The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, 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 your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23
“This most familiar and most beloved psalm invites us to a rich play of imagery. The predominant metaphor of the psalm is, of course, God as shepherd. Although some scholars believe that the metaphor of shepherd is carried through the entire psalm, it seems more plausible to us that the latter part of the psalm the imagery shifts from God as shepherd to God as generous host and giver of hospitality…
The tools of the shepherd (rod and staff) give comfort and assurance by providing strength and protection for the vulnerable sheep. The protective God feeds the trusting subject, even in a hostile environment. Oil may be used as a healing ointment for wounds that are acquired on the dangerous paths. The subject experiences luxurious extravagance in a context of threat, danger, and death. On all counts, this generous, trustworthy portrayal of God is more than a match for every threat and every adversity…
The traveler arrives at a safe destination, which turns out to be “the house of the Lord”; that is, the Jerusalem temple. In retrospect, the psalmist is able to recognize that “goodness and fidelity” have been “in pursuit of him”; this remarkable verb suggests that the subject thought he was being pursued by dangers and threats but in fact it was the providential goodness of God that was what had been following him and chasing after him.”
Walter Brueggemann in Psalms (NCBC; Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2014) 122-124.
As I journey through Psalms, like the traveler in today’s psalm, I am thankful that I lack nothing. Reflect on that reality.
We have everything we need in the Lord. He leads, guides, nourishes us, and helps us navigate hard times. Moreover, when we feel pursued by difficulty, it is really our Shepherd who is pursuing us with generosity and faithfulness (goodness and fidelity). Brueggemann urges us take solace in our faithful Shepherd who is “more than a match for every threat and every adversity” in the the storms we face in life. What challenges do you face today?
Lord, thanks for caring for me, for Your presence with me despite adversity, for pursuing me with generosity and fidelity, and for the privilege of dwelling with You. Amen.