With children
An idea for presenting the story to children
- Ask the children to think of different words people might use to say they feel happy. Invite the children to choose words they would use to say they felt happy.
- Explain that, in today’s psalm, the people have returned to their home country and they feel happy. Ask the children to repeat the words in bold in the story. How do they think the people might say these words? Would it be quiet or loud? Do they think the people would stand still or dance?
- Practise saying or shouting the phrase with the children and encourage them to move as the people may have moved.
Link to story
Talk about
After reading the Bible story to your group, use these discussion points.
The Israelites dreamed of coming back to their homeland, and in this psalm they are celebrating the fullment of that dream.
- What dreams or hopes do you have for your future?
- What was the Israelites’ dream?
- How do you think they felt when they arrived back in their homeland?
- How did they express their happiness?