Psalm 23
Psalm 23: A Psalm of David.
1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters;
3 he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake.
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.
5 You 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 my whole life long.
The 4th Sunday of the Easter season has become known as “Good Shepherd Sunday.” The scripture reading, prayers, and hymns focus on the guiding, watchful, protective presence of God --- like that of a shepherd with the sheep that the shepherd has been charged to watch over. The familiar words of Psalm 23 describe the nature of such a shepherd, and there are a plethora of themes throughout the psalm.
For the purpose of this devotion, I would like to focus on the verbs, that is, the action words of this Shepherd. There are numerous things this Shepherd does:
He makes (me lie down)
He restores
He leads
Then the psalmist speaks directly to the Shepherd:
You are (with me)
Your rod and staff comfort
You prepare
You anoint
(Your) goodness and mercy follow
This is undoubtedly a busy Shepherd. One of the things (among many) that strikes me is how this Shepherd has us completely surrounded. He leads, is with (alongside of), and follows. We are surrounded by the protective, watchful, guiding presence of this Shepherd. Even if we can’t relate to the “shepherd” imagery, I think we can relate to the comforting presence of one who is always with us and whose purpose is to protect, guide, and watch over us. Who doesn’t want that? Who doesn’t long for that? To know that we are surrounded by one who cares so deeply about us is something for which every human being longs. This psalm proclaims that we know and have a relationship with the Good Shepherd that provides what we need. For this, I am thankful.
Prayer: Good Shepherd, continue to guide and watch over us with your holy presence. Let us not forget that we are never alone, but rather, let us trust in your enduring presence, and help us to share this comfort with others, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.