The Good Shepherd Psalm 23 Bible Lessons

Sample Lessons for K- 5th Grade

Includes five Bible lessons that span 10-12 one-hour sessions; accompanied with crafts,
games, and song time suggestions. There are a total of seven crafts and seven games in this series.

Contents
Lesson 1: The Lord Is My Shepherd Overview
Lesson 2: My Sheep Know My Voice
Lesson 3: The Lost Sheep
Lesson 4: The Shepherd and the Gate
Lesson 5: The Sheep and Goats

Introduction to the Teacher
Children can memorize just about anything without even trying. When my children were very young they loved to watch the same video programs over and over again. Before long they knew most of the dialogue word for word. The same can be done with Scripture memorization. Let us take advantage of this innate ability and plant God's Word into their hearts and minds as soon as we can!

One of my earliest childhood memories is of the Twenty-Third Psalm. When my mom would tuck me in at night she would say the Twenty-Third Psalm, then pray with me. Eventually I could say it with her. I was only four years old at the time, yet I had memorized the entire passage just by hearing it repeated! If God's Word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path, then Scripture memorization should be at the forefront of children's ministry. After all, we are instructed to hide God's Word in our hearts so that we don't sin against him. Over the next several days (or weeks if you teach the series once a week), we will learn about Jesus, our Good Shepherd. We will also memorize the Twenty-third Psalm. I hope you find this series to be a blessing to you and the children you teach!

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LESSON ONE: The Lord Is My Shepherd

Introduction to Students

In the Old Testament, the part of the Bible written before Jesus came to earth, there is a
collection of 150 prayer and praise poems called "Psalms." The Psalms were used to worship and sing to God, and still are today. The Twenty-Third Psalm is probably one of the most loved and read passages of the Psalms. It was written a long time ago by a young man named David, when he was a shepherd.

What is a shepherd? (A shepherd is someone who takes care of sheep.) David eventually grew up to become one of the greatest kings in Israel. David came to realize that the care he gave as a shepherd to his sheep reminded him of how God cared for him. But not only for him, but for all those who follow the Lord. God helped David write Psalm 23. In it we can learn so much about our loving Shepherd-King.

Do you know that the Bible refers to Jesus, our King, as the Good Shepherd? Over the next several lessons, we are going to learn how Jesus is our Good Shepherd, and we'll memorize the Twenty-Third Psalm. During our sessions, we will have fun activities to learn this great Psalm and how to follow Jesus, our Good Shepherd.

Song Time Suggestions (Included with book purchase)

Begin Memorizing Psalm 23
Copy the text below to your word processor, then print it out on an overhead projector sheet or project it on the wall using your favorite digital device. Present the Psalm to the class on the overhead. To help children memorize more quickly, make up hand motions to coincide with one or two words from each line. Say the Psalm with the class. I have chosen the King James Version because of its classic, poetic sound. The lessons are separated into five sections of the Psalm, as shown, below.

The Twenty-Third Psalm
1) "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures;
He leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul;

2) He leadeth me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.

3) Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil; for thou art with me;
thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.

4) Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies;
thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

5) Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life;
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever."

Psalm 23 was written as if a sheep were telling his friends about his great and loving shepherd. The Bible often refers to God as a shepherd and his people as sheep. Being called a sheep is not particularly a compliment, because sheep can be quite dumb. Yet, a smart sheep knows the voice of its shepherd and follows him. The Bible says that Jesus is the Good Shepherd of those who follow him. He knows his sheep and the sheep know him. A good shepherd cares for his sheep. He will even risk his own life to protect them. Jesus, our Good Shepherd, gave up his life to protect us from eternal death (John 10:11-18).

Play Vanishing Words to begin memorizing Psalm Section 1
(Instructions are included with book purchase)

Craft: Psalm 23 Keepsake Wall Hanging (Included with book purchase)

Game: Psalm 23 Scramble (Included with book purchase)

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