Prepare your mind and heart to learn. Music, especially the hymns of the Church, can invite the influence of the Holy Ghost and help you prepare to learn.
Begin your study with prayer.
As you listen to this choir sing the hymn “I Know That My Redeemer Lives” (Hymns, no. 136), think about how you feel about Jesus Christ. (You may want to read the words of the hymn as you listen.)
1. What is your favorite hymn about Jesus Christ? Why?
The Book of Psalms
Similar to our hymnbook, the book of Psalms is a collection of sacred songs, poems, and prayers to God. In ancient times, the Israelites would sing or recite the psalms as part of their worship of the Lord.
Read the following statement by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, looking for what he said about the book of Psalms.
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Jeffrey R. Holland
“Jesus Himself quoted the book of Psalms more than any other Old Testament text. Beyond the Savior’s own use of these writings, the authors of the four Gospels [Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John] drew heavily on the psalms as they strove to document His life and ministry, particularly those excruciating hours of His arrest, trial, and Crucifixion” (Jeffrey R. Holland, For Times of Trouble: Spiritual Solace from the Psalms [2012], 7–8).
The Savior
Watch the video “My Kingdom Is Not of This World” from The Life of Jesus Christ Bible Videos. This video is available on LDS.org.
Following His Resurrection, Jesus Christ appeared to His Apostles and taught them that He had fulfilled the prophecies concerning Him that were written in the psalms and other Old Testament passages (see Luke 24:44–46).
What truths can we identify from studying these psalms and learning about how they were fulfilled?
Quiz 1
Match the scripture passage in Psalms that includes a prophecy about the Crucifixion with the phrase in the New Testament that records the fulfillment of that prophecy (see Matthew 27:26–43, 46; Luke 23:46; John 19:31–33, 36).
Psalm 23 is widely regarded as one of the most beloved scripture passages in the Bible. In this psalm, the Lord is compared to a shepherd and we are compared to sheep.
Read Psalm 23, looking for phrases that teach what the Lord does for us as our Shepherd.
The phrases “the hill of the Lord” and “his holy place” in Psalm 24:3 can refer to the temple in Jerusalem, which was built on top of a hill. These phrases can also refer to any of the Lord’s temples as well as to the Lord’s presence. The temple is the Lord’s house, and we can feel His presence there.
Read Psalm 24:4–5, looking for what we must do to qualify to worship in the Lord’s house and be prepared to dwell in His presence.
What principle can we identify from verse 4?
Clean Hands and a Pure Heart
From Psalm 24:4 we can identify the following principle: To be worthy to worship in the Lord’s house and to be prepared to dwell in His presence, we must have clean hands and a pure heart.
Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles discussed the Savior’s role in helping us to have clean hands and a pure heart. How can the Savior help us to become clean and pure? You can read the text of this video here: “Clean Hands and a Pure Heart,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2007, 82.
2. Answer the following question:
What can you do to meet the Lord’s requirements to enter His temple and ultimately dwell in His presence?
Part of Psalm 33 is a song praising the Lord for His power and goodness, which are shown by His creations.
Psalm 33:1–9 records some of the reasons why the people of the earth should praise the Lord and sing to Him. In these verses, to “fear the Lord” (verse 8) means to respect or reverence Him and His power. To “stand in awe of him” (verse 8) implies that we should praise and admire Him and His creations.
