The 23rd Psalm
(KJV) 1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul:
he leadeth 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 thou art with me;
thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
When ministering to folks in Assisted Living facilities, hospitals, or those who were housebound, I would often ask if the person had a favorite Bible verse. The response was generally either The Lord’s Prayer or The 23rd Psalm. Both scriptures offer us a level of comfort and security unparalleled by any other source. When we do not know what to pray or even how to pray, we can always turn to Matt 6 or Psalm 23 for guidance.
Psalm 23 was written by David, and as one who had spent his younger years tending his father’s sheep, he understood the implications of being a shepherd. David addressed the Lord as a shepherd, his shepherd, and he went on to define just what that means.
The Lord Who shepherded David was Jehovah Jireh, the God of provision, and David experienced no unfulfilled need while under His watchcare. David’s shepherd offered rest, and just as the shepherd found fresh water for his sheep, our Father invites us to drink of the Living Water that is Jesus Christ.
Jesus does not leave us without hope but renews our spirit. When we have lost our way, we can depend on the Good Shepherd to lead us back to the place of right standing with God. And when we face death, whether figuratively or literally, we do not have to experience it alone.
As hurricanes, tornadoes and floods devastate portions of our country, and we witness never ending wars in the Middle East, and now in Ukraine, we need to turn to the Good Shepherd for the security that only He can provide.
May we seek God not as our last resort but let us turn to Him first.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
- Posted in: Blogs
Seeking Holiness 