3He restores my soul; he leads me in the paths of righteousness for His names sake. Without a shepherd to protect and guide them, sheep are easy targets for predators. Its the same with us: All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way (Isaiah 53:6). It is her desire to reach struggling teenagers and tell them about the transformative power and love of God. This speaks of blessings and abundance that are visible for all to see. Pray for God to help you understand, then reread the psalm. i would just like to ask for permission to share it.. then ill just include that its from this site and Georgy (you?).. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside still waters. "I shall not want" -- That's the source for your needs: your Shepherd supplies the way, truth and the life! The Lord is my Shepherd = Thats Relationship! Do you have a prayer request? During much of that time, David was a fugitive, hunted by and hiding from King Saul, who was obsessed with taking his life. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters. You may be wondering, "What does Psalm 23 mean? Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. When we go through difficult times, we dont need to be afraid because we know that our Shepherd is with us in the midst of it. Rest, strange to say, in the past; work in the present; and sorrow, the valley of the shadow, still to come. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life = Thats Blessing ! Let this Psalm give you comfort when you are in a time of distress, pain, grief, discouragement, disappointment. Why read it again? He was fearless knowing that God was with him, and his victory was assured. 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. Hospitality included the responsibility of protection. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. So, even when we walk through the valleys of life and death is staring us in the face, we are not afraid knowing that God is with us and will shield and protect us from danger and evil. He knew God as a provider hence he could confidently declare I will not lack. This is a beautiful picture to share with him. Theres not one person on the planet who hasnt experienced some pain, disappointment or grief in their soul. "Truly, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death" -- That's about. God is our Shepherd and like a Good Shepherd, He will provide for His own for every need we will ever have (Philippians 4:19). In Psalm 23, God is using the analogy of sheep and their nature to describe us. The Good Shepherd leads His sheep in paths of righteousness to the very gates of the beautiful city itself, and on through the gates into the eternal fold, for it is written in Revelation 22:14, Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.. Our Shepherd also leads us in the right way. And knowing him can only come when you spend time with him in prayer, worship, and through his word. 5 Lessons I Learned From Psalm 23 How To Rest Your Mind From Worrying | Day 1 God Wants To Restore You | Day 2 Feeling Lost And Confused? It is memorized and repeated in all lands. Then you can repeat the 23rd Psalm and know that it is yoursit was written for you. meaning it was his reality and he rested in this truth Gods goodness and mercy were following him through his lifes journey on earth. Seriously. David ends this rich Psalm with a picture of Gods grace, presence, and favor following him all the days of his life. When God calls, will you answer? It is not enough to sing and memorize the words of Psalm 23. What Does it Mean That Jesus Was Gods Begotten Son? Heleads me inpaths of righteousness for hisnames 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. He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness = Thats Guidance! And then goes on to describe God as a guide, provider, sustainer, and protector. (Psalm 96: 8, 9) That scripture can make the 23rd Psalm become more real to you. Psalm 23 ends with these words And I shalldwellin the house of theLord forever. Psalm 23:4 Even though Iwalk through the valley ofthe shadow of death, I willfear no evil, foryou are with me, yourrod, and your staff, they comfort me. This is how God cares for us. 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. According to Psalm 139, God's omniscience knows all about us (verses 1-6). Psalm 23 is one of the most dearly loved, soul-comforting passages of Scripture. The passage begins with this familiar reassurance: "The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.". 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. Sorry. : "But He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.' We can never stray so far that God's long arm of grace can't reach us. Read it as many times as you need to until the meaning begins to sink in. 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. 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. "Have faith in GOD!" He makes me to lie down in green pastures = That's Rest! The Lord is my Shepherd: Psalm 23 Explained, Jesus was the Shepherd who became a sheep, The 7 "I Am" Statements of Jesus Explained, 10 Bible Verses that Have Changed My Life. He is, indeed, worthy of our worship and praise. He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness = . % of people told us that this article helped them. Some people find reading commentaries on passages of scripture helpful. During the valleys of life, you must remember the last two lines of this verse, that God is with you and will comfort you as you walk. Our Saviour is not only the Lamb; He is the Shepherd toothe Good Shepherd, who giveth His life for His sheep. "Forever." wikiHow is a wiki, similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. ", looking for how to help someone else with this prayer, and instead I got help. Thank God for the Good Shepherd who became the perfect, sacrificial Lamb of God, removing our sin, guilt, and shame and making us right with our Heavenly Father! "The Lord is my Shepherd" -- That involves a one-on-one relationship, as an individual -- not just a number in a flock! David calls God a shepherd and declares that because God is his shepherd, hence he shall not lack any good thing. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. But the Lord walks with us through seasons of darkness and despair. I shall not want because God, as a good shepherd, will ensure I have everything I need. I woke up scared and needing encouragement and immediately I was led to recite psalm 23 and while reciting it, I needed to understand every statement to for impact .and lo and behold I came across this site that perfectly explains it to me and i feel so blessed and at peace .Thank God . Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. It is about knowing and embracing the shepherd whom David spoke about. We eat it as the Israelites did in haste, staff in hand, and ready to march on. It is no wonder that this Psalm has been a great source of comfort and hope to many in trying times, difficult seasons of life, and even in the face of death. I have a friend who is an unbeliever. This verse also shows God as a guide who leads us through life on paths that honor his name and bring glory to him. Someone or something will lead us through life. We can trust our lives to the Lords safekeeping. Psalms 23:1-6. # Walk in LoveWalk by Faith..Live by the Word..#. I dont know the real author. Isaiah 40:11 ESV - He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young. Your email address will not be published. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters. As I read, three questions came to mind. As I did, the familiarity faded, and I felt as though I was reading it with new eyes. Jesus is called the good shepherd, and he said my sheep know my voice and a strangers voice they will not follow. 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. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures = Thats Rest! It emphasizes the Lords personal care, guidance, and protection of his people. Articles are co-written by multiple authors got help # x27 ; s omniscience knows all about us ( verses )... Worship and praise beside still waters Begotten Son ``, looking for how to someone... 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