Lesson Outline
2 Nephi 4 (Psalm of Nephi)
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The is a psalm of redemption, forgiveness, commitment to a higher cause and
purpose.
verses 15, 16: His soul delights in 1) the scriptures; and 2) the things of the Lord
verses 15, 16: He ponders 1) the scriptures and writes them for the learning and
profit of his children; 2) the things of the Lord continually, especially those that
he has seen and heard
What do these verses tells us about our own conversion and the maintaining of
that conversion?
verse 17: Given what Nephi has done and what the Lord has given him, why does
he lament? What does this tell us about even the most righteous among us?
verse 21: What is this “love”?
verse 21: What does it mean that the love of God is capable of “consuming” his
flesh? (DC 84:33; sanctification and renewal of body); purging of the material,
physical; power of the Spirit to “burn” away the old.
verses 27-29: Consider “give way to temptation,” “evil one have place in my
heart,” and “destroy my peace” (peace being one of the things that Satan cannot
imitate, so he undermines and destroys it; peace being synonymous with
salvation, e.g. rest)
Satan is the “enemy of the soul.” Why? Satan seeks to alienate the body from the
spirit (Joseph Smith indicating that the soul is the combination of these two; DC
88:15)
verse 29: What does the phrase “Do not slacken my strength because of mine
afflictions”? To “slacken” is to “loosen.” When challenges come along many
become weak or vulnerable, thereby opening the door to greater sin.
verse 31: “Wilt thou make me that I may shake at the appearance of sin?” A
person who has rejected sin and has lived by the Spirit, and is sensitive to its
promptings, cannot tolerate the presence of sin in their life. Sin for that person is
darkness and is in great contrast to the light that comes from God and his truth. (2
NEPHI 7)
verse 31-35: Prayer of Protection, Guidance and Support. Key phrases:
1. “walk in the path of the low valley, that I may be strict in the plain
road”
2. “encircle me around in the robe of thy righteousness”
3. “make my path straight before me”
4. “not place a stumbling block in my way”
5. “I will trust thee forever”
6. “my God will give me, if I ask not amiss”
7. “rock of my righteousness”
2 Nephi 7 (A Pattern for Righteousness)
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Couple Nephi’s Psalm with what Jacob now “writes” and what Jacob has gleaned
from his “pondering” of the scriptures regarding salvation.
verse 1: The Lord declares who it is that abandons whom when it comes to
salvation.
a. “Have I put thee away, or have I cast thee off forever?”
b. “ …for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves, and for your
transgressions is your mother put away.”
c. See DC 88:32-33
verse 2: On whom does the Lord place the responsibility to accept forgiveness
and redemption? Is God’s power limited? Who limits God’s power?
verse 4: Isaiah declares, “He waketh mine ear to hear as the learned.” What does
he mean? Is this Isaiah’s way of indicating that he has come in tune with the
Spirit and can now understand its whisperings?
verse 5: The key to revelation and obedience.
verse 7: “set my face like a flint” immovable and fixed on his eternal salvation.
verses 10-11: What do these verses tell us about personal testimony and witness
of truth? What is the role of ignorance? What is the source of true light? What
knowledge can come to us without that which comes from God? Is our
knowledge as “sparks” that we have kindled?
2 Nephi 8 (Safety in the Redeemer)
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verse 4: What is this light? God’s judgments are not hidden, but couched in the
everlasting plan of salvation. The Lord has declared the law by which all things
are accomplished, so why should we fear? He declares that if you are prepared,
you will not fear (DC 38:30). See also DC 6:33 and 2 Nephi 8:7
verse 6: What does “…my salvation shall be forever, and my righteousness shall
not be abolished” mean? SEE 2 NEPHI 9:5-7.