Primary 119 - The 23rd Psalm



23 Psalm

1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters.

3 He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake.

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

I was thinking of the Psalm. When I was a child I memorized it. We said it every night. Today I reflected on each line. 

The Lord is my Shepard. The shepherd knows my name. He has watched over me in all things.

I shall not want. I are never left wanting when I am in the Lord's care. Though times are hard, the Lord will provide the very thing I need.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures. At times I feel boxed in but the Lord keeps his sheep in fertal lands where the soul can be fed and strengthened and I know that.

He leadeth me beside the still waters. The Lord leads me to the living waters for my souls sake. When I have living waters ever springing on me I am always full of the Spirit.

He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. When I do everything to bring the Lord's name and honor to my brothers and sisters to ever flowing waters not only keeps me full but allows me to share that water and keep others full too.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me. Trial and tribulation will swell around me and all of us and at time it may seem that I am alone in the dark, but that is not so. My shepherd, our shepherd, knows me and is with me always.

Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. I must remember the rod is the never changing gospel that is the Lord's law for his sheep. And who are his staff? Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Elders, Teachers, Decons, Priests. His staff obey his law and hold firm to His rod.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies. The Lord is one who feeds and provides everything. In nothing is he forgotten me. Alas, my enemies see the table spread and want the whole of it but our master will give me the means of whatsoever I stand in need of. 

Thou anointest my head with oil.
This is temple talk. The Lord, through my tribulation, seeks to anoint me with blessings. I am his child and as such when I am anointed to become a priest and a king to the Most High God.

My cup runneth over. The blessings I received and will yet receive keep y soul full when I recognize His hands in my life. He loves me with a Father's love.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. The Lord's mercy is ever present when I look for it. My whole life, no matter how short or long it is, will have mercy ever present because the Shephard is with me.

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. Our eternal reward is evident in this Psalm and King David understood it. I wish that we understood more of just what this blessing entails. This is the second act of life. The third, we live with the Good Shepherd forever. We just need to remember that he has laid down His life for us so that He can take it up again. 

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