Psalm 23 | Psalm of Provision

🎙Episode Description

In this episode, I delve into one of the most beloved chapters of the Bible: Psalm 23 is popularly known as the Shephard's Psalm. Discover the transformative power of praying this Psalm over your life. Join me as I explore its comforting messages. Tune in, learn, and apply these powerful insights!

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
So hey, Darren, thanks forjoining me as I am going to be
sharing my reflection on Psalm twenty three, one of the most popular verses in
this day and age. This psalmwas written by King David, a psalmist,
a shepherd boy who later became king, and so he shares this reflection

(00:26):
with us, and what I sharewith you as well, I hope it
will be a blessing to you.As always, I'm going to be reading
from the International Version Bible, andyou welcome to follong with me with a
Bible version of your choice. Iwill also be sharing personal personal insights that

(00:46):
I have learned in my own journey, and pray it is a blessing to
you. So here goes Psalm twentythree. The Lord is my shepherd.
This is David speaking, The Lordis my shepherd. I lack nothing,
so let's dissect dissect the word shepherd. Shepherd is a man who takes care

(01:11):
of animals, specifically sheep. TheLord is my shepherd. The Christians or
the Believers are often visualized as thesheep, or even in the Bible,
the Lord calls his children or hisbeliever or his followers my sheep, my

(01:38):
sheep. Hear my voice. Sohe illustrates himself as a shepherd very often.
And so David here says, theLord is my shepherd personal. The
Lord is my shepherd. I likenothing because he's my shepherd. He takes
care of me because he's my shepherd. I lack nothing. He goes on

(02:00):
to say, he likes he makesme lie down in green pastures. He
leads me besides still waters or quietwaters, he refreshes my soul. He
guides me along the right path forhis namesake. And even if I walk
through the valley of the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for

(02:20):
you are with me. Now hemakes it personal. He shifts his conversation
from talking about the Lord and howhe is his shepherd too. The Lord,
you are with me. Your rodand staff they comfort me. The
rod and staff that the shepherd carriesto fend off animals is what he's talking

(02:45):
about. The rod and your staffthey comfort me. They keep me in
line. Your rod and your staffthey protect me. They shield me from
all harm and danger. And sohere is as the Lord is my shepherd.
I don't lack anything. He makesme lie down in Greek pastures and

(03:07):
such a beautiful illustration. Here heleads me beside quiet waters. I had
a chance to get out in thenature yesterday or the day before, and
I was able to walk just onthe creek, and just being in the
nature, just being sitting down andquietly listening to the sound of nature all

(03:34):
around you is such a soothing experience. If you have not checked it out,
if you have not gone out intothe nature and experience it, I
highly encourage you to do so,because it is definitely going to be a
blessing to you. So he leadsbesides still waters or the quiet waters,

(03:57):
and he refreshes the soul, becauselike when you are by the waters,
it refreshes your soul, it refreshesyour mind and freshes your spirit. I
like to go out on nature walks, and I like to it's kind of
sit by the water and just watchthe water, watch nature all around me,
listen to the sounds and sounds ofbirds in the air, and just

(04:23):
the sounds of river if it's closeby, and cars passing by and so
forth. It's just so beautiful tome. And so he says, he
guides me along the right path forhis namesake, And even if I walk
through the valley of darkest, throughthe darkest valley, I will fear no

(04:43):
evil. So you know, whenyou walk through a dark, dark valley,
you know it's not really the mostcomfortable thing, right, especially when
you know it's a dangerous air Ellie. So David is saying that even if
I walk through the area of darkness, right, I will fear no evil,

(05:05):
like I will focus on you,Lord, I will be confident.
In other words, I will notpay attention to what's going around me.
I will solely focus on you.And he says, while I'm doing this,
you're rad and your staff they comfortme because you're like, right there,
you're the shepherd. You fend offthe animals, you fend off the

(05:29):
evil things all around me. Andso that's a comfort to me by itself.
And verse five is one of myfavorites. You prepare a table before
me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil.
My cup overflows, My cup overflowswith the goodness. My cup overflows with
grace, kindness, goodness, faithfulness. You annoy my head with oil.

(05:55):
The oil runs down from the topof my head to the soles of my
feet, and he says, whateverit is that you're doing in my life,
you prepare it before me, evenif in the presence of my enemies,
even those that do not like me, even those that hate me,
even those that despise me, Youprepare a table before me, in the

(06:17):
presence of my enemies. Surely,goodness, he goes on to say verse
six, Surely goodness and mercy ornew international version says, surely your goodness
and love will follow me all thedays of my life. Have you ever
seen like or pay attention to thecar behind you that's driving like it's following

(06:38):
you right. It seems like you'rechurning, and it's churning right with you.
And so it's kind of like this, like wherever you churn, the
mercy and grace follows you. Itdoesn't matter where you go. If you
go in the dark valley, yourmercy, his mercy and grace follows you.
It doesn't matter if you're on topof the mound or you're in a

(07:00):
valley. It doesn't matter because Godis with you. Because God is always
always surrounding you, protecting you,shielding you as a shepherd that he is.
And he says, I will dwellin the house of the Lord forever
like. That's such confidence right here, he says, I will dwell in
the house of the Lord forever,like his presence is right there with me.

(07:25):
I will continually be in the presenceof the Lord. And David he's
been through so much, you know, he ran from the from King Saul,
and the enemies pursued him and soforth, and he he didn't allow
that to bother him. He insteadturned to the Lord. So if you're

(07:46):
going through something today, have nofear. If you're going through something,
if you're going through a dark valley, because it could be very intimidating to
go through the dark valley. Youjust know that God is with you.
Just know that He is not farbehind, that the shepherd is right there.

(08:07):
He's ready to comfort you with hisrod and his staff, and just
knowing confidence that His goodness and mercyalways follows you no matter where you go,
no matter where you are, hisgoodness and mercy follows you. And
you show dwell in a house witha lot forever, you show dwell in

(08:28):
His presence forever. I hope thatthis reflection has been a blessing to you.
Usually has been to me. Anytimethat I share, I am encouraged
by it myself. I am inspiredby myself. I am empowered from within
because as I am encouraging you,I am encouraged myself. And it's such

(08:50):
a blessing to me to be ableto share. And I pray that throughout
your day you will focus on thesewords and whenever you're going in through trouble,
whenever you're going through the dark valley, I want you to remember those
words. Even if I walk throughthe valley of the share of Death,
I will fear no evil for you. God are with me, just like

(09:13):
David says you, God are withme. Thanks once again for joining you,
joining me on this journey. Godbless you and take care.