Two Little Lips to Sing

Singing praises to God

by Janice Ross

Suitable for Reception / Key Stage 1

Aims

To consider that we can use our voices for good.

Preparation and materials

• Familiarize yourself with the story script in the ‘Assembly’, Step 4.
• Have available the YouTube video ‘Make a joyful noise unto the Lord’. It is 2.14 minutes long and is available at: https://youtu.be/IvviEkh4T98

Assembly

1. Welcome the children to the assembly, but keep your lips sealed.
   
   Ask the children whether they understood what you said.
   
   Identify that we need our lips to make certain sounds when we talk so that we can be understood.
   
   
2. Ask the children, ‘What can we do with our lips?’
   
   Listen to a range of responses.
   
   Suggestions might include licking our lips, blowing a kiss, pouting, smacking our lips together and so on.
   
   Ask the children to experiment by saying the following letters: b, e, f, m, o, p, s and v.
   
   Ask the children, ‘How are our lips involved in making these letters?’
   
   
3. Explain that today, we are going to hear about a young man in the Bible who eventually became a king. He didn’t do this through being particularly clever, nor did he come from an important family. It was because he used his lips to praise God, and God loved his praise songs.
   
   
4. Tell the story of David.
   
   David was the youngest in his family. He had many older brothers. When he was a young boy, he had been given the job of looking after the sheep. It wasn’t exactly his dream job, especially at the times when he had to stay awake all night. At first, he had found it very hard and had kept nodding off to sleep. One of the older shepherds would give him a nudge, saying, ‘Come on, lad, keep your eyes open!’
   
   It was important for David to keep his eyes open at night because there were animals lurking who liked nothing more than a supper of lamb! However, like all things that are difficult at first, they get easier with practice. It wasn’t long before David began to enjoy the quietness of the hills at night . . . not that it was always silent. The other shepherds could be a rowdy lot and there was often laughter and talking well into the night.
   
   David usually found a quiet place at the entrance to his fold, where he could settle against a wall and relax a bit. He grew to love the night sky. There was nothing to beat it: the moon casting a silvery light over the hillside, millions of twinkling lights shining brightly in the heavens. He would pick up his lyre and sing songs of praise to God, who he knew had created all these wonders. Singing praises to God shaped young David’s heart into one of love and thanksgiving, which pleased God greatly.
   
   When God made it clear that David was chosen to be king, many people were surprised, none more so than David. As king, he had to do many things that he didn’t enjoy, such as fighting armies, but he continued to use his lips to praise God and he taught his people to do the same. In fact, one day, David got so carried away in a street procession, leaping and dancing and using tambourines and lutes to praise God, that his wife told him off! However, David paid no attention because he knew that God loved to hear his praises. In fact, no one ever was able to stop David from praising God with his lips.
   
   
5. When life was tough - and there were times when life was very tough - David would make up a new song to God, asking for his help.
   
   When David made mistakes - and there were times when he made big mistakes - he would make up a new song, asking God to remember him and to forgive him.
   
   Whenever he could, David would sneak out of the palace to the hillside. There, once again, he would stare at the huge expanse of night sky and write a new thank-you song to God.

Time for reflection

We are going to listen to a song that King David would have loved.

Listen and watch to see how many different instruments you can identify.

Show the YouTube video ‘Make a joyful noise unto the Lord’ (2.14 minutes long).

Prayer
Dear God,
Thank you that David learned when he was a young boy that you loved to hear his praises.
Help us to use our lips to give thanks for all that you have given us to enjoy.
Amen.

Song/music

‘Make a joyful noise unto the Lord’, available at: https://youtu.be/IvviEkh4T98 (2.14 minutes long)