Scripture: Psalm 3
Learning Objectives:
- Students will learn it is okay for us to tell God when we are sad and scared and ask him to help us.
- Students will learn God understands when we don’t understand why bad things are happening in our lives and wants to comfort us.
- Students will learn how to create a blues song.
Guiding Question: How can students create their own lament?
Materials: Bibles, examples of blues songs if needed
Procedure: Introduce students to one or more Psalms of Lament (Psalm 11, 120, 125, 126, 13, 16, 22, 28, 31, 39, 5, 61, 62, 73, 77, 42-43.) Explain that in Bible times, a lament was a bit like singing the blues. They used lamenting to talk to God when they were sad. They knew God would listen because He loved them. God didn’t always “fix” the problem for them (for example He rarely brought someone back from the dead), but lamenting reminded the people God was with them and loved them. Teach students how people create blues songs today (making up the words to describe why they are sad to a blues beat – which does not necessarily have instrumental accompaniment.) Have students think of something that has made them sad recently and write their own blues lament.
Additional Questions: How can students use song to lift up people in the congregation?
Supplemental Activity: Have students create a song based on the Psalms to share with the congregation to encourage others.