Psalm 23 is a familiar passage to many people, whether they grew up in church or not. It often is quoted at funerals to bring comfort to families after the loss of a loved one. Some call it the Children’s Psalm or the Shepherd’s Psalm. It is, perhaps, the most memorized and quoted passage in the Bible, excluding John 3:16. I have it marked in my Bible and have many of the words circled. I cannot recall learning this passage as a child; I feel as though I have always known it.
My children learned Psalm 23 in kindergarten. I encourage my children to memorize Scripture because it will help them later in life. The Lord will bring it to their minds right when they need it, as He has for me with this particular psalm. It has helped me in times of trial, uncertainty, affliction, poor health, and grief after the loss of loved ones. Each child was excited to learn this psalm and was proud to quote it to me word-for-word in their little five-year-old voices, which are long-gone! (Two of them are teenagers now.)
I want to share some specific words that I have marked in my Bible from this passage and show how they have helped me.
The passage starts off with the words The LORD… First, the Lord is my Saviour. He is the One Who died for me and is the One Who loves me the most. More than our spouses, our parents, our children, or our friends love us, the Lord loves us. No matter what challenges we encounter, mistakes we may make, or circumstances we navigate, we can go to Him and know that He loves us because He is The LORD…
The verse goes on to say, The LORD is my shepherd;… We know that we can follow the Shepherd; He will guide us and lead us in the right way. Even in our darkest days, we do not need to worry or fear if we are following the Shepherd because the Shepherd knows the way. He will take us by the hand and lead us. We do not need to know or even understand the way; we just need to know the Shepherd and follow Him.
The next portion that I have circled says, …he leadeth me beside the still waters. He, being my Lord and my Shepherd, is now going to lead me beside the still waters. I consider this a promise. The Lord knows us. He knows we when we get weary from this life. He promised us that He will lead us beside the still waters. I have had the privilege of living in Florida my whole life, and even though I have been to the beach many times to enjoy watching the waves and walking on the sand, I love sitting by a still, peaceful lake or river much more. This experience is what comes to my mind when reading the words …still waters. Like those waves at the beach, some days toss us back and forth. Our schedule for the day sometimes consists of doctors’ appointments, sports practices, grocery pickups, then back to sports practices! (This is especially true of parents of teenagers. You do not know if you are coming or going, let alone what day it is!) These waves also can be from a health condition, a difficult life circumstance, a trial, or even a car that seems to break down constantly (speaking from personal experience). We know that trials and afflictions will come to us eventually, but once we experience and survive these “waves” in our lives, it is easier to appreciate the quiet and calm moments when He is leading us …beside the still waters.
The next line I have marked is …I will fear no evil: for thou art with me;… These words bring comfort to me. While waiting for answers during times of uncertainty, we can rest assured that the Lord will be with us and we do not need to fear. I have let my mind wander and have worried about things that were out of my control. It is easy to think of the worst possible scenario when we are faced with uncertainty. We forget to depend on our Lord and trust our Shepherd. Instead of wasting time worrying, we should just say, “When going through difficulty, …thou art with me…! When faced with a health issue, …thou art with me…! When standing at the bedside of a loved one about to step into eternity, …thou art with me…! When rearing my children by leading them in the way of the Lord, …thou art with me…! When teaching that Sunday school class full of students, …thou art with me…!” When we step into Heaven one day, we will be able to say, “Thank you, Lord! You were always there with me.”
I hope these words from this familiar passage give encouragement and comfort. Friend, we have the Lord, our Shepherd, Who is with us each day to lead and guide us. He already knows what is ahead; even when we cannot see it or understand it, He knows the way. May we strive to continue in our race and to finish strong, knowing that the Lord is with us all the way!
by Mandy Harper
