9th Week of Ordinary Time, Saturday (Cycle II)

"In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen."

"My lips are filled with your praise,
with your glory all the day long.
I will always hope
and praise you more and more.
O God, you have taught me from my youth
and I proclaim your wonders still.
So I will give thanks on the lyre
for your faithful love, my God.
To you will I sing with the harp
to you, the Holy One of Israel."

(From the Psalm)

(Read the quote, then each line slowly, with pauses to allow the children (and us!) to reflect on the questions.)

Today we have a beautiful psalm, all about how wonderful God is and how thankful the psalmist is. (The psalmist is the person who wrote the psalm.)

He says, "My lips are filled with your praise, with your glory all the day long." He is always wanting to say good things about God.

He says he will praise God more and more. God can never be praised enough for all the wonderful things He does.

"O God, you have taught me from my youth" - God has always been with him, looking after him and helping him, even when he was a child.

"I will give thanks on the lyre for your faithful love, my God." A lyre is a kind of stringed musical instrument. God has such faithful love and the psalmist wants to thank Him for it in song.

"To you will I sing with the harp to you, the Holy One of Israel." A harp is another stringed musical instrument. God is the Holy One of Israel.

What things would you say to God if you were praising Him? Would you sing songs of love and praise? Let's praise God for a time, now.

Thank you, Lord, for Your faithful love. We praise you for your glory.

Allow any spontaneous prayers, perhaps leading by example. 3-6 year olds relate most naturally to God through prayers of praise and thanksgiving; 6+ will have started thinking about their needs and the needs of those around them in prayers of intercession. Some children may also just want quiet time to speak with God in their hearts.)

(Sing a simple hymn or chant if your children like singing. Or even if they don't ;) This can also be done at the beginning. )

"In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen."