The Lord Is My Shepherd
Primary Lesson, Week 34 | Psalms 1–2; 8; 19–33; 40; 46
Opening Connection
Object lesson, approximately 5 minutes
Before class, fill a small cup with water until it overflows slightly, or bring a cup and a pitcher of water to demonstrate.
Hold up the empty cup and ask: "Have you ever felt really empty inside, maybe sad, scared, or alone?" Let a few children respond briefly.
Now slowly pour water until the cup overflows and say: "In Psalm 23, David wrote something incredible. He said his cup ran over, meaning God filled his life so completely that it overflowed with good things."
Read aloud together:
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul.
, Psalm 23:1–3
Ask: "What does a shepherd do for a lamb? What does Jesus do for us?" Write their answers on the board in two columns side by side. Keep this list visible, you'll return to it throughout the lesson.
Scripture Discovery
Interactive partner reading, approximately 8 minutes
Materials: Printed or written scripture strips, pencils, one piece of paper per child
Give each child a piece of paper. Ask them to draw a line down the middle: one side says "The Lord IS…" and the other side says "He GIVES me…"
In pairs, have children take turns reading the following verses aloud and then filling in their chart from what they hear:
- Psalm 23:1, "The Lord is my shepherd"
- Psalm 27:1, "The Lord is my light and my salvation"
- Psalm 28:7, "The Lord is my strength and my shield"
- Psalm 46:1, "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble"
- Psalm 32:7, "Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble"
After pairs finish, come back together and ask a few children to share what they wrote. Then point to the shepherd/lamb list from the opening and ask: "Does what you found match what we wrote about shepherds and lambs?"
Highlight the pattern together: just like a shepherd never leaves the sheep alone, God never leaves us alone.
Core Gospel Principles
Present these three truths simply, connecting each one back to what the children just discovered in the scriptures:
1. The Lord is with us even in hard times. Psalm 23 doesn't skip the dark valley, it walks right through it. The shepherd doesn't carry the sheep around trouble; he walks with them through it. Jesus does the same for us.
2. God's whole creation is telling us He exists. Read together:
The heavens declare the glory of God;
and the firmament sheweth his handywork.
, Psalm 19:1
Ask: "Have you ever looked at a sunset, a mountain, or a starry sky and felt something in your heart? That was God speaking to you, without words!"
3. Being still helps us know God is real. Read:
Be still, and know that I am God.
, Psalm 46:10
Explain: "Being still doesn't just mean being quiet. It means stopping the rushing and the worrying, long enough to let Heavenly Father speak to our hearts."
Interactive Learning Activities
Music & Movement: "The Lord Is My Shepherd" Song Actions
Category: Music & Movement, approximately 7 minutes
Materials: None needed
Teach children simple hand gestures for Psalm 23 as you read it together slowly, verse by verse:
- "The Lord is my shepherd", arms out wide like a shepherd's staff
- "Green pastures / still waters", sway arms gently like tall grass
- "Valley of the shadow of death", cover eyes with hands
- "Thou art with me", cross arms over chest (hug yourself)
- "My cup runneth over", raise cupped hands upward, let fingers "overflow"
- "I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever", make a roof shape with both hands
Read Psalm 23 together two times, once slowly to learn the motions, once more confidently. Then ask: "Which motion meant the most to you? Why?"
Connection to scripture: This activity helps children feel the journey of Psalm 23 in their bodies, the peaceful moments, the scary moment, and the comfort of knowing Jesus is there.
Music & Movement: "The Lord Is My Shepherd" Song Actions
Category: Music & Movement, approximately 7 minutes
Materials: None needed
Teach children simple hand gestures for Psalm 23 as you read it together slowly, verse by verse:
- "The Lord is my shepherd", arms out wide like a shepherd's staff
- "Green pastures / still waters", sway arms gently like tall grass
- "Valley of the shadow of death", cover eyes with hands
- "Thou art with me", cross arms over chest (hug yourself)
- "My cup runneth over", raise cupped hands upward, let fingers "overflow"
- "I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever", make a roof shape with both hands
Read Psalm 23 together two times, once slowly to learn the motions, once more confidently. Then ask: "Which motion meant the most to you? Why?"
Connection to scripture: This activity helps children feel the journey of Psalm 23 in their bodies, the peaceful moments, the scary moment, and the comfort of knowing Jesus is there.
Hands-On Craft: "My Cup Runneth Over" Card
Category: Hands-On Craft, approximately 8 minutes
Materials: One index card or half-sheet of paper per child, crayons or colored pencils
Each child draws a large cup in the center of their card. Inside the cup, they write or draw 3 things that show how Jesus fills their life, examples might include: family, scriptures, prayer, a friend, a blessing, the Holy Ghost, the temple, nature.
Around the outside of the cup (the "overflow"), they write or draw blessings they can share with others, a smile, helping someone, being kind at school.
At the bottom of the card they copy this phrase: "My cup runneth over., Psalm 23:5"
While children work, circulate and ask: "What's one thing Jesus gives you that makes your heart feel full?"
Connection to scripture: This returns directly to the overflowing cup from the opening object lesson and Psalm 23:5, helping children see their blessings as a gift from the Good Shepherd.
Physical Activity: "Be Still" Freeze Game
Category: Physical Activities, approximately 7 minutes
Materials: None needed
Children walk around the room. When the teacher calls out a worry or a hard situation (examples below), children keep moving. But the moment the teacher says "Be still, and know that I am God!", everyone freezes and then sits down quietly.
Then teacher asks one question. Children raise hands to answer. Then start moving again.
Sample situations to call out:
- "You feel scared before a big test at school!"
- "You had a fight with your best friend!"
- "Someone was mean to you on the playground!"
- "You feel nervous about something and you don't know why!"
Questions to ask after freezing:
- "What can you do to feel still inside when this happens?"
- "How can you let Heavenly Father help you?"
- "What's one word that describes how God feels about you right now?"
Play 3–4 rounds. On the final round, freeze and quietly read Psalm 46:1 together: "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble."
Connection to scripture: This activity brings Psalm 46:10 alive in a physical way, helping children practice the discipline of turning to God when life feels chaotic.
Life Application Bridge
Ask the class: "This week, when do you think it will be hardest to be still and trust Heavenly Father?"
Take 2–3 answers. Then offer these simple, concrete ideas:
- When you feel scared at night, say: "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want."
- When you feel mad or upset, take three slow breaths and remember: "Be still, and know that I am God."
- Next time you look at the sky or a beautiful tree, stop for one second and think: "God made this to remind me He's real." (Psalm 19:1)
Connect back to the cup craft: "You drew what fills your cup. When your cup feels empty this week, remember, the Good Shepherd wants to fill it back up. All you have to do is ask."
Testimony Time
Invite children to think quietly for 30 seconds about one moment this week when they felt like Heavenly Father was with them.
Then gently ask: "Would anyone like to share one word or one sentence about how Jesus has been like a shepherd to them?"
After a few children share, offer your own natural testimony:
"When I read 'Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me' (Psalm 23:4), I feel something real. That verse was written thousands of years ago, and it still says exactly what I need to hear. I know that Jesus Christ is our shepherd, not just a nice idea, but a real, living person who knows each of us by name."
Take-Home Challenge
Give each child their cup craft card to take home.
This week's challenge: Each evening before bed, look at your card and tell Heavenly Father one thing you are grateful for and one time today you trusted Him. Then sit quietly for 30 seconds, no phone, no noise, and practice being still.
If someone in your family asks about your card, show them Psalm 23:1 and read it together.
Teacher Tips
1. The freeze game energy: Children ages 8–10 will love the movement in Activity 3, but it can get loud quickly. Before you start, set a clear signal, one clap, a raised hand, or a specific phrase, that means "we're freezing right now." Practice it once before the game begins so the transition to stillness is calm and reverent.
2. Adapting for quieter children: During Testimony Time, some children may not want to speak aloud. Have crayons available so they can quietly add one more thing to their cup card instead. Their reflection is just as valid, and the craft gives them a private way to respond to the Spirit.
