When a person expresses sad feelings to God, that’s called a “lament.” Psalm 22 is an example of a lament. But it also teaches us to move from sadness to praise. How often have you heard that it helps to say instead of “I have to go to Sunday school”, “I get to go to Sunday school” or, in other words, I live in a place where I am free and safe to worship God. I don’t “have” to clean my room but instead I “get” to clean up my room, which implies I have my own room (whoa, how lucky!) and even more amazingly I have my own stuff in there, clean clothes, toys, games, warm bed! As you read the Psalms of lament with your children, try to teach them how to move from sadness to praise. This is a skill that will help them for the rest of their lives!
Monday May 4th, Psalm 22
Today’s Takeaways:
- At first David feels super sad and lonely. Does the first verse remind you of someone else’s words? (Jesus quotes Psalm 22 in his final hours – Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34).
- Later David remembers how great God is, he remembers how others were saved when they fully relied on God.
- This Psalm gives us words to use when we are sad but also teaches us about shifting our perspective.
Today’s Talking Topic:
- Have you ever felt lonely or sad and forgot to tell God about it? What do you think would happen if you told Him? How do you think your mood or perspective would change?
Tuesday May 5th, Psalm 23
Today’s Takeaways:
- God is like a shepherd and will take great care of us.
- David trusts God and feels safe. Even though he is walking through the valley of the shadow of death which sounds super scary, he says that God’s staff is comforting him.
- David is confident that he will have eternal life with God.
Today’s Talking Topic:
- What are some of the ways a shepherd takes care of their sheep. And what would happen to the sheep without their shepherd? How is God like a shepherd? How would your life be different if God wasn’t in it?
Wednesday May 6th, Psalm 24
Today’s Takeaways:
- God created the world and so the world belongs to him.
- This psalm talks about who can stand in God’s presence – those who believe in Him and have a pure heart.
Today’s Talking Topic:
- What do you think the end of this Psalm is pointing to?
Thursday May 7th, Psalm 25
Today’s Takeaways:
- David knows that God will take care of him no matter what and that he cannot have eternal life without Him.
- Nobody is perfect and everybody sins, even David. But David also knows that he needs God’s forgiveness and guidance.
Today’s Talking Topic:
- We need God to show us the way to live and guide us through life. For which part of your life can you specifically ask for guidance today?
Friday May 8th, Psalm 26
Today’s Takeaways:
- David seems pretty confident, almost arrogant here. It’s an interesting turn from yesterday’s psalm. (*remember Psalms is a collection of songs written at different times – and not only by David. So it’s not like David wrote Psalm 25 one day and Psalm 26 the next.)
- David doesn’t claim he’s without sin, but he does profess his love for God, and confidence in his faithfulness. He knows he praises God often and tells others about Him.
Today’s Talking Topic:
- Sometimes bad things and suffering happens even though we didn’t sin. This psalm gives us the words to pray during those times. You might even relate to this now with COVID and the quarantine. Talk about this with your kids.
Saturday May 9th, Psalm 27
Today’s Takeaways:
- God alone can rescue us. David knows God can rescue him from both real enemies but also most importantly from sin and death.
- We can be confident and brave with God beside us.
Today’s Talking Topic:
- What are different ways we can seek God?
- Can you think of three reasons right now to praise God?
Sunday May 10th, Psalm 28
Today’s Takeaways:
- God is our great protector and guide (shield, rock, shepherd)
- God protects us from eternal punishment through the sacrifice and death of Jesus
- Faith is stronger than fear
Today’s Talking Topic:
- If you follow us on social media you might know that Ms. Rosemary creates a beautiful image to go with each psalm. Some people write notes, some copy favorite verses, some doodle. It’s a great way to engage your other senses as you meditate on a psalm. What image would you draw to go with today’s psalm?
Munger Kids 