The Psalms (Years 8–10

But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

Psalm 73:2–3 (NIV)

The Psalms has really helped my students understand that being a Christian is about having a personal relationship with God, not merely a set of intellectual beliefs. At the end of the course, I have them rewrite a Psalm in their own words and set it to music—they absolutely love it.

Michelle Underwood Thornlie Christian College, WA

Why teach the Psalms? Music and poetry are timeless worship of the God of the universe. The themes, longings and cries of joy of seven Psalms are explored in this unit, and compared to the stories and songs of people today.

How does The Psalms fit within a broader RE program? Music has offered comfort and joy to Christians from the earliest days. Through the poetry of the Psalms (and corresponding contemporary songs) students will learn profound biblical truths in new ways, the words of which can bed down in their hearts and last a lifetime.

Unit outcomes By the end of this unit, students will be able to: • explain what a psalm means by identifying key ideas and how these ideas connect with each other • interpret a psalm in light of its poetic genre • reflect clearly on their own circumstances and consider the implications of the Psalms for their own lives.

Duration Seven lessons offering 1–2 terms’ worth of work.

Teacher’s manual $54.95 Code 487 Student handbook $9.75 Code 4871 Digital student handbook $8.45 Code E4871

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