Children’s Message on Psalm 91 “God is My Refuge and My Fortress ”
Main Objective: The Psalms are full of comforting reminders of God’s presence and protection in our lives. Psalm 91 is a beautiful example of these. The Psalm contains images of how God covers us, hides us, and guards us from harm and evil. This message describes some of those, explaining how the Lord is always with us. There are scary things in our lives. Satan tries to harm us. But we serve a God who is greater than all of those threats. We know that we can run to Him and find shelter in His strength and love.
Law/Gospel Theme: Psalm 91 is a powerful reminder of how God protects and preserves us. He won’t let Satan near us because we are His. The coming of Jesus is the fulfillment of all of God’s promises. The Resurrection of Christ is the defeat of the Devil and death. We can take heart in knowing that He has overcome evil. He allows us to dwell in the shadow of the Almighty. Our hope and help are found in God’s power, and we are shielded and covered by His faithfulness.
Psalm 91:1-16 Children’s Sermon on “Hide in God’s Refuge”
Optional Materials: Item(s) to keep out of reach “keep-away” style
Bible Passage: Psalm 91:1-16
Message: (Note: adjust to your particular preferences and needs, as with every suggested message.)
Greet students and start off with a simple game of “Keep-Away”…
Children’s Sermon “The Shelter of the Most High” Psalm 91:1-16
Hello, children of God!
Have you ever played “Keep Away”? If you have brothers and sisters, it’s likely that you’ve done this, whether as a game or just because someone wanted what you had. In Keep Away, the object is to, as the name implies, keep something away from someone else, or if you’re on the opposing side of things, to get what someone else has. Want to try a round or two right now? As much as is appropriate for your group and situation, provide an object and have students try to keep it away from you. You might also hold the object and demonstrate methods of keeping it away from the students. Great! So you might have noticed that, in this game, there are different strategies you can use to keep the item safe. You might try to hold it very high out of reach, if you’re taller than the other person. Or maybe you tuck it in your pocket, if it’s a small enough item. Maybe you hug it closely to yourself and cover it up with your arms to keep it protected. Maybe you hold a hand out to prevent the other person from coming close…
These are all great ways to play Keep Away, and you might even use blocking techniques like this in other games, like basketball. But did you know that we are protected, too? Maybe we don’t think of it often, but God tells us in the Bible that He shields us and shelters us. In the Psalms, we hear how God’s faithfulness is our shield. Because we know we can count on Him to keep His promises, and we know He is always near, we can be confident in His protection. The same passage describes how God is a fortress and refuge that we can trust in, and He keeps us from harm and evil. He covers us and we can hide under His wings. As a mother bird shelters her babies with her strong and powerful wings, so God provides us with protection and provision through His presence. He surrounds us and keeps us away from danger.
We might not always like to consider the fact that there are enemies who desire our destruction or threats to our well-being. It isn’t a pleasant thought, but it’s true. Satan prowls dangerously and doesn’t want God or His people to win. But the Devil has already been defeated! We don’t need to fear him or anything else when we have the Lord on our side. God saves us and guards us. This promise of the Psalms was fulfilled in the coming of Jesus, who cleanses us from all sin and death. He is with us always, too. So when we feel scared or uncertain, we can cling to the hope that God is a great protector. He’s the master of “keep-away,” and He will keep us away from anything that might hurt us. We can always pray and bring our fears and concerns to Him, knowing He will care and provide for us.
Why don’t we say a prayer about that now?
Prayer:
(Have kids repeat each line, if desired)
Dear God,
Thank you for protecting us and providing for us.
Thank you that you are present
And we can take refuge in you.
Help us to remember you are our shield.
Thank you for your love.
We love you, God!
In His name, Amen!
God is my Refuge and my Fortress, Psalm 91:1-2, Prayer 🙏🏻
Bible Verses/story to Reference: Psalm 91:1-16
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”
3 For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with his pinions,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.
5 You will not fear the terror of the night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.
7 A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
8 You will only look with your eyes
and see the recompense of the wicked.
9 Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place—
the Most High, who is my refuge[—
10 no evil shall be allowed to befall you,
no plague come near your tent.
11 For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways.
12 On their hands they will bear you up,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread on the lion and the adder;
the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.
14 “Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him;
I will protect him, because he knows my name.
15 When he calls to me, I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will rescue him and honor him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation.” -Psalm 91:1-16