Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

                                                                                                                        Psalm 23:6 

David knew a thing or two about being a shepherd. In his younger years that was his job. Guarding the sheep, protecting them from harm, and assisting them when they would get themselves into trouble (sheep have a way of doing that). So it’s not surprising that, as David pens one of the most well known Psalms, he describes God as a Shepherd.

The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want (v 1). Acknowledging the truth that “all we like sheep have gone astray” (Isaiah 53:6) allows us to recognize our need for a spiritual Shepherd. And when we declare that the Lord is our Shepherd, we enjoy knowing that we are in need of nothing. Jesus announced that He was indeed the Good Shepherd (John 10:11) and the door in which the sheep can enter and that those who enter through Jesus will be saved and will find pasture (John 10:9). In addition to salvation, Jesus instructs us that those who seek out God’s kingdom and His righteousness will never be in want because all of the things necessary for living life on earth will be giving to them as well (Matthew 6:33).

He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters (v 2). The mental image of green pastures and quiet waters has restorative value for any who focus on such things. Lush green grass, the kind you can walk on barefoot with no fear of thorns or thistles, is the word picture David paints for those who call Jesus their Savior. Violent, rushing water was a sheep’s worst enemy because it could sweep them away, but these are quiet waters, waters that bring a sense of security, calm, and serenity. In the midst of a world that seems to thrive on violence and chaos, Our Savior leads us to these calm and nourishing spiritual places.

He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake (v 3). When we come to know Jesus personally, we move from spiritual death to life. This is the initial restoration of our souls, but as we begin down this path of following Jesus, we find it imperative that He continues to restore us. Much like an old, rusting automobile can be restored to its original form, Jesus can restore us to our original design, to enjoy fellowship with Him. In addition to restoration, Jesus also guides us. We are instructed in Proverbs to trust Him and not to lean on our own understanding. As we acknowledge Him in every season of life, He guides and directs our way (Proverbs 3:5-6). God’s guidance is not unlike GPS. When we find ourselves in familiar territory, we often rely on our own directional abilities, but when the environment changes and we find ourselves in uncharted territory, we realize our need to rely on a satellite system that has a better sight advantage than do we. God sees the beginning, the end, and everything in between. His guidance is always flawless.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me (v 4). In the presence of God, there is no fear. John reminds us that there is no fear in love. In fact, the perfect love of God drives out fear. When we are perfected in the love of God, we find that fear subsides and has no rightful place in our lives (1 John 4:18). The Shepherd’s rod was used to beat off the attack of wild animals and represents His ability to protect the flock. The Shepherd’s staff was often used to rescue sheep from ledges and cliffs. The staff represents the Shepherd’s capability of delivering us out of any circumstance in life, even the one’s in which we placed ourselves.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows (v 5). Christians should never become discouraged over the evil that we see in the world rather we should rejoice that we know the Savior. When faced with those who would persecute you for your faith, just remember that one day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of the Father (Philippians 2:9-11). We have the pleasure of enjoying Him and being accepted by Him now and forever. Also, healing comes in the hands of God as represented by “anointing our heads with oil.” In addition, knowing Jesus means having everything we need and seeing an abundance of His goodness and mercy in our lives, therefore, “our cup overflows.”

Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all of the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever (v 6). To belong to Jesus is to have a Savior and a Friend. To know Jesus means to be eternally blessed and to enjoy His goodness, His love, and His kindness in this life and to inherit eternal life with Him in the future. To not be in need of anything, to have your soul restored, to receive Divine guidance, to live without fear, and to see God’s provision and protection in your life, this is what the Christian enjoys! He really is a Good Shepherd!

If you haven’t spent much time with this beloved Psalm, let me encourage you to do so this week. It just might be the spiritual healing that you have been looking for!

For more on Psalm 23 and other passages, I recommend reading God’s Psychiatry by Charles L. Allen.