Psalms 1–2; 8; 19–33; 40; 46: Lesson 101

Introduction to Psalms, Part 2

Worship the Lord and Praise His Holy Name

Visit “Studying the Scriptures” to help prepare yourself spiritually to learn.

One way to worship Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ is to express your love and devotion to Them. Many of the psalms are poetic examples of worshipping the Father and Son in praises, pleadings, and prayers. This lesson can help you express your feelings of worship for Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

Study the Scriptures

What does worshipping God mean to you? Write a definition in your notebook. If a dictionary is available, compare your definition with the one in the dictionary. Adjust your definition as needed and respond to the following question.

• How would you describe the difference between simply attending church, the temple, or seminary and worshipping God as you attend?

Elder Dean M. Davies, then serving in the Presiding Bishopric, shared some ways we can worship God when he taught:

When we worship God, we approach Him with reverent love, humility, and adoration. We acknowledge and accept Him as our sovereign King, the Creator of the universe, our beloved and infinitely loving Father.

We respect and revere Him.

We submit ourselves to Him.

We lift our hearts in mighty prayer, cherish His word, rejoice in His grace, and commit to follow Him with dedicated loyalty. (“The Blessings of Worship,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2016, 94)

At the end of the lesson today, you will begin creating an expression of your feelings. Keep this in mind as you study. Think about how you might want to express what you learn and feel. Invite the Holy Ghost to assist you in your efforts.

Many psalms are the poetic, prayerful expressions of the sacred thoughts, feelings, hopes, and desires of the writers. While many scriptures record the Lord’s words to us, the psalms frequently reflect the writers’ words to Him.

Read Psalm 18:1–6, marking words and phrases David used to express his feelings about the Lord.

You might have found several different phrases, such as:

• The Lord is my strength (verse 1).

• The Lord is my rock, fortress, deliverer, God, strength, buckler, horn of salvation, or high tower (verse 2).

• The Lord is worthy to be praised (verse 3).

• The Lord hears our cries to Him (verse 6).

The psalms demonstrate many ways we can share our feelings for the Lord.

Study one or more of the following passages slowly. Mark words and phrases that reflect your feelings about the Lord.

• Psalm 8:1–9

• Psalm 27:1–9

• Psalm 30:1–12

• Psalm 46:1–11

Review the following study options. Complete one or more.

Option A

Where else can I find psalms of worship?

Like King David, other faithful women and men have written psalms in other books of scripture.

Choose one or more of the following scripture passages to study. Create a note to label the passage(s) you study as a psalm (example: Hannah’s psalm). You may also want to create tags based on the desires, feelings, and thoughts each author shares.

• 1 Samuel 2:1–10—Hannah’s psalm

• Luke 1:46–55—Mary’s psalm

• 2 Nephi 4:16–25—Nephi’s psalm

• 2 Nephi 4:26–35—Nephi’s psalm

• Alma 26:8–20—Ammon’s psalm

In your notebook, select one of the following options to express your thoughts and feelings about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

1. Compose a few lines of a poem or a song.

2. Psalmists often compared the Savior to something else to show what He meant to them. For example, “The Lord is my light” (Psalm 27:1). Make a list of things in your life that could represent how you feel about the Lord.

3. Write about an experience that has impacted how you feel about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

Option B

What are some other ways I can express my praise and worship?

Writing and reflecting are two ways to express our praise for the Lord, but there are other ways to worship.

President Dallin H. Oaks of the First Presidency taught:

Sacred music has a unique capacity to communicate our feelings of love for the Lord. This kind of communication is a wonderful aid to our worship. Many have difficulty expressing worshipful feelings in words, but all can join in communicating such feelings through the inspired words of our hymns. (“Worship through Music,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 1994, 10)

If they are available, watch one or more of the following videos that express feelings for Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ through dance, music, or art.

1. Dance: “Trust in the Lord: Music Video” (4:11)

2. Music: “Here I Am, I Will Follow Jesus Christ” (3:07) or “Peace in Christ” (4:09)

3. Art: Sister Kristin M. Yee’s painting of the Savior

Take some time to express your thoughts and feelings about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ in a way other than writing. Select one of the following options, or design one of your own:

1. Make a video or an audio recording. In a video, you could include your favorite sacred images from the Gospel Library.

2. Create a drawing, painting, meme, illustration, or other work of art.

3. Search for multiple sacred images and create a collage.

Share Your Thoughts

Lesson Purpose: To help you express your feelings of worship for Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

Share one or more of the following with your teacher or class:

• Your definition of “worship” and how you adjusted it.

• What you wrote or created to express your thoughts and feelings about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

• Something specific you did to achieve the purpose of this lesson.

• Any questions this lesson raised for you. How will you try to find answers to your questions?