WATCHWORD:
1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies, You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me. all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23
Meditation:
Shepherd of My Soul
Psalm 23 may be the best known passage in the Bible that more people have memorized. It’s probably a passage that has more power and more content than we know. More sermons preached and more books have been written on this simple prayer of David. Why? I think it’s because we can relate to it. We can translate the simple words into meaning for us, we can relate to phrases like ‘quiet waters’ and we know the ‘right path’ the Lord wants us to travel. The darkness of the valley does not cause us to fear because we know the lord is there with us, and that gives us peace.
Nevertheless, let’s take a deeper dive, one section at a time:
1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he refreshes my soul.
In our modern era it may be hard for us to get into the mindset of a shepherd. At the time that David was writing this he was dealing with anxiety and some fear as well then he saw the shepherd as one who looks after each individual’s sheep and cares about them. As we read the words of this passage that may be difficult for us to to think that we are the sheep speaking this to the shepherd. There is a promise to meet our needs a promise to restore us a promise of relationship not only in this Psalm but throughout scripture. Our shepherd is jesus christ and he has led us to salvation and promised rest for those who follow him. Make no mistake it’s not a rest promising and easy life but it is a rest with our father who loves us, keeps us, and restores us.
He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
This is what brings us calmness and peace even in the face of darkness and difficulties. We do not have to fear the evil that might creep into our lives because we serve a God who is good and above all loves us. Our faith tells us that there is no place in our lives that God cannot go is with us. He is with us and is no stranger to what we have been through or what we’re going through at the present time. I am so grateful for God who leads us and who wishes us to follow him regardless of the mess we seem to make of our own lives. He is enough and that’s a hard thing for us to grasp.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies, You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me. all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Do you get that? Lord prepares a table before me, he anoints my head, he fills my cup to overflowing, and seize that goodness and love follow me all the days of my life. Why is it we can’t get that through our head. That he is there, that he is love that he leads us and we’ll be there until our mortal days end and we join him in the House of the Lord for all time. Living and walking with the Lord is a sacred romance, worthy of our total commitment, and cause for rejoicing. Praise Him. Amen.
Closing Prayer:
God, my shepherd! I don’t need a thing. You have bedded me down in lush meadows, you find me quiet pools to drink from. True to your word, you let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction. Even when the way goes through Death Valley, I’m not afraid when you walk at my side. Your trusty shepherd’s crook makes me feel secure. You serve me a six-course dinner right in front of my enemies. You revive my drooping head; my cup brims over with blessings. Your beauty and love chase after me every day of my life. I’m back home in the house of God for the rest of my life. Amen. Psalm 23 Message Version
