DTK Lesson | 3.22.20

Today’s lesson comes from the Psalms.  Do you remember what the Psalms are? They are the 150 songs and poems found together in the Old Testament in the Bible.  These poems describe the entire Bible from the royal family of David, to the Jewish people being sent away from their land, to hope for Jesus’ coming and the building of God’s kingdom.

Some Psalms are sad, some are bitter from anger, and some are celebratory.  They were written by King David, Moses, Solomon and others. Why do you think there are poems included in the Bible?  (No right answer. I just want to know what they come up with.)

We’ve learned that metaphors are often used to describe people or things in the Bible.  In this Psalm, the author is using the metaphor of a good shepherd taking care of his sheep as a metaphor for God.  Remember a metaphor gives a picture of what we are trying to describe like, “It’s raining cats and dogs.” We’ve never seen cats and dogs falling out of the sky on a rainy day, or on any day, but we have seen very large raindrops, right?  God is not really a shepherd taking care of sheep, because we’re not sheep, but if we know what shepherds do, it might help us understand how God takes care of us.

Let’s talk about what shepherds do by thinking about what sheep do all day.  What do sheep need? What can they get into if they’re mischievous or if they stray away from the rest of the sheep?  What might happen to them in the dark? What does this tell you about what shepherds do?  (Let children answer questions.)

We hear of shepherds in the Bible often which means that shepherding has been around for a long time.  The main responsibility of a shepherd is to lead the sheep to their food in green pastures and meadows.  Sheep have to have water so they have to be led to streams and rivers and other sources of water. If sheep wander away, they have to be found and brought back with the rest of the group. Sometimes they have to be rescued when they roll down hills or fall into holes or get themselves into other dangerous situations.  Shepherds have to protect their sheep from threats like wolves and wild animals or thieves. Shepherds work hard and at the time this Psalm was written, they really only had one thing to help them with this big job and that was a crook, a long stick with a hook at one end. It’s also called a staff. What do you think that was used for? (Let children answer question.)

Now that we know the role of a shepherd, let’s look at the scripture to see what we can learn.  

Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd. I have everything I need.
He gives me rest in green pastures. He leads me to calm water.
He gives me new strength. For the good of his name,
He leads me on paths that are right.
Even if I walk through a very dark valley,
I will not be afraid because you are with me.
Your rod and your shepherd’s staff comfort me.
You prepare a meal for me in front of my enemies.
You pour oil of blessing on my head.
You give me more than I can hold.
Surely your goodness and love will be with me all my life.
And I will live in the house of the Lord forever. (International Children’s Bible)

Do you understand some of the comparisons between God and a shepherd now?  What have you learned about what shepherds do that we might compare to what God does?

I want to share a book with you.  This book is called Psalm Twenty-Three by Tim Ladwig.  Tim Ludwig created beautiful pictures that illustrate scenes from the lives of a group of really cute, really sweet kids who live in a big, busy (and sometimes scary) city.  Here is a bonus that we don’t normally have! The book has been recorded on video and there is someone singing Psalm 23! Remember we learned that Psalms can be songs or poems...this one is both!  

Watch Youtube video Psalm 23 by Montreat Theta.  https://youtu.be/FofL-yFGLA4.(If time allows)

Watch the video a second time stopping after every other verse (or each verse) to describe.  
I am drawn to the verse that seems to describe danger. 

“Even if I walk through a very dark valley, I will not be afraid
because you are with me. Your rod and your shepherd’s staff comfort me.”

If we illustrated a page of a book like the one we just shared, what might our picture of danger look like today?  What will our shepherd do for us? (Our shepherd will always be there to comfort us and to protect our hearts and minds.)

I was drawn to the verse “He gives me rest in green pastures.” I imagined lying in the grass with my kids watching the clouds floating by, trying to find shapes and feeling grateful for the sky, the air, the sun — the present. —Maria Fabrizio

I was drawn to the verse “He gives me rest in green pastures.” I imagined lying in the grass with my kids watching the clouds floating by, trying to find shapes and feeling grateful for the sky, the air, the sun — the present. —Maria Fabrizio

ACTIVITIES

  • What verse are you drawn to?  What would a picture of that verse look like in your life?  Using colored pencils, crayons, markers, or paint - create an illustration for that verse.

  • Many people around the world know Psalm 23 from memory.  Choose the first few verses, (or the entire psalm) and try to memorize it.  Google is loaded with tips, tricks and videos to help you learn it.

  • You can also go back to the video and learn the beautiful song, House of God Forever by Jon Foreman.