Psalm 23: Green Pastures and Still Waters
“Jesus is committed to me as my guardian and guide. Because I have God, I have everything I need.”
John Eldridge
Psalm 23 is an incredibly popular scripture. It is often memorized, written on cards and walls, and even quoted in movies. It's also one of those sections of scripture we read through quickly because it's so familiar.
It's easy to forget that though they are the words of God, they were written down by a real person. That person being King David. A man who throughout scripture, experienced some of the highest highs and lowest lows. The good and the bad ranged from killing the giant Goliath and being a king chosen by God, to losing a child, and reaping the pain and heartache of committing history's most well known act of adultery.
But through it all, David was a man after God's own heart. And out of his heart of faith came these words,
“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want."
He could have called the Lord many things, but shepherd really meant something to David. It was his former occupation before he was a king, and he knew what it meant to be a good shepherd. You're a guide and guardian, and a protector and provider. He knew that when you have a good shepherd, you lack nothing.
It's a bold statement to say, "I shall not want". But, the truth is David knew he didn't have to want, and neither do we.
In John 10:11 Jesus declares, "I am the good shepherd." We have a good shepherd who wants good for us already. So much so that He would lay down His life for us, to give us all we need. Jesus is our good shepherd. He wants green pastures for us. He wants still waters for us. He wants a path of righteousness for us. He wants to restore our soul.
However, you might be reading these words, and contentment seems so far away. The idea of saying to the Lord, "I shall not want" seems impossible, because there is something in your life you want so desperately. Remember, David had those same feelings as well. There was no peace in his life when his sins were made public, or when he lost a child. But, somehow he was able to find his way back to restoration, and peace for his soul. So can you.
The question is how can we have this peaceful life that David is talking about? Jesus tells us in John 10:7-9. Not only is He the good shepherd, but He is the door to this life of peace, pasture, and still waters. Entering through His door, is listening to His voice. Not letting our own compulsions or the voices of culture lead us, but letting Jesus' words lead us through life.
When we do that, we will have "life and life to the fullest." (John 10:10) We will have the restoring of the soul that David talks about. So, let's stop listening to that voice in our heads that says we're not good enough, or that another vacation, or a bigger house is the only thing that will bring peace. Let's just listen to the voice of the Shepherd. When we truly hear and heed His voice, we'll see that He is all we need.
