Category: Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside still waters, he restores my soul  (Psalm 23:3).

And there it is.

He restores our souls, Beloved.

This world will drain your soul. This world will break your soul, grind it to dust, mix it with your tears and drink it down in an iced tea glass.

But the One who loves you restores your soul. He takes it in his hands and gently puts the pieces back together. He breathes life into it and heals it.

He makes you whole.

Every day

Breathe deep, Beloved. Your Shepherd calls.

Happy Friday.

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

Sometimes life is all storm

and rising flood

and raging river

and endless, driving rain that threatens to wash your very self away.

And God is there in the midst of it.

Sometimes the waters calm, and life is gentle brooks

and quiet mountain lakes

and little ponds tucked away in the woods

and soft, soothing waves sizzling against the sand of the shore.

And God is there, too.

I don’t know what today holds for you, Beloved. But whether the storms rage or the brooks whisper, I know that the One who loves you will be there, leading you by the hand.

And I think you know it, too.

Happy Thursday, Beloved.

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 Wednesday, 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 reads I shall not want.  

The difficulty with that translation 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 Tuesday, Beloved

Psalm Break!

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 Monday, Beloved.

…forever  (Psalm 23:6).

For all the tomorrows that will ever be

Until the end of time and then past that

So far in the future that all moments up to now will seem like a blip

That’s forever.

No, that’s a weak and stumbling attempt to describe a concept I can’t even imagine.

Maybe someday, when my soul gets the expansion pack, Michael 2.0 will be able to fathom the concept of forever. Until then, I will have to be content to wonder and praise.

The Lord is my Shepherd.

Forever

Happy Wednesday, Beloved

…and I will dwell in the house of the Lord… (Psalm 23:6).

Don’t let this part go by too fast.

I’ve read or heard this Psalm so many times that the end often goes by like movie credits. I see it, but I’m not really absorbing it.

Absorb this, Beloved.

We will live in God’s house.

I can’t even get my brain around exactly what that might mean.

Obviously, it means we will be with him, but in what capacity? Earlier in this Psalm we were talking about how God is treating David like an honored guest.

But this goes beyond that.

Guests–even honored guests–don’t live in your house.

That would be family.

Family

God calls us family, and we will live with him forever.

Chew on that today, Beloved.

Happy Tuesday

Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life…(Psalm 23:6)

I need to know that God is good.

I need to know that God is merciful.

I need to know that those qualities will always be part of my relationship to him.

And praise God, he knows that I need to know.

Beloved, be thankful that these elements of his character will always be there, guiding and guarding and watching over us like…

angels…or

bodyguards…or

Stalkers, but in a really good way.

A really, really good way.

Happy Monday, Beloved

…my cup overflows(Psalm 23:5).

Not just what I need.

More

Eversomuch more

Overflowing abbondanza

So, we’re clearly not talking about my bank account here.

Instead, perhaps, we’re talking about greater things.

Things like my heart

My soul

My spirit

If those things be full to overflowing, I’ll survive a skimpy paycheck.

Happy Friday, Beloved

You anoint my head with oil… (Psalm 23:5).

You will be the honored guest.

In Bible times, the honored guest had oil poured on his head to signify the esteem in which he was held. 

Seems an odd way of showing respect, but there you go.

There are other kinds of anointing. For example, shepherds would anoint their sheep, pouring oil on the animals’ heads to prevent fly larvae from burrowing into the skin. So one could say, if one were so inclined, that this passage indicates God’s willingness to care for David, by, you know, keeping the maggots away.

There’s a picture for you.

I’m pretty sure that David was going for the first image. Still, whether the anointing is for honoring, or healing, or rejoicing, the Lord of the Universe has singled out David, and by extension us, for his care and attention.

Pretty amazing, when you think of it.

So think of it.

Happy Thursday, Beloved