This past week, we used the process described in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 to consider how we can put what we’ve discovered here to practice. Here’s how the Spirit directed me.
Last Week’s Work
LESSON(S) LEARNED
As I reviewed my study notes, the Holy Spirit pressed me to see that sometimes what we need is so bitter we can’t swallow it. Like the water at Marah, though, God can transform that bitter necessity into something more palatable. In the process, we learn to listen and follow His commands.
This side of heaven, we’ll never do that perfectly. But believe me, He rewards even modest attempts to do His will.
CONVICTION
This week I’m also studying King Asa (2 Chronicles 15 and 16) with a group from my church. We discovered how he sought the LORD and achieved great victory over Judah’s enemies, only to later turn to his own strategy (not rely on the LORD) when faced with a crisis instigated by the king of Israel. Though it seemed he solved that problem, things got much worse for him.
That story and this study have convicted me that my “default mode” is more like Asa’s than Moses’s. It’s difficult for me to ask for help, and really difficult for me to admit I need it. And that is what the Spirit is charging me to change: to trust in God and not make my own way.
CORRECTION
The verse that corrects me is a cross-reference to the Book of James that tells me to admit my sin to others and pray. You might remember, last week I mentioned my struggles with this website and my not-so-effective attempts to resolve them until I asked for help from someone else. I believe the Spirit is reminding me to seek help and direction from the God who heals and to accept His and other people’s assistance rather than trying so hard to remain self-sufficient.
ACTION PLAN
I am praying for the Holy Spirit’s conviction every time I start trying to fix things myself, especially when I don’t know what I’m doing! I’m asking that He soften my heart to clearly recognize when I need help from the LORD or other people. And I promise to pray and seek God first.
Our Next Study
Next week, we’ll begin our last study for this year, wrapping up this series on the names of God with the name El Shaddai (God Almighty) as revealed in Psalm 91. What better way to celebrate the Christmas season than by contemplating the Almighty One who sent His Son to save us? I hope you’ll join me and study Psalm 91, too!
by Jen | Oct 20, 2026 | 22-27, DISO studies, Exodus 15, Jen
NEW TO THIS STUDY? START HERE.
Hello! How’s the weather where you are? It’s that time of year again, and I’m loving the lower temperatures here in central Florida. We’re installing an electric fireplace in our family room, and I can’t wait to enjoy cozy evenings with a “fire” that doesn’t smoke or require clean-up… just dusting every month or so!
Last Week’s Work
CROSS-REFERENCES
From my review of the cross-references, I was impressed by the many times God repeated His promises of blessings and prosperity for obedience. They appear in Leviticus, Deuteronomy 7, Deuteronomy 12, Deuteronomy 13, Deuteronomy 28, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, and Ezekiel.
Those promises are expanded to include consequences for disobedience in Leviticus, Deuteronomy, and Ezekiel. And I noticed Leviticus 26 also mentions the promise of forgiveness when the Israelites confessed their sins.
I also noted God is portrayed in numerous passages as the One who heals. One instance of this really stood out to me: in 2 Kings, Hezekiah was deathly ill when he wept and prayed for healing, reminding God of the king’s faithfulness. God heard and healed him as a fig poultice was applied to his boil. And that detail connects to the plague of boils the Egyptians and their livestock suffered while Israel was still enslaved in Egypt. In addition, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Hosea all wrote of the LORD’s healing power, and James also comments about it, further recounting the power of prayer to move God to heal.
OTHER TRANSLATIONS
I compared four versions (Amplified, New International Version, New Living Translation, and Good News Translation) of verse 26 and didn’t have any aha! moments: the versions were all pretty consistent.
COMMENTARY
My review of several commentaries helped me appreciate another comparison I didn’t catch in week five: Moses’ reaction to the bitter water (prayer and then action—listening and obeying God’s direction) versus Israel’s reaction (grumbling against Moses).
I also observed difficulty can serve as proof we’re doing what God directed us to do. Sent to humble us, it breaks down our self-confidence, so we appreciate and ask for God’s infinite assistance.
I experienced this firsthand recently with technical issues on this website. In the past, I’ve struggled to resolve them in my own strength. I began down that same road this time, grumbling all the while. By His grace, the LORD led me to an affordable alternative with technical help who quickly resolved the issue. Even better, I shouldn’t have to deal with it again for at least a few years! God is so good when we listen, trust, and obey!
Dig-In Challenges
This week, let’s wrap up this study of Exodus 15:22-27 and align with what we’ve discovered:
- PRAY: Use my prayer from week 2, or your own.
- ALIGN: Review your study notes (or what I’ve posted since week 2) and consider what you’ve learned in this study.
- ALIGN: Then, think about how the Spirit has convicted you through this study. In other words, where has He shown you misalignment between what we’ve discovered and how you practice your faith?
- ALIGN: Next, look to God’s Word for guidance to correct that misalignment. For me, this is often a verse from the study text or from one of the cross-references.
- ALIGN: And finally, reflect on how you can practice thoughts or actions that align more closely with what you’ve discovered here.
- To make this stick, I commit for at least three weeks to change my thoughts [by focusing daily on my correction verse(s), above] and/or actions [by stopping or starting an activity as the Spirit leads].
by Jen | Oct 13, 2026 | 22-27, DISO studies, Exodus 15, Jen
NEW TO THIS STUDY? START HERE.
Welcome back! As I started refining my grasp of this passage, the Spirit led me to wonder where this incident falls in the general timeline of Israel’s departure from Egypt. I thought the reference to the diseases God inflicted upon the Egyptians might indicate their departure from Egypt was still fresh in their minds.
Last Week’s Work
LITERAL CONTEXT
As a matter of fact, Chapter 14 relates the story of their miraculous escape from Pharoah and his army (by crossing the dry bed of the Red Sea). And the text of Exodus 15 prior to the study passage records the songs the people sang as they worshipped God for annihilating their Egyptian enemies.
WRITING TYPES
This text is narrative, and I believe it records actual events as God liberated the nation of Israel from servitude to the Egyptians and relocated the whole nation to what would later be known as Sinai.
HISTORICAL CONTEXT
The ESV Global Study Bible Introduction dates the Israelites’ departure from Egypt about 1446BC, and Moses is the primary credited author of it, as well as Genesis, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. It’s also clear from the outline of the book in the introduction that this incident took place at the beginning of the Israelite’s journey away from Egypt.
The original audience for Exodus was the Israelite nation and their descendants, and it was written to preserve their history as a people.
INTERLINEAR RESEARCH
I was curious about the terms translated listen and give ear in my focus verse. The first reference is to the Hebrew term shama (H8085) is defined in the Lexical Summary section on biblehub.org as to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.). The entry for Exodus 15:26 specifically mentions obey as well.
Give ear is translated from azan (H238). There’s a topical discussion of the root concept that indicates it conveys the idea of listening with intent, discernment, and readiness to respond. Though the words are different, I think they say basically the same thing, that the Israelites were expected to listen closely to the LORD and obey Him.
What struck me most about this discussion is the importance of hearing God in the context of relationship. God doesn’t want to be a remote sovereign. He wants to be the One we turn to in pain and dis-ease. And that leads right into my examination of rapha (H7495), your healer. I discovered in the Topical Lexicon section of Biblehub this word always refers to the Lord’s work bringing wholeness where damage, disease, or disorder has intruded. As in this case, it doesn’t apply just to humans: the altar of the LORD, water, and land have also been healed by YHWH Rapha! This makes me think of God’s great love for us that even in the fallen world we inhabit, He heals (though sometimes this doesn’t look the way we want or expect it to!).
Dig-In Challenges
Here’s my study plan for the coming week if you want to work along with me:
- PRAY, of course.
- REFINE: Consult a concordance or online cross-reference study tool [I’ll be going here] to find and read through the available cross-references for your focus verse(s) and log what the Spirit shows you.
NOTE: For your study, follow the above link, then use the Prev or Next buttons below the verse text to go to your focus verse(s).
- REFINE: Next, compare at least a few other translations of your focus verse(s) and write about what you find in your study journal. I’m planning to compare the ESV, AMP, NIV, NLT, and GNT versions starting with this biblehub.com page. After following this link, you can navigate to your verse(s) by entering the reference in the Enter Reference or Keyword box at the top of the page and clicking the spyglass icon there.
- REFINE: Last, I plan to check a few commentaries on my focus verse, Exodus 15:26. If you already have a favorite study Bible or commentary, feel free to review it, too. If you don’t, I recommend bibleref.com if you’re new to the Bible or Bible study: it’s easy to follow, and you can find information about the whole book and certain passages. If you’re looking for something with more detail, try the commentary section of StudyLight.org. There, you can access multiple verse-by-verse commentaries on Exodus 15:22-27 by clicking the box for your focus verse, then clicking the name of the commentary listed immediately under the text of the verse you chose. I recommend you review more than one commentary and listen to the Spirit’s guidance on them.
I encourage you to do what you can this week to dig deeper into God’s Word. I know you’ll find immense treasure there. And I hope you’ll check in with me again next week!
GO TO WEEK 7 >
