Most Lenten church services involve a reading from the book of Psalms. Even though the Psalms recorded in the Bible were written a thousand or more years before Christ ever came into the world, they point to the coming Messiah. In fact, Hebrews 10:7 says that the entirety of the Bible is written about Christ. So even though the crucifixion and resurrection are not explicitly discussed in Psalm 23, there are beautiful truths on which we can build our lives contained in the most popular Psalm in the Bible. When we read Psalm 23 through the lens of knowing that Jesus Christ resurrected on the first Easter, this popular Psalm becomes an even more beautiful piece of Scripture that can provide us comfort in times of trouble, confidence in times of fear and power in times of weakness.
It’s easy to skim over portions of Scripture that we are overly familiar with. We glance over John 3:16 because we’ve heard it so many times. We quickly skim through the creation account in Genesis 1 because we know that “in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” It’s easy to let Psalm 23 get swept up in the collection of scriptures that we’re so familiar with that we glance right past. Over the next few minutes, let’s dissect this popular Psalm and look at its practical applications to the lives of believers today.
Psalm 23:1 (TPT)
Yahweh is my best friend and my shepherd. I always have more than enough.
David opens up Psalm 23 with a straightforward statement: The Lord was his best friend and his shepherd. Because of that fact, he would always have more than enough. The entirety of Psalm 23 is written from the point of view of a trusting sheep who looks to its shepherd for everything. In John 10:11, Jesus tells His followers that He is the “good shepherd.” As is the case with any career path, there are good shepherds and bad shepherds. David, who knew a thing or two about shepherding, took on the role of the sheep in Psalm 23. Fortunately, he put himself in subjection to the Good Shepherd who treated him more like a friend than a follower. Because God is such a Good Shepherd, we can rest in the promise that we will always have more than enough.
Psalm 23:2 (TPT)
He offers a resting place for me in his luxurious love. His tracks take me to an oasis of peace near the quiet brook of bliss.
How often do we just need a place to rest? Now, perhaps more than ever, the allure of a resting place is strong. You’re probably already aware, but life is stressful. If things weren’t already stressful enough with typical obligations involving work, school, and every other obligation that demands our attention, we’re now trying to figure out how to navigate all of those things in the midst of a worldwide pandemic. Sometimes rest can seem elusive. The news coverage that bombards us through our TV, radio and cellphone is exhausting. However, God leads us to a resting place. When we walk with Him, His presence takes us to an “oasis of peace” where we can rest near a quiet brook of bliss. What an incredible promise!
Psalm 23:3 (TPT)
That’s where he restores and revives my life. He opens before me the right path and leads me along in his footsteps of righteousness so that I can bring honor to his name.
Restoration is a beautiful process. It’s not uncommon to find people who like to restore old cars. Through an intricate knowledge of what a vehicle looked like and ran like decades ago, a person with a keen eye for vehicles can restore a “rust bucket” back to its original state. You can also find thousands of examples online of people who love to restore old furniture. They can take an item that has been beat up, repainted, sanded down and abused and turn it into something beautiful through the restoration process. God knows the original condition of our souls. He knows exactly the way that we were initially designed, and His presence and power is able to restore us to that condition. Life damages us in the same way that constant exposure to the elements damages a classic car or an old piece of furniture. However, God’s presence and direction can restore and revive us.
Psalm 23:4 (TPT)
Even when your path takes me through the valley of deepest darkness, fear will never conquer me, for you already have! Your authority is my strength and my peace. The comfort of your love takes away my fear. I’ll never be lonely, for you are near.
Some translations of the Bible mentioned walking through “the valley of the shadow of death” in Psalm 23:4. The Passion Translation focuses on the “valley of deepest darkness” instead. Both versions ultimately mean the same thing. There is nothing that humanity fears more than death. There is nothing that feels more final to us than death. Since the human mind is not wired to understand eternity, we have a hard time seeing past the grave. However, because of Christ’s death and resurrection we can bravely walk into the valley of the shadow of death without the fear of anything conquering us. Death is not an enemy that has any sort of power over us. Instead, death is a defeated foe. The comfort of God’s love even takes away the fear of death!
Psalm 23:5 (TPT)
You become my delicious feast even my enemies dare to fight. You anoint me with the fragrance of your Holy Spirit; you give me all I can drink of you until my cup overflows.
The Lenten season allows us to experience and overflow of God’s presence in our lives. When we become completely enamored with our pursuit of Him and His goodness, the things in our lives that leave us feeling empty begin to slowly fade away. Notice David doesn’t thank God for the absence of enemies in this verse. He doesn’t say that he is able to feast once all the enemies in his life have disappeared. Instead, He thanks God for His supernatural provision even in the presence of his enemies. One of the most glorious aspects of the Easter season is the fact that Christ’s resurrection which led to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit allows us to be blessed even in the presence of enemies. When God is with us, we can live in a state of overflowing peace and joy.
Psalm 23:6 (TPT)
So why should I fear the future? Only goodness and tender love pursue me all the days of my life. Then afterward, when my life is through, I’ll return to your glorious presence to be forever with you.
The events of the first Easter Sunday cast out the greatest fear that humanity will ever know. When Jesus Christ resurrected and walked out of the tomb, fear lost its hold over the lives of humanity. While we may still encounter things that bring about feelings of fear, Christ’s glorious resurrection allows us to put those feelings under subjection of the knowledge that if He can defeat death, He can defeat anything that we face. We’re also armed with the knowledge that when our lives are through, we get to spend eternity in His presence. Death isn’t an enemy to be feared. Instead, death is simply the door we have to step through in order to begin our eternity in the presence of our Savior.
A Closing Prayer:
God, thank You for being my Shepherd. Your constant provision and protection are more powerful than I can even understand. I know that if I submit myself to You and trust in You, I will always have more than enough. God, thank You for leading me to green pastures, streams of bliss and places where I can rest in the beauty of Your presence. God, I thank You for defeating the greatest enemy that I would ever know. Thank You for defeating death on the first Easter and allowing me to live in the peace of Your promise that I can spent eternity with You. In Christ’s name I thank You for these things, Amen!