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“I will fear no evil for You are with me….” Psalm 23:4b

You, Lord God, are ever present, ever with us, your little lambs. If there is evil threatening, enemies approaching, you are there, watching, providing, protecting in whatever way you deem best.

Often, we are living in limbo, uncertain of what is going to happen, in fear of possible danger or disappointment, and when the door to the future opens, we have no idea what is on the other side. But there is one thing we can be sure of: that you are there on the other side of that door, waiting to greet us with your planned path prepared.

As you announce in Jeremiah 29:11, “I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” In you we can rest.

“Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”

The shepherd’s rod is a stout club to beat off attackers. Your rod is powerful, effective, more than sufficient to protect us from whatever Satan can bring against us–for you are invincible, undefeatable and all powerful. You have already won every battle at the cross.

And then there is your staff, the shepherd’s crook used to guide and correct your sheep as we stray. You are faithful to warn us when we wander willfully out of the way: you tap us on the shoulder, or you pull us back, or if necessary, give us a whack to get our attention. You guide us persistently, even when we insist on rebelling, trusting in ourselves rather than you.

You are absolutely faithful, fully wise and eternally good. Praise you that your pristine and positive character assures us of your perpetual protection and provision. May we live in the light of that!

Picture: we are  God’s little lambs

As we take refuge in His love, power and truth, God does not always protect us from what will harm us physically, but will protect us from what would harm us spiritually. Then we can shine in the darkness of this world as a burning fire (like this picture) for those seeking Truth.

The valley of the shadow of death is therefore not a threat but an opportunity to fulfill the purpose of our lives: honoring the One who walked this road before us and will walk with us through it again.

So, let us look to Jesus, “who for the joy set before him endured the cross, despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb. 12:2).

Let us obey the advice of the Word to:

“throw off everything that hinders [our natural worldview]

and the sin that so easily entangles [addiction to comfort, selfishness and security, to name a few]

and run with perseverance the race marked out for us [some of which will go through the valley of the shadow of death],

fixing our eyes on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2a)

In doing so,  we will come out on the other side of the valley of the shadow of death, into a pleasant place: “He brought me out into a spacious place, he rescued me because he delighted in me” (Ps. 18:19). Let’s stick with and run with Jesus, knowing He will carry us through.

Psalm 23:4 “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil;”

[At least one of the paths of righteousness you will lead me on, Lord, goes through this dark valley. It may be a time of dying to a desire, to my will, to a possession or it may be physical danger and sickness or death of a loved one–or myself. Whatever it is, I do not need to fear that evil will triumph.

There may be loss and suffering, but in the end, evil will not win because Jesus is already the Victor and I belong to Him.

Think of Paul in his shipwreck described in Acts 27. In the midst of a great storm there were days and nights of uncertainty where Paul was cold, wet and hungry; and then the smashing of the ship into a sandbar and everyone having to swim to shore through crashing surf. There was evil: the soldiers wanted to kill the prisoners, Paul included, so they couldn’t escape, but that was prevented. Then the viper bit Paul, but God protected him and no harm was done.

It was a dark valley, but in it, the witness of Paul shone brighter in his faith, in his declaration of God’s sovereignty, in his prediction (all possessions will be lost, all people will be saved), and in his being protected. Without that dark, the light would have not been seen so clearly. God is always drawing upward and onward, ever into greater light; are we following?

 

Another valley of the shadow of death:

https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/covid-vaccines-causally-linked-to-increased-mortality-resulting-in-17-million-deaths-scientific-report-5499001?utm_source=Health&src_src=Health&utm_campaign=health-2023-09-29&src_cmp=health-2023-09-29&utm_medium=email&est=uGWVvja75WRBrUyen5OBX25Fsmk6k26PNeMcNwvBhjMvWxsSr%2F6PJJWClBwKndfp6zwY

 

You, Lord Jesus, promise to lead me in paths of righteousness for your name’s sake—but again, I must choose to follow. And I can be sure that the way you lead me will be righteous and upright, pure and positive, godly and good, bringing honor to your Name.

If I sense leading which is not one of these, then I can know that it is not of you, but from the subtle and sinister call of the world, the flesh and the devil. These I want to reject, so I can give you glory in all I do. Therefore, for the sake of your name, help me to gladly follow your righteous lead, no matter how much self-denial it requires.

Praise you, Lord Jesus, for you are my Shepherd, my King, my Sovereign, the One to be obeyed and feared, loved and served. Praise you for the wonderful and powerful privilege of being both your sheep and your ambassador in a fallen and faulty world, bringing your light to deluded and deceived people.

Praise you for your Holy Spirit that you fill, empower, guide and encourage me continually. I praise you, Lord Jesus, my 23rd Psalm Shepherd, for your preservation, your protection, your provision and your presence throughout the day. May I be filled with your Spirit; may I be a vessel of grace to all I meet today; may I be a useful instrument in your hand, Lord.

May I live obeying you, living worthy of your calling and pleasing you in every way. To you be glory, honor and praise in and through my life today.

As my “Psalm 23 Shepherd,” Lord Jesus, you lead me beside the still waters, like the picture here—you give me opportunity to be with you, to take in, to gain eternal perspective.

 

You lead, but I must both follow, and then drink. I must choose to spend time in your Word, in worship, in intercession and confession, in pouring out my heart and lifting up my soul to you. And I can do this because you are “good and ready to forgive and plenteous in mercy to all who come to you” (Psalm 86:5 KJV).

 

As I choose to drink from your Word and revel in your presence, you will restore my soul: bringing refreshment, insight, wisdom, understanding, greater faith and more praise.

 

You work to restore my soul to more of its pre-fall perspective, making me more like yourself. “And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory…” (2 Cor. 3:18).

 

As David wrote in Psalm 138:3 “In the day when I cried you answered me, and strengthened me with strength in my soul.” Our soul is our mind, our will, our emotions and God wants to transform each one, starting with our mind: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2.

 

That’s the place to start, being in the Word every day, reading, memorizing, meditating, obeying. Simple, hard, good!

 

As my “Psalm 23 Shepherd,” Lord Jesus, you lead me beside the still waters, like the picture here—you give me opportunity to be with you, to take in, to gain eternal perspective.

You lead, but I must both follow, and then drink. I must choose to spend time in your Word, in worship, in intercession and confession, in pouring out my heart and lifting up my soul to you. And I can do this because you are “good and ready to forgive and plenteous in mercy to all who come to you” (Psalm 86:5 KJV).

As I choose to drink from your Word and revel in your presence, you will restore my soul: bringing refreshment, insight, wisdom, understanding, greater faith and more praise.

You work to restore my soul to more of its pre-fall perspective, making me more like yourself. “And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory…” (2 Cor. 3:18).

As David wrote in Psalm 138:3 “In the day when I cried you answered me, and strengthened me with strength in my soul.” Our soul is our mind, our will, our emotions and God wants to transform each one, starting with our mind: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2.

That’s the place to start, being in the Word every day, reading, memorizing, meditating, obeying. Simple, hard, good!

As our great Shepherd, Lord Jesus, You have made a total commitment to our good: patiently and persistently prodding, providing and protecting us. You do this even though we daily grieve you with our rebellious love for sin, our stubborn selfishness and our unholy focus on things rather than relationships.

Because you are good, we can be sure, on a moment by moment basis, of your faithfulness, of your goodness, of your wisdom, of your grace, of your power at work in our lives–no matter what failure there may be on our part.

As the Psalmist, Asaph, wrote, “When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered, I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you. YET I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory” (Ps. 73:21-24). What great Love and Commitment on God’s part!

We praise you that you have chosen to be our Shepherd, Lord Jesus. Help us to follow you faithfully, trust you Truthfully, obey  you wisely, submitting to your shepherding moment by moment, now, today and always.]

 

 

Psalm 23:1 “The LORD is my shepherd”

[Five short words that hold infinite grace. You, Lord God, the Holy, Pure and Triune Creator, utterly other, totally Just and the Punisher of sin–decisively and wholeheartedly chose to make yourself the Shepherd of rebels.

We are by nature the antithesis of you: finite, sinful, polluted through and through, nurturers of negatives, lovers of lusts. Yet you were willing to stoop down, to reach into this sin-soaked, iniquity-infused, evil-endowed world and make yourself the Shepherd of your saved, yet selfish sheep.

We, in our old nature, deserve only condemnation, suffering, punishment, despair, hopelessness, meaninglessness and death–eternal banishment from your presence and all good.

But, in your magnanimous love and in your gracious goodness, you have offered to all and granted to those who respond, the right to become the children of God. And with that right, you have also granted us a whole host of privileges, at the top of which is, having you be our Shepherd.

A good shepherd is consistently and intimately involved in the lives of his sheep, aware of all that is happening, providing all that is needed for their health, protection and prospering. The sheep don’t choose their shepherd, the shepherd chooses his sheep. So have you, Lord Jesus, chosen us and are now our good Shepherd!

 

Psalm 22:30 “Posterity will serve him;”

[There will always be an ongoing line of believers, sustained and guided by you, no matter what the era may be–just as there were in the Dark Ages, in the Middle ages, in the Enlightenment, in modern times, in postmodernism and now in the “me culture.” Man tries to go his own way, but there are always those who respond to your invitation to walk in your Way.]

Psalm 22:31 “future generations will be told about the Lord. They will proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn—for he has done it.”

[There will also always be a witness, there will always be propagation of the gospel. You, Lord God, in your righteousness, truth and grace have done all, prepared all by sending out your Word in creation, in the work of the Spirit, in your written Word, in spoken witness, in dreams or visions if necessary.

You have everything ready and will bring all history to your desired end: the elimination of evil, the entrance of eternity, the enlightenment of all by your eternal character. Praise you for your greatness, your goodness, your glory that was, is, and is to come!

You alone are worthy of faith and obedience, of trust and praise, for you are wonderful, you are the only One to be worshiped. Help us to do so every day, all day!

Psalm 22:29 “All the rich of the earth will feast and worship; all who go down to the dust will kneel before him—those who cannot keep themselves alive.”

[No one can keep himself from dying, none of us can defeat old age. And no one can avoid the judgment: all human beings will come under before you, Lord.

And all will bow their knee, whether willingly or not. For when we enter into your magnificent, holy presence, the strength of your mighty power and majestic authority will force all to bow in submission to truth and the judgment to come.

But you offer us the privilege of bowing before you now in willing surrender, in belief, in faith, in submission to Truth.

You bring us into your presence through the blood of Christ, where we, as your children, can joyfully bow to your Kingship, O Triune God.

And we do so willingly, wholeheartedly, in wonder and joy. For Joy is what you have for us: “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” John 15:1.

This joy is not dependent on circumstances, as happiness is. No, it is dependent on knowing the All-powerful Creator of the universe who created the beautiful dawn in the picture below. AND He loves us like crazy. Let us revel in that every day, drinking in the joy He has for us.