I recently spent a month away from my home. Then, two weeks after being back, I traveled to a conference related to my day job for a week.
The first trip involved traveling solo, but upon arrival, I was constantly with family except for the occasional errand or taking a stroll in the evening.
I traveled with two coworkers to the conference that had over 600 attendees but had a room to myself at the end of each day.
Although both travel experiences varied, I had the same sense of longing during both.
I wished my husband and my pets were with me.
What does this have to do with Psalm 23:1-6?
Psalm 23:1-6 | You Are With Me
The Lord Is My Shepherd
23 A Psalm of David.
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 paths of righteousness
for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will 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
forever. [1]
Our study today is driven by the faith statement, “You are with me”, found in verse four of Psalm 23:1-6.
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me. [2]
David, a lowly shepherd boy, the youngest of his family, was called by God and anointed by the prophet Samuel to become the king of Israel, wrote Psalm 23. (1 Samuel 16:1-13)
Verse 13 of 1 Samuel 16 includes the following statement:
And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward.[3]
But David did not immediately become the King of Israel.
Instead, he was called into service as a musician for the current king of Israel, Saul. (1 Samuel 16:14-21)
Saul is told the following about David:
18 One of the young men answered, “Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a man of good presence, and the Lord is with him.[4]
We also learn about David’s experience when tending sheep before David slays the giant Philistine named Goliath.
34 But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, 35 I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him. 36 Your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.”[5]
David continued to be successful wherever Saul sent him. (1 Samuel 18:5)
As David’s fame grew with the other servants of Saul and the people of Israel, Saul became so jealously angry he repeatedly attempts to kill David. (1 Samuel 18:11, 19:1, 10-15; 20:31-33, 23:7-25; 24; and 26.)
With all these attempts on his life, it is no surprise that David mentions the valley of the shadow of death in verse four of Psalm 23.
Yet, even while David is hiding in strongholds, barely escaping the pursuit of an enraged Saul, David believed the following:
Psalm 23:1-3
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters. [6]
David scrambled for his life because of Saul’s jealousy.
Yet, David’s needs during these exhausting struggles were met by the Lord. David received provisions of food, weapons, means of escape, and wisdom in dealing with his enemies.
David clung to his faith in the Lord and the Lord’s promises even while walking through these difficult times.
Psalm 23:1-6 | You Are With Me | Study Questions
What are some things a shepherd does as we read in the examples of David above?
How might the hardships David faced after being anointed king by the prophet Samuel also be part of what he needed from the Lord?
Where were the green pastures and still waters for David in the 1 Samuel passages referenced?
Why do you think David believed the Lord was with him?
Psalm 23:1-6 | You Are With Me | Personal Reflection Questions
Consider the following words of Jesus Christ with our study of David’s example.
11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.[7]
14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.[8]
Reflect on a time you experienced walking through a valley of the shadow of death. Looking back, describe how the Lord supplied you with everything you needed?
How did the experience prepare you for future challenges?
Do you find comfort in the words of Psalm 23 and the claims of Christ as your good shepherd? Why or why not?
Psalm 23:1-6 | You Are With Me | My Travel Reflections
My recent travels pale significantly against the backdrop of David and Christ’s experiences.
I was not escaping from a madman trying to kill me like David.
Nor was I walking towards death on a cross for all people, like Christ.
I simply longed for my husband and pets to be with me, or for me to be with them.
Why? Because I love them and enjoy being with them. Also, there were things I saw or did that would have been fun to share.
But there are times I must do things that take me away from them. Sometimes just for a few hours, and sometimes for several days or even weeks.
What sustains me through those times and more difficult ones is the knowledge that I always have the Lord with me, no matter where I am.
Also, I know the Lord has all who know Him under His shepherd’s care.
This brings me comfort and assurance whether I am at home or traveling.
How have you been encouraged today?
Whom do you know you can share the assurance that the Lord is with them?
Blessings,
Barbara Lynn
[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Ps 23:title–6.
[2] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Ps 23:4.
[3] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), 1 Sa 16:13.
[4] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), 1 Sa 16:18.
[5] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), 1 Sa 17:34–36.
[6] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Ps 23:1–2.
[7] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Jn 10:11.
[8] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Jn 10:14–15.