A devotion on Psalm 23 in three movements
A devotion on Psalm 23 in Three Movements.
Vs. 1-3 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters;
he restores my soul.
He leads me in right paths
for his name’s sake.
Vs. 4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
I fear no evil;
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff—
they comfort me.
Vs: 5-6 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
my whole life long.
Verses 1-3
We were created for times of stillness and rest, no matter what is going on in the rest of the world, and this time is a gift. Picture in your mind’s eye, or get out some colored pencils and paper and draw what those green pastures and still waters look like to you. Sit with this image for a while and let yourself relax, knowing that God is about the work of restoring us. Now use this Psalm as a breath prayer. When we pay attention to our breath, and when our exhales are a little longer than our inhales, we calm down our nervous system. So as you inhale, say in your mind, “The Lord is my Shepherd,” hold that breath for one beat then slowly exhale as you say in your mind, “I shall not want,” trying to make that exhalation a beat or two longer than your inhalation. Continue to breathe in and out with the beginning words of the Psalm. Let it be a moment to bask in God’s peace for you.
Verse 4. We all have had times of dark valleys. Think back to those times in your life when you felt like you were walking through hard times. Maybe it was a time of grief, or a job transition, or a broken relationship. Maybe it was a time when you just didn’t know if God was paying any attention to you and your life. Make a list of those dark valley moments. How did you come through that time? Were there people who helped you, actions that you took, words that sustained you, or time that healed you? What did you learn and how were you changed? We trust that God’s promise of presence is very real for us, not just in good times but in all times, dark valleys included. We also trust that our presence with each other makes a difference. As the body of Christ none of us walk through the valleys alone because God is with us through the Holy Spirit and the words and actions of one another.
Verses 5-6. In these verses we hear that God is setting us a table, anointing us, and overfilling our cups. God is busy looking after us and our needs! God is a God of abundance! God is generous, loving, and audacious, not letting anything stand in the way of being God with us! One of my favorite childrens’ Psalm books ends with a picture of two puppies, one named Goodness and one named Mercy, closely following on the heels of a small child. That image makes me smile every time I think of it. God is like that; so connected and loving towards us that God is always at our heels (and before us, above us, and beside us). I invite you to keep that image in your head. Imagine God is at work setting a table for you, anointing you, overfilling your cup, and sticking with you wherever you go.
Peace to you, Ruth