Easy Bible Crafts

Single lesson

Psalm 53: The Fool Says There Is No God

Psalms 53:1–6

Psalm 53 is a short poem that begins with people denying God and ends with a wish for God’s salvation. In this lesson, children trace the speaker, the images and the poem’s movement from grief to hope.

6–10 years30 minutes

Before you teach

These six verses describe fools who say there is no God, God looking down from heaven, people doing wrong, harm against “my people”, fear and shame for enemies, and a final wish for Israel’s salvation and joy. The wording moves from observation and complaint to hope-filled prayer.

Learning aim

Students will be able to identify the speaking voice in Psalm 53 and explain how the poem moves from describing wrongdoing, to speaking of “my people”, to wishing for Israel’s salvation.

1

Welcome: Listen for who is speaking

4 min

Tell the group that Psalm 53 is a poem. Ask them to listen for the voice of the poem as you read all six verses aloud. Invite them to notice where the speaker describes people, where the speaker says “my people”, and where the poem ends with a wish for salvation and joy.

Psalms 53:1, Psalms 53:4, Psalms 53:6

2

Read and explain: What the fool says and what God sees

8 min

Read verses 1 to 3 again. Explain that “the fool” is shown by the words said in the heart, “There is no God.” The poem says such people are corrupt and do not do good. Then the voice tells us that God looks down from heaven to see whether any understand and seek after him.

Psalms 53:1, Psalms 53:2, Psalms 53:3

3

Discuss: Trace the speaker through the middle of the psalm

6 min

Read verses 4 and 5. Help children hear the speaker more clearly here. The poem speaks about wrongdoers, then says they “eat up my people”, which shows a first-person voice inside the psalm. Notice too the image of harm being as ordinary as eating bread, before the poem turns to fear, shame and God’s rejection of enemies.

Psalms 53:4, Psalms 53:5

4

Make and respond: The poem ends as a wish-prayer

7 min

Read verse 6 and ask how the speaker sounds now. Point out the prayer-like wish, “Oh that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion!” The ending looks ahead to God bringing back his people so that Jacob will rejoice and Israel will be glad.

Psalms 53:6

5

Closing: Retell the movement and the voice

5 min

Review the poem in three steps. First, a voice describes fools and wrongdoers. Next, that same voice speaks of “my people” being harmed. Last, the voice ends with a wish for Israel’s salvation. Let children finish this sentence: “The speaker begins by describing, then says ‘my people’, then wishes for ___.”

Psalms 53:1, Psalms 53:4, Psalms 53:6

Questions to explore

In verse 1, what does the fool say, and what kind of life is linked with that saying?

Look at the words said in the heart, then read the next lines about being corrupt and doing abominable iniquity.

Psalms 53:1

What does God look for from heaven in verse 2?

The verse names two things God is looking for among the children of men: understanding and seeking after God.

Psalms 53:2

How can you trace the speaker through the psalm from verse 1 to verse 6?

Notice the voice describing fools in verse 1, the first-person words “my people” in verse 4, and the wish for Israel’s salvation in verse 6.

Psalms 53:1, Psalms 53:4, Psalms 53:6

Make, think or respond

Psalm 53 Picture Path Card

What you’ll need

  • Plain paper or card
  • Pencils or crayons
  • Bible
  • Marker

Try it together

  1. Fold a sheet into three parts.
  2. In the first part, draw or write a picture for people denying God and doing wrong.
  3. In the second part, draw or write a picture for God looking down and for the words “my people”.
  4. In the third part, draw or write a picture for salvation, rejoicing and gladness.
  5. Ask each child to explain how their three parts show both the movement and the speaker’s voice in Psalm 53.

This card helps children show how Psalm 53 moves from wrongdoing, to God’s seeing and the speaker’s concern for “my people”, to hope for salvation and joy.

Adapt for your group

  • For younger children, give three starter phrases to copy: “No God”, “my people”, and “Rejoice and be glad”.
  • For older or more confident children, ask them to add a short label for the speaker in each panel: describing, grieving, and wishing for salvation.

An optional closing prayer

You may pray: “God, thank you that you see what is true. Help us seek you, care about your people, and be glad in your salvation.”

Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic

Psalms 53

1 The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity. There is no one who does good.

2 God looks down from heaven on the children of men, to see if there are any who understood, who seek after God.

3 Every one of them has gone back. They have become filthy together. There is no one who does good, no, not one.

4 Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge, who eat up my people as they eat bread, and don’t call on God?

5 There they were in great fear, where no fear was, for God has scattered the bones of him who encamps against you. You have put them to shame, because God has rejected them.

6 Oh that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion! When God brings back his people from captivity, then Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.

World English Bible Classic. Public domain.

Source passages

← Explore more Bible lessons