David and Goliath

Teacher background

The story of David and Goliath is in 1 Samuel 17. The Philistines and the army of Israel faced each other across the valley of Elah. For forty days, a Philistine champion named Goliath came out and dared Israel to send one man to fight him, and everyone was afraid. David, the youngest son of Jesse and a shepherd, came to the camp to bring food to his brothers. He told King Saul that the God who had kept him safe from a lion and a bear would be with him again. He went out with his sling and five smooth stones, and his first stone brought the giant down.

The main idea for children is that David was brave because he trusted that God was with him. Keep the focus there. The chapter ends with Goliath’s death and a battle. For this age, the lesson says that Goliath fell and the Philistine army ran away. If a child asks whether Goliath died, answer briefly and truthfully, then turn back to David’s trust in God. David himself says that “the LORD doesn’t save with sword and spear” (1 Samuel 17:47), so this is a story about faith facing fear.

Some children in your group may feel small, left out, or picked on. This story tells them that God sees them and is with them.

This lesson fits Proper 7 in Year B (June 20, 2027), when 1 Samuel 17 is the first reading, and it works on any Sunday. For more background, read David and Goliath.

Welcome activity

How tall was Goliath? (5 minutes). Before class, measure and cut a piece of yarn 9 feet 9 inches long, Goliath’s height in the Hebrew Bible and almost as tall as a basketball hoop. Tape one end of the yarn to the floor and stretch it out in a straight line.

When the children arrive, invite them to lie down along the yarn, head to toe, to see how many children it takes to be as tall as Goliath. Then gather in a circle and ask:

• What is the biggest thing you have ever seen?
• Have you ever felt too small to do something?
• What helps you feel brave?

Say: “Today’s story is about a shepherd boy who felt very small next to a giant. Let’s find out what helped him be brave.”

Telling the story

10 minutes. Open your Bible to 1 Samuel 17 and show the children where the story is. Then read this version aloud, or tell it in your own words. Pause where the notes in italics suggest.

Long ago, God’s people, the Israelites, had a king named Saul. They had neighbors called the Philistines. The two peoples did not get along.

One day their two armies came to a valley. The Philistines camped on one hill. King Saul’s army camped on the hill across from them. The valley lay in between. (Make two hills with your hands.)

Every morning, a giant came down into the valley. His name was Goliath. He was very, very tall, almost as tall as a basketball hoop! He wore a shiny bronze helmet and a heavy coat of armor. He carried a huge spear.

Goliath shouted across the valley. “Send someone out to fight me!” (Cup your hands and shout in a deep, silly voice.) King Saul’s soldiers shook in their sandals. (Shake all over.) Nobody wanted to go. Every morning and every evening, Goliath shouted. That went on for forty days.

Far away in Bethlehem lived a boy named David. He was the youngest of eight brothers. David took care of his father’s sheep. He led them to green grass and fresh water. He kept them safe.

David’s three oldest brothers were in King Saul’s army. One day David’s father, Jesse, said, “David, take this grain and this bread to your brothers. And take these ten cheeses to their captain. Then come back and tell me how your brothers are doing.” (Pretend to carry a heavy bag.)

So David got up early and walked to the army camp. He found his brothers. While he was talking with them, Goliath came out and shouted again. All the soldiers ran away from him.

David was surprised. “Why is everyone so scared?” he asked. “That giant is shouting at the army of the living God! God is with us!”

David’s oldest brother, Eliab, was cross. “What are you doing here? Go back to your sheep!” David kept asking his question anyway, and soon King Saul sent for him.

David stood before the king. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “I will go and face the giant.”

King Saul looked at David. “You can’t do that. You are just a boy. Goliath has been a soldier his whole life.”

David said, “I take care of my father’s sheep. Once a lion came, and once a bear came. They tried to carry off a lamb. I went after them and saved the lamb. God kept me safe then. God will keep me safe now.”

King Saul thought for a moment. Then he said, “Go! The LORD will be with you.” (Point up, then give a thumbs-up.)

The king put his own armor on David. He put a bronze helmet on his head. (Pretend to put on a big helmet.) He gave him a heavy coat and a big sword. David took a step. Clank! He took another step. Clunk! (Walk stiffly.) The armor was way too big and heavy. “I can’t walk in this,” David said. So he took it all off.

David picked up his shepherd’s staff. He went down to the brook and chose five smooth stones. (Count to five on your fingers.) He put them in his shepherd’s bag. He held his sling in his hand. Then he walked down into the valley.

Goliath saw David coming, and he laughed. “Ha! You’re just a boy! Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?”

David called back, “You come with a sword and a spear. I come in the name of the LORD, the God of Israel. Everyone will see that God doesn’t need swords and spears to save people!”

David reached into his bag and took out one stone. He put it in his sling. He swung the sling around and around. (Swing your arm in a circle over your head.) Whoosh! The stone flew through the air. It hit Goliath right on the forehead. (Tap your forehead.) The giant wobbled. Then down he fell, flat on his face. THUD! (Clap once, loudly.)

When the Philistine soldiers saw their giant fall, they ran away. The fighting was over. God’s people were safe.

David was the youngest boy in his family. He was much smaller than the soldiers. He had no armor at all. But David trusted God, and God was with him.

When you feel small, or when something feels too big and scary, remember David. God is with you too.

Wondering questions

5 minutes. Wondering questions have no wrong answers. Ask one at a time, wait in silence, and welcome every answer without correcting it. Repeat back what a child says so they know you heard them.

• I wonder which part of this story you like best.
• I wonder how the soldiers felt when they heard Goliath shout.
• I wonder what David thought about as he walked down into the valley.
• I wonder why David didn’t want to wear the king’s armor.
• I wonder when you have needed to be brave.
• I wonder how you know that God is with you.

After the wondering questions, play the quiz on the slides, or ask the questions aloud and let the children call out the answers.

Craft: a shepherd’s bag of brave stones

10 minutes. Each child makes a shepherd’s bag like David’s, with five paper stones inside, to remember that God is with them.

You will need a brown paper lunch bag for each child, gray construction paper, pencils, safety scissors, crayons or markers, and glue sticks. A hole punch and yarn make a strap if you have time.

1. Open the bag and fold the top edge down twice to make a cuff.
2. Draw sheep, grass, and a sun on the outside of the bag.
3. Draw five stone shapes on gray paper, each about the size of a child’s palm, and cut them out.
4. Write a brave word on each stone: “God is with me,” “Trust God,” “Be brave,” “God loves me,” and “Pray.” Help children who are still learning to write, or let them draw a picture instead.
5. Put the stones in the bag. If you like, punch two holes near the top and tie on a piece of yarn as a strap.

Tell the children that when they feel small or scared, they can take out a stone and read it, and remember that God is with them, just as God was with David.

Game: giant steps, shepherd steps

7 minutes. Mark a start line at one end of the room and a “brook” line at the other end with masking tape. The children stand on the start line.

1. Call out a kind of step, and everyone takes three of them toward the brook: “Giant steps!” (big, slow stomps), “Shepherd steps!” (small, quick steps), “Sheep steps!” (crawl and say “Baa!”), or “Armor steps!” (stiff, clanking steps).
2. When you call “Goliath is shouting!”, everyone freezes and shakes like a scared soldier.
3. When you call “God is with me!”, everyone stands tall in a brave pose and says the memory verse together: “Go! The LORD will be with you!”
4. When everyone reaches the brook, the children each pick up five pretend stones and count them aloud. Then everyone walks back to the start, and the game begins again.

No one is out, and everyone reaches the brook together. Let the children take turns calling out the steps. If your room is small, take the steps in place.

Memory verse

3 minutes. Teach the memory verse with motions. Tell the children that King Saul said these words to David before David went out to meet Goliath.

Go! The LORD will be with you.

1 Samuel 17:37

• “Go!”: take one big step forward.
• “The LORD”: point up.
• “will be with you”: wrap your arms around yourself in a hug.

Say the verse in a tiny voice, like a shepherd boy, then in a big giant voice, then in your own voice. The memory verse coloring page lets children color the words in bubble letters.

Snack idea

Optional. Serve bread or crackers and cheese, like the food David carried to his brothers. Give each child five round crackers as “smooth stones” to count before they eat. Check for food allergies before class, and serve water or juice.

Closing prayer

Ask the children to fold their hands or open them on their laps. Read each line and let them repeat it after you.

Dear God,
thank you for being with us
when we feel small
and when we feel scared.
Help us trust you
like David did.
Make us brave and kind.
Amen.

Take-home note for families

Send this note home with the activity sheets and the shepherd’s bag. It also prints by itself on the printables page.

Today in Sunday school

Today your child heard the story of David and Goliath (1 Samuel 17). A giant soldier named Goliath frightened King Saul’s whole army. David, the youngest son in his family and a shepherd, trusted that the God who had kept him and his sheep safe would be with him again. He went out with only a sling and five smooth stones, and the giant fell. The children learned that David’s courage came from trusting God, and that God is with them when they feel small or afraid.

Talk about it

• What was your favorite part of the story?
• Why do you think David was brave?
• When do you feel small or scared? What helps you?

Try this at home

Ask your child to show you the shepherd’s bag and read the brave words on the stones. At bedtime this week, take turns naming one thing you will trust God with tomorrow.

Pray together

Dear God, thank you for being with us when we feel small or scared. Help us trust you like David did. Amen.

Adapting for younger or older children

Younger children (ages 4 to 6). Tell the story with a few props: a toy sheep, a small bag, five smooth stones or balls of crumpled paper, and a tall paper giant taped to the wall. Keep it short, and repeat the line “God was with David.” Skip the crossword and the word search, and use the maze, the coloring pages, and shepherd’s bags with the stones already cut out. Teach only the memory verse motions.

Older children (ages 10 to 12). Read 1 Samuel 17:32–50 together from a Bible, taking turns. Talk about David’s words in verses 45–47: what does it mean that God saves without sword and spear? Read 1 Samuel 16:7, where God tells Samuel that God looks at the heart, and talk about why God chose the youngest brother to be king. Use the crossword without the word bank.