A Deeper Look At Psalm 23
One of the most familiar passages of Scripture is
Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd; I lack nothing
The reason that we lack nothing is because the Lord is our shepherd. He helps us, leads us, comforts us, provides for us and so forth, just as a human shepherd would his prized sheep.
He makes me lie down in green pastures
Jesus, our Good Shepherd (John 10), causes us to rest in His love, is a “pasture” that is unrestricted and full of color. His love is a spacious place of freedom and life, not a barren place of captivity and death.
He leads me beside quiet waters, He refreshes my soul
God’s voice is sometimes referred to as the sound of rushing waters in the Scriptures. In this light, this verse speaks of God’s gentle whispers that bring refreshment. His voice is often quiet and tender, and His words bring nourishment and life to our souls.
He guides me along the right paths for His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley
The right paths include the dark valley, the valley of the shadow of death. In His faithfulness, God leads us on the paths that He knows are best for us. However, these paths are not always easy, often involving the difficult terrain of trials and suffering. In spite of this, He is faithful and will carry us to the finish line as we trust His direction.
I will fear no evil, for you are with me
The reason we do not have to fear is because God is with us. Throughout the Scriptures, God commands His people not to fear for this very reason—He is with them. When fear sets in, all we need to do is remember that God is not only with us, but better yet, in us.
Your rod and your staff, they comfort me
A human shepherd uses a rod or staff to protect their sheep from wild animals that seek to kill them. In the same way, God is sovereign over all. His authority protects us from the enemy (the lion who seeks to devour, 1 Peter 5:8). As we submit to God, and use the authority He has given us to resist the enemy and his cohorts, the powers of darkness will flee. Our Father is a refuge and a shelter we can run to, hiding us safely in the shadow of His wings (Psalm 17:8).
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies
I view this verse as a parallel to our salvation. Jesus made a spectacle of darkness on the cross (Colossians 2:15). His grace prepared a table for us, even in the midst of our sins. Sin separates us from God, but in His great love, God chose to bring us back into relationship with Him through the blood of Jesus. He invites us to dine with Him, which is a symbol of fellowship, and our part is to respond to His invitation. He stands at the door of our heart, knocking gently and passionately in hopes that we will let Him inside to have fellowship (Revelation 3:20).
You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows
When I think of this verse, I think of the joy of the Holy Spirit. He overflows our hearts with His presence that brings fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11). He anoints us with His power to enable us to testify about Jesus. Though we suffer persecution for the sake of the gospel, we can be like the apostles of the early church. The apostles rejoiced in being counted worthy to suffer for Jesus’ sake (Acts 5:41).
Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
It is a guarantee. God’s love will chase us down unceasingly. His love is unfailing and steadfast. As believers, we have the confident assurance that we are heaven-bound. We will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.