psalm 23

¹"The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

 ²He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.

 ³He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
   for his name’s sake.

 

 ⁴Even 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.

 ⁵You prepare a table before me
   in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
   my cup overflows.

⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
   all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
    forever."



The Lord is my Shepherd. My Shepherd. Continually watching over me. Even though I might be distracted, my Shepherd is ever vigilant. I shall not want. Of course I do want, I want things, feelings, and people all the time. But whatever I truly need, my Shepherd will give me.

He makes me lie down in green pastures. Even though I try to keep pushing on and on through each day, He makes me lie down. He makes me rest. He makes me be still and know that He is God, which is what I really need. He leads me beside still waters. I can drink from this still, calm water and be refreshed.

He restores my soul. Restores. Restores. My soul. The Lord, my Shepherd, restores my very soul. Not just my body, He restores the deepest, most important part. My soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness, always showing me, guiding me, in the way that is His way. And it is not for my own glory, but I am completely dependent on Him for His name's sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. Even when I come face to face with death, I will know that death has no power over those who love the Lord. I will fear no evil, for You are with me. I will fear no evil because the evil fears You. Your strength and guidance comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You have given me every reason to rejoice in the victory You have made. My enemies have no true strength. You anoint my head with oil, making me one of Your royal children, a member of Your everlasting Kingdom. My cup overflows.

Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life. I won't always feel like they are there. But I have been given goodness beyond compare in the hope of your salvation. I have a love that will never let me go, even if I let go of it. All of my life, my Shepherd will be with me. All of my life, His goodness will fill up my cup, it will overflow with love. All of my life, my Shepherd will lead me. And then this life will be over as my Shepherd leads me Home. Where I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Forever.







{photo credit - john bennett + the bennett sheep}