Psalm 23:1-6
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.
Yea, 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. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me. All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.
When you think of Psalm 23:1-6, you may associate it with funeral eulogies. I think at every funeral I have attended, this verse was used to give comfort to the mourning. But I want us to bring this verse into the forefront of our everyday living. This verse took on a different meaning to me when my father passed away and in the unbearable months that followed. I was walking in the shadows of death, literally and figuratively.
Death had come to my family's door like a thief, mercilessly snatching away what I loved most: my father. It was as though he was ripped from my life, and suddenly, I was thrown into the deepest and darkest valley I had ever experienced. My dad was my protector, comforter, confidant, and cheerleader, and once he was gone, I had no rest...physically, spiritually, or emotionally.
One day, while waiting for my daughter to get off of work, I parked my car, pulled out my Bible, and came across this verse. I kept reading it over and over again. Then, I personalized it, and it became powerful. I read this aloud:
The Lord is Chere's shepherd; Chere shall not want. He makes Chere to lie down in green pastures; He leads Chere beside the still waters. He restores Chere's soul; He leads Chere in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.
Yea, though Chere walks through the valley of the shadow of death, Chere will fear no evil, For You are with Chere; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort Chere.
You prepare a table before Chere in the presence of Chere's enemies; You anoint Chere's head with oil; Chere's cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow Chere All the days of Chere's life, And Chere will dwell in the house of the Lord.
Forever.
The scriptures are personal; not merely poetic prose, but it's a living, breathing testament to God's presence in our lives. When we internalize His Word, it becomes more than ink on a page – it becomes a wellspring of divine strength within us. God's Word is meant to penetrate, transform, comfort, refresh, and be personal. Get personal with the Lord, don't read His word nonchalantly, ingest it like your life depends on it because it does.
When I put my name in this scripture, it was like reading God's love letter to me. It gave me strength and hope and helped me to draw upon God's promises. This verse wasn't merely for the last words at the grave, but it was hope for the living!
Psalm 23:1-6 we see that God is in the shadows with us and in the darkest of valleys. We are not just lost wandering sheep; we have a Shepherd who is leading us, protecting us, and loves us enough that not one of us will be lost.
What valleys are you walking through? What shadows of death are chasing you or enemy is trying to slay you? Whatever trial you are in, you are not alone. No matter how weary and heavy your spirit is, God is there to refresh your soul and bring you to a spacious place. When you are walking through the wasteland, and the only vision you see is destruction on the horizon, know that your Shepherd has green pastures in store for you, and the sweetest rest awaits.
Friend, you are anointed. The Lord has not forsaken you. God's goodness and mercy have no bounds. It shines through the darkness, it cuts through the shadows and will follow you all the days of your life.
I have a challenge for you. Read this scripture every day, put your name in it, and allow the words to sink into your heart and mind. Feel the life of these words and the impact they have on you. Your cup will surely runneth over.