Psalm 23 has been a beloved source of encouragement to God’s people for centuries. All over the world, Christians continue to turn to these words of comfort and strength in all kinds of situations.
Although short in length, these few verses are packed with depth, meaning and wealth for the soul.
The Psalm is ascribed to King David who knew from his years as a shepherd boy how critical a good shepherd is to a flock. The responsibility literally has life and death implications.
David knew the Lord as the Creator of all that is and as the Almighty who rules and reigns. Here, he turns to God as his personal Shepherd. His trust is in the God who cares for every detail of his life. It was the Lord who provided everything he needed for this life, and for eternity.
It was the Lord who protected him when surrounded by enemies. It was the Lord who guided him through the most treacherous paths in the walk of life. It was the Lord who restored him when he was depleted spiritually, emotionally, physically and materially. It was the Lord who infused him with physical stamina, emotional strength and spiritual vitality. It was the Lord who enabled his cup of life to overflow with goodness and mercy, so much that it could spill out to others.
Although by the time of writing he was a king living in a fortified and glorious palace, it was in the house of the Lord where he longed to dwell forever.
I would invite you to set aside some time frequently during these days of threatening pandemic, a day when man’s best inventions and systems are being shaken to the core, to reflect on the precious truths contained in each line of this short but rich passage of scripture.
In times like these, or any other, the Holy Spirit is present to impart an unseen but felt sense of the Lord’s presence with each of His children. He can fill our hearts with hope, joy and confidence as we turn our eyes upon Jesus, looking into His Word, meditating on its promises and giving thanks for all that our Good Shepherd is and does for the sheep of His pasture.
As Paul wrote in Philippians 4: 4-9, let’s rejoice (in the Lord), pray (with thanksgiving), think (on these things) and experience (His peace) that passes all human understanding.
Dearly beloved child of God, lift up your voice in faith and confess like David, “The LORD is my Shepherd”. You can be confident in that!