Psalms 101
Explanation and Bible story for toddlers and preschoolers (ages 3-6)
The Explanation
There once was a king. His name was David. David had a house. A big house, with a big door.
David loved to sing. He sang to God. He sang about being kind. He sang about doing what is right. "I will sing to you," said David.
David looked around his house. He wanted his house to be good inside. Very good.
David said, "I will not look at bad things." He closed his eyes to things that were wrong. He did not want them near him.
David did not want mean people close to him either. People who whisper bad things about others. David said, "Not near me. Not in my house."
David did want good friends close. Friends who tell the truth. Friends with kind hearts. "They may live with me," David said.
But someone who lies? David shook his head. "He won't stay in my house," he said.
What Does This Mean?
David was a king. Kings have big houses. But David was not just thinking about walls and doors.
He was thinking about his own heart. His heart is like a house too.
David wanted good things inside his heart. Kind things. True things.
He did not want bad things inside. Not lies. Not meanness.
Every morning, David thought about this again. Morning by morning. Just like you wake up every morning and open your eyes again.
The Common Thread
David sang his song to God. He knew God was listening.
David wanted his house to be clean and good, like God is good. He wanted to walk close to God, every day, inside his own house.
Long, long after David, someone else had a heart that was always good. Always true. That was Jesus. Jesus never lied. Jesus never let mean things live in his heart.
Jesus helps us have clean hearts too. He lives close to us, like a friend in the house.
For You
What do you look at? What do you let into your heart?
You can choose kind words. You can choose true words.
When someone is mean, you do not have to be mean back. You can ask God for a clean heart, like David did.
Every morning, when you wake up, you can say, "God, help my heart today."
Just like David sang his song, morning by morning.
Talk About It
What good things do you want inside your heart?
Can you think of one kind thing you will say today?
Praying Together
Dear God, Thank you for David and his song. Help my heart be clean, like a good house. Help me choose kind words. Help me choose true words. Every morning, help me again. Thank you that Jesus is close to me. Amen.
Questions about Psalms 101
Short answers for anyone reading about this for the first time.
What is Psalms 101 about?
What does Psalms 101 say?
What does Psalms 101 teach us about God?
What can toddlers learn from Psalms 101?
Why is Psalms 101 an important Bible story?
What others discovered
I will silence whoever secretly slanders his neighbor," David says. Notice the word secretly. The damage is done in low voices, in a text thread, in a story told just once to just one person. David refused to host it in his house. What gets whispered in yours, and do you shut it down or lean in closer?
Looking for something for slightly older children?
We also have dedicated versions for elementary age (7-12) and teens (12 and up).
Open in the Children's Bible tool
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