Looking for topics like "making a psalm," or "David writing, playing a psalm" ?

Check out this topic in the David forum:
Ideas for making David's Harp

Dema Kohen at WeAreKidMin resources has put out a wonderful Psalms Poster for Children.

Here's a sample of it. It features seven quotes from the psalms.

Once upon a time, WeAreKidMin offered it as a free download to those who signed up for his newsletter. It is otherwise for sale at their online shop at a very reasonable price. At the time of this posting, it was a digital file which came in various sizes and a license allowing you to print as many as you wanted. Take it to your local office supply store to print the large version.

Note: Rotation.org recommends good resources without being compensated for the pleasure!

A Song Video and Science Experiment to Help Teach Psalm 51

1 Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.

7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

10 Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

The Music Video

This creative "stop animation" depicts a "painter" being laughed at by other "painters" and feeling down. They then find Jesus who is a painter. (That it is Jesus may not be obvious at first!)  It's a metaphor that should provoke discussion with older kids. Scenes of the band playing the song and getting paint on themselves are cut in. What is this "paint" that we need?

The reasons why I've posted it here under Psalm 51 is that the sign on the door that Jesus takes the painter through says "Psalm 51."  See the note I've added to the end of this post about "brokenness, emptiness" being spiritual concepts" to be discussed.

LYRICS

Make me broken
So I can be healed
'Cause I'm so calloused
And now I can't feel
I want to run to You
With heart wide open
Make me broken

Make me empty
So I can be filled
'Cause I'm still holding
Onto my will
And I'm completed
When you are with me
Make me empty

'Til you are my one desire
'Til you are my one true love
'Til you are my breath, my everything
Lord, please keep making me

Make me lonely
So I can be yours
'Til I want no one
More than You, lord
'Cause in the darkness
I know you will hold me
Make me lonely

'Til you are my one desire
'Til you are my one true love
'Til you are my breath, my everything
Lord, please keep making me
'Til you are my one desire
'Til you are my one true love
'Til you are my breath, my everything

Lord, please keep making
I know you keep making
Lord, please keep making me

Songwriters: Ben Mcdonald / David Frey / Sam Mizell
Keep Making Me lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc

Note:
This is poetry! The concepts of "broken" and "lonely" they sing about are, for our intentions, spiritual ones, and should be discussed as such. They are not suggesting that we need to become "lonely people" to find Jesus.

• "Make me lonely" means to realize we are incomplete without Christ in our lives. We are "lonely" for God.
• "Make me broken" means "help me realize I am broken and in need of God's mending."  Make me aware that I need God's salvation.
• We ask God to empty our pride, empty our hate, empty our self-loathing, empty us from conceit and worldly desires and make room for the "one true desire" and breath (spirit) which is "my everything."

The "Whiter Than Snow" Science Experiment

There are a number of similar demonstrations on YouTube. The audio of this one isn't great but he explains the ingredients quite well and has some interesting things to say that you can relate to you kids.  Ingredients: Iodine, Bleach, Water