After three weeks summarizing 150 psalms and finding 67 Book of Mormon connections, I discuss four overarching psalmic themes which also appear in the Book of Mormon: tender mercies, the hazards of pit-digging, the sorrows of death and pains of hell, and the importance of approaching God with broken hearts and contrite spirits.
Psalms 11-20
11. Foundation and Tempest 12. Pure Words Like Tried Silver 13. How Long? 14. None that Doeth Good 15. Who Shall Abide in Thy Tabernacle? 16. Thou Wilt Not Leave My Soul in Hell 17. Night Visit 18. The Steel Bow 19. More Precious than Gold, Sweeter than Honey 20. The Lord Hear Thee
They Could Not Cause Them to Cease
The people of Judah were at first discouraged by their adversaries and halted building the temple. But after Haggai and Zechariah prophesied, they resumed work. This time they could not be stopped. When we are engaged in God's work, we must not allow others to discourage us or slow us down.
Saul’s Modesty
Saul had a problem with accountability because he feared the people he led more than he trusted God. He could have benefited from Lehi's warning to his sons: Don't heed those who mock you. Don't compromise your principles to appease those who may not share your values.
Joseph and Nephi
Joseph's brothers resented his dreams foretelling their subservience to him. Laman and Lemuel resented Nephi for the same reason. Their anger reflected their own insecurities. Nephi and Joseph were wise to "heed them not," but to move forward, trusting God.
Climbing the Ladder
Jacob saw in vision a ladder reaching to heaven with angels ascending and descending. Lehi similarly saw a path leading to the tree of life marked by an iron rod. God has prepared a way for us to return to Him, and He invites us to climb the ladder and follow the path.
Alma, Probation, and the Tree of Life
Alma reads the ending of Genesis 3 with an assumption of God’s love rather than fear or envy. He interprets the cherubim not as a permanent barrier, but as a temporary restriction that establishes a probationary period—a gift of time for repentance and growth before Adam and Eve partake of the tree of life.
Numberless
Awe inspires humility. It can also build faith. God showed Abraham, Moses, Lehi, and Nephi the vastness of His creations and emphasized to Abraham and Nephi the enormity of their own posterity. This awareness can empower us to trust Him and do our work with greater confidence.
“Take Especial Care of Your Family”
God told Brigham Young to “take especial care of your family.” That counsel still stands today. President Dallin H. Oaks recently reminded us that family work, recreation, and learning are sacred priorities. When we turn off distractions, we will find sufficient time to fulfill our family responsibilities.
In Derision
Derision and mockery—treating someone as though they were beneath us or even worthless—are foolish because they are inaccurate. All of God's children have inestimable worth. Mistreating them reveals more about our blindness than about their weakness. Therefore, we should ignore contemptuous language, even when it comes from supposed friends or even from ourselves.