Summer Psalms Series for Teens & Adults

Note: This Psalms series was published one week at a time in the summer of 2021 with the purpose of exploring the attributes of God through the Psalms.

Week 1: The Lord is Our Help

First Read Psalm 121

Psalm 121 begins with an action. The author, King David, looks up. Then he asks a question that he immediately answers. “Where does my help come from?” It comes from the Lord.

When Jesus talked to the Father in John 11:41 and John 17:1, he also lifted His eyes to heaven. So did Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 4:34 and Stephen in Acts 7:55. Lifting one’s eyes to pray is also mentioned in Psalm 123:1 and Isaiah 4:26. When we talk to God, we can bow our heads and close our eyes. We can also look up to where He lives in heaven.

But so many times in our society today, even Christians find themselves looking down a good deal of the time – and not in prayer. We find our phones fascinating, and the internet can be a very entertaining place when you don’t want to think about “real life.” But even after scrolling for hours and watching video after video, our problems, many times, are still there. In fact, sometimes, they get bigger. That’s either because we regret the time we wasted online or because we end up feeling worse after seeing so many posts from other people who don’t appear to have our same problems. More often than not, though, our phones can’t help us. But there is Someone who can.

Just like King David, our help comes from the Lord too. God never takes a nap but watches over His children in whatever we’re doing. That doesn’t mean we won’t have problems. But when we put our trust in Him, He will make sure that even when hard times come, He is with us. He will help us feel better knowing that He is in charge of our lives even when we don’t understand what He is doing at the time. He can give us peace and comfort when we trust in Him.

So the next time you have a problem, don’t look down at your phone. Look up! Pray to the One who can actually help you.

Week 1 Resources: The Lord is My Help

Bible Verse: Psalm 121:2 “My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”  

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Week 2: The Lord Answers Prayers

First Read Psalm 118

There are many reasons to pray. We pray to show God how much we love Him. We pray to give thanks and ask for God’s blessings on our lives and those we care about. And sometimes we pray when we are afraid or need God’s help in times of trouble.

In Psalm 118, the author (probably King David) says a prayer when he is in distress (which means extreme anxiety, pain, or sadness). God answers him and sets him free. Then David realizes something important about God. Not only does God have power, but He is on his side. In Psalm 118:6, he says, “The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”

There are a lot of situations that might try to make us fear these days. There are fears for our health and safety, fears about the future, and fears about how other people might see us or feel about us. But fear is the opposite of faith, and none of those things is as powerful as God. Psalm 118 reminds us just how amazing God really is.

Check out these facts about Psalm 118:

• Psalm 118 is the middle chapter in the entire Bible with 594 chapters before it and 594 chapters after it.
• Psalm 117 (before 118) is the shortest chapter in the Bible, and Psalm 119 (after 118) is the longest.
• If you add up all the chapters except Psalm 118, you get 1188 chapters.
• 1188 or Psalm 118:8 is the middle verse of the entire Bible, and look what Psalm 118:8  says: “It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man.”

God uses the middle verse in the whole Bible to tell us to “take refuge” in Him. That means that we can look to Him for protection, safety, and relief from the things that might come against us. He is powerful and can answer our prayers. Sometimes people might let us down, but the Lord takes care of His own. We don’t have to be afraid as long as we have given Him our lives and our trust. He will never get tired of answering our prayers.

Week 2 Resources: The Lord Answers Prayers

Bible Verse: Psalm 18:5 “Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free.”

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Week 3: The Lord Is Our Protection

First Read Psalm 91

Psalm 91 makes a great promise of protection but isn’t for everybody. It’s for those of us who have set our love upon God, those who have made Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. It is for those who say, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust” (Psalm 91:2). The author uses examples of things that might try to harm us and shows us through a metaphor of a bird’s wing that God has us covered.

Now, you might say, “How can this Psalm mean what it says?” I know Christians who have been sick. I know Christians who have had bad things happen to them.” That’s true. Even Jesus told us in John 16:33 that while we are in this world we will still have trouble. 

But sometimes pain is necessary so that we can help others feel better when they go through a similar situation. Sometimes a loss of one thing is just a step on a path to a gain of something better. In our Christian walk, we must learn many lessons, and some of those lessons can only be taught by pain and hardship. We trust God because we know that Romans 8:28 promises that even the bad things are working for our good.

So what is the difference between those who belong to God and those who don’t if we face the same issues on earth? Think about the difference between a forest fire and a burn barrel (a place to get rid of trash instead of the dump). In a forest fire, the flames can get out of control and even spread to houses nearby. With a burn barrel, the person using it chooses what goes in there and watches it closely the whole time. 

Jesus watches out for us and keeps us from unnecessary harm. He protects us from evil when it will take us off His path. And when we trust Him, He can even keep us from fear. See, nothing happens to His children without his permission, and He knows what He is doing. It’s our job to trust Him and to keep crying out to Him in prayer in every situation.

Week 3 Resources: The Lord Is Our Protection

Bible Verse: Psalm 91:14 “Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him;  I will protect him because he knows my name.”

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Week 4: The Lord Gives Good Things

First Read Psalm 84

In case no one told you, the devil is a liar. He tells people that Christians are a sad, serious bunch who never get to have any excitement. The fun happens where the sin is, where there is a life completely focused on pleasure and self. Did I mention the devil is a liar?

Psalm 84 tells a different story. It tells of the author’s deep need to be in the house of the Lord and the joy that he finds in God’s presence. Three times he mentions the word “blessed.” Those who are blessed dwell in God’s house (He lives in us), find their strength in God, and trust in God. The word in Hebrew is “baruch,” and it means an increase of goodness on our lives.

Think about it. What happens when we give our lives to Christ at salvation? We receive the Holy Spirit of God, and the result is a change for the good. The evidence of this change is called the fruit of the Spirit. When the Holy Spirit comes in, He brings with Him love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).

Now think about the people of the world who are supposedly having so much fun. Really think about them. Do they know the deep acceptance of God’s perfect love? Or do they feel alone? Do they know the joy of having a purpose in life? Or do they drift, allowing their circumstances to bring them down? Do they have peace, or are they anxious and fearful? Are they patient, knowing that God has everything in control? Or do they struggle to figure things out for themselves? Can they control themselves from getting into things that cause harm? Probably not.

Psalm 84:11 says that for believers, God is “a sun and shield.” He lights our path and gives us direction and comfort. He protects us from dangers we don’t even know about and “no good thing does He withhold.” That means that if it is good for us, He gives it to us. Our lives may not always work out like we want, but when we are doing our best to live the way the Bible tells us to do, He will be with us and make sure everything works for our good in the end (Romans 8:28).

Week 4 Resources: The Lord Gives Good Things

Bible Verse: Psalm 84:11, “For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.”

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Week 5: The Lord Forgives Us

First Read Psalm 51

Everybody has sinned (done bad things). The bad news is that even sinning one time separates us from a holy, perfect God (Isaiah 59:2). In fact in God’s eyes, sins are so bad that they require death to pay for them (Hebrews 9:22). In the Old Testament, the Jews were sorry and paid for sins with the blood of animals that were sacrificed every year. Then Jesus came to give His life once and for all. Now the good news (or the “gospel”) is that Jesus loves us so much that when we believe in Him as Lord and Savior, by His grace we can pay for our sins with His death instead of ours (John 3:16).

Psalm 51 is a Psalm of “lament.” That means that the author, King David, is crying out to God in sadness for his own actions. He is sorry for his sins and begs God to forgive him so that he can be right with Him again. This shows us that even after we are saved, we must continue to repent when we do wrong. 

To “repent” doesn’t just mean to say you’re sorry and mean it. Repenting also means that you turn around and go the other way from that sin. Then you ask God to help you never to do it again. Jesus’ sacrifice paid the price of blood for all sins, but when you know about a sin, you must still repent for the blood to cover it (Romans 4:7).

But there is more good news. God promises that when we are sorry and confess our sins (tell Him that we know we did the wrong thing), He will forgive us and make us as clean again (John 1:9). Once we do that, He takes the sins away so that we never have to be sorry or feel bad about them again. Psalm 103:12 says that He removes our sin as far as the East is from the West. Think about a globe. You can trace your finger north, but soon you will be going south. But no matter how far you trace your finger east, you will never be suddenly going west. They never meet!

So don’t let the devil lie to you or make you feel guilty. Once you repent for your sins, God forgives you. You can stand on John 8:36 from now on. It says, “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

Week 5 Resources: The Lord Forgives Us

Bible Verse: Psalm 51:14, “Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.”

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Week 6: The Lord Fights for Us

First Read Psalm 46

Whether we wanted to enlist or not, we are all in a spiritual war. Every single day, the enemy of our souls comes against us. He tries to make us lose our faith, lose our love, and ultimately lose our fight to stay on the narrow path that leads to an eternity with our Lord Jesus Christ in Heaven. But 1 John 4:4 says that “… He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” Simply put, the Holy Spirit in us is way stronger than any force the devil can bring.

Psalm 46 reminds us about the greatness of our God. It’s about His ability to fight for His people. While it might have been written about a physical battle at one time, it also applies to the spiritual battles His people face today. 

It begins with a promise. Psalm 46:1 says, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” When the world comes against us – whether it be circumstances in our lives, conflict in our families, or even feelings of fear and sadness — God promises to be there to help us.

But while Psalm 46:1 offers a promise we can believe in, Psalm 46:10 gives us two commands we must follow for Him to do it. It says, “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth!” The first command is “Be still.” A lot of people might think this is a soft suggestion, kind of like telling someone to “Relax.” But the Hebrew here is more like, “Let go!” or even “Surrender!” He is telling us to stop struggling to think of solutions and find answers on our own. Instead, we should pray and ask God what to do in our lives and then surrender to the leading of the Holy Spirit. 

He then gives the second command: “Know that I am God.” This part is like “Wake up!” or “Get it through your head!” God is omniscient (all-knowing), omnipresent (all places at the same time), and omnipotent (all-powerful). He is God. We are not. We must stop trusting in ourselves and start trusting in the great God who knows just what to do in every situation. He has the power and the desire to help us when we cry out to Him in prayer.

Week 6 Resources: The Lord Fights for Us

Bible Verse: Psalm 46:1, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”

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Week 7: The Lord Delivers Us

First Read Psalm 34

Most Christians know the “Lord’s Prayer” by heart in which the last line asks God to “deliver us from evil.” In a society that is more familiar with the word “deliver” when combined with the word “pizza,” it’s worth mentioning the definition that relates to the Bible. To “deliver” is to “save, rescue, or set someone free.” 

Psalm 34 is a Psalm about deliverance. The first ten lines are kind of like a hymn (religious song). In those lines, the author, King David, praises God for delivering him in his time of need. He also invites others to get to know God for themselves, to “taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalm 34:8). The last 12 lines are more like a sermon. It instructs the readers on how to be eligible (qualified) to receive this same deliverance for themselves. Those who will be delivered are those who fear the Lord.

It’s helpful to remember here that there are two kinds of fear: the bad kind and the good kind. The bad kind of fear involves fear of anything that causes worry or distress. These are things like fear of the future, fear of what others think of us, and fear of sickness. In Psalm 34:4, we hear that God will deliver us from all those kinds of fears when we put our trust in him. 

The fear of the Lord, on the other hand, is a good kind of fear. It’s a respect for God and a knowledge that He is holy and righteous. We know that He will one day judge those who are not in a right relationship with Him, so we must be careful to take God seriously. That means we read the Bible and do what it says. We try to do the things that please Him and stay away from things that He doesn’t like. Proverbs 9:10 says that this kind of fear is the beginning of wisdom (good judgment). When we trust God and fear Him, we are called “righteous.”

Psalm 34:15 says that God sees and hears the righteous when we cry out to Him. While we are on earth, He will protect us (Psalm 34:7), and we will not have to live without the things we need (Psalm 34:10). After death, he will reward us with eternal life in Heaven (Psalm 34:22).

Week 7 Resources: The Lord Delivers Us

Bible Verse: Psalm 34:15, “When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.”

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Week 8: The Lord Is Our Strength

First Read Psalm 27

Corrie ten Boom was a Dutch Christian watchmaker during the Holocaust. She and her family were a part of the underground resistance that smuggled Jews to safety. Corrie’s entire family was arrested in January of 1944, and she and her sister Betsie were sent to a concentration camp together. In December of that year, Betsie died. Twelve days later, Corrie was released. She wrote about her experiences in the book The Hiding Place. 

Corrie ten Boom knew what it was to experience hardship, but she never gave up her faith in God. She once said, “If you look at the world, you’ll be distressed. If you look within, you’ll be depressed. If you look at God, you’ll be at rest.”

Psalm 27 is a Psalm about focus. It was written by King David when he had enemies camped all around him and a powerful king (King Saul) who was trying to kill him. Like Corrie ten Boom, he could have been fearful or even angry at his circumstances. Instead, he pushed all worries and stress out of his mind and gave all his attention to the Lord. He prayed to God for just one thing. Psalm 27:4 says, “One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after. That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.”

David understood that a close relationship with God is the most important thing in our whole lives. That’s because the closer we get to the Lord Jesus Christ, the more we understand His great power and majesty. We realize that He is worthy of all our thanks and praise. Not only that, but we see that everything else in this world is weak by comparison. What can possibly make us afraid when we know that our great God is on our side?

So how do we get closer to God to allow Him to become our strength? Psalm 27 says that we seek the Lord. (We do that by reading the Bible and spending time in prayer and worship by ourselves and with other believers.) And we wait upon Him. (We keep our minds focused on the things that please Him, trusting that He will take care of us.) Then we will be strong and encouraged in the Lord.

Week 8 Resources: The Lord Is Our Strength

Bible Verse: Psalm 27:1 “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold (strength) of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”

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Week 9: The Lord Is Our Caretaker

First Read Psalm 23

In John 10:11, Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” It’s a figure of speech called a metaphor. That’s a comparison between two things to show characteristics and relationships. In this case, Jesus is compared to a shepherd, one who is responsible for the safety and well-being of a flock of sheep. Of course, in this comparison, we Christians are represented by the sheep.

Psalm 23 was most likely written by King David who was a former shepherd himself. It is one of the most popular Psalms in the Book, and it describes the very same metaphor that Jesus mentioned. This time, however, David goes into detail about what that looks like. According to the Psalm, our Shepherd “makes me lie down” (gives us rest), “leads me beside still waters” (brings us peace), “restores my soul” (heals our hurts), and “leads me in paths of righteousness” (protects us from evil).

He continues with, “Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me” (gives direction), “You prepare a table” (provides for us), “You anoint my head with oil” (gives us our position as a child of God), and “my cup overflows” (gives in abundance). Finally, the Psalm ends with “surely goodness and mercy will follow me” (God continues to give us grace and mercy), and “I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (we have belonging and security).

Did you notice that right in the middle of the Psalm, there is a shift (change)? Instead of talking ABOUT the Shepherd as a “He,” David starts talking directly TO his Shepherd as “You.” It begins in verse 4 where David says, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me.” It’s as if this reminder gets David so excited that he can’t seem to help himself from turning directly to God to continue. He then is no longer describing how God takes care of His people. He is now reaffirming his own personal connection with his God who takes care of HIM.

This Psalm reminds us that it is not enough to know about God. Clearly understanding His promises and expectations is all well and good, but we need more than knowledge in our heads. We need an experience with the Living God Himself, a relationship that causes us to turn to Him in every situation. It is only then that God will go from being “a” Shepherd, one who takes care of His people’s needs, to “my” Shepherd, the one who takes care of me.

Week 9 Resources: The Lord Is Our Caretaker

Bible Verse: Psalm 23:1 “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures.”

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Like this topic? Check out Why is the Lord Compared to a Shepherd? in which we see 5 characteristics of actual shepherds and how that applies to Jesus. Or, try Why Are Christians Compared to Sheep? in which we see 5 characteristics of sheep and how that applies to us.

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Week 10: The Lord Deserves Praise

First Read Psalm 8

Years ago, it became popular for some church congregations and even individuals to use a call-and-response pattern. Someone would say “God is good” (the call) and the other person (or people) would say, “All the time” (the response) Then the first person would repeat, “All the time.” And the other(s) would respond with “God is good.” It’s kind of fun to say back and forth with a friend or in a group, but in our ever-changing world, the truth of it should not be missed. God is always good.

Psalm 8 is a Psalm about praising God for just how awesome He really is. The author, King David, uses the word “majestic.” That means “having impressive beauty and/or great dignity (worthy of honor and respect).” He reminds us that God created all of space with the moon and stars. He created the earth, people, and all the animals. And even as amazing as He is as our Creator, He doesn’t just stop there. He is also our “Lord.” He has power, authority, and influence over us. He is our Master, our King.

But sometimes, even as Christians and without meaning to, we can make God small. We might think to ourselves that God has too many big things on His mind to care about us and our little lives. But this Psalm reminds us that He knows each one of His children and is “mindful” (aware) of everything we are going through. He can think about the big things, the little things, and all the things in between.

Or sometimes we might think of Him as a lot like we are. Some days He’s in a good mood and is faithful to do the things the Bible says. On other days, not so much. But this Psalm reminds us that God has a majestic name. That means that He has a reputation to keep. He has told us that He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He doesn’t change with the times or situations. God is always good, always just, and always who He says He is. We can count on it.

God is our Creator and our Lord. He knows about us, cares about us, and will do all the things He has said He will do. He deserves our praise. That means that we tell Him out loud (in prayer and in worship songs) that we know how excellent He is. We show Him with both with our words and our actions (being faithful to live a life pleasing to Him) how much He means to us.

Week 10 Resources: The Lord Deserves Praise

Bible Verse: Psalm 8:9 “O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!”

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Week 11: The Lord Knows the Righteous

First Read Psalm 1

There is so much division in our world today. People are separated by race and culture. They are separated by politics and how much money people have (or don’t have). They are even separated by gender and religious ideas. But for God, there are only two kinds of people. There are those who belong to Him (called the righteous) and those who don’t (called the wicked). These two groups of people both behave differently and are treated differently by God.

Psalm 1 is one of the eleven Psalms of Wisdom (instruction) in the Bible. In it we find that we can identify the righteous by the things they do. First, they stay away from evil as much as possible. They don’t try to be friends with people who do the wrong things. They also don’t take advice from them or agree with them when they speak against God or other Christians. Instead, those who are righteous love God and His Word (the Bible). They think about the things of God all the time (day and night).

We can also know the righteous by how God treats them. The author, King David, uses a simile to compare those who are righteous to a tree planted by water. This isn’t just a tree that happened to grow in a good spot. No, someone planted it. It’s a picture of how God is intentional with His children. He puts us places on purpose so that we can get what we need and be fruitful for Him (He can use us for the Kingdom). God watches out for us so that no matter what happens, all things work toward our good (Romans 8:28). He knows us, and we will be with Him always.

The wicked, on the other hand, are compared to chaff. This is a picture of wheat and how in the old days, harvesters would throw the wheat in the air (called threshing) so that the bad parts (called the chaff) came off and were blown away. After threshing, only the good parts were left and kept for use. Did you catch the difference? People who don’t follow God aren’t planted on purpose. They are lost in the winds. One day they will be judged for their sins.

This Psalm reminds us that we all have a choice to make, and Joshua 24:14 sums it up. It says, “Choose this day whom you will serve.” Either we will live like the world (people who don’t believe in God) and do things only for ourselves, or we will love God and serve Him. The choice is ours. Choose life.

Week 11 Resources: The Lord Knows the Righteous

Bible Verse: Psalm 1:6 “For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.”

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Week 12: The Lord Is Our God

First Read Psalm 93, Psalm 95, & Psalm 96

Whether it’s our parents, teachers, bosses, or the law, we all have to listen to people who have power (authority) over us. But sometimes people forget about the One who has the greatest authority of all: God. While people have free choice to make decisions right now, God sees and knows everything. In the end, nobody will get away with anything bad, and God’s people will be greatly rewarded for their faith and service to Him.

Psalm 93:1-2 says, “The Lord reigns; he is robed in majesty; the Lord is robed; he has put on strength as his belt. Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved. Your throne is established from of old; you are from everlasting.” There was never a time when God didn’t exist, and He will exist forever. The pictures of robes and throne help us to understand that God reigns (rules) as King over all the things He created.

Psalm 95:6-7 says, “Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand…” But God isn’t just the Creator and King. God is also a Protector and Caregiver for those who choose to worship Him as their God. He can and will take care of us if we will just put our faith and trust in Him.

Psalm 96:4-5 says, “For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the Lord made the heavens.” But knowing God and worshiping Him as God still isn’t enough. We must get rid of all the other idols that we “worship” too. This means we can’t love the things in this world (people, material things, or even ourselves) as much or more than we love and give attention to God. 

God is our Creator and King. He existed before time and rules His Creation. For those of us who put our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, He becomes our Protector and Caretaker.  He is the supreme ruler, has all power, and knows everything. God and God alone deserves our worship as the God of our lives.

Week 12 Resources: The Lord Is Our God

Bible Verses: Various (See above).

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I hope you enjoyed this Psalms series. If you are interested in lessons for teens, check out the tab for Free Teen Bible Lessons. Or, check out my main Blog Page to see what the Lord has laid on my heart this week.