This lesson teaches children that God made the whole world and takes care of every living thing in it, and a child can repeat that in one breath. It suits ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes in a Sunday school or family setting.
Big Idea
God made everything, and he takes care of everything he made. The sun, the water, the animals, and the food we eat all come from him, and he is good to all of it.
Memory Verse
Psalm 104:24
The LORD, how many are your works! In wisdom have you made them all. The earth is full of your riches.
(WEB)
Have the children stand tall with arms stretched wide like the sky, then slowly bring their hands together in front of their hearts on the word “wisdom.” Repeat the motion three times so the verse rises and settles with their bodies.
The Story: Psalm 104 for Kids
A songwriter looked up at the sky one morning and felt happy inside. He wanted to sing about the great God who made everything he could see. So he began his song by saying, “Bless the Lord, my soul.” He pictured God wrapped in light like a warm blanket, and the sky spread out above like a tent.
The songwriter thought about the clouds floating along on the wind. He thought about springs of water bubbling out of the ground and running down between the hills. Wild donkeys drank from those streams, and birds sang in the branches above them. Every creature had a drink and a place to rest.
Then he looked at the fields and gardens. God made grass grow for the animals and plants grow for people. He made bread to make people strong, and olive oil to make their faces shine. The songwriter smiled and said, “Lord, how many things you have made! You made them all with wisdom.”
When night came, the moon shone and the lions went looking for their food. When morning came, the sun rose and the lions went back to their dens to rest. People walked out to their work during the day and came home in the evening. God set the times for all of it.
The songwriter ended by singing that he would praise God as long as he lived. He wanted God’s world to keep being glad, because God had made it so well. He finished his song the same way he began it: “Praise the Lord!”
Read It Together
Psalm 104:1-2
1 Bless the LORD, my soul. The LORD, my God, you are very great. You are clothed with honor and majesty. 2 He covers himself with light as with a garment. He stretches out the heavens like a curtain.
(WEB)
Point out how the song starts with “Bless the LORD, my soul.” Ask the children what it means to bless someone, and remind them that they can speak good words to God as well as thank him for the light and sky.
Psalm 104:14-15
14 He causes the grass to grow for the livestock, and plants for man to cultivate, that he may produce food out of the earth: 15 wine that makes glad the heart of man, oil to make his face to shine, and bread that strengthens man’s heart.
(WEB)
Show the children that God makes grass for animals and plants for people. Point out the words “bread that strengthens man’s heart,” and talk about the food on their own dinner tables and who provided it.
Psalm 104:27-28
27 These all wait for you, that you may give them their food in due season. 28 You give to them; they gather. You open your hand; they are satisfied with good.
(WEB)
Explain that these verses say all of creation waits on God for food. Help the children notice the words “you open your hand” and “they are satisfied,” and let them picture God giving good gifts with an open hand.
Talk About It
- What is one thing God made that you see every day, and how does it help you?
- What do the birds, the donkeys, and the lions have in common in this song?
- How do you think God feels when he looks at the mountains and the sea he made?
- What is a good way you could say thank you to God for the food on your plate?
- Why do you think the songwriter said God made everything with wisdom?
Activity Ideas
Paint a World of Creation
You will need paper, crayons or watercolors, and a cup of water. Ask each child to draw one thing from the song, such as the sky, a spring, a bird nest, or a moon. Hang the pictures together on a wall to make one big picture of God’s whole world, and let the children tell the class about their part.
Sky, Sun, and Moon Movement Game
You will need an open space and no special supplies. Call out things from the song, like “wind,” “springs,” “birds,” “the sun rises,” or “the moon shines,” and have the children act each one out with their bodies. Finish by everyone raising their arms and shouting “Praise the Lord!” together.
Thank You Jar at Home
You will need an empty jar, paper slips, and a pen. Each day for a week, have the family write one thing God made or provided on a slip and drop it in the jar. At the end of the week, open the jar together and read every slip aloud as a family prayer of thanks.
Teacher Notes
Psalm 104 is a song of wonder that moves from the greatness of God to the details of creation and back to praise. For adults, it shows that God’s care is not limited to people but reaches to every animal, every stream, and every season, and that a faithful life starts with noticing his work around us.
Be careful not to make the lesson a science lesson about how the world works. The psalm celebrates that God made it and sustains it, so keep the focus on God’s goodness and wisdom rather than on the mechanics of clouds or moons.
A Prayer to Close
Lord God, we thank you for the sky, the water, the animals, and the food that comes from your hand. You made all of it with wisdom, and you take care of every living thing. Help us to notice your goodness every day and to praise you with our words and lives. Amen.
