Psalm 123 teaches children that when they feel hurt or unfair treatment, they can look up to God and ask him for mercy, just like a servant watches his master’s hand. This lesson works well for children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes.
Big Idea
We can look to God when we need help, because he is kind and he hears us.
Memory Verse
Psalm 123:2
Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress; so our eyes look to the LORD, our God, until he has mercy on us.
(WEB)
Have children cup their hands in front of them, then slowly lift their eyes upward as they say the verse together. Keep the hands cupped the whole time, like a servant waiting to see what the master needs.
The Story: Psalm 123 for Kids
Long ago, a group of God’s people lived in a hard place. Some people were mean to them. They laughed at them and treated them like they did not matter. The people felt tired and sad from being treated this way for a long time.
So they wrote a song, and they sang it to God. In the song, they said, “To you I lift up my eyes, God, you who sit in the heavens.” They were saying that God was high above everything, and they were looking to him.
The people compared themselves to servants. A servant watches his master’s hand, waiting for a sign of what to do. A servant girl watches her mistress in the same way. The people said, “Our eyes look to the LORD our God, until he has mercy on us.” They were ready to wait for God to help them.
Then they prayed a short, honest prayer. They said, “Have mercy on us, LORD, have mercy on us, because we have been treated badly for a long time.” They did not pretend it was fine. They told God exactly how they felt.
The song ends with the people saying that they are full of the mean talk of the proud people around them. That was heavy for them to carry. But they did not carry it alone. They brought it to God.
Read It Together
Psalm 123:1
To you I do lift up my eyes, you who sit in the heavens.
(WEB)
Point out the words “I lift up my eyes.” Show children that looking up is a way of trusting and paying attention to God, even when things feel hard.
Psalm 123:3-4
3 Have mercy on us, the LORD, have mercy on us, for we have endured much contempt. 4 Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scoffing of those who are at ease, with the contempt of the proud.
(WEB)
Point out the honest words “we have endured much contempt.” Explain that God wants to hear the real feelings of his people, including sadness and hurt, and that asking for mercy is a good thing to do.
Talk About It
- What do you think it felt like for God’s people to be treated so badly for so long?
- When a servant watches his master’s hand, what do you think he is waiting for?
- Why do you think the people looked up to God instead of only to the people who were mean to them?
- What is something hard you have been through, and how could you talk to God about it?
- What does it mean to ask God for mercy, and why do you think he is willing to give it?
Activity Ideas
Look Up Drawing
You will need paper, crayons or markers, and a pencil. Ask each child to draw a simple picture of a servant looking up at a hand, or to draw the sky with God sitting above it. Encourage them to color the sky bright and to write or draw one thing they want to ask God for. Display the pictures where children can see them during the week.
Watch the Hand Game
You will need a small open space and a few chairs or cushions. Have one child play the master, holding out a hand, and the others play servants who watch carefully. The master moves the hand slowly, and the servants follow it with their eyes and then move when the hand gives a signal. Switch roles so everyone has a turn, and talk about how waiting and watching takes patience.
Mercy Jar at Home
You will need a clean jar, paper slips, and a pen. Each day, have your child write one thing they need help with or one hard feeling on a slip of paper and place it in the jar. Pray over the jar together at dinner or bedtime, asking God for mercy and help. This gives children a simple, regular way to look up to God.
Teacher Notes
For adults, Psalm 123 shows that honest, humble prayer is a healthy response to mistreatment. The psalmist does not deny the pain or pretend to be strong. Instead, he fixes his attention on God, who is high and merciful, and asks for help. This gives us a model for bringing both trust and raw feelings to God in the same prayer.
Avoid overstating to children that God will always change a hard situation right away or make every unfair thing stop. The psalm teaches that God hears and shows mercy, but it does not promise a specific outcome or timeline. Focus on the character of God as kind and listening, and on the healthy habit of looking to him.
A Prayer to Close
Lord God, we lift up our eyes to you, because you are high above us and you see us. When people are unkind or things feel hard, help us to watch for your help and trust your kindness. Have mercy on us, and teach us to bring every hurt to you. Amen.
