This lesson teaches children that when we feel lost or broken, we can ask God to turn us back to himself and make us strong again. It works well for children aged 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes.
Big Idea
God hears us when we are sad or sorry, and he can bring us back to himself and make us whole again. We can always ask him for help.
Memory Verse
Psalm 80:3
Turn us again, God. Cause your face to shine, and we will be saved.
(WEB)
Cup your hands together like you are holding water, then slowly open them wide, like a flower opening in the sun. Say the words as you open your hands, and do it again together until everyone can follow along.
The Story: Psalm 80 for Kids
Long ago, the people of Israel were God’s flock, and he was their Shepherd. A writer named Asaph wrote a song to God, asking him to listen. He called God the Shepherd who leads Joseph’s family like sheep, and he asked God to shine his light on them.
The people were in big trouble. Their enemies were laughing at them, and they had cried so many tears that it felt like they were eating and drinking sadness. Asaph asked God, “How long will you be angry at our prayers?” He was honest about how much they hurt.
Asaph remembered a happy time. God had brought a vine out of Egypt, a little plant that grew into a huge, strong tree. Its branches reached far, and its shade covered the mountains. Everyone could see how God had taken care of his people.
But now the walls around the vine were broken down. Animals came in and ate its branches, and people walked by and picked its fruit. Asaph felt sad and asked God to look down from heaven and care for his vine once more.
Asaph did not give up. He said, “Turn us again, God, and make your face shine on us, and we will be saved.” He promised that his people would not turn away from God, and he asked God to bring them back to life.
Read It Together
Psalm 80:1-2
1 Hear us, Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock, you who sit above the cherubim, shine out. 2 Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh, stir up your might! Come to save us!
(WEB)
Point out that Asaph starts by calling God the Shepherd. Ask children what a shepherd does for his sheep and how that shows God’s care for us.
Psalm 80:8-9
8 You brought a vine out of Egypt. You drove out the nations, and planted it. 9 You cleared the ground for it. It took deep root, and filled the land.
(WEB)
Show children how God planted the vine and helped it grow deep roots. Explain that God takes care of his people the way a gardener cares for a plant.
Psalm 80:18
So we will not turn away from you. Revive us, and we will call on your name.
(WEB)
Point out the promise Asaph makes, that the people will not turn away from God. Help children see that asking God to revive us is a way of trusting him.
Talk About It
- What do you think it felt like for the people when their enemies laughed at them?
- How can you tell that God is like a shepherd to you?
- What is one thing you could ask God for when you feel sad?
- Why do you think God wants us to come back to him when we have wandered away?
- How did God take care of the vine, and how does he take care of you?
Activity Ideas
Paper Vine Drawing
You will need paper, crayons, and glue. Have each child draw a green vine with a trunk and branches reaching across the page. Then let them add leaves and little fruits, and talk about how God grew his people into something strong and full of life.
Shepherd and Sheep Game
Choose one child to be the shepherd and the others to be sheep. The shepherd gently leads the sheep around the room, calling them by name. When the shepherd says “Come back!” the sheep run back to the shepherd, showing how God calls us to return to him.
Take-Home Prayer Card
You will need index cards and a marker. Write “Turn us again, God” on one side and let children decorate the other side with stickers or drawings. Encourage them to keep it by their bed and read it each night as a reminder that God always hears them.
Teacher Notes
For adults, Psalm 80 is a prayer for God to restore his people after they have suffered. The writer is honest about pain and anger, yet he keeps coming back to God with trust. It shows that bringing our hard feelings to God is part of faith.
Avoid promising children that God will always fix every problem the way they hope. The psalm asks God for help without guaranteeing a specific outcome, so focus on God’s faithfulness and care rather than on guaranteed results.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank you for being our Shepherd and for caring for us every day. When we feel sad or lost, help us come back to you. Make your face shine on us, and help us trust you always. Amen.
