Psalm 23

Psalm 23

On the desk in my study is an olive wood carving of The Good Shepherd that I purchased in Bethlehem. The concept of Jesus as the Good Shepherd resonates within my soul and I am drawn to passages such as John 10 where Jesus talks of himself as the Shepherd and His followers as His sheep. God has used the parable of the lost sheep in Luke 15 to often remind me He will never, ever, give up on me. You can find images of The Shepherd, and the scenes of Psalm 23, throughout the New Testament. As an example, Mark’s description of the feeding the five thousand after “Jesus told the disciples to have the people sit down in groups on the green grass” invokes images of the “green pastures” in 23:2 (Mark 6:30-43).

The most pervasive theme of the Bible is God’s longing for His people to know, and to experience, how much He loves us. I believe when God’s love truly penetrates our soul, when we experience His love, a miracle takes place. The Apostle Paul describes the miracle this way, “Nothing between us and God, our faces shining with the brightness of his face. And so we are transfigured much like the Messiah, our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him” (2 Corinthians 3: 18 The Message)

How can we move toward such intimacy with God? Psalm 23 is a very good place to start because it is written in the first person, “The Lord is my shepherd . . .” I encourage you to make an appointment with God for next Monday and spend time contemplating verse one, using several translations:

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want” (KJV);

“The Lord is my shepherd. I lack nothing” (CEB);

“God, my shepherd! I don't need a thing” (The Message);

“The Lord is my Shepherd [to feed, guide, and shield me],

I shall not lack” (Amplified Bible).

Repeat this process each day as you take six days to mediate your way through each verse. But, don’t just read the words. Make them your own personal expression to God. Take time to ponder the words and then elaborate what they mean to you and your life.

Then, on the seventh day, go and worship your Shepherd. Don’t be surprised if along the way someone observes your face is shining with the brightness of His face.

Sē’lah

What word or phrase in these verses

Attracts your attention?

Reflect on that word or phrase.

What insights come to you?

How does this passage touch your life today?

Reading for May 25, 2012  Psalm 24