Worship with the Psalmists

by Debra Hane

Are you sad, happy, angry, thankful, or afraid? Everyone’s emotions can change based on their circumstances or moods. Sometimes our emotions can be hard to manage or understand. Children need help to understand and properly manage their emotions, too. Most of all, they need to learn how to turn to God no matter what they’re feeling. Emotions can and should turn our focus to God. 

Do you have a favorite psalm? Maybe it’s Psalm 23, because it reminds you that God is your Shepherd, or maybe Psalm 139, because it reminds you that He formed you and knows all about you.

The psalms were written to express emotions, desires, confessions, and needs while also exposing God’s majesty, power, mercy, help, protection, provision, goodness, and faithfulness. As we read them, they can give voice to our deepest thoughts and feelings and point us to the loving heart of God.

Have you thought about the wide variety of content the 150 psalms cover? A psalm may focus on praise, thanksgiving, or trust. It may be a wisdom psalm or a Messianic psalm. The pilgrimage psalms, 120-134, are each titled as “A Song of Ascents” and were sung as Israelites approached Jerusalem for their annual festivals. Many are psalms of lament that express strong emotions.

God gave us the Book of Psalms to help turn our thoughts to praise and worship Him. Let’s look at three ways the Psalms can help children worship God whatever they may be feeling.

1. Teach children the purpose of the Book of Psalms and the different content it covers.

Help children understand that they can turn to the psalms to put their focus on God no matter how they feel. God never changes. They can trust what the Bible says about Him is true. He is always worthy of our worship, whether we are happy, sad, or angry. God is greater than any problem we face or emotion we have.

Psalms—Cry Out to God

Look at Psalm 13 together and explain how some psalms cry out to God in struggles and sorrows. Children can also be open and honest with their feelings when they talk with God.

Psalms—Put Your Trust in God

Then point out in verses 5 and 6 how the author turns from sorrow to put his trust in God. Feelings can change when you focus on who God is, what He has done, and what He promises to do.

God is greater than any problem we face or emotion we have.

Psalms—Tell How to Live God’s Way

Use Psalm 1 as an example of how some psalms talk about the wise and right way to live. No matter how children may feel, they can know it’s always best when they live God’s way.

Psalms—Give Thanks to God

Psalm 100 is a good example of psalms that give thanks to God. One way to help children manage their emotions is to develop in them an attitude of gratitude. There is always a reason to be thankful to God.

Psalms—Praise God

Look at Psalm 150 and explain how some psalms were written with the sole purpose of praising God. God always deserves our worship, no matter how we feel. Children can look to these psalms to set their hearts to praise God.

They can put their trust in God, ask Him to help them live His way, give thanks, and praise God for who He is. 

2. Read a psalm together as a prayer or if you know it as a song, sing it as a song of worship.

Tell the children to think about what the psalm is saying and ask God to teach them how to apply it to their own lives.

3. Encourage the children to respond with their own prayers and praise.

Remind them they can be open and honest with God. He loves and cares for them no matter how they feel. They can put their trust in God, ask Him to help them live His way, give thanks, and praise God for who He is. 

As you pray through the psalms together, children will learn how to turn to the psalms to worship God with whatever emotions they have.

Learn more about the types of Psalms: Children’s Ministry Resource Bible, Pages 660-661.