"Psa 23:1 A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
Psa 23:2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.
Psa 23:3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Psa 23:4 Even 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.
Psa 23:5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Psa 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever."
Psa 23:2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.
Psa 23:3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Psa 23:4 Even 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.
Psa 23:5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Psa 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever."
This is a pretty familiar passage of scripture. I'm sure you know it, and maybe didn't even read it above, you just recited from memory. I too probably would have been able to recite this a couple months ago, and probably would have done it the same way you just did. But something is different now. I believe God put this passage of scripture on my heart some probably month or two ago, and it has effected my life while I have been praying it in my devotions. Ever since the Worship God conference last year I have been praying through the Psalms (yes, now I can even spell it), and it has radically effected my prayer times.
This psalm, as God (I believe) has been leading me to pray and meditate on, has shown me new and profound things in it. One night it was how much passion is in this psalm, and David's yearn for God.
Another was how much every word is directed about God, to God. "The Lord is my shepherd," "He makes me lie down in green pastures," "He leads me beside still waters," "He restores..." "He leads," "You are with me," "You prepare a table," "You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows."
And I believe recently God has been showing me, God is my shepherd. You'd think that would be an obvious one, especially since it is the way this Psalm starts. But it has been more profound than that, as I trust God spoke to me and had me think of all the things a shepherd does. A shepherd loves, provides, feeds, protects, nurtures, helps, blesses, and keeps! How much more does Christ do for us?! The Lord is my Shepherd! I shall not want. Another powerful bit of scripture the Lord has brought me to is Matthew 18. Such powerful stuff! Matthew 18:12-14 says,
This psalm, as God (I believe) has been leading me to pray and meditate on, has shown me new and profound things in it. One night it was how much passion is in this psalm, and David's yearn for God.
Another was how much every word is directed about God, to God. "The Lord is my shepherd," "He makes me lie down in green pastures," "He leads me beside still waters," "He restores..." "He leads," "You are with me," "You prepare a table," "You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows."
And I believe recently God has been showing me, God is my shepherd. You'd think that would be an obvious one, especially since it is the way this Psalm starts. But it has been more profound than that, as I trust God spoke to me and had me think of all the things a shepherd does. A shepherd loves, provides, feeds, protects, nurtures, helps, blesses, and keeps! How much more does Christ do for us?! The Lord is my Shepherd! I shall not want. Another powerful bit of scripture the Lord has brought me to is Matthew 18. Such powerful stuff! Matthew 18:12-14 says,
"Mat 18:12 "What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? Mat 18:13 And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray.
Mat 18:14 So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish."'
I would encourage you in your prayer times to keep in mind Psalm 23, and Matthew 18. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
1 comment:
Wow, how did I miss this post when you wrote it? This is one of your best posts ever! What a great idea: praying through the Psalms. I think I might start doing this because of your example.
Post a Comment