This lesson teaches children that God is powerful enough to move the sea, the river, and the mountains, and that He is the one who leads His people. Children ages 5 to 11 can learn it in about 20 to 30 minutes using a short story, a few questions, and a simple movement game.
Big Idea
God is stronger than anything in creation, and He always takes care of His people. When we feel small, we can remember that the God who moved the sea is with us.
Memory Verse
Psalm 114:7
Tremble, you earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob…
(WEB)
Stand up tall with your feet apart, then slowly shake your hands and whole body like the ground shaking. Say the first words of the verse as you shake, then freeze and point up when you say “the presence of the Lord.” Repeat it three times together, getting a little quieter each time.
The Story: Psalm 114 for Kids
A long, long time ago, God’s people, the family of Jacob, lived in Egypt. They were not free. They had been slaves for a very long time, and they wanted to go home. God heard their prayers and sent a leader named Moses to bring them out of Egypt. The people walked out with their sheep, their goats, and all they could carry.
God went ahead of them. He was like a guide who never gets lost. When the people came to the edge of the Red Sea, the water stood in their way. But God did something no one had ever seen. The sea drew back and made a path of dry land, and the people walked right through on dry ground. The sea ran away from God’s people.
Later, the people came to the Jordan River, which was even bigger and wider. Once again, God made a way. The waters of the river stopped flowing and piled up, so the people could cross on dry ground. The big river stepped aside for God.
The Bible says the mountains jumped like rams and the little hills danced like lambs. Imagine that! The whole earth felt God’s power. Even the rocks changed. God turned a hard rock into a pool of water, and a flint stone into a spring of water. The people were never thirsty, because God was with them.
Someone in the story asks, “Why did you run away, sea? Why did you turn back, river?” It is a fun question, because nothing in creation can answer. Only the Lord, the God of Jacob, can make creation move the way He wants. Everything shakes when He comes near.
Read It Together
Psalm 114:1-2
1 When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of foreign language; 2 Judah became his sanctuary, Israel his dominion.
(WEB)
Point out that God’s people were no longer slaves in Egypt. Ask the children to notice that God made them His own and gave them a home. Explain that “Judah became his sanctuary” means God’s people had a special place where God was with them.
Psalm 114:3-4
3 The sea saw it, and fled. The Jordan was driven back. 4 The mountains skipped like rams, the little hills like lambs.
(WEB)
Point out the sea and the Jordan River running away and turning back. Let the children act out the mountains skipping and the hills jumping. Remind them that even the biggest things in nature obey God.
Psalm 114:8
Who turned the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a spring of waters.
(WEB)
Show how God turned hard rock into water. Explain that God can bring life and refreshment even out of hard and dry places. This is a good moment to talk about how God helps us when we feel stuck.
Talk About It
- What did the sea do when God’s people came to it, and how do you think they felt watching it?
- What made the mountains and the little hills jump and dance in this song?
- Where is a dry or hard place in your life where you need God to bring water?
- Why do you think God wanted His people to remember what He had done for them?
- How can you show God that you trust Him to lead you, like He led His people out of Egypt?
Activity Ideas
Parting Sea Paper Craft
You will need blue construction paper, scissors, glue, and a sheet of tan or brown paper. Cut a wavy path through the blue paper so the water looks like it has opened up. Glue the blue sheet onto the tan paper, then draw a few stick figures walking through the middle path. Talk through the story as the children work on their picture.
Mountains and Hills Movement Game
Clear some floor space and ask the children to stand still like tall mountains. Call out “rams” and have them jump up and down, then call “lambs” and have them hop like little lambs. Finish by calling “the presence of the Lord” and have everyone freeze and tremble like the earth. Keep the game lively and short so the children stay engaged.
Rock to Water Take-Home Card
Give each child an index card and a small sticker or crayon. On one side, they draw a hard rock, and on the other side, they draw a flowing spring of water. Tell them to show the card to a family member at home and retell how God turned the rock into water. Encourage them to keep the card in a place where they will see it during the week.
Teacher Notes
For adults, Psalm 114 celebrates God’s faithful work in history, especially the Exodus from Egypt and the crossing of the sea and the Jordan. It shows that the same God who moved creation for Israel is the Lord who rules over all things today. The psalm invites worship and awe at the power and kindness of God toward His people.
Avoid overstating to children that the mountains and hills literally danced or that every hard thing in life will become water. The psalm uses poetic and vivid images to show God’s power. Help children see it as a song of wonder, and be honest that God does not always answer our needs in the same way, while He is always faithful.
A Prayer to Close
Lord God, thank You for leading Your people out of trouble and for being stronger than the sea and the rocks. Help us trust You when we feel small or stuck. Thank You for always being with us, wherever we go. Amen.
