Morning Pages: Psalm 23
Psalm 23 is full of loaded imagery. Shepherding was not only a common trade but also the language God used to refer to the leaders of Israel. And by the time David penned this psalm, Israel had seen its fair share of bad shepherds. Whether prophet, priest, or king, the leaders of Israel consistently failed to care for God's people faithfully. They led them astray, overlooked and even preyed on the vulnerable, accepted and condoned idolatry, and made unholy alliances, resulting in centuries of suffering for the children of Israel. So David's use of metaphor to describe the Lord as his shepherd arose from his own experience as a shepherd and his understanding of Israel's history. In doing so, he reframes a vision of our Good Shepherd for us.
Vs. 1 “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.”
While David, as King of Israel, is a shepherd of God's people, he declares that Yahweh is the true shepherd. His ability and willingness to do so are based on his acceptance of God as his Creator and himself as God's creation. By calling the Lord his shepherd, David places himself in the role of sheep—a vulnerable, dependent creature in need of a shepherd's attentive care, provision, and protection.
David understands that Yahweh is the one who faithfully attends to him, which enables David to say, “I shall not want.” This kind of declaration does not negate the grief associated with unfulfilled hopes and desires. On the contrary, David frequently expresses his frustrations, confusion, and questions unabashedly before the Lord. But, ultimately, David has a settled knowledge that God has and will provide all that he needs.
This one verse reorients our hearts and minds. It takes our eyes off of our lack and reminds us of the abundance we've been given. With the Lord—the creator of all that exists who has all of the universe's resources at his disposal—how could we ever doubt our ultimate needs will be met? And yet it is often hard to believe when faced with the day-to-day threats of life in our broken world.
One of the enemy's most effective tactics is to convince us of scarcity—that we do not or will not have what we need. He planted the lie in Eve's mind in the garden—God was withholding something from her that she needed—and he has continued to incite a scarcity mindset within us ever since. If we are to battle the lies of scarcity, we must arm ourselves with the truth of God's goodness, generosity, kindness, and faithful care of his children.
Perhaps that is what David was attempting to do in this psalm—reminding himself who his shepherd is and grounding himself on the sure foundation of Yahweh, who watches over him at all times and faithfully attends to all his needs.
He continues,
Vs. 2 “ He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.”
A sheep lying down is defenseless prey—vulnerable to predators lurking in the shadows. Yet, the sheep desperately need an opportunity to rest. And what better place to find rest than the vast expanse of lush green pastures where still waters gently flow?
It's hard to rest when life is uncertain and we are vulnerable to forces beyond our control. Unfortunately, this is often the opposite of what we do. Most of us won’t do that unless we feel safe and secure. Instead, our bodies respond to the perceived threat by moving into fight, flight or freeze responses. We become hyper-vigilant, attempting to control our circumstances and exhausting ourselves in the process. Or we become paralyzed and unable to engage available resources to help us navigate the path ahead. But the Lord invites us to lay down our defenses and allow him to lead us into grassy, green pastures—a lush and expansive place where we can stretch out safely and find rest.
And even as I type this, I recognize the complexities of it. We will not remain unscathed by the realities of life in a broken world. Many of us have or will experience grievous tragedies, horrifying evil, and unthinkable injustices. God has not promised a world without trouble, but he has promised to be our resting place amid trouble.
David continues,
Vs. 3a “He restores my soul.”
Ever since Genesis 3, our souls have been fractured and fragmented. Sin ushered in threats within us and threats around us. We’ve suffered fractures from our own choices and also from the choices of others. Life has a way of chipping away at you, leaving gaps and cracks that we constantly seek to mend with inferior solutions. But the Good Shepherd binds up his sheep and cares for their wounds. The rubble of our souls is inevitable! But so is the promise that, amid the ruins, the Lord is restoring us piece by piece. He is at work even now, bringing us healing and leading us to a place of peace, of true shalom (wholeness). And the day will come when no cracks or shards remain, a day when you are finally and totally whole.
He continues,
Vs. 3b “He leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.”
The Lord is David’s guide along the path. As a shepherd does with his sheep, Yahweh leads, prods, and coaxes David, never abandoning him to find his own way.
Because we, too, are his sheep, he is doing the same for us. And we can trust this is true because he does it for his own name’s sake. Just as a shepherd's reputation and livelihood were attached to his ability to lead and protect his flock, God’s character, reputation, fame, and renown are connected to the faithful care of his sheep. He cannot; he will not abandon them to their own devices or to find their own way because that isn’t true to who he is. There is no duplicity within the Lord. He is faithful, and therefore he will act faithfully.
David continues to affirm the Lord's attentive care,
Vs. 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.”
Even though…! Two compelling words. And they are a hinge point in this psalm. Through them, David reminds us that having God as our Good Shepherd doesn’t mean we won’t walk through times of darkness and danger, hardship and pain, fear and insecurity, uncertainty and doubt. Those are guaranteed in this life. But we can persevere through them because Yahweh is with us.
Going through dark times often feels like God has abandoned us. We wonder why these things happen to us or the people we love. We wonder where God is and why he isn’t doing something. But, as we saw last week in Psalm 22, hard times don’t mean the absence of God. On the contrary, he is Immanuel, God with us! Not just God near us, around us, or over us, but with!! He’s right in the middle of it, wholly committed to attending to those who are his.
David says that the Lord’s rod and staff comfort him. The Good Shepherd doesn’t beat his sheep with the rod or staff; he prods them, goads them, coaxes them along the way — guiding them through a safe passage. This comforts David because it assures him of God’s loving presence and brings him great comfort and consolation. There’s no threat God doesn’t see or a need he’s unaware of. And his rod and staff are tools he uses to watch over, correct, direct, and protect his sheep.
But the gracious care of the shepherd goes beyond merely meeting basic needs,
Vs. 5 “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil, my cup overflows.”
This is perhaps my favorite part of this psalm. The image of the table here is powerful. David’s enemies harass, taunt, and show him hostility. But the Lord shows David great hospitality—symbolized through anointing David’s head with oil and filling his cup to overflow. This is the essence of hospitality—honoring, soothing, comforting, and giving generously to one's guest. It’s so tender and personal. In the Bible, "the cup" refers to something that cannot be refused. Often it refers to God's wrath, judgment, or affliction. But here, the cup refers to God's lavish blessing and provision poured out on David—a gift he cannot refuse.
The Lord, the Good Shepherd, prepares a table for us as his sheep—a place of belonging, fellowship, invitation, and inclusion. And the fact that the Lord prepares this table for David in the presence of his enemies proves that no weapons formed against David (or us) will prosper.
Others may harm you—intentionally or unintentionally—but the Lord prepares a table for you.
Others may harass, exclude, or taunt you, but the Lord prepares a table for you.
Others may overlook you, but the Lord prepares a table for you.
Others may threaten your security or livelihood, but the Lord prepares a table for you.
And at the table of the Lord, where he sets a feast before you and pours the soothing oil over your head, there is no lack, only abundance, and attentive care.
All of which leads David to proclaim,
Vs. 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 verse concludes David’s psalm. And it’s a fitting ending to such a beautiful portrait of the Lord as the good shepherd.
The Good Shepherd shows loving kindness to his sheep. And it’s not a passive loving kindness, but the kind that pursues you, that chases you down to show it to you. The Good Shepherd is the running father in the story of the prodigal son. He cannot wait for his son to get to him; instead, he runs to him and throws him a feast—preparing a table for him, inviting him back into the fold, where he can once again care for and provide for the one he so dearly loves.
As his sheep, the Lord pursues us; he chases us down — longing to show us his loving kindness. Imagine the Good Shepherd hiking up his robe and running toward us to invite us to the table he’s prepared especially for you and me?!! Just because he wants to shower us with his goodness and mercy all the days of our lives!
This is our Good Shepherd. This is the covenant-keeping God. This is the God who will bring us green pastures where we can stretch out in safety, who will lead us beside still waters where we can be refreshed, who will restore and revive our souls when we are faint, and who will guide us safely along the path to our final destination. He will do it because that is WHO he is. And because that is what a Good Shepherd does for his sheep!
We see this fully in Jesus. In John 10, Jesus says he is the Good Shepherd. He says that he is “the door through which the sheep enter, and by which they find pasture (v 9) and that in him, the sheep have abundant life (v 10). He is the Good Shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep (v 11). He knows his sheep, and they know him (v 14). And he knows them so intimately that he calls them each by name (v 3) and personally leads them (v 4). And, as the Good Shepherd, he is unwilling to allow even one sheep to be lost, leaving behind the ninety-nine to find the one vulnerable sheep that has gotten separated from the flock.
So, as David says, though we will walk through hard times, through valleys of darkness in this life, we can be confident that our present suffering, which is light and momentary (2 Cor. 4:17), is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison—a table prepared for us by the Good Shepherd himself where we will dwell in the house of the Lord forever!
Engage the Scripture
1. Why do you think the Scripture regularly uses the metaphor of sheep to describe us?
2. Read Jeremiah 23. How does God describe the bad shepherds? In what ways does he say he will care for his sheep?
Explore your Story
1. Think of a time when you faced uncertainty or experienced harm. How did you feel amid the situation? As you reflect on the situation, where do you see evidence of God's work in and through your life despite the situation?
2. In what ways do you currently feel vulnerable and in need of the protection, provision, and care of our Good Shepherd?
Encounter Jesus
1. Understanding Jesus as the Good Shepherd invites us to rest, secure in both his willingness and ability to care for us. Take some time this week to think about and write down all the ways you have experienced Jesus' loving care in your life.
2. If you struggle to name ways you've experienced his loving care, write down some ways you long for his care and then pray for him to meet you in those tender places.
Experience Hope, Healing, and Freedom
Because breathing happens without thinking about it, many of us don't breathe well. Frustrations, anxiety, fear, and overwhelm build up in our bodies, and as a result, we hold our breath. We take shallow breaths. Or perhaps we breathe rapidly. But rarely do we stop and focus on our breathing.
Last week, I suggested writing out a breath prayer that you could use in times of suffering and feeling abandoned by God. This week, I recorded Psalm 23 to some light music. Take some time this week, whether in the car line at school or perhaps a favorite spot in your house, and listen to this recording of Psalm 23. You might want to listen to it a few times. As you listen, take long, deep, slow breaths and allow the comfort and care of our Good Shepherd to fill and restore you with his life-giving truth.
Until next week.
Love,
CC
Note:
Two additional recommended resources I recommend on Psalm 23 are
The Lord Is My Courage, by K.J. Ramsey
A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, by Phillip Keller
Also be sure to check out Psalm 23 by Poor Bishop Hooper. This is one of my favorites!