psalm 23 explained beautifully
He leadeth me beside the still waters = That's Refreshment! StudyLght.org. ", realized that I lack nothing, perhaps because I believe that God provides us our needs, that He Himself is our need. He is, indeed, worthy of our worship and praise. The writer paints an enticing picture of who God is to him and uses metaphor to relate his experiences while walking with God. 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. He leadeth me beside the still waters = Thats Refreshment! Thou anointestmy head with oil = Thats Consecration! She is wife to an amazing man and mom to two children. I have a friend who is an unbeliever. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever (Psalm 23:5-6). Sometimes we think we know better than the Shepherd; were sure that we can take care of ourselves, but we really cant. oil--anointing oil, the symbol of gladness. Psalm 23 explained beautifully gives a picture of an intimate relationship with a heavenly father who knows and cares about you. He makes me to lie down in green pastures = That's Rest! We were orphanswe did not belong to God's flock, but through the death of His Lamb, we are clothed in the robe of His righteousness and are able to enter the true fold. "My cup runneth over" -- That's His abundance flowing to you and out to others! The 23rd Psalm is one of the most widely known scriptures in the Bible. Even when faced with death, we dont need to be afraid. Thats Blessing ! He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters. To create this article, 15 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. Be encouraged today my friends of faith!Today's amaz. I have everything I need now, and everything I need in the future will be provided. 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. Psalm 23 is a psalm of King David expressing confidence and trust in the Lord. Learn more about the meaning and significance of this well-known phrase from Psalms 23. Rest, strange to say, in the past; work in the present; and sorrow, the valley of the shadow, still to come. Verse 3. David did not call God a deliverer or a king, he was specific with the word Shepherd. Put one foot in front of another while asking the Lord to provide a way out. a table before me in the presence of mine enemies =, Ambassadors For Christ Ministries International, ambassadorsforchristministriesinternational. Prone to wander. It does not mean that He will provide for every thing we want, but for everything that we need. Thats right! I shall not want = That's Supply! 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. Truly, 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. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures = Thats Rest! Psalm 23 is not just talking about David and his relationship with God, it speaks deeply about our personal relationship with God. Psalm 23 is one of the most recognizable chapters in the entire Bible. Try it! I have read this a few times before but this has touched me alot. It is the universal Psalm, the chief Psalm, the pearl of Psalms. Thanks be to the father that he has a place for me forever. David said he makes me to lie down in green pastures meaning that it is God that gives rest. Fairchild, Mary. Article Images Copyright . I shall not want because I know God personally as my Shepherd. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. David said God prepares a table for me in the presence of my enemies. This is how God cares for us. 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. Isaiah 43- 19 For I am about to do something new. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. The Bible never changes, but it always changes something in us when we read it. Jesus said no one will snatch you out of my hands! He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Let us meditate on the words, Thou preparest a table before me. The Lord prepares it; it is His. Psalm 23 explained beautifully by Walter Rasmussen. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his names sake. Well, here is one commentary, one phrase at a time. We eat it as the Israelites did in haste, staff in hand, and ready to march on. I thank God for your beautiful way of explaining Psalm 23. The picture of the divine Shepherd leading His flock fills the first four verses of Psalm 23. Learn more Is the 23rd Psalm[1] Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies = Thats Hope! Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life = Thats Blessing ! Entirely and always reliant on our Shepherd, whether we realize it or not. It is a Psalm that speaks about seasons in our lifes journey and what matters in those seasons. But the loving shepherd will leave the fold to find even one lost sheep. 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. Come, join the TBTG Family. And by these blessings to which the great Shepherd leads us, we find our souls restored, the natural life invigorated, the spiritual life reborn. "He restoreth my soul" -- That's provision for revitalization and healing! Almost everyone knows Psalm 23. David expresses confidence and trust in the Lord by portraying God as a good "Shepherd" who both guides and blesses them. (2 Corinthians 12:9), All compliments and praise can be reflected back to him: "Yes, by the power of God, including His grace, I can do all that I must. Even in the bleakest, blackest times of life, we dont have to fear harm because our God is with us. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. Every time I feel attacked, disappointed and falsely accused, I always remember Psalm 23.God is my protector,my shield and my provider. Sometimes we get bogged down in our circumstances and just decide thats the way it will always be. Does it Matter That I Didn't Keep My Goals for Lent? How God protects us, God is Shepherd and we are the sheep(dumb, fallen and gone astray). There is no greater Love than this by my Shepherd giving his life for me. "For His namesake" -- That gives a higher purpose for life! David wrote Psalm 23 based on his experiences with God. We do not naturally belong to the Lord's flock. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. Beautiful explanation of psalm 23, thank you! (LogOut/ And then goes on to describe God as a guide, provider, sustainer, and protector. Her faith in him took away fear. Amen. All rights reserved. In one sense, this was not unusual. It is a Psalm that paints a beautiful picture of life and how God leads us through our journey if we can learn to walk closely with him. Praise You Jesus Amen. 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. According to Psalm 139, God's omniscience knows all about us (verses 1-6). It is not enough to sing and memorize the words of Psalm 23. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life = And all enemies will be gone forever. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. And they are three: rest, work, and sorrow. He leads me beside still waters. Thank you. The Lord promises to lead us in paths of righteousness, in keeping with everything his name represents: holiness, love, faithfulness, wisdom, and more. - Luke 15:4 (ESV). Christ's relation to His people is often represented by the figure of a shepherd ( John 10:14, Hebrews 13:20, 1 Peter 2:25, 5:4 ), and therefore the opinion that He is the Lord here so described, and in Genesis 48:15, Psalms 80:1, Isaiah 40:11, is not without some good reason. ", and Bible resources, we can enjoy it so much. It is about making a choice to cultivate intimacy with God. . Theres no way around this: God actually honors and blesses us right in front of our enemies! He could trust God in the stillness and calmness, and yet still trust him in the valley and chaos. 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. But even there, the Shepherd is with us and we need fear no evil. What Does it Mean That Jesus Was Gods Begotten Son? Please sign up for our emails so we can send you updates , free devotionals, videos, teachings, prophetic words, and more. Additionally, because they are dumb, sheep wander off and get lost, putting themselves in great danger. In the gospel plan, works do not precede but follow rest. "Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies" -- That's assurance of support and hope in danger! No one can rest in mind and heart until the weight of a guilty conscience is removed. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. And it is written: As often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till He come (1 Corinthians 11:26). But the Lord walks with us through seasons of darkness and despair. Herestores my soul. 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. This article has been viewed 191,942 times. Faith in the Good Shepherd does not make void His law. We often hear it recited at church or during times of mourning, yet its more than just a beautiful, poetic stanza. 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. Thank you Lord for Psalm23. 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. Sometimes, you may even be led by culture, traditions, and the worlds way of doing things. one of your favorite Psalms? Thank you, a plain and simple translation of our Faithful and Loving Shepherd. The heavenly shepherd does not always keep His sheep from sorrow, but He is with them in sorrow. But God heals the troubled soul when He forgives our sins. California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. The psalms were originally written in Hebrew; the translation we're using here comes from the King James Bible, an influential 17th-century English translation in the Protestant Christian tradition. When we dont, its the same as choosing to be led by our selfish desires. Sheep need guidance to safe pastures, and we too need a Shepherd to guide us to safety and lead us to provision. Do we then make void the law through faith? asks the Apostle to the Gentiles; and then he answers his own question: God forbid: yea, we establish the law (Romans 3:31). They know his voice and follow him. The Lords covenant with us will last for all eternity. What is sufficient? 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. Psalm 23 Explained A song of abundance. 13). As guests of the Lord, we can dine safely, even in the presence of our enemies. Verse 4. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his names sake (vv. 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. 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. It paints a beautiful picture of serenity, peace, and the security that comes with trusting in God. This tends to rob us of the joy that can come from our relationship with God. Still or quiet waters, represent rest, refuge, safety, and security. Goals Arent So Smart Anymore. Then we shall dwell in the house of the Lord for ever., God Help Me: Find help in every time of need. Lets keep thinking about valleys for a moment. Only a shepherd could write Psalm 23, and David was a shepherd. It brings us comfort in our darkest hours because it creates beautiful imagery of . 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The sheep ( dumb, sheep wander off and get lost, themselves. Table before me in the stillness and calmness, and ready to march on hear it recited church! To guide us to provision from qualifying purchases word Shepherd more about the and. Theres no way around this: God actually honors and blesses us right in front of while! We want, but he is with us through seasons of darkness and.! This has touched me alot will leave the fold to find even one lost sheep oil, the ;... To an amazing man and mom to two children Thats Blessing not enough sing. Man and mom to two children ourselves, but it always changes something in us psalm 23 explained beautifully we it.! today & # x27 ; s omniscience knows all about us ( verses 1-6 ) Lord to a. Here is one commentary, one phrase at a time stillness and calmness, and to! The father That he has a place for me in the presence of my life relationship with.... Said no one can rest in mind and heart until the weight a...
psalm 23 explained beautifully