This Psalm 107 Sunday school lesson teaches children that God hears us when we are in trouble and rescues us, and that we should thank Him for His love. It is written for children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes to teach, including the story, the verses, and the activity.
Big Idea
When we are in trouble and cry out to God, He hears us, rescues us, and we should thank Him for His love that never ends.
Memory Verse
Psalm 107:1
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever.
(WEB)
Put one hand on your heart and lift the other hand up high like you are cheering. Say the verse together with a big, happy voice, and then clap twice for “good” and “forever.”
The Story: Psalm 107 for Kids
Long ago, some people were walking through a hot, dry desert. They had been traveling for many days, and they could not find a town to live in. They were very hungry and very thirsty, and their hearts felt weak inside them. Nobody could help them, so they cried out to the LORD in their trouble.
God heard their cries and led them down a straight path to a city where they could finally rest. Then God did something wonderful. He filled their hungry bodies with good food and gave them a home. Their sad hearts became happy again.
Other people in the story were locked up in a dark prison. They were bound with heavy chains and sat in the shadow of death. They had turned away from God’s words, and now they were very sad. When they cried out to God, He broke their chains and brought them out into the light. He even broke open the gates of brass and bars of iron that held them in.
Some sailors were out on the big sea in their ships. A terrible storm came, and the waves rose up high into the sky and then crashed down low. The sailors were scared and did not know what to do, so they cried out to the LORD. God spoke to the storm, and it became calm and still. The sailors were so glad, and God guided their boat safely to the harbor where they wanted to go.
God’s people always had a reason to say thank you. He turns dry deserts into pools of water and gives food to hungry families. The people in this story sang songs and told everyone about the wonderful things God had done for them.
Read It Together
Psalm 107:6
Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses…
(WEB)
Point out that the people cried to the LORD in their trouble, and that He delivered them. Ask the children what they can do when they feel scared or sad, and remind them that God always listens.
Psalm 107:9
For he satisfies the longing soul. He fills the hungry soul with good.
(WEB)
Show the children that God satisfies the hungry soul and fills it with good things. Explain that God cares about what we need, both in our bodies and in our hearts.
Psalm 107:29-30
29 He makes the storm a calm, so that its waves are still. 30 Then they are glad because it is calm, so he brings them to their desired haven.
(WEB)
Point to the storm that God calmed and the sailors who were glad to reach their harbor. Talk about how God can make hard times calm again and bring us safely to where we need to be.
Talk About It
- What did the people in the story do when they were in trouble?
- How did God help the hungry travelers find a home?
- Why do you think the sailors were so glad when the storm became calm?
- What is one thing you can thank God for this week?
- When you feel scared, what is a prayer you could say to God?
Activity Ideas
Thankful Storm Drawing
You will need paper, crayons or markers, and a pencil. Ask each child to draw a stormy sea with big waves on one half of the paper and a calm, sunny harbor on the other half. Have them write or draw one thing they are thankful to God for in the calm part. Let them share their pictures with the class and say thank you to God together.
Storm and Calm Game
Gather the children in an open space. Call out “storm” and have them wave their arms and stomp their feet like rough waves. Then call out “calm” and have them slowly lower their arms, sit down, and fold their hands quietly. Repeat several times and end with the memory verse as the children sit still and calm.
Thank You Jar at Home
You will need an empty jar, paper slips, and a pen. Place the jar and paper in a family space. Each day, invite everyone to write one thing God did for them and place it in the jar. At the end of the week, read the notes aloud together and thank God for each one.
Teacher Notes
Psalm 107 reminds adults that God hears His people in every kind of trouble, whether it is hunger, darkness, a storm, or a long and confusing road. The repeated call to thank the LORD for His loving kindness shows that gratitude is a natural response to God’s faithful care. The psalm also speaks to the wider world, showing that God rules over nature and the nations.
Avoid telling children that God will always remove every hardship they face in exactly the way they hope. The psalm describes God’s real rescue and His faithfulness, but it does not promise an easy life. Keep the focus on God’s character and His presence with us in trouble.
A Prayer to Close
Lord, thank You that You hear us when we cry to You. Thank You for leading us out of hard places and giving us good things when we are hungry. Help us remember to thank You for Your love that never ends. Amen.
