Be A Psalm 23 Person

Me

About 4 Sabbaths ago, I was traveling to Shattuck, Oklahoma. On the way there I was stuck behind a semi-truck and being in quite a hurry I sped up and went around the truck. When I had safely made my way back into my lane, a highway patrolman took notice of me and the only thought that came into my mind was, “oh no not another one.”

I didn’t say that because I had lots of trouble with the police that week. In fact this was the first time I had been pulled over in a really long time. I said, “Oh no, not another one” because it seemed like all week long, there was one bad thing after another. I was putting out fires left and right. Then on my drive to church, I thought maybe I would have a break before I got to church. Nope, no break.

The highway patrol man comes to my door and asks for my license, insurance and heads back to his car. The time between the first visit and the second visit is very important. All week long, I had a theme I kept on praying over and over.

God is good. God is good.

I prayed that some prayer to remind myself God is good, God is good.

The highway patrol man came back and gave me a warning. I was so happy!

As I continued my drive, something struck me.

Getting pulled over usually is a bad thing. Especially when you had been speeding to get past a slow vehicle. In the moment, I thought I would have to pay an expensive ticket, but I received grace.

Sometimes we go through bad things so we can experience just how good God is.

We

But what about those other times. I’ve had to pay a ticket before. What about those times when something bad happens and there is no grace? Can we honestly say God is good? Can we do as Paul says for us to be thankful always? Can we rejoice always?

Can we be thankful when we lose a loved one? Can we praise God when things don’t work out? Can we be thankful when we lose a baby we wanted so badly?

Some might say no, but David says yes. Yes we can because God is good, all the time. Even in the bad times.

God

The most popular Psalm is an incredibly deep story. Its David’s story. Its Jesus’ story. Its also our story. What this incredible song and story teaches us is that we should be thankful not for the situations we find ourselves in but who we find ourselves with.

Psalm 23 ESV

A Psalm of David. 1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. 3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Even 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 overflows. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Join me in .

Psalm 23:1 ESV

1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

Psalm 23 ESV

A Psalm of David. 1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. 3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Even 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 overflows. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

When we read the Bible, its important to expand our translation or understanding of the passage.

What does “The Lord is my shepherd” mean?

The Lord is my shepherd, my protector, my guide, my sustainer.

What does “I shall not want” mean?

I shall not want. I lack nothing. I have everything I need. I am happiest when I am with my shepherd.

Here in the very first line, the very first verse, David along with Jesus wants us to know that the very best place to be is with the shepherd.

This is the theme of the whole Psalm and quite honestly the entire Bible as well. All throughout scripture we find people who are constantly on a search to be with God. We too are on that search, that journey to be in God’s presence. David was on that journey as well.

Psalm 27:4 ESV

4 One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.

teaches us to be with Jesus.

Psalm 23:2 ESV

2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.

The psalmist goes on and tells us that the shepherd leads him to green pastures and still or restful waters.

Green pastures would be the same as tables full of food. Sustenance. Fulfillment. God brings us to places of fulfillment. The only way we can get to these fulfillment pastures is if we follow the shepherd.

But even though the fulfillment pastures are nice, sometimes we need rest, we need a break from the chaotic way of life. We need to go to the still and peaceful waters. If you need peace, you won’t find it on vacation, because you will be constantly thinking about what is going on at home.

Is work going on without you?

Has my roof caved in?

Restful peace just like fulfillment comes only in God’s presence.

You and I don’t know the way. The only one who knows the way is the shepherd, because He has led many there at many different times.

Psalm 23:3 ESV

3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

When we come into God’s presence, to the pasture of fulfillment and the waters of peace, our souls are restored and refreshed.

Both restoration and refreshment has the same prefix. Re. Re means again. At one point we were in a good condition but something happened between then and now. Now we need to be restored to our original condition.

You and I are in need of restoration. We need to be restored to a better condition, so we can come to the great restorer. The restoring shepherd.

The shepherd doesn’t just restore us, but he leads us puts us on the right path away from our destructive tendencies.

This is something Jesus did all the time.

John 8:11 ESV

11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”

John 5:14 ESV

14 Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.”

Jesus did this because that is what His father does. God seeks to restore you. God seeks to refresh you in His presence.

The Shepherd does the same thing

This is very important because the next place the shepherd is going to take us will be difficult.

Psalm 23:4 ESV

4 Even 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.

We don’t go to the valley of death alone. We are lead there. Just as Jesus was lead into the wilderness. Moses was lead into the wilderness, Paul was led into the wilderness so you and I are lead into the wilderness. Because the wilderness is part of the journey. In the wilderness we may experience failure and mistakes.

Our enemies might be all around us, but though we may be surrounded by disaster and destruction there is one is closer to us than everything that makes us shudder.

Even 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.

The shepherd is near, the shepherd is close.

All fear is gone because the one who gave me peace at the water is here.

The one who brought me to the pastures of fulfillment is here.

The one who brings me the most joy is here.

My shepherd is here.

Psalm 23:5 ESV

5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

As our enemies encroach near us, our shepherd sets the table.

When others might be concerned with the power of the enemy, my king is serving me.

My shepherd is not concerned with the wolves, so neither am I. Because I am with the Shepherd.

The shepherd anoints me with the Holy Spirit and it is all around me. It starts at the top of my head and drips all the way down to my toes.

My cup has no need for refills. It is overflowing.

When our enemies are all around us, we are well taken care of.

The presence of the Holy Spirit is not only there, we are anointed by it. God is with us.

When you are surrounded by your enemies, your stresses, your anxieties, your doubts that consume you. Jesus, the shepherd is there.

Psalm 23:6 ESV

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

The psalm ends in the most beautiful way possible.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.

Another word for surely is only. So only goodness and mercy shall follow me. Nothing else only goodness and steadfast love will follow me.

Now check this out:

For the entire Psalm we are being led by the shepherd. The shepherd leads us to the pasture and the still waters. The shepherd leads us to the valley of the shadow of death as well. But what about the rear? What is behind us? David tells us that if we draw close to Jesus, goodness and mercy or steadfast loving kindness will follow me all the days of my life.

the second part of the verse concludes by this beautiful statement:

And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

David concludes that he will dwell, set up his residence in God’s dwelling, God’s home. That if you want to find David you have to go to God’s house, not church, but where you find God you will also find David.

Here is the key. If you want to experience any part of , you absolutely have to apply the last part of verse 6. You have to make your dwelling in God’s presence.

The best place for me to be is in God’s presence.

In psalm 23, David becomes thankful not for the pasture of fulfillment or the peace and restful waters. He is thankful not for the valley of death or for the table prepared for him. He is thankful for God’s presence that never leaves him and he never leaves that presence either.

You

Thats all good and interesting but how can we use this information? By applying it to your prayer life. When you pray thank God for:

Good - because God has blessed you.

Bad - because God is about to grow you.

God - because he is exactly who He says he is.

He is good all the time.

We

My thanksgiving challenge to you is to embrace God’s presence and be thankful that God is good.