Do you realize how relevant Psalm 23 is to our everyday lives? The more time I’ve spent in this short psalm, the more I’ve realized how all-encompassing it actually is – and how much it both challenges me and reassures me at the same time.
Psalm 23 begins with an amazing declaration “The Lord is my Shepherd, I have all that I need” (verse 1). I find this very challenging. That’s because I’m often tempted to break apart the two halves of this verse. I’m happy to declare “The Lord is my Shepherd,” but then go to him with a “shopping list” of all the things I “need.” And that’s simply because half way through the verse I changed my focus to myself rather than keeping it on God as my Shepherd. It’s a subtle but incredibly important change that I shouldn’t be making.
You see, the psalmist never changes his focus. Instead, he continues to proclaim both the vastness and deeply personal aspects of the Shepherd’s continuing care. So let’s take a slightly different look at how the Shepherd’s incredible care is depicted throughout the psalm.
In three places at the same time
Remarkably, the Shepherd is shown to be in THREE places at once! He is in front of the sheep, providing two different kinds of leadership. Firstly, He leads and guides me to “external” provision of things like food, water and places to rest. Secondly, He leads his sheep “internally” into peace, restoration, and following in His paths of righteousness.
As well as leading from the front, the Shepherd is with His sheep, especially in the “valley of the shadow of death.” Here, He brings comfort and protection, as well as the reassurance that I will never be abandoned by Him.
Then He is following after or pursuing His sheep with goodness and loving-kindness. Talk about all-encompassing care!
Outdoors and indoors
Next, we find the Shepherd is both outdoors and indoors. He is out in the green pastures and by quiet rivers. He’s also very much present in the dark and difficult places – such as the valley of the shadow of death.
Yet He invites me into the intimacy of His dining room to have fellowship with Him as we share a glorious banquet. And He spreads out this beautiful banquet exactly where “enemies” of oppression and distress are wanting to bind and suppress me.
Living in God’s house
Then, in the last line, the psalmist declares “and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (verse 6). The word “house” here is the usual word for house – ie. where a person or a family lives. The psalmist is declaring that he has been invited to sit down, abide and remain where God dwells, forever. And as we’ve seen above, God the Shepherd dwells everywhere!
It’s not until we spend a bit of time in this psalm that we can begin to understand the depth of comfort and care that comes from God’s heart.
As you grasp these things personally, I would like to encourage you to respond to God in some way – perhaps by thanking Him, or maybe acknowledging where you have taking Him for granted, or even failed to fully appreciate His care. He is far closer to each of us that we often realise!
