This lesson teaches children that God’s house is a lovely, happy place where people go to be with him, and that it is good to want to be close to God. It suits children aged 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes, including a short activity.
Big Idea
We can love being with God, and we can be happy wherever we are close to him, because he takes care of us like a shield.
Memory Verse
Psalm 84:4
Blessed are those who dwell in your house. They are always praising you. Selah.
(WEB)
Have children sit tall with hands folded, then slowly open their hands wide like a door swinging open, saying “They are always praising you” together. Repeat it three times, opening the hands a little more each time.
The Story: Psalm 84 for Kids
Long ago, a man wrote a song about how much he loved God’s house in the city of Jerusalem. He said God’s house was very lovely, and his heart and body wanted to be there with the living God. He missed it so much that he felt like he could almost faint with longing.
He noticed something happy as he wrote. Even the little sparrows and swallows had found homes near God’s altars, where they could raise their babies safely. If the birds could find a home there, the writer knew he belonged there too. He called God his King and his God.
The writer said that people who live in God’s house are truly blessed, because they are always praising him. He also said that people whose strength comes from God are happy, especially when they choose to travel to his house. Sometimes the road went through a dry, sad valley, but the travelers made it a place of fresh springs, and rain came down to bless them along the way.
As they walked, the travelers grew stronger and stronger. When they finally arrived, each one stood before God in Zion. The writer prayed, “Hear my prayer, Lord God, and listen to me.” He asked God to look kindly on his king, because God is our shield who protects us.
Then the writer said something big. One single day spent in God’s courts was better than a thousand days somewhere else. He would rather stand by the door of God’s house than live in the tents of people who do wrong. He reminded everyone that God is like the sun, giving light and warmth, and like a shield, keeping us safe. The song ends by saying how blessed is the person who trusts God.
Read It Together
Psalm 84:1-2
1 How lovely are your dwellings, the LORD of Armies! 2 My soul longs, and even faints for the courts of the LORD. My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.
(WEB)
Point out the words “lovely” and “longs,” and ask children what they think it means to long for something. Explain that the writer’s heart really wanted to be near God, and that wanting to be with God is a good feeling.
Psalm 84:11
For the LORD God is a sun and a shield. The LORD will give grace and glory. He withholds no good thing from those who walk blamelessly.
(WEB)
Show children that God is described as a sun and a shield, and act out holding up an arm for protection and a hand reaching out for warmth. Point out that God gives good things to those who walk with him.
Psalm 84:5
Blessed are those whose strength is in you; who have set their hearts on a pilgrimage.
(WEB)
Point out the word “blessed,” and explain that it means happy and cared for by God. Show how the verse says these people have their strength in God and set their hearts on going to him.
Talk About It
- What is one place where you feel especially close to God, and why do you think you feel that way?
- The little birds found a home near God’s altar. What does that tell us about God’s care for even the smallest creatures?
- How can we make a hard or dry time feel more like a place of springs, the way the travelers did?
- What did the writer say was better than a thousand days somewhere else, and what might make you feel that way about spending time with God?
- What does it mean that God is our shield, and how can you tell someone else about his protection this week?
Activity Ideas
Bird’s Nest Drawing
You will need paper, crayons or markers, and a few cotton balls or scraps of yarn. Ask each child to draw a lovely house or temple with a small nest tucked near the door, then glue cotton balls or yarn into the nest. As they work, have them say one thing that makes God’s house a happy place to them.
Shield and Sun Movement Game
You will need an open space and a bright sunny picture or a flashlight. Have children stand, raise their arms to make a shield in front of them, and then spread their arms wide like the sun’s rays when you call out “Sun!” Call out both words in turns and let them move in a circle, reminding them that God is both their shield and their light.
Doorkeeper Reminder Card
You will need an index card, a pencil, and a pen or markers for each child. Have children write “Better to be near God” on the front and draw a small door on the back. Encourage them to take the card home and place it somewhere they will see it, like a bedroom door or a kitchen table, as a reminder to pray and talk with God each day.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this psalm expresses a deep, honest longing for God’s presence in the place of worship. The writer does not hide his weariness or his sense of loss, yet he finds joy in the simple act of drawing near to God. The psalm also points forward to the security found in trusting God, who is both protection and generosity.
When teaching children, avoid overstating the idea that God always makes life easy or that people who love him will never face hard times. The psalm itself describes passing through a valley of weeping, and children should understand that God’s care is real even when the road is difficult.
A Prayer to Close
Lord, thank you that we can come close to you and feel at home with you. Help us to love being with you, to trust you as our shield, and to find joy in praising you every day. Keep us strong as we walk with you. Amen.
