Psalm 23: For the week of May 3—9
Can More Be Said?
What can be said by us about Psalm 23 that has not already been said, and said better, than we can hope to say? Not much. So our praise of Psalm 23 is to say simply of this Psalm: It stands. It abides. It doesn’t need a lot of commentary because it stands before us resplendent in truth.
Here is a testimony of the sufficiency of the Lord, to know this Lord is to have great contentment (‘not be in want’). To know This One is to be comforted and endlessly renewed (‘green pastures…still waters…a revived soul’) amidst life hardships (and life is not all hardship!). To walk with This One is to make strides in godly living (‘right pathways’). With the Lord, neither thoughts of death nor evil dominate the psyche. Indeed, life is filled with abundant blessings (‘my cup runneth over’). And God’s goodness and mercy are everlasting. They abide forever after all the miseries and sicknesses of the world fade.
Psalm 23
1 The Lord is my shepherd; *
I shall not be in want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures *
and leads me beside still waters.
3 He revives my soul *
and guides me along right pathways for his Name's sake.
4 Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I shall fear no evil; *
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
5 You spread a table before me in the presence of those who trouble me; *
you have anointed my head with oil,
and my cup is running over.
6 Surely your goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, *
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.