This lesson teaches children that God is a safe place to run to when they feel scared, weak, or unsure, and that He stays with us from the time we are young all the way into old age. It is designed for children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes to teach.
Big Idea
God is our safe place and our hope, and He never stops taking care of us, even when we get older.
Memory Verse
Psalm 71:5
For you are my hope, Lord the LORD; my confidence from my youth.
(WEB)
Have children hold both hands out in front of them, palms up, like they are receiving a gift. Then bring their hands to their chest and say “Lord, you are my hope” together. Repeat it three times with the motions, getting a little quieter each time.
The Story: Psalm 71 for Kids
Long ago, a man wrote a song to God. He was in trouble. Some people were being mean to him and wanted to hurt him. He felt very alone, and he did not know what to do. So he ran to God, the way a child runs to a parent for safety.
He said, “Lord, please keep me safe. You are my rock and my fortress.” He remembered that God had cared for him since he was a baby. God had taken care of him when he was born, and God had been with him every day since. He had always trusted God, and God had always been faithful.
The enemies were talking about him. They said, “God has left him. Go and catch him, because no one will save him.” These words made him feel scared. But he did not give up. He asked God to hurry and come close to help him.
He decided he would keep hoping in God. He wanted to tell everyone about how good God is and how God saves His people. Even when he felt tired, he sang and praised God with a harp and a lyre. He said his lips would shout for joy because God had rescued him.
Even as he grew old and gray, he asked God not to leave him. He wanted to tell the next generation about God’s strength. His song is a reminder that God is faithful from our youth until we are old.
Read It Together
Psalm 71:1-3
1 In you, the LORD, I take refuge. Never let me be disappointed. 2 Deliver me in your righteousness, and rescue me. Turn your ear to me, and save me. 3 Be to me a rock of refuge to which I may always go. Give the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.
(WEB)
Point out the words “refuge” and “rock.” Ask the children what a refuge is, and explain that the writer is saying God is a place where he can always go to be safe. Show them how a rock stays strong when the wind blows.
Psalm 71:6
I have relied on you from the womb. You are he who took me out of my mother’s womb. I will always praise you.
(WEB)
Point out that the writer says God has been with him “from the womb.” Explain that God was caring for him even before he was born. Ask the children to think about how long God has been taking care of them.
Psalm 71:14-15
14 But I will always hope, and will add to all of your praise. 15 My mouth will tell about your righteousness, and of your salvation all day, though I don’t know its full measure.
(WEB)
Point out the words “I will always hope.” Explain that hoping means trusting that God will do good things, even when we cannot see them yet. Encourage the children to tell someone about God’s goodness this week.
Talk About It
- What are some things that make you feel scared, and how can God help you when you feel that way?
- What does it mean to have God as a rock or a fortress for us?
- How do you think God took care of you when you were a baby?
- Why do you think the writer kept praying even when his enemies were being unkind?
- Who is someone older than you who has taught you about God, and what did they teach you?
Activity Ideas
Rock and Fortress Collage
You will need paper, crayons or markers, glue, and small scraps of paper or cotton balls. Ask each child to draw a big rock on their paper, then glue small pieces around it to show a strong fortress wall. Have them write or draw one thing that makes them feel safe inside the fortress. Let them share their picture with the group.
Hope Hands Game
Gather the children in a circle and have them stand. Teach them the motion from the memory verse, with palms open and then hands on the chest. Call out things that scare people, like thunder or a dark room, and have children do the motion when they hear something that reminds them God is their hope. Keep the pace fun and lively.
Take-Home Thankful Jar
You will need a clean jar, paper strips, and a pencil. Give each child a few strips and ask them to write one way God has taken care of them this week. Have them place the strips in the jar at home. Encourage the family to read a few notes together at dinner each week to remember that God is faithful.
Teacher Notes
For adults, Psalm 71 is a prayer of an older person who has trusted God since youth and still asks for help as life gets hard. The psalm shows that faith is lived out over a lifetime, and that God’s faithfulness is steady from the beginning of life to its end. The writer’s praise is rooted in what God has already done, which gives courage for what lies ahead.
With children, avoid overstating that God will always make our troubles disappear right away. The psalm honestly describes real danger and asks God to act, but it ends with trust and praise rather than a promise of a specific outcome. Focus on God being with us and faithful, not on guaranteeing that every trouble will vanish on our schedule.
A Prayer to Close
Lord, thank you that you are our safe place and our strong rock. Thank you for taking care of us since we were born and for staying with us as we grow. Help us to trust you when we feel scared, and help us to tell others about your goodness. Amen.
