McGuffey's Sixth Eclectic Reader, Revised Edition · Lesson XLVI · Part 5: Lessons XXXVII-XLVIII: Faith, ambition and character

52. God's Goodness to Such as Fear Him (The Bible)

Goal: Your student reads a psalm aloud with good phrasing and explains its contrast between the wicked and the righteous.

⏱ About 25 minutes · 6 steps

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You'll need

  • The book, or the scan beside this guide
  • A notebook and pen
  • A dictionary

What's in the book

Verses from Psalm 37, set out as poetry: do not fret because of evil-doers; trust in the Lord.

The lesson, step by step

  1. Words and meanings

    Before reading, find these words in the selection and look up any your student does not know: fret, iniquity, herb.

  2. Read it aloud

    Read the opening together:

    Fret not thyself because of evil-doers,

    Neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity;

    For they shall soon be cut down like the grass,

    And wither as the green herb.

    Your student reads the whole passage. Notice how each idea is said twice in different words (Hebrew parallelism).

  3. Talk about it

    SayWhy should we not envy the wicked, according to the psalm?

    SayFind two pairs of lines that say the same thing in different words.

    SayWhat does the psalm promise to those who trust and do good?

    SayWhich verse would you like to remember?

  4. Tell it back

    Your student explains the psalm's message in a few sentences.

  5. Copywork and memory

    Copy and learn the first four lines.

  6. Write (optional)

    Read all of Psalm 37 in a Bible. Choose one verse and write why it matters to you.

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