A BEAUTIFUL PSALM
Psalm 23:1-6 NKJ
1 The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
3 He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
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 runs over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever.
It is rare that I read an entire chapter for a devotional, but this Psalm is too good to shorten. The picture of a shepherd and his care for the sheep is one of the most poignant visuals in the scriptures. And the parallel to Jesus is a truth we can take and make personal in our lives. Jesus called Himself the Good Shepherd in John 10:11, who gives his life for the sheep. So, in light of Jesus being the model shepherd, we can make Psalm 23 applicable to us.
Because Jesus is my Shepherd, I will not want. I will have no lack of anything I need to fulfill His plan for my life. He makes me lie down where there is plenty of provision, not a barren dry wasteland. He leads me by still waters so that I can satisfy the thirst and spiritual longing. He restores my soul so that I have peace in my heart and in my mind. The paths my Lord leads me down are right paths, not paths filled with angst and oppression. And I take comfort in the fact that He is my leader, and I am following Him.
Even though I encounter some difficult times, I do not face them with fear. Because my Shepherd is with me and never leaves me. Because His strength and ability are more than enough to see me through. Because His Word and His Holy Spirit are ever present, the shadow of death is only a shadow and does not defeat me.
You have prepared an inheritance for me of your wisdom, healing, joy, peace and strength. And even in a dark world, no forces of evil can keep me from receiving what You have provided. Your anointing of the Holy Spirit is on my life enabling me to thrive despite my enemies. You provide for me more than enough to see me through I am not barely scraping by.
I am sure that goodness and mercy are coming my way, so I am not waiting for the other shoe of trauma to drop. And that is not a spot of confidence, but an sureness that my entire life will be filled with Your gracious love. And I will live in your presence both now on this earth and in the life to come. Forever and ever amen.