Jesus walking with sheep

The Lord Is My Shepherd, by Yongsung Kim, havenlight.com

August 8–14

Psalms 1–2; 8; 19–33; 40; 46

“The Lord Is My Shepherd”

Don’t feel limited to the selection of Psalms or the principles suggested in this outline. Let the Spirit guide you to truths that help you feel closer to the Lord.

Record Your Impressions

We don’t know for certain who wrote the Psalms. Some have been attributed to King David, but for most of them, the writers remain anonymous. Yet after reading the Psalms, we may feel as if we know the hearts of the Psalmists, even if we don’t know their names. What we do know is that the Psalms were an important part of worship among the Israelites, and we know that the Savior quoted them often. In the Psalms, we get a window into the soul of God’s ancient people. We see how they felt about God, what they worried about, and how they found peace. As believers today, all over the world, we still use these words in our worship of God. The writers of the Psalms seem to have had a window into our souls and seem to have found a way to express how we feel about God, what we worry about, and how we find peace.

For an overview of the book of Psalms, see “Psalms” in the Bible Dictionary.

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Ideas for Personal Scripture Study

Psalms 1; 23; 26–28; 46

The Psalms teach us to trust the Lord.

You might notice as you read the Psalms how often the writers express fear, sorrow, or anxiety. Such feelings are normal, even for people of faith. But what makes the Psalms inspiring is the solutions they offer, including complete trust in the Lord. Consider these inspiring messages as you read Psalms 1; 23; 26–28; 46. Watch for the following, and write down what you discover:

• Invitations to trust the Lord:

• Words that describe the Lord:

• Words that describe the peace, strength, and other blessings He provides:

• Words that describe those who trust Him:

Psalms 2; 22

The Psalms point our minds to the life and ministry of Jesus Christ.

Several of the Psalms point to the mortal life of Jesus Christ. Christians in New Testament times saw these connections too—for example, they recognized in Psalm 2 a reference to Jesus’s trials before King Herod and Pontius Pilate (see Acts 4:24–30). Consider reading Psalms 2 and 22 along with Matthew 27:35–46; Luke 23:34–35; and John 19:23–24. Look for connections between the words in these psalms and the life of the Savior, and keep looking for similar connections as you study the book of Psalms throughout the next few weeks.

Imagine that you were a Jew in Jesus’s time who was familiar with the Psalms and saw connections to the Savior’s life. How might this knowledge have been a blessing to you?

See also Psalms 31:5; 34:20; 41:9; Luke 24:44; Hebrews 2:9–12.

Psalms 8; 19; 33

“The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.”

Reading Psalms 8; 19; and 33 may inspire you to consider the Lord’s many wonderful creations. Pay attention to your thoughts and feelings as you do. How do the Lord’s creations “declare the glory of God” to you? (Psalm 19:1).

Psalms 19:7–11; 29

The word of the Lord is powerful, “rejoicing the heart.”

In the Psalms, words like testimony, statutes, commandment, and judgments can refer to the word of the Lord. Keep that in mind as you read Psalm 19:7–11. What do these verses suggest to you about the word of the Lord? What does Psalm 29 teach you about His voice? In your experience, how has the word or voice of the Lord matched these descriptions?

Concepción Chile Temple

We must be spiritually clean and pure to enter the Lord’s presence.

Psalms 24; 26–27

Entering the Lord’s presence requires purity.

Because the temple at Jerusalem was built on a hill, the phrase “hill of the Lord” (Psalm 24:3) may refer to the temple or to the presence of God. What does this add to your understanding of Psalm 24? What does it mean to you to have “clean hands, and a pure heart”? (Psalm 24:4).

What do Psalms 26 and 27 teach you about the house of the Lord?

See also Psalm 15; David A. Bednar, “Clean Hands and a Pure Heart,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2007, 80–83.

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Ideas for Family Scripture Study and Home Evening

Psalm 22.While one family member reads this psalm, others could look for similarities in Matthew 27:35–46. Then they could share their feelings about Jesus Christ and His sacrifice for us.

Psalm 23.Psalm 23 was the inspiration for several hymns, such as “The Lord Is My Shepherd” and “The Lord My Pasture Will Prepare” (Hymns, nos. 108, 109). Perhaps your family would like to sing one of these hymns and identify words in the psalm that might have inspired the lyrics. Or they might enjoy drawing pictures of something they find in the psalm or the hymn and letting family members guess the verses or lyrics that go with the pictures. How is the Lord like a shepherd to us?

Psalm 24:3–5.To emphasize the importance of having clean hands and a pure heart, you could read Psalm 24:3–5 while family members wash their hands. What might hands represent in this psalm? What could the heart symbolize? What can we do to spiritually cleanse our hands and purify our hearts?

Psalm 30:5, 11.Psalm 30:5 contains the promise that “weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” How has the Lord turned our sadness into joy? Some family members might enjoy acting out what verse 11 describes.

Psalm 33.Note how many times the word all is used in this psalm. What do we learn about the Lord from the repeated use of this word, especially in verses 13–15?

Psalm 46:10.You might do something together that requires family members to “be still.” How can being still help us come to know God? What opportunities do we have to be still and come to know God?

For more ideas for teaching children, see this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Primary.

Suggested song: “The Lord Is My Shepherd,” Hymns, no. 108.

Improving Personal Study

Be creative. Scriptures like the Psalms often inspire people to praise the Lord in creative ways. If you feel moved to express your devotion through music, poetry, visual art, or some other way, act on those feelings. Consider sharing what you create to help others build faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

Jesus carrying sheep on shoulders

The Good Shepherd, by Ken Spencer