Psalm 23
“ The Lord is my shepherd; I have what I need. He lets me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside quiet waters. He renews my life; he leads me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even when I go through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for you are with me; your rod and your staff–they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Only goodness and faithful love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord as long as I live.”
– Psalm 23 (CSB, She Reads Truth Bible)
Can I just say, I don’t think you can ever go wrong with a Psalm. The Psalms have always been a go to for me. When I’m happy, sad, struggling, or overjoyed; I can find a Psalm that reflects how I am feeling. When I am struggling in my personal devotions and trying to figure out how to just get back in the Word, Psalms is typically where I begin. There is something so real and raw about how the Psalms are written, you see the joy or heartache written out on the page. You can feel what the author is feeling. In many ways it has made me feel closer to God and reminded me that God is a God of feeling and emotion. I especially appreciate a psalm of David. Here we have a “man after God’s own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22) who clearly does not have it all together. His life is a mess and he doesn’t always make the right choices. However, when confronted with suffering or sin he clings to the truths he knows. He cries out to God for shelter, help, and forgiveness. He is not afraid to boldly come before God no matter how he feels or the circumstances surrounding him. This is why the Psalms are so meaningful to me, I think sometimes God can seem so far away and this big mystical being who isn’t interested in anything personal. That couldn’t be further from the truth! The Psalms remind us that God is deeply personal, that we can feel safe and comfortable crying out to him in anger, grief, joy, or fear because not only does He feel what we feel, but he cares deeply for us. He knows each of our hearts deeply and personally. He knows our wants and our needs and desperately wants us to follow Him. Psalm 23 states “The Lord is my shepherd”, this concept would have been something David was intimately familiar with. He understood how dependent sheep are on their shepherd, how they need them for food, shelter, and safety. Modern studies have shown us that sheep can recognize voices and faces. Meaning they know who their shepherd is and they feel safe with their caregivers. As someone who has raised sheep, I can tell you it is a very special bond. For David to call the Lord his Shepherd would be to indicate how important their relationship is and his need for God. How often do we forget our need for God? I know I do; I think I can do it on my own way too often. God wants us to remember that not only do we need Him, but he desires to take care of us. He desires to lead us to the still waters, where we can find rest. He wants us to remember that even in our darkest times we don’t have to be afraid; He is with us! He wants us to come and take a seat at His table and be surrounded by His goodness and faithful love for all of our days. I pray that you remember the words of David: “The Lord is my shepherd, I have what I need…” find rest in Him.
-Jackie
A Life Imperfect 