Read Psalm 23
A psalm of David.
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.
Go Deeper
We most often hear Psalm 23 at funerals, but this Psalm offers life-giving words for us, the living. Perhaps we miss the beautiful peace and comfort offered in these verses because we struggle to relate to the comparison: a shepherd and sheep.
In verse 1, David proclaims, “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.” So what makes a good shepherd? Modern Farmer, an online source for food producers and consumers, shares: “Shepherds, like the sheep themselves, learn quickly that the path to success depends on tending to the flock but caring for the individual.” A good shepherd guides and provides for the group as a whole AND never loses sight of the specific needs of each individual, just as our God guides and provides for humanity AND remains faithful to the specific needs of each of us.
Verse 4 describes, “Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” The rod and staff were tools of a shepherd to protect and correct sheep. A rod is a wooden club used to defend the sheep against attacks and to prod the sheep to move in the right direction. The staff, also known as a crook, is a long stick with a curved end used to redirect individual sheep or pull them from harm’s way. A good shepherd uses these tools to protect the herd as a whole and individuals that stray. God uses His tools – His Word, His Spirit, His children, His creation – to protect and correct us. Let’s be honest: being protected or corrected may not seem comfortable in the moment! We may feel restricted, frustrated, or angry because we want to do what we want to do. But God knows more than we do, and we can trust in that, just like David.
David sings of God’s glorious guidance and perfect provision through Psalm 23. Let us listen to His voice and follow His guidance, so we can rest in the peace of His protection and settle in the comfort of His correction.
Questions
- Think of a time that God provided for your specific needs. Share this story with someone today.
- In what ways has God protected or corrected you in the past that were not comfortable? Did you fight against it or trust in it?
- How does God’s protection and correction give us peace and comfort?
Keep Digging
Shepherd Leadership, by Blaine McCormick and David Davenport, is a leadership book based on Psalm 23. You can read a summary/review here and find the book here.
4 responses to “Psalm 23”
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus,” Philippians 4:6-7 (NKJV).
That is what David is speaking to me in Psalm 23. We know the Good Shepherd and He is coming back for His flock soon and very soon.
In Philippians the command is to be anxious for nothing, with a mind shift to thanksgiving and asking God. In Psalm it is “I lack nothing” and I will overcome my fear of not having enough.
Psalm 23 has three “I will” statements; I will not be afraid. I will not want. I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
God thank You for my selfishness of trying to always be in control. Thank You for helping me with my fear of rejection. It does not matter what man thinks, it only completely, matters what You think about me. Thank You for helping me know that in my heart knower and mind knower. God thank You that I do, will and can make my request be made known to You for all things pertaining to my life and following You. God thank You that You have not given me the spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind. Thank You for my guide book, called the Holy Bible and all answers to all questions are there, ready to be searched out. God thank You for these minutes of this day. Thank You that is the focus, not yesterday and not tomorrow but right now, today, these minutes is where the focus is. The focus is to love You God with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength and my neighbor as myself. To show myself a workman of Your word, rightly dividing it and making it my own. God thank You that I can see people through Your love goggles. Thank You for seeing them as my brother or sister in Christ. God if they dont know You let my words be accurate in telling them about Your son. God I am so thankful, grateful and blessed beyond comprehension, with joy overflowing and effervesing out of my being for You today in Jesus name amen.
WOOHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I never want holy scripture to become so familiar that I lose the message it contains. The shepherd imagery holds a special meaning in my heart as I grew up caring for herds of animals. Like them, we need care, protection and correction to thrive. The opening verse grabs my attention and is where I will rest today, “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.”
Yes!
This sermon goes back to 2021 and speaks to Psalm 23 in a powerful way. I don’t want to be a sheep, but I am glad I have a good shepherd. Praise God!
https://harriscreek.subspla.sh/vbdm9ng