OUR FAITHFUL GOD
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Opening Prayer
Holy Spirit, please teach me something new as I reflect on the well-known verses of this psalm.
Read PSALM 23
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
Psalm
Psalm 23
1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he restores my soul. He guides 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 love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
Reflect
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you something new from these well-known verses to encourage you.Yet to be written in Abraham’s day, this psalm happens to reflect his life and legacy. It is all about God’s provision for, and God’s protection of, him and his descendants, concluding with the many blessings that God gives so generously and graciously (vv. 5, 6).
In Hebrew, David’s opening words refer to the Lord as his shepherd. He uses the covenant name of God to express the intimacy of the relationship between the shepherd and his sheep. Jesus emphasizes this, talking about knowing his sheep (John 10:27).
In verse 4, we are reminded that, whatever happens, the Good Shepherd (John 10:14) will protect us, using his rod—a symbol of his authority and the Word of God. His staff (or crook) demonstrates his compassion, guidance, and care, which are emblematic of the role of the Holy Spirit. Following God’s way is not an easy option—it’s knowing that the Shepherd who gave his life for us is with us, whatever happens, and will never abandon us.
When a Christian friend of ours was dying, his daughter sat by his hospital bed and read Psalm 23 to him. As she finished, he passed into the presence of the Lord. How amazing that the last words he heard on earth were, ‘I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever’ (v. 6)!
Apply
Read this psalm again, in a different version.
Closing prayer
Thank you, Lord God, that your provision and protection begin in this life and continue into eternity!
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