I have read this a few times before but this has touched me alot. He leadeth me beside the still waters = Thats Refreshment! "Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me" -- That's God's protection against the enemies! I got this from an email. It shows us how God is a sustainer, a guide, a leader, a provider, the ever-present one, and an amazing host who has prepared a table of abundance before us to feast on. Psalm 23 (New King James Version)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. The truth is during this Covid19, my family and I have enjoyed Jesus as our Shepherd; provision, rest, restoration, peace, presence, leading and protection. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me. There is much more you can draw from this beautiful Psalm. He makes me lie down in green pastures . Psalms 23:1-6. David said I shall not want because God is my Shepherd and will always meet my needs. 'You Raise Me Up' Duet Earns A Standing Ovation From The Judges, 7 Tests to See if Your Worship Is Truly Christian or Pagan, 3 Bad Church Approaches to Good Money Stewardship, 5 Critical Rules to Teach Your Kids to Help Them Stay Safe, 4 Things You Should Know about Jesus Revolution, Jesus on Adultery: Its More Controversial Than You Think, This site is a proud member of the Salem Web Network, a subsidiary of, Copyright 2023, Crosswalk.com. Another figure expresses God's provided care. Read next: Discover more Bible verses meaning or read the next article: Meaning of Matthew 17:20 "Truly I tell you . Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me. The fact that all the Ten Commandmentsnot five or eight of themare repeated in principle in the New Testament and are taught by both Christ and the apostles, sustains the Word of the Psalmist. God bless you. He is the One Who upholds and protects, Who blesses and comforts, Who bountifully provides good things for us in the presence of our enemies. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. Praise You Jesus Amen. Green pastures represent sustenance and plenty. foryou are with me, yourrod, and your staff, The Lord is My Shepherd Blessings, Provision, and Abundance, David ends this rich Psalm with a picture of Gods grace, presence, and favor following him all the days of his life. wikiHow is a wiki, similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, 15 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. The shepherd knows each sheep by name and the sheep knows his shepherds voice. Prone to wander. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. I shall not want, not because of what I've done or can do but because God loves me. "My cup runneth over" -- That's His abundance flowing to you and out to others! Fairchild, Mary. Here is the picture of that blessed state in Revelation 7:16-17, They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Verse 6. The restored soul is then led on to another stage in God's plan for his lifeHe leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake (Psalm 23:3). "He maketh me to lie down in green pastures" -- That's splendid contentment -- plenty of rest! Convicting, huh? I heard a pastor say that this verse clearly states that the valleys of life are to be walked through, but some people tend to put up a tent and camp there. David portrays God as a loving shepherd, a role the psalmist would have been deeply familiar with, as much of his boyhood was spent caring for his fathers sheep. This beautiful Psalm most admirably sets before us, in its chief figure, that of a shepherd, the gentle, kind, and sure care extended to God's people, who, as a shepherd, both rules and feeds them. It talks about renewal and strength in every area of life. Every time I feel attacked, disappointed and falsely accused, I always remember Psalm 23.God is my protector,my shield and my provider. Psalm 23:5-6 ESV Youprepare a table before me inthe presence of my enemies; youanoint my head with oil; mycup overflows. And I will dwell in the house of the Lord = Thats Security! See, I have already begun! Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; David acknowledges the reality that life sometimes takes us to dark and desolate places. No one can rest in mind and heart until the weight of a guilty conscience is removed. Pray for God to help you understand, then reread the psalm. This gave him the confidence to boldly declare those words. He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness = . Praying will help you as well. Verse 4. . I am going to make it my priority to share, at the least, the Lord's prayer with this purpose, starting within my very own family. Do you have a prayer request? This means that no matter how things may look, I will rest in this truth I will lack nothing and all my needs will be met because God will provide what I need when I need it. The meaning of Psalm 23 is personal because we each have a personal relationship with God.. Start a meditation on Psalm 23 today and make it part of your worship to God during your quiet time. He provides for us here in this world. But it is for us. When we open our eyes to how much we really need and rely on God for everything, the more we realize His provision in our lives. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures = Thats Rest! He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters. Heres whybecause the Bible is a living document. (English Standard Version)A Psalm of David.The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.He makes me lie down in green pastures.He leads me beside still waters.He restores my soul.He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.Even 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 overflows.Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,And I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever. 1. This speaks of blessings and abundance that are visible for all to see. (2021, September 7). Shepherds use tools (rod and staff) to lead and guide their sheep. It brings us comfort in our darkest hours because it creates beautiful imagery of . Under a metaphor borrowed from scenes of pastoral life, with which David was familiar, he describes God's providential care in providing refreshment, guidance, protection, and abundance, and so affording grounds of confidence in His perpetual favor. Thou preparesta table before me in the presence of mine enemies = A good place. When we look back over life, the trials are out-weighed by His love. : "But He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.' Heleads me inpaths of righteousness for hisnames sake. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. Choose a verse from 'Psalms 23' to begin your 'Verse-by-Verse' study of God's Word using the more than 100 commentaries available on StudyLight.org. Arent you afraid, darling? the father asked. During much of that time, David was a fugitive, hunted by and hiding from King Saul, who was obsessed with taking his life. This article originally appeared on Revive Our Hearts and LiesYoungWomenBelieve.com. Some of the keywords used in this Psalm include green pastures, restore, still waters, cup, overflow, paths of righteousness, namesake, valley of the shadow of death, table, comfort, thy rod and thy staff, goodness, and mercy. Does the Pandemic Still Affect Church Attendance? Then you can repeat the 23rd Psalm and know that it is yoursit was written for you. We figuratively pitch our tent in the valley. In Psalm 23, God is using the analogy of sheep and their nature to describe us. Psalm 23 KJV. I was. Compare in several popular Bible translations: (King James version)A Psalm of David.The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:He leadeth me beside the still waters.He restoreth my soul:He leadeth 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 thou art with me;Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth 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. Its been am amazing time for us. 5) Psalm 23: Conclusion. Beautiful Testimony. Thats Blessing ! This is a beautiful picture to share with him. The Lords covenant with us will last for all eternity. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; In Psalm 23 David also portrays the Lord as a gracious host. You can start in the comment section below. I have been blessed this morning. Let us look at this beautiful chapter in the Bible, Psalm 23 meaning and significance. Even 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, The Bible never changes, but it always changes something in us when we read it. Whenever a sheep strays, the shepherd finds and restores him back to the flock. He leads me beside still waters. "Lessons From Psalm 23: The Lord Is My Shepherd." Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. The Lord is my Shepherd A Powerful Declaration of Faith, The Lord is my Shepherd An Assurance of My God-Given Identity, The Lord is my Shepherd Provider, Sustainer, and Guide, The Lord is my Shepherd Shield and Protector. Only a shepherd could write Psalm 23, and David was a shepherd. In John 10:11, Jesus declared, I am the good shepherd. "The Lord is my shepherd" is one of the most quoted passages in all of Scripture. Fairchild, Mary. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. He was clearly referring to the fact that He was giving His life to save us, His sheep. 93% of people wont forward this, good day! ", wants. There is no greater Love than this by my Shepherd giving his life for me. So the sheep in this beautiful Psalm, the flock of the Lord, are those who follow Him. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside still waters. What Is the Meaning of Psalm 91 and Why Is it Popular? (LogOut/ "Fear (Respect and honor) Him, in all your ways, and in the beauty of holiness." I shall not want = Thats Supply! For Thou art with me = Thats Faithfulness! Very well explained. As the apostle Paul puts it, For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:10). It is the universal Psalm, the chief Psalm, the pearl of Psalms. Be encouraged today my friends of faith!Today's amaz. I shall not want because I know God personally as my Shepherd. Article Images Copyright . Even though Iwalk through the valley ofthe shadow of death, I willfear no evil. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Learn more about the meaning and significance of this well-known phrase from Psalms 23. Moses and the Burning Bush Bible Story Study Guide, The Ultimate List of Christmas Bible Verses to Celebrate Jesus' Birth, General Biblical Studies, Interdenominational Christian Training Center. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul. David said God prepares a table for me in the presence of my enemies. 5. Put one foot in front of another while asking the Lord to provide a way out. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shalldwellin the house of theLord forever.. The Lord is my Shepherd = That's Relationship! It is about making a choice to cultivate intimacy with God. We do not naturally belong to the Lord's flock. Psalm 23 - The LORD Is My Shepherd and My Host Like many others, this beloved psalm bears the simple title A Psalm of David . Even those who do not attend church have likely heard this psalm before. 5, 6. This article received 13 testimonials and 97% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. In one sense, this was not unusual. He restores my soul. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. Well, here is one commentary, one phrase at a time. I shall not want = That's Supply! We find ourselves in need of God's forgiveness and restoration, which he offers freely to those who repent and return to him. Download this 11-page ebook on the seven keys to the Lords Prayer by entering your email address below. 5You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. The clear implication of David's statement in Psalm 23:1 is that as one of God's sheep he will lack nothing which is necessary for his best interest. Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. This verse also shows God as a guide who leads us through life on paths that honor his name and bring glory to him. We want to keep sowing into you!Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Verse 2. https://www.learnreligions.com/psalm-23-the-lord-is-my-shepherd-700375 (accessed March 1, 2023). "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want." Testing! Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. Sometimes we think we know better than the Shepherd; were sure that we can take care of ourselves, but we really cant. His gift to us is eternal life, and we will be with him forever. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain. Sheep need guidance to safe pastures, and we too need a Shepherd to guide us to safety and lead us to provision. 2. green pastures--or, "pastures of tender grass," are mentioned, not in respect to food, but as places of cool and refreshing rest. God bless you and grsnt you more insight into His word in Jesus name, amen. But the good news is this: our Shepherd cares for us, and He is able to restore our souls. Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me = Thats Discipline! indeed! Image courtesy:Thinkstock/pamela_d_mcadams, 10 Reasons God Might Not Be Blessing Your Life, 9 Christians You Don't Want to Sit Beside on Sunday Morning, 6 Truths about Jesus Coming into the World, Inspiring Mother Breaks Down after Earning Golden Buzzer with Celine Dion Hit, 7 Ways Anxiety Dominates the Christian Mind. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. Psalms 23:1-6. Before David became king of Israel, he was a shepherd. It is wilderness foodthe manna of His promise, and water out of the Rock. The Lord is the Shepherd of His people and they are His sheep; so David said, The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want., In eastern lands, the shepherd goes before his flockhe leads them. Most account it to be a psalm of David's maturity, but with vivid remembrance of his youth as a shepherd. I thank God for your inspiration. Learn more Is the 23rd Psalm[1] Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. We can take comfort that he protects and guides us with His rod and staff, walking with us in the darkest of valleys. i. They are contrasted with boisterous streams on the one hand, and stagnant, offensive pools on the other. "Reminder necessary that I should be helping share His word, especially to those who do not have or even know of. With God as our shepherd, there is nothing we will ever lack. How to Trust in the Lord with All Your Heart, How to Grow Spiritually When You Dont Feel Close to God, Trusting God 5 Ways You Try But Fail (+ how to fix it), Another interpretation of Psalm 23 can be found here, , For creating deeper intimacy with Jesus, read my guide on. Can you trust him to shepherd you through life? He begins Psalm 23 with this sentence. We may not know the why of many of our experiences, but we know that our Shepherd knows, and that is sufficient. Im passing them along in the hopes they will challenge you, too. It is a bit difficult to ascertain the exact time . Why Did Pharaoh Tell Joseph to Enjoy the 'Fat of the Land'? This makes you know that you are not alone, even when you dont feel like it. The woman in the gospel story poured the box of precious ointment upon the head of our Lord, (Matthew 26:6-7) a custom which the host who had invited Him had shamefully neglected. He restores my soul. It paints a beautiful picture of serenity, peace, and the security that comes with trusting in God. It is in Gods presence that we grow, change, and are transformed forever. Are you that open to that kind of new life (following the Shepherd)? Jesus said, as we read in John 10:27, My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.. He shows off by abundantly blessing us before the very ones who want to see us fall! % of people told us that this article helped them. He leads me in the paths of righteousness = Thats Guidance! But here's what we need to understand: we can't see God as Shepherd if we don't see ourselves as sheep. Psalm 23 (New International Version)A Psalm of David.The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.He makes me lie down in green pastures,He leads me beside quiet waters,He restores my soul.He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.Even 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 overflows.Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. 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The presence of mine enemies = a good place a beautiful picture of serenity,,. Or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain the exact time why Pharaoh! We want to see goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my enemies ; you my!