Psalm 58 teaches children that God sees every unfair thing people do and that He is always fair and good. This lesson is for children ages 5 to 11, and it takes about 20 to 30 minutes to teach. You can use it in Sunday school, a children’s group, or at a family devotion.
Big Idea
God sees when people are unfair, and He always does what is right. We can trust Him to make things fair in the end.
Memory Verse
Psalm 58:11
So that men shall say, “Most certainly there is a reward for the righteous. Most certainly there is a God who judges the earth.”
(WEB)
Teach the children to place one hand on their heart, then lift both arms high like a great big “yes.” Say the verse together while you move, and then repeat it three times, a little slower each time, until everyone can say it without looking.
The Story: Psalm 58 for Kids
King David wrote a song about people who were being very unfair. Some leaders were saying things that were not true, and they were hurting people who had done nothing wrong. David felt upset when he saw it. He knew that God was watching every single thing.
David talked to God about it. He said that these people made plans to be mean and were always telling lies, even from the time they were little. Their words were like poison, hurting everyone around them. They refused to listen to anyone who tried to help them change.
David asked God to stop them. He prayed that God would make their power go away, like water that runs off and disappears into the ground. He asked God to make their weapons useless. David knew that only God could make these unfair people stop.
Then David looked ahead to the day when God would make everything right. He said that good people would be glad when they saw God’s justice. Everyone would look at what happened and say, “There really is a God who makes things fair on the earth.”
Read It Together
Psalm 58:1-2
1 Do you indeed speak righteousness, silent ones? Do you judge blamelessly, you sons of men? 2 No, in your heart you plot injustice. You measure out the violence of your hands in the earth.
(WEB)
Point out that David asks a question about people who are silent when they should speak up for what is right. Explain that these verses show that God knows what is in people’s hearts, even when others cannot see it.
Psalm 58:3-5
3 The wicked go astray from the womb. They are wayward as soon as they are born, speaking lies. 4 Their poison is like the poison of a snake; like a deaf cobra that stops its ear, 5 which doesn’t listen to the voice of charmers, no matter how skillful the charmer may be.
(WEB)
Show the children that these verses describe people who choose to lie and refuse to listen. Help them see that the snake and the cobra are pictures of how dangerous unkind words can be, and ask them why it matters to listen to good advice.
Psalm 58:10-11
10 The righteous shall rejoice when he sees the vengeance. He shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked; 11 so that men shall say, “Most certainly there is a reward for the righteous. Most certainly there is a God who judges the earth.”
(WEB)
Point to the last part of the psalm, where the righteous people rejoice and see that God is a judge who rewards goodness. Help the children understand that David trusted God to bring justice, so they can trust Him too.
Talk About It
- What did David notice that was not fair in this psalm?
- How do you think David felt when he saw people being mean and telling lies?
- What are some ways that God shows He sees everything we do?
- Why is it good to trust God to make things right instead of trying to get revenge ourselves?
- What is one thing you can do this week to be fair and honest with the people around you?
Activity Ideas
Scales of Justice Craft
You will need paper plates, string, a hole punch, markers, and two paper cups. Punch holes on opposite sides of each plate and tie string to the cups, then hang the cups from the plates. Ask each child to draw a happy face on one cup for “good choices” and a sad face on the other for “unkind choices,” and talk about how God sees both.
Freeze and Listen Game
Choose one child to be the judge and have the others walk around the room. When the judge says “God sees you,” everyone freezes, and then the judge points to one child who did something kind that day. Let the children take turns being the judge so everyone practices noticing good things.
Take-Home Promise Card
You will need index cards, crayons, and a pencil. Have each child write Psalm 58:11 on one side of the card in simple letters, or help them copy the words, and draw a picture of something fair they want to do on the other side. Encourage them to show the card to a parent or sibling at home and explain what it means.
Teacher Notes
For adults, Psalm 58 is a prayer that calls on God to bring justice against people who abuse their power and speak falsely. David expresses real anger at injustice while trusting God to be the one who judges, not himself. The psalm reminds us that God sees every hidden heart and will set things right in His time.
When teaching children, avoid making the lesson sound like God is happy when people get hurt or that children should wish harm on anyone. Keep the focus on God being fair and trustworthy, and on the children choosing honesty and kindness themselves.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank You for being fair and for seeing everything we do. Help us to speak the truth and to be kind, even when it is hard. When we see things that are not right, help us to trust You to make them right. Amen.
