I don’t want to hurry at great speed through the famous Psalm – and risk rushing right past the truths and light and promises. Maybe you too, need to slow down, savour and marvel and take in and be restored?
Psalm 23 has been a comfort to the soldier in battle, the grieving widow, those strapped to beds of pain, etc. Clearly, this Psalm, speaks directly to deep human need. Even though Psalm 23 reminds us of funerals, death and dying, this is actually a Psalm about living, eating drinking, resting, joy and companionship. It is a Psalm about confidence, the blessedness of living in a relationship with God. And this is the reason why it would be refreshing to take a lingering walk through its six verses.
The LORD is my Shepherd. “LORD”, the most personal name by which God first revealed Himself to Moses. Yahweh is my Shepherd, not some distant, nameless, or faceless deity. Aah that Name! A Name that represents infinity, inexhaustibility, timelessness, and changelessness. LORD – how sweet that name sounds in the believer’s ear. The Lord - uniquely self-sufficient, eternally “I am”. The LORD is my Shepherd, He is my trust and confidence.
My Good Shepherd provides security and sustenance.He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters and He restores my soul. He renews my life. My Shepherd keeps me alive and makes me lie down in peace because He makes me safe. He supplies security for those who belong to Him
He leads me in paths of righteousness, for his name’s sake. We see He does not do any of these marvellous things because the world revolves around me. No, He has spelled out His motive: it is for his name’s sake. God's motive is to display the honour of his name. God does everything for his own glory; we need to bring our lives into alignment with that goal“My Shepherd and Lord’s reputation is on the line. My confidence and security is – thankfully – not in my own loveable-ness. As much as it might burst our bubble, this is a mercy, because now, my security is grounded in God’s devotion to His glory. And this is why I can be made to lie down in peace – this night and always, not matter what the circumstances. These are not mere words, these are distinctive realities in the lives of God's children - who like all other people - has had great suffering. Because suffering is so general, and our personal suffering is only one example, we can be sure there are many Christian stories of lying down in secure rest in Jesus in the midst of storms.
The LORD is my Shepherd; I shall not lack restful security—verse 2 and the first part of verse 3. "He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside still waters (or more literally, waters of quietness); he restores my soul."
John Piper “So it is no longer surprising to me, like it was back there in those early days of discovery, that right here in the middle of a psalm, world famous for the joy and comfort and refreshment it has brought to man, is the signature of the sovereign God: ‘for his name's sake.’"
Truly, by my good Shepherd’s deep and wide and amazing grace, I have no lack of restful security and feel far less frazzled - for His Name's sake!
