“I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.” John 10:11
Everyone is familiar with Psalm 23. David was familiar with the work of a shepherd, and in this Psalm He paints a vivid picture of all the benefits the Lord has promised to His people. Today, we will look at some of those promises.
- Verse 1 “I shall not want.” Jesus has promised that He will supply our every need.
- Verse 2a “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures.” Jesus has promised us rest and provision for our daily bread.
- Verse 2b “He leadeth me beside the still waters. ”Jesus promises peace and safety, a shelter from the storms of life.
- Verse 3a “He restoreth my soul.” Jesus renews our spirits each day.
- Verse 3b “He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness” Jesus guides our steps each day, and when we fail, He leads us back to the path.
- Verse 4a “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil” Jesus promised to be with us even in the dark times in our lives.
- Verse 4b “Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” Jesus reproves and corrects, but He does it with love and grace.
- Verse 5a “Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies.” We can rest in Him, even when the enemy is against us.
- Verse 5b “thou anointest my head with oil.” Jesus has promised that His Holy Spirit will continually fill us with joy and gladness.
- Verse 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.” Jesus has given us hope not only for today, but a promise of a future with Him.
So many great and precious promises are in this Psalm. And we can claim them all as ours when we accept the Lord Jesus Christ as our Shepherd. We will consider many of them in greater detail over the next few days.
Thought For Today: Take time to read Psalm 23 again and thank the Lord for all the promises He has given us because He is our Shepherd and our guide.
Devotion by Anne Johnston
