Psalms 1–2; 8; 19–33; 40; 46: Lesson 100
Introduction to Psalms, Part 1
Prophecies of Jesus Christ in Psalms
Visit “Studying the Scriptures” to help prepare yourself spiritually to learn.
Hymns have allowed musicians and poets to express their feelings about the Savior for centuries. Like many modern hymns, several of the psalms teach and testify of the Savior’s life and mission. This lesson can help you better understand Jesus Christ’s life and mission as prophesied in Psalms.
Study the Scriptures
Do you have a favorite hymn or Primary song? What about its teaching of Jesus Christ makes it special?
What is the book of Psalms?
The book of Psalms is a collection of prayers, poems, and hymns that is similar in some ways to our modern hymnbook.
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Many of the psalms are attributed to specific authors like David (Psalm 3). Other psalms have no known author (see Psalm 1).
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Hebrew poetic elements are found throughout Psalms.
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Parallelism is poetry in which two or more lines share connected ideas (see Psalm 29:4).
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Repetition is a Hebrew poetic tool that emphasizes a line by repeating it (such as the clause “Praise him” in Psalm 150).
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In the Hebrew language, Psalm 119 is an example of an acrostic poem. Acrostic poems use the first letter of each line to spell out words or the Hebrew alphabet.
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The book of Psalms is quoted in the New Testament over 115 times (see Psalms 6:8 and Luke 13:27).
In speaking of one of the most important messages found in the book of Psalms, President Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught:
Jesus Himself quoted the book of Psalms more than any other Old Testament text. … It could be argued that in all of holy writ, no book of scripture goes on so extensively about the Messianic mission or the looking and longing for His return that is expressed in the songs of the Psalmist. (For Times of Trouble: Spiritual Solace from the Psalms [2012], 7–8)
Read Luke 24:44, looking for what the Savior taught His disciples about the psalms. Then create a link between Luke 24:44 and the title “THE BOOK OF PSALMS” at the beginning of Psalm 1.
One way to study Psalms is to compare verses that prophesy of Christ to the verses that fulfill those prophesies.
Study three or more of the prophecies in the following table. Create a link between the prophecy in Psalms and its fulfillment in other scriptures. You may also want to tag each passage as “prophecy of Christ.”
Navigating in Gospel Library. You can save time creating links in Gospel Library by using search recommendations. After tapping the Link icon, type the first letter of the book you are linking to, along with the chapter and verse in the search bar. For example: M2746 for Matthew 27:46. Then tap the suggestion for the verse you are looking for, which appears below the search bar.
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Psalms that prophesy of Jesus Christ |
Prophesy fulfilled |
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Psalms that prophesy of Jesus Christ | Prophesy fulfilled |
Psalms that prophesy of Jesus Christ | Prophesy fulfilled |
Psalms that prophesy of Jesus Christ | Prophesy fulfilled |
Psalms that prophesy of Jesus Christ | Prophesy fulfilled |
Psalms that prophesy of Jesus Christ | Prophesy fulfilled |
Psalms that prophesy of Jesus Christ | Prophesy fulfilled |
Psalms that prophesy of Jesus Christ | Prophesy fulfilled |
Psalms that prophesy of Jesus Christ | Prophesy fulfilled |
Psalms that prophesy of Jesus Christ | Prophesy fulfilled |
Answer the following question in a note next to the title “THE BOOK OF PSALMS” at the beginning of Psalm 1.
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How did the lyrics and poetry in Psalms help you understand the life and mission of Jesus Christ?
Review the following study options. Complete one or more.
Option A
How can I make music more meaningful in my life?
Many of the Psalms use the word selah. While the meaning of selah is not certain, it may have been a signal to the singer or reader to pause and reflect (like a musical rest).
Read Psalm 3. Each time you see the word selah, pause and make a note next to the word, answering one of the following questions:
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Why might the author have wanted us to pause and reflect at this spot?
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How might pondering at this spot help or comfort a teenager today?
Pausing to ponder the message of music can enhance our experience with modern music too. Select a hymn or Primary song and read the lyrics. As you read, select three or more places where you think it would be valuable to insert a “selah” to encourage people to stop and think.
Option B
Do we sing any of the psalms today?
While it is likely that melodies once accompanied many of the psalms, we don’t know what they may have been. But many of the hymns we sing today were inspired and influenced by ancient psalms.
Choose one or more of the following psalms. Then read the associated hymn, looking for how it was influenced by the psalm. You may want to create a link between the passage and the hymn or write the title of the hymn next to the verse that inspired it.
Share Your Thoughts
Lesson Purpose: To help you better understand Jesus Christ’s life and mission as prophesied in Psalms.
Share one or more of the following with your teacher or class:
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The song you chose and why you chose to insert “selah” where you did.
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What you learned about Jesus Christ from the psalm and hymn you studied.
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Something specific you did to achieve the purpose of this lesson.
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Any questions this lesson raised for you. How will you try to find answers to your questions?