Psalms 1–2; 8; 19–33; 40; 46

Consider displaying the following questions and giving students time to discuss their answers with a partner or small group:

• What does worshipping God mean to you?

• How would you describe the difference between simply attending church, the temple, or institute as compared to purposefully worshipping God as you attend?

After sufficient time, invite students to share some of their responses with the class. You could point out that Elder D. Todd Christofferson asked the first question in his March 9, 2025, social media post on Instagram, Facebook, and X. Students could benefit from finding Elder Christofferson’s post and reading some of the comments with responses to his question.

Invite students to reflect on their current efforts to worship God. Encourage them as they study today to invite the Holy Ghost to help them identify meaningful ways they can improve their worship.

Explain that the book of Psalms is a collection of prayers, poems, and hymns that is similar in some ways to our modern hymnbook. Many of the psalms contain heartfelt expressions of worship and praise for the Lord. (For more about the book of Psalms, see “What is the book of Psalms?” in Scripture Helps: Old Testament.)

Consider listing a few psalms on the board, such as the following. Invite students to choose one or more to study, looking for words or phrases that express their feelings about God.

• Psalm 8

• Psalm 18:1–6

• Psalm 27

• Psalm 30

• Psalm 46

After sufficient time, invite students to share their insights with a partner, a small group, or the class. You might also discuss questions like the following:

• What did you learn or feel about the Lord during your study?

• What can help us feel motivated to worship and praise God? (As part of this discussion, students could mention a truth like the following: When we understand the goodness of God, our desire to praise and worship Him increases.)

You could share the following statement by Elder Dale G. Renlund to help students better understand the truth listed above:

When we consider the goodness of our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, our trust in Them increases. Our prayers change because we know God is our Father and we are His children. We seek not to change His will but to align our will with His and secure for ourselves blessings that He wants to grant, conditioned on our asking for them. We yearn to be more meek, more pure, more steadfast, more Christlike. These changes qualify us for additional heavenly blessings. (“Consider the Goodness and Greatness of God,” Liahona, May 2020, 43)

Consider using one or both of the following activities to help students express their own thoughts and feelings about God.

1. Invite students to read the lyrics of a favorite hymn. Have them find words or phrases that reflect their feelings about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. You could then ask a few students to share the hymn they chose and explain the meaningful words or phrases they found. You might also sing that hymn together as a class.

2. Give students time to record their feelings about God. They could do this by writing their own psalm or poem, making a list of what they love and admire about God, writing their testimony, or choosing another creative format that resonates with them. Afterward, invite a few willing students to share what they recorded.

Testify of the truths you have discussed today. Encourage students to think of ways they could improve their worship of God. Encourage them to write down their plans and any impressions they received from the Holy Ghost.

Return to “Learning Activity Options.”

To begin, you could introduce the skill “Understanding Symbolism in the Scriptures” in Scripture Study Skills. You might also ask:

• What are some of your favorite symbols or titles used to describe Jesus Christ? Why?

Consider displaying an image of the Savior with sheep, like the one at the beginning of this lesson. Remind students that one of the titles the Savior gave Himself is the Good Shepherd (see John 10:11).

Point out that Psalm 23 is widely regarded as one of the most beloved passages in the Bible. It contains vivid images and symbols that teach us about who Jesus Christ is and how He can help us. Invite students as they study today to think about their need for the Savior’s help in their lives.

Give students a few minutes to study Psalm 23. They could also study the entries related to Psalm 23 in Scripture Helps: Old Testament. Invite them to pay attention to what they learn and feel about Jesus Christ, His character, and His attributes from the symbols used in the psalm. After sufficient time, consider asking:

• What were some of the symbols from this psalm that stood out to you? What did they teach you about Jesus Christ? (As part of this discussion, students may identify truths like these: The Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ, cares for His sheep. When the Lord is with us, we have no need to fear. The Lord will nourish us, even during difficult situations.)

To help students better understand these truths, you could select one or more of the following activity options you feel will most benefit your class:

1. Invite students to study Ezekiel 34:11–16 or John 10:11–15, looking for additional insights about the Lord as our Shepherd.

2. Sing a hymn about the Lord as our Shepherd, such as “The Lord Is My Shepherd” (Hymns, no. 108), “Dear to the Heart of the Shepherd” (Hymns, no. 221), or “My Shepherd Will Supply My Need” (Hymns—For Home and Church). Students could share words or phrases they found meaningful.

3. Show the videos “I Fear No Evil” (0:57) or “Christ the Babe Was Born for You” (time code 1:12 to 4:11).

   

   0:57
   

   9:55

Invite students to reflect on a time when they felt cared for by the Savior as their Shepherd. Invite a few of them to share an experience that is not too personal with the class.

Encourage students to record their impressions as they contemplate what they will do this week to choose Christ as their Shepherd.

Return to “Learning Activity Options.”

You could begin by sharing a scenario like the following, or create one that better meets the needs of your students:

Ask students to consider if they or someone they know has felt like Maria. Explain that in Psalm 24, King David taught about the Lord’s standard of worthiness. Invite students to remember Maria and her questions as they study. Encourage them to seek impressions from the Holy Ghost about their personal worthiness.

Invite students to read Psalm 24:1–6, looking for the question David asked and the answers he gave in the psalm. Encourage students to also study “Psalm 24:3–4. What does it mean to ‘ascend into the hill of the Lord’ with clean hands and a pure heart?” in Scripture Helps: Old Testament.

• What did you learn about what it might mean to “ascend into the hill of the Lord” and “stand in his holy place”?

• What truths can we learn from this psalm about being worthy before the Lord? (Students may identify a truth like this: If we have clean hands and a pure heart, we are worthy to enter the Lord’s house and dwell in His presence.)

Before beginning the following activity, you could review the skill “Asking Questions That Invite Diligent Learning” from Scripture Study Skills. To help students understand the Lord’s standard for worthiness, they could choose to focus on one or more of the following questions or think of their own:

• What does it mean to be worthy? What does it not mean?

• What role does Jesus Christ play in helping us to be worthy?

• Why does personal worthiness matter?

Give students time to search the scriptures, the words of Church leaders, or other resources in Gospel Library to discover answers to the questions they chose.

After sufficient time, invite students to share with a partner or with the class any insights from their study.

You might conclude by sharing the following statement by President Russell M. Nelson:

11:44

Individual worthiness to enter the Lord’s house requires much individual spiritual preparation. But with the Lord’s help, nothing is impossible. In some respects, it is easier to build a temple than it is to build a people prepared for a temple. Individual worthiness requires a total conversion of mind and heart to be more like the Lord, to be an honest citizen, to be a better example, and to be a holier person.

I testify that such preparatory work brings innumerable blessings in this life and inconceivable blessings for the life to come. (“Closing Remarks,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2019, 121–22)

Encourage students to write down thoughts or impressions they would like to remember or act on from their experience in class.

Return to “Learning Activity Options.”