Psalm 23 Bible Lesson: God Renews Our Strength
Kids explore a verse from Psalm 23 and find out what it means for God to renew our strength.
Scripture: Psalm 23:3a
Feeling Tired
You’ll need:
Ahead of time, fill a pitcher with water, and set out enough paper cups for each child.
Have kids stand in a circle. Then ask:
- Tell about a time you’ve been really, really tired. Invite kids to share in pairs and then take a few responses for the large group to hear.
Say: Let’s test how long it takes us to feel tired.
Have kids start doing jumping jacks and turn on some energetic worship music in the background. Continue the jumping jacks for about two minutes—until kids look like they need a break. Then have kids stop and sit down.
Say: We tire out our bodies when we exercise and work hard without rest.
Ask:
- What makes you feel better after exercising?
Say: Water, food, and rest can all make us feel better when we’re physically tired. Pour cups of water and pass them around the circle so each child has a cup. But our bodies aren’t the only things that get tired and need to be given strength again. Our minds and our hearts can also get worn out. They get tired when we’re stressed out, when we’re in pain, when we have fights with other people, or other times and ways when life just feels hard.
God Renews Our Strength
Ask:
- When have you felt tired in your mind or your heart? What caused you to be tired?
- If water, food, and rest help us feel stronger when we’re physically tired, what might help us feel better when we’re tired in our minds or hearts?
Say: It’s not as easy to strengthen our hearts and our minds—it takes more than just water or food. But God loves us and he wants us to feel better when we’re hurt or tired. God renews our strength and God’s power makes us strong. Let’s pray now and ask God to renew us and make us strong whenever we’re tired or hurting.
As you pray, have kids take sips of their water whenever you say the word “strong.”
Pray: Dear God, thank you for your power. We know that your power makes us strong. So we pray that you’ll be with us whenever we’re feeling tired or hurt in our minds and hearts. We know that in those times, you’re with us. Thank you for renewing us and making us strong again. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Feeling Low
Have kids stand up and face you.
Say: In the Bible, Psalm 23 tells us that the Lord watches over us, guides us, and gives us peace. It also tells us that God’s power makes us strong. Psalm 23:3 says, “[The Lord] renews my strength.” Renew means to make new again—to restore something to what it used to be. So if God “renews” your strength, that means he makes you as strong as you were before you got tired.
Ask:
- What could that look like; to be exhausted and then completely renewed?
This verse isn’t only talking about physical strength; it’s also talking about our emotional and mental strength. God can renew that too!
Ask:
- What are some things that make you feel sad or troubled? Listen to responses.
Responding to Sadness
Say: I’m going to list some examples of times that might make you feel low or sad. After I give an example, show me just how “low” it would make you feel. For each thing I say, show me the sadness level by squatting lower toward the floor. If you can’t imagine being sadder, lay down on the floor.
Read the following list, and give kids time after each one to show how low they’d feel. You can come up with more “sad” events if you think of others that might be more appropriate for your group of children. You’ll also want to be sensitive to real-life events that have happened to kids in your ministry, such as divorce, sickness, or death. Kids may bring those events up during the discussion time; remind them that God is real and can give them hope during those hard times.
- You miss an important goal playing soccer, and your team loses the game.
- You have a fight with your best friend.
- Your dog runs away, and you can’t find her anywhere.
- You climb a tree, fall off a branch, and break your arm.
- You get in trouble for lying to your parents.
God Gives Us Strength
Ask:
- What do you do when you feel sad or low? What makes you feel better?
- How do you encourage other people when they feel low?
- How might God help us when we’re feeling sad or low?
Say: There are hard times in life, for everybody. Sometimes we hurt in our bodies, minds, and souls. During those really hard times, God never leaves us. God comforts us as he listens to everything we need to say, through his Word or the words or actions of other people he sends our way, and simply by being close to us. God’s powerful love can ease the pains. And God’s power makes us strong.
These activities come from Kids’ Travel Guide to the 23rd Psalm. This lesson book is full of activities that help reassure children that they can trust God’s love for them in every circumstance. Looking for more lessons? Check out these ideas!
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