My comments today are about,
“green pastures and still waters.”
”The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want.
2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.
3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.
4 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.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.”
Psalm 23 NKJ
The beauty and majesty of David’s Psalm must not be diminished by its familiarity. Read the phrases more deliberately, even aloud, as though you are speaking the words for the first time. Meditate on the phrasing. What does your heart feel?
Notice what the Psalm tells you about the Good Shepherd. First and foremost, “The Lord is my Shepherd.” That simple relationship of grace being true, “I shall not want for anything,” reasonably follows. Do not be confused by the simplicity of such an expansive statement. In God’s abundance and ability to provide, there is never a lack of anything you and I truly need, nor any reluctance to provide in ample measure.
All your needs are well within your Heavenly Father’s desire to provide and His ability to do so. ”For the Lord God will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right.” Psalm 84:11 NLT. Everything that our Heavenly Father knows is good for you in life and eternity, He will provide faithfully and in ample measure.
I love the certainty of Paul’s assurance to the Christians at Philippi, “And this same God Who takes care of me will supply all your needs from His glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19 NLT. David introduces Psalm 23 by speaking personally about the Shepherd in verses 1-3. “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.” Then, David changes from speaking about the Shepherd to speaking directly to the Shepherd in verses 4-6. “You are with me . . You prepare a table before me . . You anoint my head with oil. My cup runs over.”
Your God invites you into a growing relationship and greater intimacy with Himself. I conclude my thoughts today where our study began, “Because the Lord is my Shepherd, I have everything I need!” Psalm 23:1 The Living Bible.
My prayer for you today is to know green pastures, still waters, and righteous paths.
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