Come Follow Me for Teens: "I Will Declare What He Hath Done for My Soul" (Psalms 49-86)

This week’s Come Follow Me for Teens episode continues our study of Psalms with Psalms 49–86 and the theme “I Will Declare What He Hath Done for My Soul.”

Across these psalms, we explore three truths about Jesus Christ that become especially important when the things we normally rely on are no longer enough.

We begin in Psalm 49 by considering what we trust to give us happiness, security, confidence, and a sense of worth.

The world offers plenty of possibilities.

Money. Accomplishments. Friendships. Popularity. Work. Possessions. Appearance. Approval from other people.

Many of those things can be good and can bring real happiness into our lives. But they all share one limitation: eventually, every mortal thing reaches the end of what it can do for us.

Money can run out. Jobs end. Friendships change. People move away. Something new eventually becomes old. Accomplishments that once seemed incredibly important eventually give way to the next goal.

Psalm 49 draws an important contrast. It describes those who trust in their wealth, but then declares:

“But God will redeem my soul.”

We explore why Jesus Christ is not simply one good foundation among many. He is the only sure foundation and the only One capable of doing what none of the other things we depend upon can do.

This principle connects with President Boyd K. Packer’s parable of the mediator. A man takes on a debt and eventually reaches the day when payment is required. When he realizes he cannot satisfy the demands of the agreement himself, he desperately needs someone who is both willing and able to intervene.

Spiritually, each of us eventually faces something we cannot solve by ourselves.