Yahweh is my best friend and my shepherd.
I always have more than enough.
He offers a resting place for me in his luxurious love.
His tracks take me to an oasis of peace, the quiet brook of bliss.
That’s where he restores and revives my life.
He opens before me pathways to God’s pleasure and leads me along in his footsteps of righteousness
so that I can bring honor to his name.
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.
You become my delicious feast even when 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.
So why would I fear the future?
For your goodness and 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!
(Psalm 23 TPT)
If you grew up on the King James Version of the Bible, this translation of Psalm 23 may be jarringly different. While The Passion Translation may interpret the ancient languages differently, God’s message of love and care for us still stands.
This morning I made two lists from this psalm. Perhaps some items could be on the opposite list or both, but I share it with you as some food for thought and prayerful reflection:
“WHO IS GOD?”
- my best friend and shepherd
- restores and revives my life
- opens and leads me on the righteous path
- has conquered me
- has comforting love
- is my delicious feast
- pursues me with goodness and tender love
“WHO AM I IN GOD? WHAT DO I HAVE FROM GOD?” - I have more than enough
- I have a resting place in his luxurious love
- I am in an oasis of peace
- God’s authority is my strength and peace
- God’s near presence takes away my loneliness
- I am anointed with the fragrance of the Holy Spirit
- I have an overflowing cup from God
- I am with God for eternity
I don’t know which of these you needed to hear today, but as you read this psalm and these lists, I pray that God will minister to your spirit, meeting you in your need, and restoring to you the peace and joy of his presence.
Good Shepherd,
You are our best friend, the one who guides us, guards us, provides for us, and pursues us with tender love. Today we pray you will restore and revive us, leading us on the paths of righteousness, and take away any loneliness that we struggle with. Remind us that in you we have more than enough and your authority is our strength and peace. Remind us that we are anointed with the fragrance of your Holy Spirit and have an overflowing cup and an oasis of peace. Abba, help us to embrace all the sweet gifts you give us and honor you with the fullness of our lives. We pray this in Jesus’s name, AMEN.