Today, we're putting a different spin on our Good Word theme of music and song. This psalm tells us that the earth itself — the natural world — makes a joyful noise to the Lord.

Musicians make music, yes, but this verse implies that God's other creations are also designed to "praise" Him.

If you take a moment to think, you'll probably be able to recollect many times when you've heard sounds in nature that are so lovely that they could be on par with a song.

Today, we're continuing our Good Word theme of music and song. Today's scripture describes how singing to God brings joy to the soul.

Have you ever experienced the opposite, though? You've listened to (worldly) music that brings you down, feeds your fears, ignites your lust, plays up cynicism, and puts you in a negative frame of mind?

This verse from Psalms isn't talking about just any kind of music. You can't just turn on the radio and rejoice. (Reality is often the reverse.)

Today, we're kicking off a new theme for Good Word Friday. For the rest of August, we'll be focusing on scriptures that relate to music and song.

Music is one of God's great gifts to humankind, don't you agree?

For one, music brings so much pleasure, whether you're singing, playing, or listening — or all three simultaneously.

And music provides a way to praise God in a way that we can't achieve with words alone. Music conveys feeling and expression that's tough to capture even in poetry.

Today, we wrap up our series of Good Words on free will. This scripture from Helaman tells us that God has given us "a knowledge" and He's made us "free." What do these two things have to do with one another?

Well, at this point in The Book of Mormon, Samuel has shared all of the predictions that God gave him regarding Christ's birth and death.

Samuel says the reason why God wants the people to know these predictions is "to the intent that there should be no cause for unbelief among the children of men" (verse 28) and also so that God's righteous judgment falls upon the people — those who believe are saved and those who don't aren't. They have all the information they need to make a decision in faith.

This month, we've chosen scriptures that illustrate the free will that God has given us as humans to either believe or not believe in Him and His Son Jesus Christ.

Today's scripture is actually more full-bodied than what we've put in today's graphic. The full verse says, "Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord God: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?"

We're continuing our July theme of free will with this scripture from Mosiah. It says that the people who are willing to bear the name of Jesus are blessed.

The word "willing" stands out here, demonstrating that choice is part of the equation. You can't be willingly forced to serve God.

2 Nephi 31:13 and Mosiah 21:35 both describe how baptism is the external witness of the internal willingness of the heart. After baptism, we bear the name of the Lord (we are called by His name).

If you've already been baptized, then you've demonstrated that you're willing to serve God and bear the name of Christ. As you've pressed on in life, has God asked you to be willing to do other things — specific things — for Him?

It's a new month, and you know what that means. A new set of scriptures for Good Word Friday. In honor of Independence Day, our next theme focuses on a specific type of freedom: free will.

We believe that God created us with a free will to make choices.

God has His own will for each life that He creates, but He doesn't force us to puppet the perfect plan He's laid out. We are free to follow — or not.

It's the beauty and tragedy of every human life.

For our last Good Word Friday on the topic of "learning," we bring to you the famous advice that Alma gave to his son, Helaman.

This statement seems pretty basic — learn the ways of God when you're young — but how often is it really followed? How many children and young people today are taught to keep the commandments of God?

In many instances, when people are young, they learn how to break the commandments of God — or circumvent them or alter them or ignore them. Then, later as adults, they come to themselves and decide to truly learn the ways of God. Alma says that we don't have to live this life of heartache.

Have you ever heard a minister say in a sermon, "I'm preaching to myself"? Have you ever heard a teacher present a lesson and say something like, "I'm standing here teaching, but I'm not pretending to have this all figured out"?

Today's Good Word reminds us that this is a great perspective to keep.

Even those who God has called to preach and teach are continually learning and growing. (They aren't perfect.) God has blessed some with great understanding and wisdom. Others are gifted with the ability to convey knowledge to others. But…

Today, we're continuing our Good Word theme of "learning," and this verse highlights the value of learning vicariously through other people's mistakes and flaws.

Recently, I heard a sister say something in church that shows remarkable maturity. This sister made a lot of mistakes and engaged in quite a bit of sin before giving her life to the Lord.

She said, "I used to tell people, 'I don't regret any of the things I did back then because I learned from those mistakes.' But now, I've changed my mind. I am so, so sorry for the things that I did, and I wish I'd never done them. I could've learned to follow God without making so many mistakes. In fact, my life would've gone so much better if I'd made better choices."

Today, we're kicking off a new theme. For the next month, we're bringing you scriptures on the topic of "learning."

Education is a gift from God. And with great education comes great responsibility, whether your knowledge comes from the classroom or the classroom of life.

Sometimes, though, we learn things that are contrary to God's Word. Take a second and think of a few examples of things that the world teaches that go against what we read in scripture; it won't be difficult.

Today is our last Good Word for May and our last bit of advice for the graduating class of 2019.

The old English is thick in this verse. Stated a little more plainly, it says that a fool would rather express his own opinion than hear wise truths from someone else.

Yes, grads are smart. All that knowledge from school is fresh in their minds. They're armed with the latest information on all the latest subjects (some of which weren't even taught a mere five years ago). They're eager to share what they know. Having been lectured to for years and years, they're excited to do some lecturing of their own. They certainly feel qualified.

Many of you are in the thick of graduation season as we near the end of May. All this month, we've been offering graduates some pearls of wisdom from Proverbs to take with them as they embark on a new stage of life.

Today's verse deals with something that nobody likes: reproof. What is reproof?

It's when someone tells you what you're doing wrong. Here are some synonyms for reproof: criticism, admonishment, reprehension, reprimand, disapproval. It's when you get a rap on the knuckles.

If you picked up on the fact that we took a little liberty in the phrasing of today's verse, then well done, Bible scholar! The verse actually reads like this: "He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city."

We think that the second part of this verse is an excellent piece of advice for a new graduate. Why? Because it hits on the single-most important thing that any human needs to be successful.

Wow, what is it? What could it possibly be? How did I not know about this secret??

May is graduation month, so we're focusing our Good Word Fridays on advice for new grads. Today's verse talks about material wealth. Money is a huge thing for young people just starting out.

If you take the verse to the extreme, it's saying that it's better to be righteous and poor rather than wicked and rich.