Psalm 23 is a passage that comes to mind often, at least for me. It could be in tough times or in good times, because it is filled with so many prayerful thoughts from a teenage boy’s heart, David, who was a shepherd himself. He correlated what he did for and with to his sheep, with what God did and was to him. For those who may not be familiar with it, let me share it with you today. It is only six short, yet powerful verses. Psalm 23, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 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. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies: you anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” No matter what walk of life we are from, we can take everything good that happens to us in our lives, and all lessons learned through the tough times as well, and accredit them to God, though we may not be as articulate an author as David was.
My husband and I have often discussed how older movies, dating back even to the black and white movie days, used to have such great scripts. It was not necessarily the backdrops and fancy sets that would keep your attention, but the dialogue. It was the story itself that was captivating, even more so than the good acting. There were no extraordinary antics and special effects that were incorporated into the films at all. Just straight words, discussions, and what those who were born in the 1900’s know as communication or talking. A single word can have a deeper meaning and message than one might even know without a deeper study of it. Language evolves and develops as it filters from one dialect and culture to another. For this reason, my husband and I would discourage the saints in the churches we pastored from just picking up any version of the Bible without knowing what they were getting. No, we did not say that if it was not the ‘King James Version’ it was not gospel, however, there are differences in what might be considered a translation, versus a transliteration. You do not want the meaning and message to be changed or be led to learn, follow or believe an incorrect thought or principle.
According to tomedes.com, it states, “In simple terms, translation is the process of converting one language to another. The goal is for the target language to convey the meaning of the words. Transliteration, on the other hand, is the process of converting language from one script to another. The goal is for the reader to be able to pronounce the words in the target language. For a translator, it is worth noting that transliteration can be a much faster process than translation. You are cutting the need to convert the language into another script out of the process, meaning it is often much faster to transliterate than translate. And as transliteration simply converts each word, you also do not need to worry about grammar, word order, sentence structure, and so on. Again, this makes for a speedier process.” However, it is not about the speed. The goal is not for a person to just be able to read and pronounce the words of the Bible in their language, but that the correct meaning and message is conveyed. Simple reading is not always the goal, yet understanding is indeed crucial.
We have come to a point in our society where language and words are not as appreciated as they once were. The 21st century young people have had their eyes glued to their phones from birth and are now texting in acronyms to where every word it shortened. Texting has become a language of its own. ‘By the way’ is now, BTW and ‘laugh out loud’ is now LOL, so on and so forth. When they speak, Physical Education is now Phys Ed, and Chemistry is now Chem. This is so prevalent today that it feels like social skills and genuine communication have been hijacked by technology.
I spoke to one of my daughters recently and told her if she was bored, she could write some articles for me or come up with some ideas and share them with me, to which she replied that I of all people should know she was not an author. She then stated well you could use the idea of the slogan “Red Bull gives you wings.” She then suggested that the correlations would be that anytime you ingest something good for you it will be motivation, strength, and encouragement to help you keep going. What a great thought I told her, except, is Red Bull good for you? She chuckled as she realized that she had been called out on the fallacy, not of her statement, but of the example she had used. Words, writing, and communicating need to be thought through and studied. We should choose our words carefully to get the proper message across. They can so easily be misunderstood and misconstrued. When it comes to the Word of God, we need to find a way to get the message to every generation in a way they can understand it. 2 Peter 3:9 says, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
This is what prompted my thoughts for this article. We are often directed to use the word of God in our prayer and worship time. For instance, Psalm 111:1, “Praise ye the Lord. I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright and in the congregation.” However, we cannot do this in good faith or true worship unless we do it with understanding. The Lord wants us to be ourselves. He is not interested in us being cookie cutter saints. He wants us to express what is truly in our hearts using our own words. This brings us back to Psalms 23, which most of us can quote, but honestly, who of us have ever been a shepherd? Who among us born in the 21st century even knows anything about shepherds? Therefore, the real question is, who can relate to David’s Psalm? Just as a tidbit, let me say, from what I know, that being a shepherd is not an easy job, it comes with a 24/7 work day, and a filthy and tiring job description. Who is up for the job? Right, enough said.
I had wondered what this Psalm would sound like if it were written by one of us today. I found several versions, of which I will only share one as an example.
Psalm 23 – rewritten by Rebecca Garrett Pace
Jesus is my shepherd, and I honestly feel sorry for him, because I can be quite a stubborn sheep.
I shall not want. Or that is the way it should work, yet I always want for more. I am working on it.
He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul. Jesus is teaching me how to care. To care for myself, so that I can then care for others. To care for the earth, so I can live in green pastures with still waters and not make a mess of them just because I can. To care for my soul, which is fed by gratitude, joy, and kindness.
He leads me on the right paths for his name’s sake. Unfortunately, he keeps talking too softly for me to hear him, so I keep having to guess what the right paths are, and go on a hunch, and ask for forgiveness when I get it wrong.
Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil — well that’s just wishful thinking. I fear all the time. All the things. So much fear. But I am learning how to sit in the darkness and be open to what I might learn from it, and really the most important bit is that…you are with me.
Your music, your friendship, your wisdom, your words, your kindness, your presence through others – they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies, and you tell me that there’s extra room at the table, and it’s actually your table and not mine, so I should scoot over and make room and invite my enemies to eat with me and give them the last piece of homemade bread and extra butter because that’s what you would do. Which is annoying but I know you are right.
You anoint my head with oil – you protect and love me, you nurture, you guide, you heal me.
my cup overflows. God, I am grateful. I am so incredibly overwhelmed by goodness in my life.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long.
And when the goodness and mercy are obscured, O God, help me know you are still there. Always. Forever. Amen.
This was quite cute, and so honest. How many of us can be honest with God? This is what he wants from us. Let us do a quick exegesis, meaning a breakdown and study of each verse, in David’s rendition.
David is giving us affirmative statements as to what the Lord is to him, from his own personal experience. Verse, one says, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” If you were in the Army, you might say, “The Lord is my watchman, or my scout, or my leader.” Someone who watches over me, so I do not have to be afraid, want for anything, or wonder what is going to happen to me. I feel safe. You might say for instance that He is your defender, healer, provider, redeemer, friend, companion, teacher, Father, Creator, or Master. Which one of these speaks to you? If none, choose your own. What one descriptive word might mean to you that you are being completely taken care of, without worries.
David then begins to enumerate specific things that the shepherd does for him. Verse two says, “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.” What has God done for you in your life? How is he currently blessing you? No, you may not see the correlation that David saw, but He gives us a place to lay our heads to rest. Shelter, peace, and stillness, after a hard day’s work each day with a candle burning and a cup of coffee or even a hot bath, feels like verse two to me. Then we can add verse three to that which says, “He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” To be effective in our lives as a Christian, that restoration to our body, soul, mind, and spirit are needed.
David seems to pivot to another subject in verse four which says, “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.” We certainly are not all mountain climbers that would take us from physical heights to physical valleys, however, we have all experienced these emotionally, psychologically, or spiritually. We mourn losses of all types every day because change is exceedingly difficult for us as humans. But through it all we know that God is with us. We can relate to David, where he mentions the rod and staff. It is said that these were both needed in biblical times in controlling and directing sheep. The rod represented authority and correction to ensure that the sheep stayed on the right path and for steering them away from danger, and the staff signified support and assurance. It was a gentler guiding and protecting tool used with the flock. Can anyone recall being in a church service where the sermon seemed to belt you right between the eyes, and the preacher was not trying to mince words either. Then a week or two later there would be a message given that was so compassionate and reassuring to your soul. This is an example of the rod and the staff. They are both for our good, instruction, and comfort. Jesus always meets us right where we are.
David covers yet another subject in verse five, which says, “Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: you anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over.” God will allow truth to prevail, no matter what lie has been told about you or to you. God has our backs. He will exonerate us and bring the truth to light in front of the naysayers. There will always be those who are trying to talk negatively to us or about us, but God sees all and knows all. Anointing the head with oil in the Old Testament meant appointing someone to a place of authority to lift them up. God brought David from the pasture to the palace, and from being a shepherd boy to being a king, even though it was not an easy road for him. He had enemies who were trying to destroy him that he was constantly having to run from, but when he became King, his cup was filled to overflowing. He wrote this from both a literal and metaphorical standpoint. In the New Testament we see in Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” God will turn things in your favor, we must just be patient.
He ends the chapter with, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Because of everything said in the first five verses he says, surely, without a doubt, or therefore. if God is with us, watching over us, and doing all these wonderful things in our lives, we will have goodness and mercy with us. He then states that he will do his part. He will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Just as communication is a two way street, so is friendship and relationships. We have a covenant relationship with the Lord. God let his people know often in scripture that if you do this, then I will do that. He said in Exodus 20:12, “Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.” He said in John 14:14, “If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.” You get the gist. He has redeemed us, paid the price for our sins, will we praise him, serve him, and give him glory?
I came across an article in the Tennessee Magazine, January 2025 Addition, named “Faith and Frigid Water” by Amber Weaver. It was the story of Don Winters who had broken the International Ice Swimming record as being the oldest man to swim the ‘Ice mile’ at age 66. He swam in the Watauga Lake, located in the Appalachia mountains. The criteria for the competition are that the water must be below 41 Fahrenheit, and you must swim exactly a mile in only a one layer swim costume, a pair of goggles, and a skull cap. He of course prepared for this for years, but he was asked how he was able to achieve this on the day of the event with judges, family, and the community watching. He stated that he was quoting and meditating upon Psalm 23 as he swam, The Lord is my Shepherd! Though he states that he got a little lightheaded toward the end, these verses helped him to continue going. He stated once it was all over, that if anyone wanted the title, they could feel free to come and get it, and that he would not be trying to defend it. He said, “I was told that it would improve cognitive abilities, and it did. It taught me to never do this again!” But he also no longer has any doubts that God is with him.
There is an old hymn written by Joseph Medlicott Scriven (1819–1886) called, “What a Friend we have in Jesus”. It says, “What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer! O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear. All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.” It is said that his life was filled with tragedy including the drowning of his Irish fiancée the evening before their wedding. This could have been his Psalm 23. I heard a contemporary song by Zach Williams recently called, “Friend in High Places.” It goes like this,
I am a simple man, With dust on these cracked and calloused hands.
I ain’t rich enough to buy myself a chance, I am like everybody else.
I got a twisted, broken story I could tell; I paved the road to hell with stones I laid myself, And I built it all too well.
Well, I know what I have done, and if judgment should come, I could not face it, On my own. But the Savior stepped in, saw the worst of my sin, and just erased it.
Guess you could say I have got a friend in high places.
Yeah, I am living proof, what a carpenter from Nazareth can do, how a hammer and a nail can make things new.
And I do not know why He cared, enough to turn His head and hear my prayer.
Leave Heaven when He could have just stayed there.
If you need a friend who ain’t scared of what you have done or where you have been,
just open the door and let Him in if you need a friend.
This seems to be his Psalm 23. What is yours?
What is your story? What would your Psalm 23 sound like if you wrote it yourself about your own life? I am sure we can all pinpoint who Jesus is to us and what he means to us, and what he has done and continues to do for us. God deserves all the honor, glory, and praise. However, he does not want us to just rattle off somebody else’s words, but he wants to hear from our hearts directly. Jesus instructed the disciples explicitly in Matthew 6:7, “But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.” Try talking to him as if you would your absolute best friend, from your heart, and see what a difference this will make in your life. Goodness and mercy will follow you all the days of your life if you will only dwell in his presence forever and ever. Amen.