Skip to main content

Psalm 23

I don't think that there is a Psalm more quoted than Psalm 23. Whispered by the bedside of the dying, confessed in the prayers of the seeking, it has brought comfort to many in times of need. I'm sure that David had no idea that his little song would be cherished by so many throughout the ages and yet, I'm sure that this Psalm held just as much meaning, if not more, for David. As a shepherd, he had insight into pasturing that most of us in the modern day world do not have short of Wikipedia and google. Still, this ancient song sweeps over our souls as we picture Jesus, our great Shepherd, leading the way.

In the next few weeks, I'm going to share my thoughts on this Psalm, verse by verse, as well as journal entries that the Lord has spoken to me. I know that this Psalm is bringing me comfort in this season of life, just as it has many times before and as I'm certain it will many more times in the future. To anyone who reads this blog, I pray you will find comfort in the One who leads you along.

Psalm 23:1 - The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.

This first line can be pondered over and over. Putting the emphasis on different words makes it come alive in different ways.

The LORD is my Shepherd - It is you, Lord...You are the One who leads me. I have no other.The Living God is mine.  I'm not leading myself; I'm not being led by feelings, by circumstances, or by mere men. No, the all-knowing, all-sufficient, Almighty God - the One who sees all, who knows all, who creates all - it is HE who leads me. He is my Shepherd. The one who sits above the circle of the earth, the one who holds the span of the universe between his thumb and pinkie, the one who literally breaths out and life is formed...HE is my shepherd. The one who fashioned me together in my mother's womb, the One who knows my words before they are on my tongue, the one who sees the end from the beginning...HE is my shepherd. The One who did not spare his very own Son for me, the One who willingly laid down his life for me, the One who poured out his blood for me...HE is my shepherd.

The Lord is MY Shepherd - This is personal. Intimate. The Living God has come to me, to lead me, to dwell with me. I am known by God, my shepherd. He knows my name. The Shepherd lives with his sheep, sleeps next to his sheep, eats with his sheep, spends his very life with the sheep...and I am his. Lord, you declare over me that I am yours. This is not a blanket statement - this is heart to heart connection. As a Father says to his son, as a Groom says to his bride - you are MINE...You are declaring over me that I am yours. This is how I am to you...your most precious possession, your treasure, your pearl of great price. The Lord has forever united his heart to mine. He has not merely purchased me, but he has united in fellowship with me. Oh, God, cause my heart to see that I need not fear when I belong to the Living God!

The Lord is my SHEPHERD - God, you do not separate yourself from me. Though you are holy and high and lifted up, you come down to where I am for the purpose of leading my life. You who are holy come close to my weak state, you put your hands in to my rough, dirty wool and gently lead me along.  Though you are GOD you are in the details of my small human life. You do not simply set yourself up as the untouchable One; no, you come to guide me in day to day activity. How can such wonderful things be? As the shepherd knows each sheep individually and is loved individually, God, you know me and love me. You feed, guard, and lead me. You protect, tend, and clean me. Though I am nothing like you, you give yourself fully to me.

I shall not want  - What would a sheep with a shepherd ever lack? Oh, God, this is truly a carefree place of provision and rest. How your cross has brought to me both provision and rest! I am personally provided for by the Living God. What could I ever lack? You who own it all because you created it all - YOU are the one who says to me, "I AM your provider! I AM your guide! I AM your shepherd!" If there is famine? You lead me to green pastures. If there is drought? You lead me to still waters. If there is threat? You lead me to safety. If there is fear? You lead me to peace. Why should I not fear lack? Because YOU are my shepherd.

Lord, I pray that today you would settle in my heart the truth that You, the living God, lead my little life. Settle in my heart that I belong to YOU and that you don't merely 'put up with me'...you care for me because you love me and you desire rest for my life. Help me, God, to look up to you when I'm feeling overwhelmed and in that moment to find that YOU are my shepherd. In Jesus name. So be it, God!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Christmas Keys

My hands delicately touched the ivory keys. In reverent solace, I took a deep breath as I sat in the darkness of this unfamiliar house. Slowly, I began to let my fingers flow with the emotions I was feeling. It had been months since I had sat at a piano. But this piano was nothing like the one I had known before: this piano was a perfectly tuned Baby Grand, worth thousands of dollars. The piano I had know - my piano - was an old out of tune spinet that I had purchased at a yard sale for $50. And in that moment, as my fingers danced across the meticulously cared for ivory, I realized how deeply I missed my old out-of-tune friend. It was a feeling that came unexpectedly, this grief. It startled me. So, I quickly stuffed it down inside of myself and shook it off as nonsensical. But as warm tears began streaming down my cheeks while I played this Grand, I soon realized that this was an emotion I could no longer deny: I was grieving the loss of my piano. The loss of my piano had come a...
Post a Comment
Read more

A Passage of Scripture I'm Not Fond Of

So, today I was reading Joshua 7. It's the one that talks about Achan and how he was killed for lying, stealing, etc. etc. His sin cost him his life and cost Israel a victory in battle. Yeah...it's not one of my favorite passages of scripture! It's one that makes me cringe when I read it. No warm fuzzies. Ready for MORE honesty?! I have reason not to like this passage. I've seen it used within the church as proof to judge and punish someone who has sinned. In fact, I've personally been on the 'receiving' end of that position. It's no fun. Yep. Not one of my favorite passages of scripture. ALL the more reason for me to read it and to ask God his opinion on the passage. It can be really easy to skip over difficult passages of scripture. It can be easy to just skim them and not ponder them at all. But it is still God's word. I want to know why he said what he said. Soooo, I took it to the Lord in all my glorious honesty this morning. I walked rig...
Post a Comment
Read more

I Still Need Some Work

After a month on my challenge....my mouth still needs some work. By power of God's Spirit alone, I am able to speak blessing when challenged with a trying situation. At times I yield to His will; other times, I find my flesh is uncrucified. Monday night in prayer, the Spirit drew me into repentance for attitudes of the heart towards a certain community of people. For far too long, the church has felt justified in speaking judgment upon those who are unbelievers. We, like James in John in Luke 9:51-56, often have a harsh spirit towards those who are labeled as 'severe sinners.' How often, for instance, do conservative Christians speak ill of their president? Christ's Spirit compels us not to grumble and complain about our nation, but to rise up in prayer. James and John wanted to call fire down from heaven and consume the unbelievers (vs 54) but Jesus rebuked them and told them, in essence, that they were not of His Spirit as long as they carried that kind of attitude. J...
Post a Comment
Read more