David Spares King Saul Preschool Lesson
Preschool lesson (ages 3–6, 20 minutes)
1. Welcome (3 min)
Sit in a circle, greet every child by name and show one thing from the story to touch.
2. The little story (5 min)
Teach the refrain first: “David would not hurt the king.”
King Saul was chasing David. He brought three thousand soldiers with him. They looked for David among the rocks, where the wild goats climb. David and his men hid in a big, dark cave in the hills.
Then Saul came to that very cave. He went inside, all by himself. He did not know David was there! David and his men were hiding deep in the back. Shhh!
David’s men whispered, “This is your chance!” David crept up quietly. Tiptoe, tiptoe. He cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. Snip! Can you snip with your fingers like scissors?
But then David felt bad. He said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the LORD’s anointed.” God had chosen Saul to be king. And David would not let his men hurt Saul. David would not hurt the king.
Saul walked out of the cave. David went out too. “My lord the king!” David called. He bowed down low, with his face to the ground.
“Why do you listen to men’s words?” David asked. Some people had told Saul that David wanted to harm him. But that was not true. “See the skirt of your robe in my hand!” said David. David could have hurt Saul. But he did not.
“Whom do you pursue?” David asked. “A dead dog? A flea?” A flea is a tiny jumping bug. David meant: I am so small. I am no danger to you. Can you make yourself as small as a flea?
“May the LORD judge between me and you,” said David. That means: Let God decide who is right.
Saul began to cry. “Is that your voice, my son David?” he said. “You are more righteous than I. You have done good to me, whereas I have done evil to you.” Righteous means good and fair. Then Saul went home. David would not hurt the king.
Another time, Saul came after David again, with three thousand men. David sent out spies to watch. One night, David saw Saul’s camp. Saul lay sleeping in the middle. His soldiers lay all around him.
“Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp?” David asked. His friend Abishai said, “I will go down with you.” So they crept into the camp. Everyone was fast asleep. The LORD had made them sleep deeply. Snore, snore! Can you snore very softly?
There lay Saul, with his spear stuck in the ground by his head. “Let me strike him with the spear!” Abishai whispered. But David said, “Don’t destroy him.” David would not hurt the king.
David took the king’s spear and his jar of water. Then they quietly went away. Nobody saw them. Nobody woke up.
David climbed to the top of a far hill. Then he called out to Saul’s captain. “Why have you not kept watch over your lord the king? Now see where the king’s spear is, and the jar of water!”
Saul heard him. “Is this your voice, my son David?” he asked. “It is my voice, my lord, O king,” said David. “I have sinned,” said Saul. “Return, my son David.”
“Behold the spear, O king!” said David. “Let one of the young men come over and get it.” And Saul said, “You are blessed, my son David.” Then David went on his way, and Saul went home.
Two times David could have hurt the king. Two times he said no. David trusted the LORD to take care of him. And the LORD did. David would not hurt the king.
3. Talk together (3 min)
- How do you think Saul felt when he saw the piece of his robe?
- Why do you think David would not hurt the king?
4. Move (3 min)
Refrain Freeze: move around the room; when you say the refrain, everyone freezes and says it together.
5. Make (4 min)
Draw a line to who said it.
6. Verse and prayer (2 min)
“Overcome evil with good” — Romans 12:21 (overcome → make a strong fist; evil → push your hands away; with good → open your hands like a gift)
Dear God, thank you that you are kind to me. Please help me to be kind, even when it is hard. Amen.
Lesson for older kids (ages 6–10)
Big idea: Kindness Is Stronger Than Anger
Memory verse: “Don't be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” — Romans 12:21 · WEB
The Bible story
When jealous King Saul hunts him through the desert, brave David gets two chances to hurt his enemy, but chooses kindness and forgiveness instead.
Talk about it
- Who did God choose to be king one day? — David
- How did King Saul feel about David? — Jealous and angry
- Where did David hide from Saul? — In a cave
- Who surprised everyone by walking into the cave? — King Saul
- What did David quietly cut from Saul's robe? — A small corner
- Did David hurt King Saul in the cave? — No, he did not
Where is Jesus in this story?
Just as David refused to hurt his enemy and chose forgiveness, Jesus showed us the greatest forgiveness of all. On the cross, He forgave the very people who hurt Him, asking God to show them mercy. David waited patiently to become king, and one day Jesus, the true King, will come again in love. Every time we forgive someone, we are being a little more like Jesus.
What God wants to tell us
David shows us that we can be kind even to people who are unkind to us. He could have hurt King Saul, but instead he chose to trust God and forgive. God is pleased when we are gentle and let go of our anger. Being kind to someone who has hurt us is one of the bravest things we can ever do, and God is always ready to help us do it.
Prayer
Dear God, thank You for the story of David, who was kind even when it was hard. Please help me to forgive people who are unkind to me, and to trust You to take care of me. Make my heart gentle and brave like David's. Amen.
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