Psalm 23 The Shepherd’s Prayer

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.

David wrote this psalm out of his own experiences as a young shepherd. He knew that sheep depend completely on the shepherd for food, water and protection. He lived out that ‘life and death’ responsibility when he was just a boy. A shepherd’s job is to keep the flock. The flock’s job is to follow the shepherd.

As we venture together through this journey of Lent, I invite you to reflect on this one verse. “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” In what ways does this verse apply to your life?

I have found that if an area of my life is without peace, this verse helps make it right. It has the simple power of gently shifting my focus to the One who can give me the peace and wholeness I so desperately need. So, there’s your charge. Apply this verse to your life here and now. God is trustworthy and capable. Your only job is to follow the Shepherd.

See you Sunday,
Missy