How do the Words

of the Bible Speak

to Us?

LEARNING INTENTIONLI: I will understand what a psalm is and identify three types of psalms.

What are Psalms?Psalms are prayers, poems and hymns gathered over a very long period of time. There are different types of psalms. Some tell stories. Some are songs of praise. Some are prayers of repentance.

Each psalm has its own unique character but they are all deeply emotional and profoundly spiritual. The Psalms are not meant to be simply read, but to be prayed.

They encompass the whole range of human emotions from sorrow, lament and depression to joy, praise and celebration. The whole collection of psalms is often referred to as The Psalter.

Lament Psalms

We don’t use the word lament very often, but there are lots of laments in the book of Psalms. A lament is when someone tells the sad things that are happening to him or her. Lamenting is something everyone has in common. We are all sad sometimes. The laments in the Bible show us that we can tell our sad thoughts to God.

In Psalm 13:1-4 the writer writes about his sadness. But then he remembers that God is really with him, even when he doesn’t feel like God is there. Listen to what he says in verses 5 and 6:

• 5 But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. 6 I will sing the Lord’s praise, for he has been good to me.

By adding verses 5 and 6, the lament changes from focusing on sadness to focusing on trust in God. Psalm 13 helps us know that we can bring our sorrows to God and it also helps us remember God’s promises to us and his love for us.

Lament Psalms

Thanksgiving PsalmsPsalms of thanksgiving are giving thanks for the wonderful gifts that God provides.

David wrote many thanksgiving psalms. All through the Psalms, no matter what David was facing, we read his outpouring of gratitude to God. As he encountered good times and bad times, David always turned back to the truth of God’s goodness. This attitude often carried him through the hardest of situations.

The Psalms of David• Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness!

Come into his presence with singing! Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations. Psalm 100:1-5 ESV

Thanksgiving Psalms

Praise Psalms

Psalms of praise (yadah - the verb meaning, 'to praise') are identified as such because of their form and subject matter. Praise psalms are often more general in their content and more focused on who God is rather than what he has done.

They are usually used to detail aspects of God's character, which are then praised by the psalmist. One example of a psalm of praise is a hymn.

When God's actions are described, they are frequent A Hymn of Praise[a]

100 Sing to the LORD, all the world! 2 Worship the LORD with joy; come before him with happy songs!• 3 Acknowledge that the LORD is God.

He made us, and we belong to him; we are his people, we are his flock.• 4 Enter the Temple gates with thanksgiving;

go into its courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise him.• 5 The LORD is good;

his love is eternal and his faithfulness lasts forever.

Praise Psalms

LEARNING INTENTIONLI: I will be able to understand the meaning of various psalms.

Psalm 23

Watch this simple video about Psalm 23. The psalm is told in olden day English and then in modern day language.

Once you have watch the clip you can complete the find a word.

PSALM 19

PSALM 22

PSALM 34

ACTIVITYUsing Bible Gateway identify and explore the book of psalms in the Bible.

1. Choose one psalm that resonates with you. Copy the psalm into your religion book.

2. Write a sentence describing what you think it means.3. Draw an image to go with the psalm.

LEARNING INTENTION• I will use the language of a psalm to work out the meaning.

A Morning PrayerDavid sang this when he ran away from his son Absalom.3 LORD, I have many enemies! Many people have turned against me.2 Many are saying about me, “God won’t rescue him.” Selah3 But, LORD, you are my shield, my wonderful God who gives me courage.4 I will pray to the LORD, and he will answer me from his holy mountain. Selah5 I can lie down and go to sleep, and I will wake up again, because the LORD gives me strength.6 Thousands of troops may surround me, but I am not afraid.7 LORD, rise up! My God, come save me!You have struck my enemies on the cheek; you have broken the teeth of the wicked.8 The LORD can save his people. LORD, bless your people. Selah

Meaning of the Psalm

This psalm has a number of notable firsts to its credit. 1. It is the first psalm in the collection of psalms ascribed to David (3-41), and

is the first of thirteen psalms to bear a superscription giving us historical data about the psalm.

2. It is the first lament psalm, a cry for help.3. It is the first psalm to use the term "selah," a term that is probably a musical

notation perhaps meaning pause.

It is that historical setting that arrests our attention. David wrote this, in all probability, while actually fleeing for his life from Absalom.

A result of his sin with Bathsheba David was promised trouble in his house. What came he could scarcely have imagined -- his own son Absalom attempted to take the kingdom from him by force. The situation became so bad that David actually left the walled fortress of Jerusalem to flee across the Jordan river. It was a desperate time. The king did not know who was with him and who was against him, who would come to his side and who would fight against him.

All he could do was flee and hope that he would have the time necessary to regroup and get organized. But would he?

Meaning of the Psalm

Lyrically this version is slightly different to the version you have just studied.

ACTIVITYLook at the psalm that you chose last week.

Researching your psalm find the history and the meaning of the psalm.Then highlight important words in the passage that reflect the meaning of the psalm.

Then use the highlighted words to create a Wordle or Tagxedo.

LEARNING INTENTIONLI: I will understand that the Gospels in the Bible can tell the same story using different description.

The Bible is divided into the New and Old Testament.

The Bible is made up of a number of books.

NEW TESTAMENTThe New Testament is the name given to the part of the Christian Bible that was written after the birth of Jesus Christ.

The term new testament means a new covenant and was originally used by early Christians to describe their relationship with God (see 2 Cor. 3:6-15; Heb. 9:15-20) and later to designate a particular collection of 27 books.

Books of the New Testament The 27 books of the New Testament were written by various authors at various times and places.

Unlike the Old Testament, the New Testament was written in a narrow span of time, over the course of no more than a century.

NEW TESTAMENT

The Gospels focus on the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. • The Gospel of Matthew -- Matthew, a tax-collector and

apostle. • The Gospel of Mark -- Mark, a follower of Peter and also

Paul. • The Gospel of Luke -- by Luke, a follower of Paul. • The Gospel of John -- John, a fisherman and apostle.

GOSPELS

In your books write a recount of the morning so far.

ACTIVITY

Compare your recount with a partner.

Was there differences?Why?Just as you have differences in the way you tell the events so do the writers of the Gospels.

You may read the same story in Matthew and Mark and they may seem different but the message is still the same.

ACTIVITY

LEARNING INTENTIONLI: I will compare a story told from different Gospels

In your book draw a three way Venn diagram. In the outside of your circles write what is different about each story and in the middle write what is the same.

Using the website http://sites.utoronto.ca/religion/synopsis/

Choose the icon that says the Two Q some. This has two Gospels put side by side.

For this activity you need to carefully scroll to find a story that is the written about in both Gospels.

You need split a page in half and write the similarities and differences in your Religion book.

ACTIVITY

LEARNING INTENTIONLI: I will investigate the differences in the story of the nativity.

ACTIVITY

In your Religion book create a word wall with all the terms that you know about the nativity story (Jesus’ birth).

The story that we know as the nativity is a combination of both Gospels of Matthew and Luke.

NATIVITY

This is the nativity according to Luke

NATIVITY - LUKE

Matthew is not as popular when it comes to tell the story of the nativity but it is still included in his Gospel.

There are lot of extra details in Matthew’s Gospel that for some make it not as interesting to read. An example of this is he lists the birth of a lot of other children around the time of Jesus.

NATIVITY- MATTHEW

Use Bible Gateway to find both stories. Read through the stories with a partner.

ACTIVITY

NATIVITY DIFFERENCES

Using Bible Gateway look at both versions of the nativity story.

Use the assessment sheet to note the similarities and differences between the two stories.

ASSESSMENT