The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
He restores my soul;
He leads 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 You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare 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.
We are closing out a very special week, “America Reads the Bible,” when millions of people across our nation have committed to opening God’s Word every day, reading it more devotedly and with teachable spirits. I trust you have taken part and, even if you haven’t, it’s not too late to begin a journey of discovering the rich truths and promises in His Word. Believe me when I say that, when you drink from the living water of scriptures on a regular basis, it makes you thirsty for more, and you will never be the same!
Perhaps you are like me, who started reading the Psalms at an early age and was then encouraged to memorize today’s passage. I am so grateful for this comforting passage, which often helps me fall asleep on restless nights and affirms His care for me. Sometimes, however, it’s good to revisit and reread a familiar passage in order to see it with fresh eyes. The following applications offer more profound insights into each phrase, providing us with even greater assurance and encouragement. Our Shepherd loves us, and He is all we need.
• “The Lord is my Shepherd”—He desires a relationship with us.
• “I shall not want”—He is a God who supplies so that we will want for nothing.
• “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures”—He wisely encourages us to physically rest and also to rest in His sovereignty.
• “He leadeth me beside the still waters”—In trusting Him, we will receive peace and refreshment.
• “He restoreth my soul”—our God gives us new life by grace through our faith.
• “He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness”—He calls us righteous and then guides us in Godly living.
• “For His name’s sake”—for the sake of His name, Jesus, and for the purpose of glorifying Him.
• “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death”—we may be tested, but shadows will never defeat or kill us.
• “I will fear no evil”—I have no need to fear for He gives me the armor of His Word to fight the evil one.
• “For Thou art with me”—He is faithful never to leave me or forsake me.
• “Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me”—we are comforted even in times He must discipline us when we have gotten off the path.
• “Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies”—He has prepared us to meet the difficult challenges of life with His promise of peace.
• “Thou anointest my head with oil”—God has chosen us to be His honored guests at His table and has anointed us with great joy.
• “My cup runneth over”—He abundantly provides; our cup is never half-full.
• “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life” —His presence and blessings will follow us wherever we go, until the end of our days.
• “And I will dwell in the house of the Lord”—we can be assured of our security in Him now and
• “Forever”—for eternity!
Father in Heaven, thank You for Your Word that offers comfort and assurance of Your presence and everlasting blessings as we go through this life. May we drink up daily, and live out your precepts and promises, to Your glory. In the name of our good Shepherd, Jesus. Amen.
I am honored that you have read my devotion today, and pray it is an encouragement to you and glorifies God. To receive Devotions For All Reasons in your email every day, go to the homepage and simply click on “Subscribe.”
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