Psalm 23 Explained

Psalm 23 King James Version

23 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
² He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
³ He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
⁴ Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
⁵ Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

David is writing about our relationship with the Lord like a Shepherd and His sheep. The Shepherd owns the flock and if you are a Christian, you have been bought with a price. The Lord Jesus purchased you by giving His life on the cross for your sins. As part of His flock, He leads you to rest away from your problems and to know you are in His hands. With your new strength, be able to follow His lead on the right path. He will provide other people in your life to help you during periods of struggle, but the Shepherd will always lead you on the right path. The Shepherd will always be there to help you when you have taken the wrong path and are suffering. This can bring you closer to Him and allow you to see Him with a greater understanding.

We will have dark valleys in our lives when we experience failure, illness, or loneliness. We can let the problems of the world pull us down and feel helpless. Dying is the last valley we travel. The Shepherd is with you during those times as much as He is during the good times. He is with you and will guard you from evil. The rod and staff speak of the strength and love of the Good Shepherd.

God provides for your needs and gives you the strength to face difficult times and circumstances when you seek His guidance. It is not always easy to understand that God sees a much bigger picture than the view we have and that His solution may involve other people.

God blesses us with things we do not deserve and mercy by not giving us what we do deserve. As a Christian, our goal is to be with the Lord forever in His house.