Psalm 39 teaches children that they can tell God honestly how they feel, even when they are worried or confused, and that God listens. This lesson suits children roughly 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes to teach.
Big Idea
God wants to hear the truth from us, even when our feelings are big and hard to understand. We can talk to Him about everything, and He is always listening.
Memory Verse
Psalm 39:7
Now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in you.
(WEB)
Teach the children to cup both hands together like they are holding a small bird, then lift them up toward the sky while they say the words slowly. Each time they say “my hope is in you,” they can point up with one finger.
The Story: Psalm 39 for Kids
A man named David was walking around with a heavy heart. He had been watching the people around him, and some of them were doing wrong things. David decided he would be careful about what he said, so he stayed quiet. He did not want to say anything unkind or foolish.
But the quiet made his feelings grow bigger inside him. His heart felt hot, like a fire was burning in his chest. Finally, David could not keep it in any longer, so he began to speak. He said, “Lord, show me how short my days are. Help me understand how small I am.”
David looked at the things people worked so hard to get, and he saw that they fade away quickly, like a shadow. He admitted that his own life was like a breath that comes and goes. He was not sure what he was waiting for, but he said, “My hope is in you.”
David then asked God to forgive him for the wrong things he had done. He also asked God to take away the hard things that were hurting him. He felt weak and tired, so he cried out to God for help.
He did not keep his feelings hidden. He called out, “Hear my prayer, Lord, and do not stay silent when I cry.” David knew he was like a stranger passing through the world, so he asked God to give him strength before his time on earth was over.
Read It Together
Psalm 39:1-2
1 I said, “I will watch my ways, so that I don’t sin with my tongue. I will keep my mouth with a bridle while the wicked is before me.” 2 I was mute with silence. I held my peace, even from good. My sorrow was stirred.
(WEB)
Point out that David decided to be careful about his words, but he also felt his sorrow building up inside. Explain that keeping quiet about big feelings can make them harder to carry.
Psalm 39:12
“Hear my prayer, the LORD, and give ear to my cry. Don’t be silent at my tears. For I am a stranger with you, a foreigner, as all my fathers were.
(WEB)
Show the children how David asked God to hear him and not stay silent. Remind them that God sees their tears and listens when they call out to Him.
Psalm 39:13
Oh spare me, that I may recover strength, before I go away, and exist no more.”
(WEB)
Help the children notice that David asked God for strength. Explain that we can ask God for help when we feel tired or weak, just as David did.
Talk About It
- What is one thing that makes your heart feel heavy or hot inside?
- Why do you think David stayed quiet at first, and what happened when he finally spoke?
- How can you tell God about a hard feeling you have today?
- What did David ask God to do when he felt weak and tired?
- Where is a place or time you could talk to God when you need Him most?
Activity Ideas
Feelings Heart Drawing
You will need paper, crayons or markers, and scissors. Have each child trace a large heart on the paper and cut it out. Inside the heart, they can draw or write one feeling they want to tell God about. Let them decorate the outside with bright colors and talk about how God hears every feeling.
Shadow and Breath Game
Take the children outside on a sunny day or stand near a lamp indoors. Ask them to make their shadows move, then freeze. Explain that David said our days are like a shadow and a breath. Then have them take a deep breath and blow it out slowly, reminding them that God is with them for every breath they take.
Prayer Card for Home
You will need index cards, a pencil, and a small envelope or rubber band. Let each child write one sentence starting with “God, I feel…” on the card. They can take the card home and keep it in a special spot, like by their bed. Encourage them to read it aloud each night and remember that God listens.
Teacher Notes
Psalm 39 shows that honest prayer is a real part of faith, even when the words are raw and the questions are hard. Adults can see that David moves from silence to speech, and that his complaint leads him back to trust in God. The psalm reminds us that life is brief, and that our true hope rests in the Lord rather than in what we can gather or achieve.
Avoid telling children that God will always make their hard feelings disappear right away. Focus instead on the truth that God hears them and stays with them, which is what David experienced.
A Prayer to Close
Lord, thank You for listening to us when we feel sad, worried, or confused. Help us to tell You the truth about how we feel, and help us to trust that You are always near. Give us strength for each day. Amen.
