Psalm 23 | Scripture

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Within the last month Psalms 23 has popped up at least a dozen times, if not more. It was the verse of the day in an app that I use. It was on a bookmark that I found in an auto shop waiting room.  It was posted on a message board that I drove by on my way home. Again and again it has appeared in countless locations. Thankfully, none of which were funerals, where it is most often read.

I decided that God was trying to get my attention. I read the verse but didn’t have any giant "ahas". So I asked him what he was trying to tell me. I’ve thought about its meaning and read it several times. Finally, last Sunday it was read before the opening prayer in service at church. I resolved to a bucket of tears.

It felt like a sob of repentance. As if my soul knew everything that was being said even though my brain and my ears were still trying to figure out the real message. Just this week I feel like I finally get it.

While I haven’t been to any funerals, I have strongly felt God dealing with my character this year. The last month or two have been some of the hardest that I’ve had in a while. It’s actually felt like a dying of the flesh or a parting of self. I am sure that another post will come soon with details about that but for now I am just going to share Psalm 23 with my notes.

You probably already knew the message. It’s pretty clear.  My mind just had to catch up and recognize that it was more than words on paper. May it be a bit of encouragement to you. This passage is the King James Version.

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

He is the provider of all things. He knows every one of my needs without my having to ask. He even knows the ones that I am unaware of. He gives them as needed.  Not too soon so that they won’t satisfy. Not too late so that they are stale.

2. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

His path is refreshing, it carries necessity. Not just in water but in rest. Water revives what is dried up and cools what is overheated. Rest allows you to regain your strength, to adjust your attitude, find a new perspective or even the courage to try again. 

His path includes rest and water. While you relax in his presence, his water will restore you so that you can begin again. It leads to life. It’s a path of peace. A path of joy. Both of which are easiest to feel when we are rested.

Whenwe don’t follow that path, we become exhausted; searching for our own answers or solutions, wrestling with life’s challenges, draining ourselves of hope.

3. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Not only does he lead you along the peaceful path. He leads you to a place of dignity and not shame. He is the ultimate vindicator and when you get to your destination; all things will be made right. -Just as he has promised.

I like to think that it’s also because you and I are named after him and made in is image.  –It’s not just the fulfillment of his promise.

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.

It doesn’t matter what the circumstances are or what death you are facing in your physical, spiritual or emotional life. Your valley of death could be any of the following: No money for food, the threat of death to your job, the death of your reputation or image, death to a relationship or habit. You might even be experiencing a death of another kind but in that valley, he is there. Push on.

Like the coachman in a carriage (although thankfully not as aggressively), he corrects me and leads me through the valley, back to his path. The rod is a comfort because it reassures me that he is there. He knows the way out. I am not alone. He won’t let me go too far to the left or too far to the right, if I just follow his promptings.

5. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

To anoint with oil, is a sign of being sacred. You and I are sacred and chosen. He loves us. Like the story about the father and prodigal son, he’s preparing a feast.

You and I know what it’s like to make a special dinner for someone that we love. There are some things that we prepare in advance. There are some things that we can prep and chop and clean up once the other things have been started. We like to time it just right so that this gift that is being prepared is just right when our beloved arrives. It’s fresh. Hot. -Just the way that they like it. So often, we don’t start those items until we know that the guest is at a certain place or has already arrived.

How many times do we doubt God and fight him. The problem arrives. We get distracted trying to solve the problem. God calls. Where are you? Seek me. Tell me when you’ll get here because I am preparing something for you. We silence the phone. Send him to voicemail. We’re still doing what we think that we need to do.

After hours, days, and sometimes even years, we are finally too tired to DO anything else. There is no other option except to turn to God. Our plans have failed. We return home too exhausted to speak. He doesn’t ask questions. He doesn’t say “I told you so”. He doesn’t even ask you to come help him with anything. He says go lie down and take a rest. Relax. When you’ve regained your strength, get cleaned up. I’m preparing my best for you. But we had to get in his presence first, in order to receive it.

And who cares about your enemies. He was waiting for you!!

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.

The one magic word in this whole verse is ‘follow’. “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me…”  How many times do we focus on the prize instead?  We try to obtain goodness in ourselves, from others and in circumstances. We ask life for mercy and then try to squeeze it out with our own hands.

In verses 2 and 3 it says that God leads.  If he leads then I can’t possibly looking at anything but him. When that is true, I might see the valley or the death around me but I am not focused on it. I can’t do anything with my own hands or I will miss his direction.

I might feel the sand in my eyes, the sweat on my brow, the sun on my skin. But I look to him. He leads me out. The blessings happen. They are behind me because I am on the right path. They come after every step of faith into his direction.

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I hate to end it here but this was my version. I love that if you searched for other interpretations, you could probably find a thousand that were drastically different from mine. Sometimes though, God just has a little message for you and I. If you are facing a death in your own life, I hope that you get that rest so that you have not only the courage to face it but also the strength to enjoy the blessing that awaits you.

Oh and P.S. I’m going back and adding verses to every characteristic of my tree from my last post. I am almost done with the list and will post it soon. So stay tuned.