This lesson teaches children that God sees everything that is unfair and He is always a safe place for people who trust Him. It works well for children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes, including the activities.
Big Idea
God sees when people are treated badly, and He is our strong tower where we can run and feel safe.
Memory Verse
Psalm 94:22
But the LORD has been my high tower, my God, the rock of my refuge.
(WEB)
Have the children stand tall with their arms raised over their heads to make a big tower shape. Then bring their hands together in front of their chest, as if they are running into a safe place. Say the verse together while doing both motions, and repeat until the children can do it without you.
The Story: Psalm 94 for Kids
Psalm 94 is a prayer written by a man who loved God very much. He looked around and saw bad people who were being mean and unfair. They were hurting people who could not protect themselves, like widows, strangers far from home, and children who had no father to help them. The bad people said, “God is not watching. He will not notice what we are doing.”
The writer felt sad and worried. He asked God to rise up and show that He sees everything. He wanted God to make things right for the people who were being hurt. He asked, “How long will the wicked keep winning?” It is a question many children have asked too when they see something unfair.
Then the writer remembered something important about God. He said, “If the Lord had not been my help, I would have been silent in the dark.” When he felt like he was slipping and about to fall, he said, “My foot is slipping!” But God’s loving kindness held him up. God was like a rock that did not move, and like a high tower where he could run and be safe.
The writer also said that God is wise and knows everything. He asked, “Won’t the One who made the ear hear? Won’t the One who made the eye see?” God knows what people think, even when their thoughts are foolish. The writer trusted that God would bring justice in His own good time.
The psalm ends with confidence. The writer knew God would not abandon His people. He said God would cut off the evil people because of their own wrongdoing. The writer rested in God’s care instead of trying to fight back alone.
Read It Together
Psalm 94:14
For the LORD won’t reject his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance.
(WEB)
Point out that God does not reject or forget His people. Ask the children to find the words that show God stays close to His family, and remind them that He never leaves His children behind.
Psalm 94:18
When I said, “My foot is slipping!” Your loving kindness, the LORD, held me up.
(WEB)
Show the children how the writer was slipping and afraid, and then God’s love held him up. Help them see that God’s kindness is strong enough to catch us when we feel like we are falling.
Psalm 94:19
In the multitude of my thoughts within me, your comforts delight my soul.
(WEB)
Point out that when the writer’s thoughts were crowded and worried, God’s comfort brought him joy. Talk about how God can calm our busy minds when we feel anxious or sad.
Talk About It
- What did the bad people in the psalm say about God, and why was that wrong?
- Who are some people in our world who need someone to stand up for them?
- When did you feel like you were slipping, and how did you feel safe again?
- What does it mean that God is like a high tower or a rock for us?
- How can we show God’s kindness to someone who is being treated unfairly?
Activity Ideas
Build a Paper Tower
You will need paper, tape, and scissors. Have each child roll a sheet of paper into a tall tube and tape it closed, then make several of these to stack or stand up together like a tower. As they build, remind them that God is their strong tower, and talk about how a tower keeps us safe when we run inside it.
Rock and Tower Freeze Game
Clear a space in the room and call out “rock” or “tower” as a movement cue. When the children hear “rock,” they stand very still with feet planted, and when they hear “tower,” they stretch their arms up high. Play for a few minutes, then say that God is like a rock that never moves and a tower where we are kept safe.
Safe Place Take-Home Card
You will need an index card, a pencil or crayons, and a small piece of tape or a paper clip. Have each child draw a tower or rock on one side and write or draw a simple reminder that God keeps us safe. Let them take it home to put somewhere they will see it, such as by the bed or on the fridge, and ask them to tell a family member what it means.
Teacher Notes
For adults, Psalm 94 is a cry for God to act justly when the wicked seem to prevail and the vulnerable suffer. The writer does not pretend the injustice is not real, yet he rests in the knowledge that God sees, knows, and will judge. It is a psalm that holds honest grief and steady trust together.
Be careful not to overstate the lesson for children by suggesting that God always stops bad things immediately or that trusting Him guarantees no one will be hurt. Instead, focus on God’s character as a safe place and His faithfulness to His people, and let children know they can talk to a trusted adult about unfair things they see.
A Prayer to Close
Lord, thank You for being our strong tower and our rock. Thank You that You see everything and You never forget us. Help us to trust You when we feel scared, and help us to be kind to people who are treated unfairly. Amen.
