Psalm 23
Psalm 23
“The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. Even when I walk through the darkest valley, will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.” Psalm 23 (NLT)
To me, one of the most beautiful chapters in the Bible is the 23rd Psalms. In this psalm one can truly see who God is and who He should be in our lives. Written by King David, a man whom God described as a man after His own heart (Acts 13:22), this psalms is the ultimate love letter to our Loving Savior because it is so deeply personal and it was that way because he was in a true relationship with God.
I am sure that most of you are like me in that you can recite this psalm without so much of a hiccup. I grew up reading and reciting this psalm for as long as I can remember, but it wasn’t until many years later that the words I had read became inscribed in my heart.
Now, I am grateful to say that I know for myself the Shepherd that David wrote about because I am in a relationship with Him.
I am thankful that as my Shepherd, He cares enough for me to protect me and keep me from all harm. As my Jehovah Jireh (my Provider), He makes sure that I have everything that I need and that I Iack nothing. He, then, with all tenderness and love, wants to make sure that I enjoy the fruit of rest and refreshment for my soul and so He leads me beside still waters. God, in His eminence, knew that I needed guidance and so He takes my hand and leads me along the right paths in life. He also knew that in life I would have troubles and tribulations, but I do not have to face them alone because He is right there beside me, holding and loving me through them all with His rod and staff to defend and comfort me. He fills me with His perfect peace in the face of my enemies and then He blesses me by anointing my head with oil. And if that is not enough, He then rains out His blessings to me in abundance and they stay with me for the rest of life. And when my earthly journey is finished, I get to spend forever wrapped in His arms. Hallelujah!
If you do not know HIM, our Loving Shepherd, I pray that you will. Knowing Him only comes from having a relationship with Him and so I pray that you will purpose it in your heart to know Him for yourself. I promise you, you will NEVER be the same.
Divine Shepherd, I love You so much. Thank You for watching over and guiding me all the days of my life. In Jesus’ Name, I Pray, Amen.
-Nina Fortson