Listen up, little ones
Listen for the words hear and listen.
Reading
Psalm 78:1-8—Hear, Teach, Learn
Optional Reading
Hebrews 3:7-19
Keys for kids
- We need to hear from God.
- We need to teach and be taught about God.
- We need to learn from negative (and positive) examples.
Questions
- What should we learn from OT history lessons?
- What is Asaph calling God’s people to do?
- What is the goal of teaching our children about God’s works?
Notes
(See Saturday for authors.)
Over and over the author of Hebrews calls on those to whom he writes/speaks to be hearers. Yet not just to be hearers, but as Jesus also commands, to be doers (Mt 7:24–27). Similarly, here in Psalm 78, Asaph calls his hearers to hear, to teach, and to learn.
This Psalm is the longest “history lesson” Psalm in the Psalter. Sometimes we might think, Why do we need so much history about the Old Testament? The NT tells us: so we don’t make the same sinful errors they made. (see 1 Cor 10:1-13, Hebrews 3,4)
So, what are God’s people to do? We are to hear the history recounted of God’s gracious dealing with his people in this Psalm from the time of deliverance from Egypt to the time of David’s kingdom. Although God delivered His people, they continued to sin.
We are to teach, as well. These accounts of God’s care for His people are to be passed from fathers to children to those yet to be born. The goal of such teaching is that the children will trust God, remember His deeds, and keep His commands.
Finally, we are to learn from the sinful past of their fathers who rebelled against God—and to live differently before God.
Are you learning from God’s dealings with His people in history? Do you know the OT accounts? Are you learning from your parents and teaching your children? And are you, and those you teach, living as God’s saved, hearing, and obedient people?
Swedish Method questions
Praise
Psalm 78a, 2a
Prayer
- Commit in prayer to hear, teach, and learn, by God's help.
- Give thanks for something from last Lord’s Day’s sermons.
- Pray for a member of our church, for your family, and for a non-Christian friend/family member.