Psalm 23

In my journey through the Psalms, I’ve come to Psalm 23; possibly the most well know Psalm.  Most of us memorized this one in Sunday School when we were kids.  Some of us probably still have it memorized.  We’ve had this psalm explained to us many times before and so I didn’t really know what there was to say about this particular Psalm.

This morning as I was contemplating this passage, one particular line jumped out and stuck.  “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” (Psalm23:1 KJV).  The NIV translates the second half of that line as “I lack nothing.”  The Message paraphrases it to read “I don’t need a thing.”  That line hit me because it’s not one we’re good at truly believing.  This is America, the land of “I want it all and I want it now.”  So the question is how would you finish this phrase?  I want…

…a bigger house

…a new car

…a better job

…children

…more money

…better health

There are any number of ways we can finish that phrase, but unless we’re finishing that phrase with “Christ” we’re missing something in our relationship with God.  David had plenty of times where he wanted something.  He wanted victory over his enemies or deliverance from Saul.  Just read some of the other psalms and you will find David’s cries for help.  But here, David boldly states “I shall not want.”  He’s putting his trust in the shepherd.  He knows the Lord will lead him through whatever may come.

There are other passages in scripture that remind us of this same principle.  Students across the country have celebrated high school or college graduations recently and I’m sure that Jeremiah 29:11 has been, or will be, brought up as churches everywhere recognize their graduates.  It a great passage that reminds us that God has a plan for us.

This is not to suggest that we just passively sit here and quietly accept whatever comes our way.  No, scripture is also clear that we can, and should, make our requests to God.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Christ reminds us of the goodness of a father.  “Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish will give him a snake?  If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”  (Matthew 7:9-11)  This passage comes within the context of Jesus teaching his disciples about asking and knocking.

So, how does this tie back to Psalm 23?  I think it looks something like this.  We should be confident in our ability to approach God with our requests.  We should earnestly seek him and pray for those things that we desire.  BUT, we must also allow for the very real possibility that God’s response will be “no” or “not yet.”  We must trust that the good shepherd will lead us to the “green pastures” and “quiet waters.” (Psalm 23:2) We have to trust that He will bring us through “the valley of the shadow of death.” (Psalm 23:4) 

Too often we get caught up in our own desires and take God’s “No” as a sign that either He didn’t hear us, He doesn’t really exist, or we’re just too much of a sinner for God to give us our desires.  I think we’re missing something.  When we’re in the valleys it can be difficult to see where God is leading.  It can be hard to understand why God said “not yet” to our request.  But, when we come out of the valley, we’ll see it much more clearly.  So, lay your petitions at His feet, but trust that He is the Good Shepherd and we lack nothing.