What Psalm 23 Means to Me

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 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. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭23‬:‭1‬-‭6‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Psalm 23, for me, is about the totality of who God is. It communicates his justice as much as his gentleness, and that’s what I really get from it. He can do & be all things to me – lead me beside still waters but also prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. His justice and disdain is just as real as his quiet nature & loving presence.

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭3‬:‭23‬-‭24‬ ‭ESV‬‬

The sinfulness of man is imminent as much as God’s grace is also imminent. Christ is, and forever will be, the most important piece of the entire eternity we get to have as a sinner, because without him, we are literally doomed to hell forever. It still amazes me that through ONE sacrifice, SO MUCH has been given, was accomplished, nullified, revised, and secured.

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭ESV‬‬

He wants us to submit ourselves back to him, so the original design can work. It is the transformation back out of sin that gives us the ability to think and have the mind of Christ – what we were originally created to have. And that original way we were created to be – in fellowship with his heart, mind, & ways is what allows us to fully know not only ourselves but also him. Letting go of the world COMPLETELY is REQUIRED.

Selah,

Xo, T