Psalm 90 teaches children that God is always with his people, that he is forever, and that we can ask him to make our days full of joy. It suits children aged about 5 to 11 and takes 20 to 30 minutes to teach, including the story, the verses, and a simple activity.
Big Idea
God lasts forever, and he is our home. Because he is always with us, we can ask him to fill our days with joy.
Memory Verse
Psalm 90:1
Lord, you have been our dwelling place for all generations.
(WEB)
Place one hand flat on your chest, then hold both arms wide like a roof over your head. Say the verse slowly while you move your arms, so children link God’s care with a safe, sheltering home.
The Story: Psalm 90 for Kids
Long ago, a man named Moses wrote a prayer to God. He had watched many people live and grow old, and he had seen how quickly life goes by. Moses wanted children and grown-ups alike to remember that God was there before anything else existed. Before the mountains stood tall and before the earth was made, God already was.
Moses told God that people are like grass in the morning. The grass grows fresh and green when the sun rises, but by evening it has dried up. Our days on earth are short, like a sigh or a quick breath. Moses did not say this to make anyone sad. He wanted everyone to know that our lives are gifts, and that we should use our time well.
Moses did not stop at saying how short life is. He prayed and said, “Lord, teach us to count our days, so that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” He was asking God to help him think about what matters most, and to live in a wise way. A heart of wisdom knows that God is kind and faithful.
Then Moses asked God for something very sweet. He said, “Satisfy us in the morning with your loving kindness, so that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.” Moses knew that God’s love fills people up, like a good breakfast fills a tummy. He asked God to show his work to the children who would come after, so that they too could know him.
The psalm ends with a simple wish. Moses asked God to let his favor rest on his people and to make the work of their hands good and lasting. Moses trusted that the same God who was his home would be the home for his family too.
Read It Together
Psalm 90:2
Before the mountains were born, before you had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, you are God.
(WEB)
Point out that God was here before the mountains and the earth. Ask children to name something big they know, then remind them that God is bigger and older than all of it, and he never ends.
Psalm 90:12
So teach us to count our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
(WEB)
Show how Moses asks God to teach him how to use his days well. Explain that counting our days means thinking carefully about how we spend our time, and asking God to help us be wise.
Psalm 90:14
Satisfy us in the morning with your loving kindness, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
(WEB)
Point out the word “satisfy” and the picture of morning. Talk about how God’s loving kindness can make us feel full of gladness, and how we can rejoice in him every day.
Talk About It
- What is one place where you feel safe and at home, and how is God like that place for you?
- Why do you think Moses wanted God to teach him how to count his days?
- What is something that makes you feel happy and full, like a good breakfast?
- How can you use your time this week in a way that pleases God?
- When something seems scary or hard, what can you remember about God who lasts forever?
Activity Ideas
Paper House Craft
You will need construction paper, crayons, glue, and scissors. Have each child draw a simple house with a roof and a door, then write or draw the words “God is our home” on the front. Explain that God is a safe home that never ends, and let children take the house home as a reminder.
Morning and Evening Grass Game
You will need a open space and a few soft toys or beanbags. Ask children to stretch up tall like grass in the morning, then slowly fold down low like grass in the evening. Repeat a few times while saying “God is forever,” so children feel how quickly our days pass and how steady God remains.
Daily Wisdom Jar
You will need a clean jar, paper strips, and a pen. Each day for a week, have children write one good thing they did or one way they felt God’s love, then fold the paper and place it in the jar. At the end of the week, read the notes together and thank God for helping them count their days with a heart of wisdom.
Teacher Notes
For adults, Psalm 90 is a prayer of honest reflection. Moses, traditionally regarded as its author, looks at human frailty against the backdrop of God’s eternity, and then asks God for mercy, satisfaction, and lasting good work. It reminds us that our time is limited and that wisdom begins with trusting God as our dwelling place.
When teaching children, avoid overstating the sadness of the passage. The psalm speaks of life’s brevity and of God’s anger toward sin, but it ends with hope, joy, and a request for God’s favor. Keep the focus on God’s love and faithfulness, and let children feel the gladness the psalm offers.
A Prayer to Close
Lord, you have always been our home, and you will be our home forever. Teach us to use our days well, and fill us each morning with your loving kindness. Help us to rejoice and be glad all our days. Amen.
