“The Lord is my Shepherd; I have what I need. He lets me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He renews my life; He leads me along the right paths for His name’s sake.  Even when I go through the darkest valley, I will fear no danger, 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 overflows.   Only goodness and faithful love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for as long as I live and forever.” (CSB)

It is my prayer that this study has been a blessing to you so far. I hope that it has brought a refreshing view of this well known Psalm into your daily reading of it. Examining the different elements of this beautiful Psalm can really enhance our understanding of what David may have been thinking and give us some insight into how it can apply to us.

But today, I want us to pause for a moment. Before we have our fourth Sabbath, I want to ask you to take a deep breath and step out of the whirlwind of our world’s current crisis and read the Psalm as a unit. When David wrote it he wrote it as one unified and complete thought. It is a piece of poetry meant to be experienced as a whole.

So, before we continue our Lenten journey, I want to ask you to get someplace where you can quiet your soul before the Shepherd and read the Psalm prayerfully straight through. Then read it again, pausing after each phrase and meditating on its’ meaning for you personally. If you keep a journal write a prayer of response to the Lord. Express to Him where you are in your life right now and let Him know what you need from Him. Thank Him for being your Shepherd.  Spend a little extra time in prayer…then read the Psalm again as a benediction to your quiet time.

May God bless you and keep you today! May He lead you beside quiet waters and restore your soul. May He protect you and provide for you all that you need. May His loving hand be upon you and give you peace for your good and His glory. Amen.

Blessings!