Category: Psalm

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures…(Psalm 23:2).

Lie down

Rest

Now

The verb here is makes. God makes David rest. God knows that, left to his own devices, David will work himself to the bone, trying to do more and be more and make more and become more and–

and God says to rest.

When did you last rest, Beloved? When was the last time you set aside the backpack full of gottado’s and stretched out in the green pasture for a snooze?

You can take that metaphorically or literally–your choice.

Look, I know you have a lot on your plate, and sometimes it seems like you’ll never get through it, but your body and your mind and your spirit all need rest.

And God commands it, so there.

Pull up a patch of grass and have a seat.

Happy Monday, Beloved

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want  (Psalm 23:1).

I originally heard this Psalm in the King James, which read I shall not want.  

The difficulty with that is that I want.

A lot

Time and teachers and translation have taught me that it’s not want as in desire, but want as in lack. It’s basically saying, The Lord is my Shepherd, he will give me everything I need.

I gotta say, I like this better. Though my flesh will always want stuff, I will never need more than what my Lord provides.

The Lord is my shepherd; I am complete.

The Lord is my shepherd; what more could I ask for?

The Lord is my shepherd; everything else is gravy.

Of course, I really do like gravy.

Oy, ve

Happy Friday, Beloved

The Lord is my shepherd… (Psalm 23:1).

Psalm 23

One of the most memed passages in the Bible. I’ve seen it quoted on bumper stickers, wall plaques, desk calendars, Christian bookstore Jesus pictures–

even a tattoo. What could I possibly say about these famous verses that you haven’t already heard?

Probably nothing…but let’s give it a go anyway!

David calls God his shepherd. God looks after him, leads him, provides for him, protects him, disciplines him, chases him down and rescues him.

God is an excellent shepherd, as the rest of the Psalm will attest.

But what of David?

I mean, if God is the shepherd, that makes David

a sheep.

David, who has been a shepherd and a warrior and a bard and a king, takes the role of the sheep here. 

Humbly

Gratefully  

Joyfully 

Yes, it is the obvious attitude to take

but 

is it the attitude we take?

Too often I see myself as the Assistant Shepherd, or the sheep dog, or even the trusty staff in the hand of the Shepherd.

But a sheep? Just one of a billion dumb, wayward, weak, bumbling, wool-headed sheep? Who wants to be a sheep?

The one who wants the Lord to be his Shepherd.

Happy Thursday, Beloved.

Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord. They will proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn–for he has done it (Psalm 22:31).

That’s us.

We’re the  posterity that David wrote about as he looked into the future and saw God’s praise growing and spreading. We are those future generations. And we can look ahead in faith and see that God’s praise will never end. I see it in my children, and, if I squint, I can imagine it in theirs.

You and I are blips on the timeline, Beloved.

But we are glorious blips.

Happy Wednesday

All the rich of the earth will feast and worship; all who go down to the dust will kneel before him–those who cannot keep themselves alive (Psalm 22:29).

Let’s say you’re wealthy.

No, wait–let’s say that I’m wealthy.

Really very wealthy.

I will worship him.

As will all the rich

and all the poor

and all the beautiful

and all the frighteningly unattractive

and all the fit

and all the fluffy

and all the wise

and all the ditzy.

We will all worship.

Not because of who we are

but 

because of who he is.

So, since you will worship for all eternity, you might as well get started now, ya?

Happy Tuesday, Beloved

All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him, for dominion belongs to the Lord and he rules over the nations (Psalm 22:27-28).

Every knee

Every tongue

Everywhere

And David gets to be part of that by praising God and sharing the story of his rescue.

And we get to be part of that by praising God and sharing the story of our rescue.

And the word will spread

And the praise will spread

Shall we join in, Beloved?

Happy Monday

…before those who fear you will I fulfill my vows. The poor will eat and be satisfied; they who seek the Lord will praise him–may your hearts live forever! (Psalm 22:25-26).

So, here’s the plan: David cries out to God in his distress. God hears David and rescues him. In gratitude, David presents an offering at the temple. This offering goes to feed the poor, who now see their prayers answered. They, in turn, offer their praise to God…

and so it goes.

What will you offer today, Beloved? And how will it bless the people of God, so that they glorify him with their praise?

You probably don’t have an ox, but I’m sure you can think of something.

Happy Friday, Beloved

From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly…  (Psalm 22:25)

We sing songs that he has put in our hearts.

We praise him with words that he has formed on our lips.

We remember his faithfulness with brains that he has made and proclaim it with tongues he has crafted.

It’s pretty much all him.

Always 

Praise our God today, Beloved.

It is, quite literally, what you were made to do.

Happy Thursday

I will declare your name to my brothers; in the congregation I will praise you. You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, honor him! Revere him, all you descendants of Israel! For he has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help (Psalm 22:22-24).

Thank you…in advance.

This isn’t an “if” statement. David is not negotiating here. There is no, “God, if you do this for me, I will…”

You know…the kind of weak promise I may or may not have made a thousand times.

No, David spoke as if he knew, from the bottom of his being, that God would rescue and restore him. 

Because he did

Beloved, consider your yuck today. Look squarely in the face of whatever is grieving and afflicting you. Then, look beyond it to the God who will deliver you as surely as morning follows night. Praise him, loud and clear, for what he will accomplish in and through and for you.

Because he will do it, Beloved.

Happy Wednesday

But you, O Lord, be not far off; O my Strength, come quickly to help me. Deliver my life from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dogs. Rescue me from the mouth of the lions; save me from the horns of the wild oxen (Psalm 22:19-21).

Well, it’s about time.

I mean, we’re nineteen verses in, and this is the first time David has actually asked God to help. We certainly get the impression that David has asked for help in the past–and God has been silent–but so far in this Psalm he has been more focused on the problem than on the Solution.

You and I never do that, do we?

Ask him, Beloved. He knows what you’re facing.  You don’t have to build a case; just 

Deliver me!

Rescue me!

Save me!

He is not far off–he promised.

You’re his Beloved, after all.

Happy Tuesday