This week we look at Psalm 118. It has such strong echoes of Palm Sunday for us, and yet it was written long, long before the event. As the set psalm for Palm Sunday, it allows us to weave the two stories together to give the familiar narrative a parallel perspective.

These psalm lessons follow the Lectionary passages for the six weeks of year B Lent.

This retold version of the Bible passage is supplied for inspiration, feel free to omit or embellish to give it your personal voice.

Main passage: Psalm 118: 1-2, 19-29
Additional Passages: Matthew 21:1–11, Mark 11:1–11, Luke 19:28–44, and John 12:12–19.

This is part of a multi lesson pack, all ready to print and go.

We are going to read a song, a song Jesus may have sung with his friends, a song from the book of songs to be sung – the book called Psalms. Today is a special day; it’s the day Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey. Do you know the story? Jesus had sent two of his friends to get a young donkey and climbed on the back of the animal as they approached the city. The road was busy with people travelling into Jerusalem for the festival that week. I’m sure many of the groups of people had been singing psalms on their journeys. Perhaps someone was singing this psalm?

1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his faithful love endures forever.

2 Let Israel say, “His faithful love endures forever.”

It would be a good psalm to sing in celebration on this day. They could see Jesus coming. Might he be the Messiah? The Holy One from God? He was riding a donkey – not a war animal like a horse, but an animal of peace. The crowds went crazy, slowing down to let him and his followers through.

23 This came from the Lord; it is wondrous in our sight.

24 This is the day the Lord has made; let’s rejoice and be glad in it.

25 Lord, save us! Lord, please grant us success!

26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. From the house of the Lord we bless you.

Even those not singing started yelling the same words. “Hosanna” they called – which means ‘Lord save us’. The tune was in their heads. Not everyone could stop singing the song. Some continued singing, and the next bit gave them an idea.

27 The Lord is God and has given us light. Bind the festival procession with branches up to the horns of the altar.

They grabbed the branches off the palm trees nearby and started waving them madly. Coats and branches littered the ground welcoming Jesus on the small animal. Had the long awaited Messiah arrived?

29 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his faithful love endures forever.
 
Scripture quotations marked CSB have been taken from the Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

This week we look at Psalm 119. I’ve only used part of the ‘bet’ refrain from this psalm, as it’s the longest in the bible. If you have an older group or older group members, you may wish to give them another refrain from this psalm to explore too. This part of the song that references youth and so directly speaks to those who are still journeying towards adulthood. It also gives a really practical answer, in that we should dive in to the word of God, swim in the messages he gives us and not just dip our toes in the water!

These psalm lessons follow the Lectionary passages for the six weeks of year B Lent.

This retold version of the Bible passage is supplied for inspiration, feel free to omit or embellish to give it your personal voice.

Main passage: Psalm 119:9-16
Additional Passages: Psalm 119

This is part of a multi lesson pack, all ready to print and go.

We are going to read a song, a song Jesus may have sung with his friends, a song from the book of songs to be sung – the book called Psalms. This Psalm is a little bit special – it’s an acrostic, it gives us a little poem or verse for each of the the twenty two letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Have you ever made up an acrostic? You take each letter and use it to say something. Perhaps you know an acrostic for the colours of the rainbow or the points on a compass?

Twenty two poems would take a very, very, long time to read. Psalm 119 is the longest psalm and it’s also the longest chapter in the whole bible! But just because we can’t look at all the poems doesn’t mean we can’t look at just one. Lets choose the second one, the letter ‘b’ or ‘Bet’ in Hebrew. Listen carefully and every time the writer mentions scripture (messages from God) clap your hands in the air.

9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping your word.

10 I have sought you with all my heart; don’t let me wander from your commands.

11 I have treasured your word in my heart so that I may not sin against you.

12 Lord, may you be blessed; teach me your statutes.

13 With my lips I proclaim all the judgments from your mouth.

14 I rejoice in the way revealed by your decrees as much as in all riches.

15 I will meditate on your precepts and think about your ways.

16 I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word.

Wow – the writer must really love the word of God to mention it so much in his poem. Sometimes when we read the bible we just read the popular stories but there is so much more to discover. When we see the big picture of the whole bible it helps us to understand all the small bits too. When we read the psalms as we have done for the last few weeks it helps us understand the way people have always worshipped God. When we read the Old Testament it helps us to understand Jesus. To understand why Jesus came and why he had to die at Easter time. We should treasure the bible just like the psalm writer did.
 
 
Scripture quotations marked CSB have been taken from the Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.