A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; 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 runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever. Psalm 23 (NKJV)
For a lot of people, this is a very familiar section of scripture. The scripture paints a beautiful picture of a Shepherd who is watching out for his sheep. Sometimes at first in this passage I picture a little vulnerable lamb that is safeguarded by a kind overseeing man; smiling with his staff in hand as he gently directs the lamb. The picture seems so peaceful and serene; what a perfect scenario; the author of this psalms must have had some easy peaceful life. Urrrnnt (buzzer for an incorrect answer), wrong!
We should not forget who wrote this psalm: David. David certainly had a victorious life in God; after all God called him, “a man after my own heart” (Acts 13:22 ). However, we would do well to remember that David’s life was far from a simple one; he faced a lion, a bear and a giant (1Sam. 17:37 ). King Saul whom he served wholeheartedly tried to kill him on several occasions; he was constantly on the run and having to hide. After he took the throne he committed adultery, tried to lie his way out, had a man murdered and then married his wife. His baby son died. The story goes on and on; through sin, redemption, disappointment, and victory. David’s life was far from perfect, and rarely did he have earthly peace.
However, David had a deeper understanding of God and His grace and righteousness; we see this reflected in what has become known as the 23 Psalm. I hope the next time you read the 23 Psalm that you keep in mind that David’s life was not one of constant calm and serenity; it was a life much like ours: often hectic, confusing, painful, discouraging and full of turmoil. Although David faced many situations where he could have given up (and probably thought about it) he recognized that he was guarded and guided by the “Good Shepherd” (John 10:11 ).
Does your world feel like it is crumbling down on top of you? Are you at your wits end? Do you feel like there is no hope and no escape? I think we all find ourselves there at one time or another. Turn to the Good Shepherd and find hope in the 23 Psalm; a poem of hope and peace, through a life of trials and tribulation.
