Single lesson
Psalm 71: Be My Rock of Refuge
Psalms 71:1–24
Psalm 71 is a prayer that asks for help and gives praise all the way through. Children can listen for the speaker’s safety images, notice the repeated talk about God’s righteousness, and see how trust continues through trouble to a strong ending of praise.
Before you teach
In Psalm 71, the speaker calls to Yahweh for rescue, names God as refuge, rock and fortress, and remembers trusting God from youth and from the womb. The psalm keeps returning to God’s righteousness, salvation and mighty acts, and it ends with musical praise using harp and lyre.
Students will identify the speaker, key images of safety, and repeated words of prayer and praise in Psalm 71:1–24.
Welcome: Hear the prayer’s safety images
5 minSay: “Today we are listening to a prayer in Psalm 71.” Read verses 1 to 3 aloud twice. Ask children to listen for safety words. Briefly explain refuge as a safe place, and rock and fortress as pictures of strong protection. Write refuge, rock and fortress where everyone can see them.
Psalms 71:1, Psalms 71:2, Psalms 71:3
Read and explain: What does the speaker ask for?
7 minRead verses 4 to 13. Help the group notice that the speaker says my God, my hope and my confidence, so this is a personal prayer to God. The speaker asks to be rescued from wicked people and not to be forsaken in old age when strength fails. Enemies say no one will rescue the speaker, but the prayer asks God to hurry and help.
Psalms 71:4, Psalms 71:5, Psalms 71:9, Psalms 71:10, Psalms 71:11, Psalms 71:12, Psalms 71:13
Discuss: What does the speaker remember and declare?
6 minRead verses 5 to 8 and 14 to 18. Point out the long story of trust in these lines: from youth, from the womb, until now, and even when old and grey-haired. The speaker keeps praising God, telling of God’s righteousness and salvation, and wanting the next generation to hear about God’s strength and mighty works.
Psalms 71:5, Psalms 71:6, Psalms 71:8, Psalms 71:14, Psalms 71:15, Psalms 71:16, Psalms 71:17, Psalms 71:18
Make and respond: Illustrated prayer card
8 minChildren create a small card with one picture from the psalm, such as a rock, fortress, mouth praising, harp or lyre. On the card, they copy a short phrase from the psalm or dictate one for an adult to write. Invite each child to say whether their card shows praise, need, grief or trust.
Psalms 71:3, Psalms 71:8, Psalms 71:12, Psalms 71:22, Psalms 71:23, Psalms 71:24
Closing: Trouble, help and strong praise
4 minRead verses 19 to 24 aloud. Explain that the psalm has praise earlier and still keeps praying through trouble. In verse 20 the speaker says God has shown many and bitter troubles and asks for life and restoration again. The ending is full of praise: God has done great things, the speaker asks for comfort, and then praises with music, joy and talk of God’s righteousness.
Psalms 71:6, Psalms 71:8, Psalms 71:14, Psalms 71:19, Psalms 71:20, Psalms 71:21, Psalms 71:22, Psalms 71:23, Psalms 71:24
Questions to explore
What pictures for safety does the speaker use at the start of the psalm?
Listen for the words that describe where the speaker goes for help and protection: refuge, rock and fortress.
Psalms 71:1, Psalms 71:3
How does the speaker show that trust in God has lasted a long time?
Look for time words such as from my youth, from the womb, until now, and even when I am old and gray-haired.
Psalms 71:5, Psalms 71:6, Psalms 71:17, Psalms 71:18
What does the speaker say in verse 20, and how do the last verses answer it?
Notice the words about many and bitter troubles, then compare them with comfort, harp, lyre, joy and speaking of God’s righteousness.
Psalms 71:20, Psalms 71:21, Psalms 71:22, Psalms 71:23, Psalms 71:24
Make, think or respond
Illustrated Prayer or Image Card
What you’ll need
- plain paper or card
- pencils or crayons
- marker
- scissors
- optional coloured pencils
Try it together
- Read a few image verses again and let each child choose one picture or phrase from the psalm.
- Fold or cut paper into a small card shape.
- Draw the chosen image, such as a rock, fortress, mouth praising, harp or lyre.
- Write a short phrase from the psalm on the card, or have an adult write it for younger children.
- Share the card with the group and say whether it expresses praise, need, grief or trust.
This activity helps children notice the psalm’s own images and wording as the prayer continues through need, trust and praise.
Adapt for your group
- For younger children, offer two or three image choices and let them point to a verse for an adult to read and write on the card.
- For older or more confident children, ask them to include two phrases on the card, one showing need and one showing praise, then explain how both appear across the psalm.
An optional closing prayer
“God, you are our refuge. Please help us trust you, speak of your righteousness, and praise you as we bring our needs to you. Amen.”
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
Psalms 71
1 In you, Yahweh, I take refuge. Never let me be disappointed.
2 Deliver me in your righteousness, and rescue me. Turn your ear to me, and save me.
3 Be to me a rock of refuge to which I may always go. Give the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.
4 Rescue me, my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.
5 For you are my hope, Lord Yahweh, my confidence from my youth.
6 I have relied on you from the womb. You are he who took me out of my mother’s womb. I will always praise you.
7 I am a marvel to many, but you are my strong refuge.
8 My mouth shall be filled with your praise, with your honor all day long.
9 Don’t reject me in my old age. Don’t forsake me when my strength fails.
10 For my enemies talk about me. Those who watch for my soul conspire together,
11 saying, “God has forsaken him. Pursue and take him, for no one will rescue him.”
12 God, don’t be far from me. My God, hurry to help me.
13 Let my accusers be disappointed and consumed. Let them be covered with disgrace and scorn who want to harm me.
14 But I will always hope, and will add to all of your praise.
15 My mouth will tell about your righteousness, and of your salvation all day, though I don’t know its full measure.
16 I will come with the mighty acts of the Lord Yahweh. I will make mention of your righteousness, even of yours alone.
17 God, you have taught me from my youth. Until now, I have declared your wondrous works.
18 Yes, even when I am old and gray-haired, God, don’t forsake me, until I have declared your strength to the next generation, your might to everyone who is to come.
19 God, your righteousness also reaches to the heavens. You have done great things. God, who is like you?
20 You, who have shown us many and bitter troubles, you will let me live. You will bring us up again from the depths of the earth.
21 Increase my honor and comfort me again.
22 I will also praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, my God. I sing praises to you with the lyre, Holy One of Israel.
23 My lips shall shout for joy! My soul, which you have redeemed, sings praises to you!
24 My tongue will also talk about your righteousness all day long, for they are disappointed, and they are confounded, who want to harm me.
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.