Psalm 23: 1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters; 3 he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name's sake. 4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff— they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 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. (NRSV
Salmo 23: 1 JEHOVA es mi pastor; nada me faltará. 2 En lugares de delicados pastos me hará yacer: Junto á aguas de reposo me pastoreará. 3 Confortará mi alma; Guiárame por sendas de justicia por amor de su nombre. 4 Aunque ande en valle de sombra de muerte, No temeré mal alguno; porque tú estarás conmigo: Tu vara y tu cayado me infundirán aliento. 5 Aderezarás mesa delante de mí, en presencia de mis angustiadores: Ungiste mi cabeza con aceite: mi copa está rebosando. 6 Ciertamente el bien y la misericordia me seguirán todos los días de mi vida: Y en la casa de Jehová moraré por largos días. (Reina Valera)
My mother said I had learned the 23rd Psalm in Spanish by the time I was five. Someone had the patience to calm me down long enough to teach me things like this precious psalm. In Spanish I learned that by following the Lord I would lack for nothing. When I learned it in English, King James Version, of course, I thought I didn't want the Lord in any way, as shepherd or God. I did want Him, but I thought the writer was angry or confused or wanted to, and doing a good job, of confusing me. When I made the connection between Spanish and English I realized that first verse is a declaration of a splendid relationship of trust. With the Lord as our shepherd, we shall lack for nothing. There will be some trying and difficult times, but the point is that we should never lose our trust in the Lord. We should let the Lord guide us. There are times when we should be led to lie down, for rest is important. Jesus demonstrated a work ethic of long, difficult hours of preaching, teaching, healing, etc., but still He made time for rest. The Lord satisfies our thirst with life-quenching waters that we find in prayer and the study of Scripture. With these two combined, our soul is restored, and there is nothing stronger nor better than a restored soul. Now, I've never been a shepherd but I have adopted a dachshund who had a mind of her own. A leash was the best way to lead her anywhere. Not even traveling in a car was a good idea for she knew how to jump out of an open window; she did not know how to be led "in right paths" for my name's sake. I confess that there are times that I have acted like Gweenie. The psalmist says we should be led by the Lord down the right paths for the Lord's sake and ours.
There is power in presence, especially the power and presence of the Lord when things seem helpless or bleak. The ancient psalm reads "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." In the way my Dad and Mom were there for me during difficult times, I have tried to be there for my daughters, and now my grandchildren; but my presence and my power are nothing compared to the power and presence of the Living God. The ancient illustration of rod and staff to the ancient mind called the best weapons and tools for protecting sheep. In our terms, God's got it all; God's got it covered! How about a celebratory banquet in front of those who sought our demise? How about a Communion meal after a bout with illness or sadness or things that claimed something precious from our lives? No better banquet to tell our enemy(ies) "God won!" How about those times in church where we have been anointed with oil? Prayers lifted up to defeat our pain and our illness; these have comforted us and given us strength and hope in the God who never loses. Spiritually, our cups do indeed overflow.
And with God by our side, "goodness and mercy shall follow" us every single day we walk here on this earth; and when it comes time for an appearance before God after this life,those who have walked with God will have a splendid place to live eternally.
Walk and live like a winner today!
PRAYER: Loving Shepherd, may the words of this precious psalm be the words that shape and guide my life today; I need it! Let me be a blessing to You and Yours. I pray this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Monday, April 15, 2013
The Lord is My Shepherd!
Psalm 23: 1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters; 3 he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name's sake. 4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff— they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 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. (NRSV
Salmo 23: 1 JEHOVA es mi pastor; nada me faltará. 2 En lugares de delicados pastos me hará yacer: Junto á aguas de reposo me pastoreará. 3 Confortará mi alma; Guiárame por sendas de justicia por amor de su nombre. 4 Aunque ande en valle de sombra de muerte, No temeré mal alguno; porque tú estarás conmigo: Tu vara y tu cayado me infundirán aliento. 5 Aderezarás mesa delante de mí, en presencia de mis angustiadores: Ungiste mi cabeza con aceite: mi copa está rebosando. 6 Ciertamente el bien y la misericordia me seguirán todos los días de mi vida: Y en la casa de Jehová moraré por largos días. (Reina Valera)
My mother said I had learned the 23rd Psalm in Spanish by the time I was five. Someone had the patience to calm me down long enough to teach me things like this precious psalm. In Spanish I learned that by following the Lord I would lack for nothing. When I learned it in English, King James Version, of course, I thought I didn't want the Lord in any way, as shepherd or God. I did want Him, but I thought the writer was angry or confused or wanted to, and doing a good job, of confusing me. When I made the connection between Spanish and English I realized that first verse is a declaration of a splendid relationship of trust. With the Lord as our shepherd, we shall lack for nothing. There will be some trying and difficult times, but the point is that we should never lose our trust in the Lord. We should let the Lord guide us. There are times when we should be led to lie down, for rest is important. Jesus demonstrated a work ethic of long, difficult hours of preaching, teaching, healing, etc., but still He made time for rest. The Lord satisfies our thirst with life-quenching waters that we find in prayer and the study of Scripture. With these two combined, our soul is restored, and there is nothing stronger nor better than a restored soul. Now, I've never been a shepherd but I have adopted a dachshund who had a mind of her own. A leash was the best way to lead her anywhere. Not even traveling in a car was a good idea for she knew how to jump out of an open window; she did not know how to be led "in right paths" for my name's sake. I confess that there are times that I have acted like Gweenie. The psalmist says we should be led by the Lord down the right paths for the Lord's sake and ours.
There is power in presence, especially the power and presence of the Lord when things seem helpless or bleak. The ancient psalm reads "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." In the way my Dad and Mom were there for me during difficult times, I have tried to be there for my daughters, and now my grandchildren; but my presence and my power are nothing compared to the power and presence of the Living God. The ancient illustration of rod and staff to the ancient mind called the best weapons and tools for protecting sheep. In our terms, God's got it all; God's got it covered! How about a celebratory banquet in front of those who sought our demise? How about a Communion meal after a bout with illness or sadness or things that claimed something precious from our lives? No better banquet to tell our enemy(ies) "God won!" How about those times in church where we have been anointed with oil? Prayers lifted up to defeat our pain and our illness; these have comforted us and given us strength and hope in the God who never loses. Spiritually, our cups do indeed overflow.
And with God by our side, "goodness and mercy shall follow" us every single day we walk here on this earth; and when it comes time for an appearance before God after this life,those who have walked with God will have a splendid place to live eternally.
Walk and live like a winner today!
PRAYER: Loving Shepherd, may the words of this precious psalm be the words that shape and guide my life today; I need it! Let me be a blessing to You and Yours. I pray this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
