"The Mocking of Christ" (detail) by Carl Heinrich Bloch Jesus Christ endured unfathomable suffering on our behalf. An awareness of this fact can bless us in a number of ways: It can help us overcome the fear of being abandoned (Isaiah 50:1-2). It gives us courage to face our own trials and challenges (Isaiah 50:5-7).... Continue Reading →
Isaiah 40–49: “Comfort Ye, My People” (September 19-25)
"Balm of Gilead" (detail), by Ann Adele Henrie You are not forsaken. God is mindful of you whether you are aware of it or not. That is the message of this portion of the book of Isaiah, and the prophet gives us this message in a variety of ways. Here are some of the forms that... Continue Reading →
Isaiah 13–14; 24–30; 35: “A Marvellous Work and a Wonder” (September 12-18)
"He Comes Again to Rule and Reign," by Mary R. Sauer The contrast between fragile earthly kingdoms and God's eternal reign is on full display in this week's reading. We will cover about 40% of the book of Isaiah this week—chapters 13-39—although we will only read 10 of those 27 chapters. Two of those chapters (13 and... Continue Reading →
Isaiah 1-12: “God Is My Salvation” (September 5-11)
"The Prophet Isaiah Foretells Christ's Birth" (detail), by Harry Anderson "Great are the words of Isaiah," said the Savior during His ministry on the American continent (3 Nephi 23:1). "My soul delighteth in the words of Isaiah," said Nephi (2 Nephi 25:5, 2 Nephi 11:2). And Moroni urged us, "Search the prophecies of Isaiah," adding,... Continue Reading →
Proverbs and Ecclesiastes: “The Fear of the Lord Is the Beginning of Wisdom” (August 29-September 4)
"Learning to Trust the Lord" (detail) by Kathleen Peterson The Hebrew word mashal (מָשָׁל) means "proverb" or "parable." It's a brief statement of truth intended to help us make wise decisions. When used as a verb, the term means "to rule" or "to govern." A mashal is a tool to help us govern ourselves wisely.... Continue Reading →
Psalms 102-103; 110; 116-119; 127-128; 135-139; 146-150: “Let Every Thing That Hath Breath Praise the Lord” (August 22-28)
"King David," by Peter Paul Rubens, When God gives us responsibilities, He also provides power to help us fulfill them. That assurance returns time and time again in the last 50 psalms. Melchizedek received the eternal priesthood power of God (Psalm 110:4). Joseph became resilient through the trials he experienced (Psalm 105:17-18). And parents are... Continue Reading →
Psalms 49-51; 61-66; 69-72; 77-78; 85-86: “I Will Declare What He Hath Done for My Soul” (August 15-21)
"David Playing the Harp," by Jan de Bray, 1670 What is contrition? The English word descends from the Latin word contritus, which means literally “worn out” or “ground to pieces.” (See “contrite,” Online Etymology Dictionary.) In many of the psalms we are studying this week, we see David's overwhelming feelings of guilt for his sins and his... Continue Reading →
Psalms 1-2; 8; 19-33; 40; 46: “The Lord Is My Shepherd” (August 8-14)
"King David," by Guercino (Giovanni Francesco Barbieri), 1651 You can learn a lot from sacred music. The book of Psalms, the hymnbook of the Israelites, is packed with powerful spiritual truths. Jesus quoted from the book of Psalms more than from any other book of scripture. (See Jeffrey R. Holland, For Times of Trouble :... Continue Reading →
Job: “Yet Will I Trust in Him” (August 1-7)
"Job and His Friends" (detail), by Ilya Repin One of the features of mortal life is that we experience suffering we don't deserve. Why does God allow that to happen? The book of Job explores this question through an extreme example: a good man who loses nearly everything—wealth, family, and health—in a short period of... Continue Reading →
Esther: “Thou Art Come…for Such a Time as This” (July 25-31)
"Esther," by Jean-François Portaels When I think of Queen Esther, I remember how little control we have over our circumstances, but how much control we have over our actions within those circumstances. Esther's people were a minority ethnic and religious community scattered across the Persian Empire. Through a sequence of events that she could not... Continue Reading →
Book of Mormon Study Notes 