This lesson teaches children that God is a helper who carries our burdens and cares for people who feel alone or in need. It works well for children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes to teach.
Big Idea
God is strong, and he takes care of his people. He sets lonely people in families and helps everyone who needs him.
Memory Verse
Psalm 68:19
Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burdens, even the God who is our salvation. Selah.
(WEB)
Teach the children to place both hands on their shoulders, then lift them up and open them wide, like a helper carrying something heavy away. Say the verse together while making the motion each time you reach the word “burdens.”
The Story: Psalm 68 for Kids
Long ago, a king named David wrote a happy song about God. He wanted everyone to know that God is strong and good. In the song, David said that God is like a loving father to children who have no father. God is also a defender for widows, who are women whose husbands have died.
David remembered a time when God marched ahead of his people in the wilderness. The people walked through a dry, empty land, and God went before them. The earth shook, and rain fell from the sky near Mount Sinai, where God had given his law. God gave his people food and water, and he took care of them when they were tired.
The people of Israel sang and played music as they walked toward the holy place where God lived. Singers went in front, musicians came behind, and young women played tambourines. Everyone was glad, because God was with them. David called out, “Bless God in the gathering of his people!” Then everyone joined in and cheered.
David also said that God carries our burdens every single day. A burden is something heavy that we cannot carry alone, like a worry or a hard day. God helps us carry those things. David thanked God because God is our salvation, which means God saves us and keeps us safe.
At the end of the song, David invited every kingdom on earth to sing to God. He said God rides on the heavens and speaks with a mighty voice. Then David finished by saying that God gives strength and power to his people. What a wonderful way to end a song!
Read It Together
Psalm 68:5-6
5 A father of the fatherless, and a defender of the widows, is God in his holy habitation. 6 God sets the lonely in families. He brings out the prisoners with singing, but the rebellious dwell in a sun-scorched land.
(WEB)
Point out that God cares for children who have no family and people who feel lonely. Ask the children to name someone they know who helps others feel included, and explain that God is like that kind of helper but even greater.
Psalm 68:35
You are awesome, God, in your sanctuaries. The God of Israel gives strength and power to his people. Praise be to God!
(WEB)
Show the children that this verse ends the psalm with praise. Explain that God gives strength to his people, and invite the class to say one word that describes God’s strength in their own words.
Psalm 68:28
Your God has commanded your strength. Strengthen, God, that which you have done for us.
(WEB)
Help the children see that David asked God to strengthen what God had already done. Remind them that asking God for help is a good habit, because God is always ready to answer.
Talk About It
- What is something heavy that you have carried this week, like a backpack or a worry?
- How did David say God takes care of children who do not have a mom or dad?
- What did the people do when they walked toward God’s holy place?
- Why do you think David wanted every kingdom on earth to sing to God?
- How can you be a helper to someone who feels lonely or worried this week?
Activity Ideas
Burden Bag Drawing
Give each child a sheet of paper, crayons, and a small paper bag. Ask them to draw a worry or heavy feeling on a slip of paper and place it inside the bag. Then have them draw a small picture of God helping them carry it, and tape the picture to the outside of the bag as a reminder.
Mountain March Game
Clear a space in the room and have the children march slowly around like the people walking through the wilderness. Play a drum or clap your hands to keep the beat, and when you stop the music, everyone must freeze and say, “God is strong!” Repeat the game several times, letting different children lead the march.
Helper Hands Take-Home
Ask each child to trace both hands on a piece of colored paper and cut them out. On one hand, they write the word “Burdens,” and on the other, they write the word “Helper.” Encourage them to tape the hands to their bedroom door so they see the reminder each morning and night.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this psalm is a song of praise that celebrates God as a powerful king who leads his people and cares for the vulnerable. It shows that God’s care is both personal, reaching lonely and needy people, and public, shaping the life of a whole nation. The psalm reminds believers that God’s strength is both fierce against evil and gentle toward the weak.
Avoid overstating the battle imagery to children, since parts of the psalm describe enemies being scattered and defeated. Focus on God’s love, protection, and care for ordinary people, and explain that the psalm’s strong language is a picture of God’s power over everything that harms his people.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank you for being strong and kind to us. Thank you for carrying our burdens every day and for helping us when we feel alone. Help us be good helpers to others too. Amen.
