Single lesson
Psalm 125: The LORD Surrounds His People
Psalms 125:1–5
Psalm 125 teaches trust in Yahweh through clear images and a short prayer. Children will explore how the psalm begins with confidence, gives a reason for that confidence, and ends by asking Yahweh to act rightly.
Before you teach
These verses speak about people who trust in Yahweh, the righteous, the upright in heart, and those who turn to crooked ways. The psalm first describes stability and being surrounded, then says wickedness will not remain, and closes with prayer and peace.
Students will identify the psalm’s two main images and explain how Psalms 125:1-5 moves from trust in Yahweh to prayer about good, evil and peace.
Welcome: Firm and surrounded
5 minShow a simple drawing or object in the middle of a ring of blocks, books or cups. Ask what looks hard to move and what looks surrounded. Introduce the psalm’s opening words about Mount Zion that cannot be moved and mountains around Jerusalem. Explain that these verses begin with strong images of trust and nearness.
Psalms 125:1, Psalms 125:2
Read and explain: Two pictures in order
8 minRead Psalms 125:1-5 aloud. In verse 1, those who trust in Yahweh are compared to Mount Zion, which cannot be moved but remains. In verse 2, mountains surround Jerusalem, and Yahweh surrounds his people. That image suggests safety and nearness, though the verse itself simply states that Yahweh surrounds them.
Psalms 125:1, Psalms 125:2
Discuss: What verse 3 actually says
6 minLook closely at verse 3. A sceptre is a ruler’s staff, so the sceptre of wickedness points to wicked rule. The verse says it will not remain over the allotment of the righteous, and it gives a reason: so that the righteous will not use their hands to do evil. Stay close to those exact words.
Psalms 125:3
Make and respond: Image card from the psalm
7 minChildren make a card with one side showing Mount Zion or mountains surrounding Jerusalem from verses 1-2. Inside, they write words from verse 4, ‘Do good, Yahweh,’ or the closing words, ‘Peace be on Israel’ from verse 5. This keeps both the drawing and the written response closely tied to the psalm.
Psalms 125:1, Psalms 125:2, Psalms 125:4, Psalms 125:5
Closing: Follow the movement of the psalm
4 minReview the order together. The psalm begins with trust, then says Yahweh surrounds his people, then says wickedness will not remain, then asks Yahweh to do good to the upright, and finally warns about crooked ways before ending with peace on Israel. Invite each child to name one phrase from the passage.
Psalms 125:1, Psalms 125:2, Psalms 125:3, Psalms 125:4, Psalms 125:5
Questions to explore
What are the two main pictures in the opening of the psalm?
Find the comparison to Mount Zion in Psalms 125:1 and the mountains surrounding Jerusalem in Psalms 125:2.
Psalms 125:1, Psalms 125:2
According to verse 3, why will the sceptre of wickedness not remain over the allotment of the righteous?
Answer with the words of the verse: it says this is so that the righteous will not use their hands to do evil.
Psalms 125:3
How do verses 4 and 5 treat upright people and crooked people differently?
Notice the prayer asking Yahweh to do good to the good and upright in Psalms 125:4, and the warning about those who turn to crooked ways in Psalms 125:5.
Psalms 125:4, Psalms 125:5
Make, think or respond
Psalm 125 Image and Words Card
What you’ll need
- paper or card
- pencils
- markers or crayons
- optional ruler
Try it together
- Fold one sheet of paper or card in half.
- On the front, draw either Mount Zion standing firm or mountains surrounding Jerusalem from Psalms 125:1-2.
- Inside, copy a short line from Psalms 125:4 or write ‘Peace be on Israel’ from Psalms 125:5.
- Share the card and point to which verse matches the picture and which verse matches the written words.
The drawing matches the images in Psalms 125:1-2, and the written words come from Psalms 125:4-5, so the response stays anchored in this passage.
Adapt for your group
- For younger children, offer two drawing choices only, and help them copy a short phrase such as ‘remains forever’ or ‘Peace be on Israel’.
- For older children, ask them to label the picture and words with verse numbers and explain the psalm’s movement from trust in Psalms 125:1-2 to prayer and warning in Psalms 125:4-5.
An optional closing prayer
Suggested words: ‘Yahweh, help us trust you. Please do good to those who are upright in heart, and bring peace.’
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
Psalms 125
1 Those who trust in Yahweh are as Mount Zion, which can’t be moved, but remains forever.
2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so Yahweh surrounds his people from this time forward and forever more.
3 For the scepter of wickedness won’t remain over the allotment of the righteous, so that the righteous won’t use their hands to do evil.
4 Do good, Yahweh, to those who are good, to those who are upright in their hearts.
5 But as for those who turn away to their crooked ways, Yahweh will lead them away with the workers of iniquity. Peace be on Israel.
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.