A Song of Praise

2 Samuel 22 “A Song of Praise”

Scripture: 2 Samuel 22 1-51

Memory Verse: “Therefore I will give thanks to You, O Lord...and sing praises to Your name.” 2 Samuel 22:50

Lesson Focus: We should have a heart of praise for what God has done for us.

Activities and Craft: Coloring Page, Song of Praise Work Sheet Craft for 1st and 2nd Graders: Song of Praise Drawing

Introduction: Ask the kids: “What makes you happy? What things do you like to tell everyone about?” Praise Shout: We are going to play a game. I will say a word and you all have to shout out a praise (or something good)about the word that I said. Family Pets Food Health Fun Mountains Friends School Church God gives us many things that we can praise Him about. Today David is going to write a song of praise. This is a Psalm that is also recorded in Psalm 18. The Psalms are a way to praise God and to communicate with Him.

When I say, “We should have a heart of praise!” I want you to say it with me and do the following actions. We: – point to yourself Should have a heart: – make a heart with your hand and put it over your own heart Praise: Pump your hands in the air

1 Bible Study: David communicates with God through Worship. When God worked in his life and fought his battles – David would give God praise. David never took the praise himself. David focused on many things in this Song of Praise. So we are going to break up this song and divide it into categories. 1. Who God is – The character of God 2. What God has done for David 3. David’s relationship with God (Teachers – I will probably write these 3 things on the board and then list things under them. I just want the kids to get a picture of what it means to praise God and how David saw that God was working in every area of his life.)

1. Who God Is: Description of God: Rock and Fortress Deliverer (2 Samuel 22:2, 18) Shield and horn of Salvation Stronghold Refuge

2. What God has Done: My Savior – You save me from violence (2 Samuel 22:3) David has received God’s salvation (2 Samuel 22:36) God is David’s support (2 Samuel 22:19) God delivered David because He delighted in Him (2 Samuel 22:20) God is David’s lamp (2 Samuel 22:29) God is David’s strength (2 Samuel 22:30 Follows God’s Ways (2 Samuel 22:31) God is David’s power (2 Samuel 22:33-34) God makes David’s path firm (2 Samuel 22:37)

3. David’s relationship with God Takes away David’s fears (2 Samuel 22:5-6) I called upon God and He heard me (2 Samuel 22:7) David kept his way pure (2 Samuel 22:21-25) David gives thanks to God (2 Samuel 22:50) David sings praises to God (2 Samuel 22:50)

2 So let’s talk about who God is. To praise God we need to know who God is. Praise always starts out with God. The focus is God. 1. Rock and Fortress: When the Psalm describes God as our Rock and Fortress – what does that mean? How is God like a Rock? How is God like a fortress? What does a fortress do? God is our protector. He puts a protection around us like a fort. Once we know God as our Savior – nothing can take us out of God’s hand.

“We should have a heart of praise!”

2. Deliver & Horn of Salvation: How is God our Deliverer? What has he delivered us from? (sin) Who can tell me a verse that tells us that God has delivered us? (John 3:16) God has delivered us from sin. He will also help us with our enemies. He may not always take our enemies out of our life but He will help us deal with them. Our biggest enemy is sin. Through God we have salvation and through Him alone. There is no other way to Heaven!

3. Stronghold and Refuge: God delivers me from my fears. With God I am safe. He knows everything about me, every thought and every day of my life (Psalm 139). There is nothing that comes as a surprise with God. God is always the same and He does not change. People change but God does not. I can trust in God at all times. I can run to God with anything in my life.

What God has done for us: 1. He will save us from our enemies. What kind of enemies do kids have? 2. He will save us from our sin 3. God will support us. How does God do this? Through other believers, through His Word, and through prayer.

3 4. God delights in us. Do you believe that God delights in you? This is a truth of Scripture that God delights in you when you follow Him. His purpose for you is that you would love God with your whole heart. When we are in the place that He wants us He delights to see us living for Him. 5. God is our lamp for life. God shows us the way. The verse actually says that “You are my lamp, O Lord, the Lord shall enlighten my darkness.” God makes helps us make sense out of this life. He shows me the right way to live and the right way to believe. We do not make our own light. God makes His light in us. 6. God’s ways are perfect and His Word is true. God has given us the Bible to follow and to guide us. When we read it and meditate on it – it guides us through life. The Bible helps me to know God. 7. God is our strength and power. When Jesus went back to heaven He left us the Holy Spirit. We have power through the Holy Spirit. We have the power to do what God wants us to do. There is nothing impossible through God. 8. God makes my path of life clear. He gives us a “word picture” of a dear. A dear has very “sure” feet – that can stand firm on high rocky areas. And David says in 2 Samuel 22:37 – that God enlarged by path so that my feet do not slip. All of this is saying that God helps us not to fall in life. When we depend on Him – He will help us stay on His path and not fall from it.

When we know who God is and what He has done for us it should have a result in our lives.

We should have a heart of praise!”

Our hearts should soar with who God is and what He has done. David responds in many ways in this Psalm and we should too.

1. We should trust in God alone and know that He will take away our fear. 2. We should pray and know that God hears 3. We should keep our way pure and want to delight the heart of God. 4. We should give thanks always in everything 5. We should sing praises to God

4 So here is what we are going to do today. I want everyone to go back to class and write a Psalm to God. There will be a piece of paper to walk you through this process. I want you to start by: 1. Describing God and giving thanks to Him. 2. Give your fears to God. 3. Give God your prayers 4. Ask God to help you walk without sin 5. Thank God 6. Sing God’s praises

When you are done you may share with the class. But take it home and let it guide you to praise God in your life.

5 My Psalm of Praise:______NAME

God You Are:______God here are some of my fears:______

God here are my prayers that I need you to answer: ______God please help me not to sin in the following areas:______God I thank you for:______God I want to sing Your Praises because:______

6 My Psalm of Praise:______(for 1st and 2nd graders) NAME

God You Are: (make a picture of Who God is)

God here are some of my fears: (Draw a picture of some of your fears.)

God here are my prayers that I need you to answer: (draw a picture of who you want prayer for.)

God please help me not to sin in the following areas: (draw a picture of areas you need forgiveness for or help in.)

God I thank you for: (draw a picture of things you are thankful for.)

God I want to sing Your Praises because: (draw a picture of you singing to God.)