September 29
Lesson 5 (KJV)
Moses and Miriam Lead in Praise
Devotional Reading: Psalm 104:1–9
Background Scripture: Exodus 14:21–31; 15:1–21
Exodus 15:1–3, 11–13, 17–18, 20–21
1 Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the Lord, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously: The horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.
2 The Lord is my strength and song, And he is my salvation: He is my God, and I will prepare him a habitation; My father’s God, and I will exalt him.
3 The Lord is a man of war: the Lord is his name.
11 Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like thee, glorious in holiness, Fearful in praises, doing wonders?
12 Thou stretchedst out thy right hand, The earth swallowed them.
13 Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed: Thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation.
17 Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance, In the place, O Lord, which thou hast made for thee to dwell in, In the Sanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have established.
18 The Lord shall reign forever and ever.
20 And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; all the women went out after her with timbrels and dances.
21 And Miriam answered them, Sing ye to the Lord, for he triumphed gloriously; The horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.
Key Text
Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.—Exodus 15:20
Worship in the Covenant Community
Unit 1: Leaders Set Worship Example
Lessons 1–5
Lesson Aims
After participating in this lesson, each learner will be able to:
1. List God’s attributes as sung by Moses and Miriam.
2. Trace the historical elements within Moses’ and Miriam’s celebratory songs of praise.
3. Write and sing a song of praise to God for His character and the deliverance of His people.
Lesson Outline
Introduction
A. The Power of Song
B. Lesson Context
I. The Song Introduced (Exodus 15:1–3)
A. Recipient (v. 1)
B. Reason (vv. 2–3)
II. The Song Continued (Exodus 15:11–13, 17–18, 20–21)
A. The Lord’s Guidance (vv. 11–13)
B. The People’s Inheritance (vv. 17–18)
Six Seedlings
C. The Women’s Response (vv. 20–21)
Joyful Dance
Conclusion
A. Sing to the Lord
B. Prayer
C. Thought to Remember
How to Say It
|
Amalekites |
Am-uh-leh-kites or Uh-mal-ih-kites. |
|
Korah |
Ko-rah. |
|
Miriam |
Meer-ee-um. |
|
Moriah |
Mo-rye-uh. |
|
Pentateuch |
Pen-ta-teuk. |
|
Pharaoh |
Fair-o or Fay-roe. |
|
Zion |
Zi-un. |
|
What Do You Think? How would you respond to the claim that this verse reveals God’s lack of care for the suffering of animals? Digging Deeper How might Nehemiah 9:6; Psalm 36:6; Isaiah 11:6–9; and Matthew 6:25–26; 10:29 inform your response? |
|
What Do You Think? In what situations is it comforting for you to think of God as a “man of war” (Exodus 15:3)? Digging Deeper In what situations is it a comfort to think of the Messiah as the “prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6)? Are these two designations contradictory? Why or why not? |
|
What Do You Think? What are some “gods” worshipped by our culture, and in what ways is God more wondrous than those “gods”? Digging Deeper How will you celebrate the wonderful and wondrous ways God has worked? |
|
What Do You Think? In what ways would (or should) your life change if you spent more time reflecting on and emulating God’s holiness? Digging Deeper Which of these three texts spurs you most to start doing so today: Ephesians 1:4; Hebrews 12:14; 1 Peter 1:15–16? |
|
What Do You Think? What occasions would be appropriate to label as “a time to dance” (Ecclesiastes 3:4)? Digging Deeper Why did you, or did you not, include “a church worship service” as one of your responses? |
Conclusion
A. Sing to the Lord
Singing helps diminish feelings of stress and anxiety by releasing “feel good” brain chemicals that alleviate pain. Singing also activates the portion of the brain associated with memorization—you can probably still sing the alphabet song!
Our songs of worship do these things and so much more. We sing in worship to the Lord because He is the source of our strength and salvation. Our worship also celebrates and remembers the Lord’s goodness and faithfulness. The apostle Paul sang to the Lord in prayer, even in imprisonment (Acts 16:25). “Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs” along with “singing and making melody in your heart” are marks of a life filled with God’s Spirit (Ephesians 5:19; see Colossians 3:16). While there are specific situations when singing is not always appropriate (examples: Proverbs 25:20; Amos 5:23; 8:10; Ezekiel 26:13), the righteous people of God are called to sing praises to Him (Psalm 33:1–3). Sing to the Lord without hesitation!
B. Prayer
Lord God, we thank You for the example of worship and song presented in Scripture. Help us be more attentive to Your Spirit so that we might sing to You in all situations—good or bad. In the name of Your Son, Jesus, we pray. Amen.
C. Thought to Remember
The Lord has given us a reason to sing!
Involvement Learning
Enhance your lesson with KJV Bible Student (from your curriculum supplier) and the reproducible activity page (at www.standardlesson.com or in the back of the KJV Standard Lesson Commentary Deluxe Edition).
Laura McKillip Wood, Jon Miller, and Andrew Wood, “Moses and Miriam Lead in Praise,” in The KJV Standard Lesson Commentary, 2024–2025, ed. Jason Hitchcock et al., vol. 72, The KJV Standard Lesson Commentary (Colorado Springs, CO: Standard Publishing, 2024), 47–48.
Comments