Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing ² He takes me to lush pastures, he leads me to refreshing water.  ³ He restores my strength.  He leads me down the right paths for the sake of his reputation.  ⁴ Even when I must walk through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for you are with me; your rod and your staff reassure me.  ⁵ You prepare a feast before me in plain sight of my enemies.  You refresh my head with oil; my cup is completely full.  ⁶ Surely your goodness and faithfulness will pursue me all my days, and I will live in the Lord’s house for the rest of my life.”

As I read, prayed, and contemplated the Word of God today, I was drawn to an extremely familiar Psalm.   The Holy Spirit broke it down for me, and I share, not to impress you with some new revelation but to reemphasize the truth known.

Psalm 23 begins with the indispensable truth – God is!    God is our shepherd.   That is a vital truth.  This not only emphasizes Him as Savior but as Lord.   He is our beginning, our ending, and all in between. In the beginning, God.   This God, our Savior and Lord, is our pathway to life.   What do we have that did not originate in Him?   Only our sin.   All else flows from Him.

He provides our daily sustenance: “He takes me to lush green pastures.” He provides me with water.  The human body cannot survive without water, and the spirit cannot flourish without the water of the Word.   “He leads me to refreshing waters.” “He restores my strength.”   They that wait upon the Lord have a renewal of strength.   In Him, we have stamina.   In Him, we do not grow weary and faint. In Him!

“He leads me down the right paths.”   Guidance is critical, but notice something interesting.  It is not singular (path) but (paths). In every choice and decision of life, He guides, not drives, to the right choices. We have to cooperate, but He is leading.   If He is LORD, we have no lack of food, water, strength, and guidance. No lack!

“Even when I must walk through the darkest valley, I fear no danger…” Hope is my foundation.  I do not fear life, death, the devil, or people because… because He is guiding me.  He is Lord!  He is my source and sustenance.   He is my water of life.   He is my strength.   He is my guide. Therefore, fear is banished, and trust is my cornerstone.

“… Your rod and staff reassures me.”    I live in the assurance that I am protected.  That condition is one of fearlessness and confident expectation. It is life in the no-lack zone!   “You prepare a feast before me in the presence of my enemies.”

“You refresh my head with oil; my cup is completely full.”   The anointing is a full anointing that is constant, not an infrequent experience. My cup is full or overflows! His person pursues us (goodness, mercy, faithfulness), which relentlessly pursues us, looking for the opportunity to display that grace to and upon us.

The last is powerful. “I will live in the LORD’S house for the rest of my life.”   What house and what is in the house?   Was David talking about the palace God had given him, the temple not yet built, or heaven? Maybe all three!

In God’s house or presence is fullness of joy.   In God’s presence is provision, protection, power, peace, anointing, guidance, grace, strength, and life abundant.   What’s in the house?  Everything we need!  David declared that God would be his abiding place for the remainder of his earthly journey!   In that place, there is no fear, faltering, or failure!  The LORD is whatever we need when we need it and in the amount we need.

He is all we need! Focus on the Shepherd, and provision will become the natural flow. I encourage you to meditate on Psalm 23 and implement what the Holy Spirit leads you to. It is personal, “My Shepherd.”

May your day be filled with the awareness of His presence!