Are you feeling weary by the troubles of life, trapped by fear, facing a difficult battle, or just in need of deep rest? Psalm 23 depicts our God as the Good Shepherd – the One who lovingly takes care of us and gives us rest for our souls. We invite you to encounter Him and to experience His peace through these devotions.
Interseed
Day 1
Scriptures: Psalms 23:1, John 10:11
The Lord Is My Shepherd
Psalm 23 is arguably one of the most well-known pieces of Scripture in modern day Christianity. We can recite it by heart and we relate it to finding rest.
What does David mean when he calls God his shepherd? Why is this specific profession a powerful way to describe God?
#1: A Shepherd Provides
The very first thing a shepherd does is he provides for his sheep’s needs.
Sheep, just like any other animal, need food and water. They also need safety and direction.Sheep need to graze on grass fields for food and cannot drink from fast flowing streams.
It is the role of the shepherd to find the right fields for his sheep and to wake up early to search for quiet waters.
It is not surprising that David mentions both of these things in Psalm 23:2: ‘He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.’
David found that God was just like a shepherd in this respect – He provided for all of David’s needs so that David could confidently say, ‘I shall not want’.
God our Shepherd is extremely intentional. He does not give us everything we want, but He does give us everything we need.
#2: A Shepherd Protects
By nature, sheep do not have claws or sharp teeth to defend themselves from predators with, rendering them vulnerable when lost and alone in the wild.
For this reason, the shepherd is with his sheep at all times. He serves the sheep, protects the sheep, and would even give His life for the sheep.
David knew this to be true of God. In Psalm 23:5 he says, ‘You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.’
In the same way, when we are helpless, God fights for us!
#3: A Shepherd Pursues
In Luke 15:4-6 we read of a story which best describes what God is like as a shepherd: He leaves the 99 sheep in his fold to find the 1 which went astray.
Even though there are many other sheep in the pasture, God is intentional with each of them individually. Everyone is precious in His eyes and He is willing to seek after and to bring His sheep – that’s you and I – back home when we lose our way!
I love that David knew God to be his shepherd, but what I love more is that this foreshadowed what Jesus revealed about Himself…
Jesus also called Himself a shepherd: ‘I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.’ (John 10:11)
In Jesus, we see the clearest picture of what God is like – He truly is not just David’s Shepherd but ours too.
How undeserving we are, and yet we have a Shepherd to provide, protect and pursue us all the way.
Reflection:
Having read about the role of a shepherd, in what way have you seen God:
– Provide for you?
– Protect you?
– Pursue you?
Prayer:
Lord God,
Thank you for being my Shepherd.
You provide for me to live abundantly, protect me from my enemies, and pursue me when I’m going in the wrong direction.
Even though I am so incapable, You pour out Your love for me the way a shepherd does for his sheep.
May I continue to be a sheep that listens to Your voice and lives within Your love.
In Jesus’ Name, amen.
Day 2
Scriptures: Psalms 23:2, Matthew 11:28-30, Philippians 4:6-7, Joshua 21:44
He Makes Me Lie Down
I have the privilege of working with children, and one of the funniest things about them is the way they resist rest. Some gladly go to sleep (that was totally me), but others fight it with every fibre of their being!
Their eyelids droop, their heads swing to and fro, and still they fight what will inevitably come to them. Their body knows full well what they need, but their little hearts just long to stay up a bit longer.
This is what comes to mind when I read today’s passage:
‘He makes me lie down…’
He – our Shepherd, our God – makes His sheep lie down!
As I read this, it was almost as if David, our psalmist, was inferring that there’s a stubbornness, a resisting, or a childlike refusal within the sheep to do what it is that they need to do. The sheep resist rest… and so the Shepherd has to make them lie down.
Dear friend, those stubborn sheep David refers to… that’s us!
So, what can we learn about rest?
Firstly, rest is a must, dear friend! David doesn’t say, ‘He invites me to lie down,’ which leaves it up to me to decide whether to rest or not. Neither does he say, ‘He lets me lie down,’ implying that rest is an optional extra.
Rest is a command. Our Shepherd has commanded us to lie down. Check out the fourth of the Ten Commandments: we are to keep the Sabbath day holy (Exodus 20:8-11). We are to rest.
Rest is essential and vital. Our Good Shepherd makes us rest because He knows what is best for us (even when we don’t)!
Philip Keller, in his book A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, writes that sheep do not and will not lie down easily unless four specific conditions are met.
#1: Because they are timid creatures, they will not lie down if they are afraid.
#2: Because they are social animals, they will not lie down if there is friction and no harmony among the sheep.
#3: If they are troubled by flies or parasites, they will not lie down.
#4: If they are anxious about food or they are hungry, they will not lie down.
Keller concludes that rest comes because the Shepherd has dealt with fear, friction, pests, and famine. He gets rid of everything that prevents His sheep from getting the rest they need. Isn’t that wonderful?
Dear friend, your Good Shepherd promises to give you rest in every understanding of the word. If you are weary and burdened, He will give you rest (Matthew 11:28-30). If you are feeling anxious, He will give you rest from that too (Philippians 4:6-7). If you are facing enemies, He will give you rest on every side (Joshua 21:44).
Let us listen to and obey our Good Shepherd today.
Reflection:
Am I resisting the rest that my Shepherd is commanding me to do?
Of the four conditions above, are there any that I need my Shepherd to deal with today?
In what way is the Lord making me rest?
Prayer:
Good Shepherd,
You make me lie down. You bring everything this is restless in me into deep rest.
You will conquer fear; You will heal my relationships; You will help me to overcome every adversity.
Thank You, my Good Shepherd. I love to be loved by You.
In Your might name I pray, amen.
Day 3
Scriptures: Psalms 23:3, 2 Samuel 12:13, Psalms 16:11
He Restores My Soul
We will likely need every verse in Psalm 23 at some point in our lives, however, I have never felt more in need of these four words daily: ‘He restores my soul.’
It is simply reality that our souls desperately need restoring and refreshing from our Good Shepherd. Our souls can easily become tarnished by sin, as worldly and fleshly things vie for our affections and seek to turn us from our first love Jesus. Our souls can also become weary and disheartened from ongoing conflict, suffering and hardships, and the daily demands and stressors of life.
Dear friend, I don’t know if you are facing any of these challenges right now, but I do know that we all need a Shepherd who restores our souls.
#1. God Restores Us When We Wander Off
Although our Shepherd leads us, we are sometimes like the sheep who go astray, who think we know where we’re going, and who wander off on our own paths.
David knew this full well of himself. In 2 Samuel 11-12 we read of how David murdered Uriah so that he could have Uriah’s wife Bathsheba for himself. David chose to go his own way and to do what was evil in the Lord’s sight. He was in dire need of restoration.
In 2 Samuel 12:13, after being rebuked by the prophet Nathan, David turns back to the Lord and confesses, ‘“I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die.’Through Nathan’s word, God brought David’s sinful soul back to Himself and restored him.
In Hebrew, one meaning of the words ‘restores my soul’ is ‘to bring me to repentance’. Friend, this is what our Lord Jesus does for us as our Shepherd: He comes to find us, lost as we are, and He brings us back to repentance, back to Himself, and back into right relationship with Him.
#2. God Restores Us When We Are Weary
Sometimes our souls need restoration because of our own sin and folly, but sometimes we need God to restore us because of the things that we endure externally and internally.
We can become weary because of continued disappointments, because of injustice, because of relational conflicts, because of sickness and suffering, and because of the pressures and demands in our workplaces or schools.
Our world isn’t perfect, and we can become disheartened because of it. But we have an incredible Shepherd who attends to our weariness by refreshing us with His presence and giving us rest.
In challenging times like these, let us seek God’s presence afresh, for ‘in [His] presence there is fullness of joy’ (Psalm 16:11).
Reflection:
In what sense do you feel you need your Shepherd to restore you today?
Prayer:
My Good Shepherd,
Thank You for the promise that You restore my soul. You retrieve me when I wander off from You and Your path, and You restore me back into right relationship with You. Lord, I bring before You any sins of commission or of omission and I repent. Thank You for Your forgiveness.
Lord, I also confess that my soul is weary and disheartened from the stresses of this life. I ask for a fresh encounter with You today, that Your Presence may refresh me and that I may experience fullness of joy once again.
I love You, Lord, and I am so grateful for You.
In Jesus’ name, amen.
Day 4
Scriptures: Psalms 23:3, Psalms 32:8
He Leads Me
It is a matter of fact that we humans don’t desire arduous journeys which take us through difficult terrain. We also don’t want our healing or our growth to be a process, but rather instantaneous. And we certainly don’t find it easy to follow someone when we don’t know where we’re going.
But, in this life journey, we don’t follow just anyone… We follow God, our Shepherd.
#1: Our Shepherd Leads Us…
He doesn’t push us, pull us, or force us. He leads us and He guides us.
In Psalm 32:8, the Lord says, ‘I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.’
Isn’t that amazing, dear friend? We have a God who is so concerned about our lives that He longs to instruct us, to teach us, and to counsel us.
He wants to be the one to lead us.
#2: Our Shepherd Leads Us in Paths of Righteousness…
The idea behind this is that of a shepherd and his sheep circling their way higher and higher up a hillside. Though it may appear that they are going around in circles, they are actually gaining altitude and making their way to green pastures.
We may feel like we’re in a never-ending process of growth, but we can trust that our Shepherd is leading us ever-closer to righteousness and holy obedience.
#3: Our Shepherd Leads Us in Paths of Righteousness for His Name’s Sake.
The ever-winding path of progress and growth is never for our own glory, but for the Lord’s. He takes us on a beautiful adventure so that we can bring glory to His name!
Because of this, we can trust that what He’s doing in us will bring about something profound for His kingdom.
Dear friend, wherever your Shepherd is leading you, it is our prayer that He will comfort you and grow you on this journey.
Reflection:
Is there an area in your life where you feel like you are going around in circles, without making progress? Ask God to show you what He is doing in this process and where He is leading you to.
Prayer:
Good Shepherd,
In all the world I have no one but You. Help me to follow You, even though the journey may feel endless and though it may seem impossible. Help me to trust You as You lead me along paths of righteousness for Your name’s sake.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
Day 5
Scripture: Psalms 23:4
I Will Fear No Evil
#1: The Valley is Inevitable
Dear friend, do you see what David says here? He says, ‘Even though,’ rather than ‘Even if.’
This tells us what David knew very well: that valley seasons – seasons of darkness, trials, and of facing evil – are unavoidable and inevitable. They don’t only happen to certain people for certain reasons. They happen to us all.
So, what can we expect from these seasons?
#2: The Valley is Not Our Dwelling Place
Firstly, though valley seasons are inevitable, they are not permanent. Hallelujah!
David says, ‘Even though I walk through the valley”. There’s movement and transition. Dear friend, we are not meant to dwell in the valley of the shadow of death – we are to walk through it.
#3: The Valley is Not Death Itself
Secondly, although the valley may look and reek and feel like death, it is not death itself.
Although we may be facing the toughest trial and the most sinister evil ever, and although death casts its cruel and dark outline over us, David assures us that this valley is merely the shadow of death.
When we read this passage in light of our Great Shepherd, Jesus, we realise that death has lost its sting! Now, because of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, only death’s shadow is present.
Charles Spurgeon spoke these comforting words, “Death in its substance has been removed, and only the shadow of it remains…. Nobody is afraid of a shadow, for a shadow cannot stop a man’s pathway even for a moment. The shadow of a dog cannot bite; the shadow of a sword cannot kill; the shadow of death cannot destroy us.”
#4: Our Companion in the Valley
In the face of great evil and suffering, it is natural for us to fear. But here, David’s words offer us peace:
‘I will fear no evil, for you are with me.’We need not fear, because our companion in the valley is our very great Shepherd.Though He may not remove the evil itself, He will remove the fear of evil.
David Guzik writes, ‘Even in a fearful place, the presence of the shepherd banished the fear of evil.’
And look how close He is to us: David changes from speaking in the third person to speaking in the second… from ‘He’ to ‘You’. He speaks directly to the Shepherd, and reminds his heart that His Shepherd is indeed always with him, just as He is with you, beloved.
May God your Shepherd make His presence so real to you today and displace all fear.
Prayer:
Good Shepherd,
Thank You for being my ever-present companion in the valley. I will fear no evil, for You are with me.
In every valley, in every trial, and in every dark association I find myself in, remind me that You are there. I will choose to remember Your Word – that the valley is not permanent, that You have already conquered death, and that Your presence will dispel all fear.
Thank You, Good Shepherd. I love You.
Day 6
Scriptures: Psalms 23:4, 1 Samuel 17:34-36, Proverbs 13:24
Your Rod & Staff Comfort Me
What are the uses of the Shepherd’s rod and staff and how do they comfort the sheep?
#1: The Rod Guards And Protects
Sheep by nature are unable to fend for themselves, hence they need a shepherd to protect them from predators, just like how king David fought against the lions and bears in 1 Samuel 17:34-36.
Just like how the shepherd protects sheep from predators, God protects us from our enemies. It brings comfort to us when we know that we are safe because our Shepherd can conquer any beasts that come for us.
#2: The Rod Disciplines
Proverbs 13:24 says, ‘Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.’ What does this mean?
Imagine having a friend who is going on a path that is not good for him. Would you leave him be? Or would you warn him of the dangers ahead and try to pull him back in the right direction, knowing the harm that might ensue?
In a similar fashion, the Shepherd has foresight to see where we, the sheep, are going and therefore uses the rod to discipline us.
Although discipline may feel painful for us, God’s discipline does not harm us. It is an act of love, not of hate.
#3: The Staff Guides And Directs
The staff is a tool that is needed for guiding and protecting us when we cannot do things on our own. For example, a sheep on its back cannot pick itself back up on its own and might die from the weight of bodily fluids if left for too long. Hence, the Shepherd needs to tuck the staff under the body of the sheep to lift it up.
Sometimes, we find ourselves in trouble when we are far away from God. It’s like we are that sheep lying on our back. In that state, we need the Lord to draw us closer to Him the way a staff is used to draw sheep closer to their Shepherd. When He draws us closer to Himself, then He can continue guiding us in the paths of righteousness (Psalm 23:3).
Dear friend, now that we have a visual representation of how God takes care of us as a Shepherd, we can have a better understanding of how He loves us.
Here is a humbling verse we can remember as our Shepherd leads us: ‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.’ (Proverbs 3:5-6)
As you journey with God, let Him be the one that guards you, protects you, disciplines you, guides and directs you.
Prayer:
Lord God,
Thank You for being my Shepherd. Being guarded, protected, and being disciplined to walk the paths of righteousness comforts me, knowing that You do it out of love. May I learn to trust You as my Shepherd and rely on you for my growth.
In Jesus’ name, amen.
Day 7
Scripture: Psalms 23:5
An Unexpected Table
Without departing from this valley of the shadow of death, David describes another dark scenario… being ‘in the presence of [his] enemies’.
Sadly, David was no stranger to being in this situation. For years, he was relentlessly hunted by King Saul and then later on he was also pursued by his own son Absalom!
But even though David mentions a scenario that should be dark and scary in this psalm, what was simultaneously true was that God had ‘prepare[d] a table before [him]’ in this place.
As marvellous as that sounds, doesn’t it also seem like an odd picture, dear friend?
If you were David, face to face with your enemies or those who wanted to hurt you, what do you think you’d be doing?
Maybe engaging in a bout of combat, hiding somewhere, or even running away? David describes doing neither of these things.
Instead, the picture David paints is most unexpected: he dines with God. Dines. Sits at a table. Eats great food. Has fellowship with God.
What’s more is that David is the guest of honour at this table. It is David himself that God has specially prepared this table for in advance. God is David’s host, setting out a lavish spread for David in the most unexpected circumstance.
What I find fascinating about this is that God does not remove David’s enemies, just as He didn’t remove the presence of evil in the valley. If God removed David’s enemies, then dining like this would make sense. It’s easy and natural to dine when there’s no conflict.
But no, God doesn’t touch his enemies and instead seemingly does not even care about them at all!
As usual, I find that Charles Spurgeon’s ruminations always bring such understanding to a passage. He says this about verse 5,
‘When a soldier is in the presence of his enemies, if he eats at all he snatches a hasty meal, and away he hastens to the fight. But observe: ‘Thou preparest a table,’ just as a servant does when she unfolds the damask cloth and displays the ornaments of the feast on an ordinary peaceful occasion. Nothing is hurried, there is no confusion, no disturbance, the enemy is at the door and yet God prepares a table, and the Christian sits down and eats as if everything were in perfect peace.’
Dear friend, in the presence of our enemies, we can sit down and eat as if everything were in perfect peace. Why? Because God is with us.
As a result of God’s presence with us, the way we respond in situations like these should change. Yes, although we may be facing conflict, there is a table spread before us. Yes, although we may be facing our enemies, we can actually be in perfect peace.
Dear friend, if our God is not concerned with our enemies, then neither do we need to be. Let us take our minds off them and focus on dining with God today.
Reflection:
What surprises you about how God treats David while he’s in the presence of his enemies?
What does this tell you about God?
Prayer:
Dear God,
You prepare a table for me in the presence of my enemies and You enable me to dine with You in peace. I pray that I may feel Your perfect peace today, keeping my eyes focused entirely on You.
In Jesus’ name, amen.
Day 8
Scriptures: Psalms 23:5, Isaiah 61:1-3
Anointed & Overflowing
Dear friend, allow me to refresh you on the context of these words of David…
Here is David, in the presence of his enemies, yet he’s not running from, fighting with, or hiding from them. No, he’s dining with his beloved God and Host.
It now gets even better. David says, ‘You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.’
I can picture it in my mind, just as I’m sure David imagined it… There he is with his enemies all around him. He enters God’s presence and before him is a huge table laid out. Then, God the Host approaches him with anointing oil in His hand. A beautiful, refreshing fragrance wafts through the air as the Lord approaches him. Then God pours this oil onto David’s head. What beauty! What an honour!
Dear friend, what David was implying by this was that he himself was God’s special guest. It was customary for hosts to anoint their special, honoured guest for whom the banquet was for. In this case, this was David.
This oil was not just a symbol of honour, but also of abundance – lavish abundance was poured out over David! And what’s more, this oil was a symbol of David’s joy and gladness. In Isaiah 61:3, oil is associated with gladness.
What does this show us?It is in God’s presence that we are truly treasured and honoured; it is there that we receive lavish abundance; and that’s where we get to experience inexpressible joy!
It was from this place of God’s presence that David felt his cup was overflowing.David was so blessed by God’s gracious abundance that his cup of joy brimmed and spilled over!
In God’s presence, David found the refreshing he needed, especially in the presence of his enemies. God gave him strength to face the challenges around and ahead of him.
And all David had to do was to be with God.
When we read the psalms, it’s important to take note of the verbs used and who does the action.
‘YOU anoint my head with oil; MY cup overflows.’
Do you see who does the action here? It isn’t David… It is God. God is the one who does the anointing, and David simply received from the Lord. It was as a result of that receiving that David’s cup overflowed!
What a beautiful reminder for us too. God wants to give to us, to pour out His anointing over us, to refresh us, and to fill our cup to overflowing. All we have to do is to receive.
As we acknowledge God day to day, spending time in His presence, may we recognise just how special we are to Him – just as David did. May we know deep down that we too are His special and honoured guest, and that when we spend time with Him, He will surely refresh us to overflowing!
Prayer:
Dear Lord, You are the Good Shepherd.
There is nowhere else that I can find joy and gladness but in You. Thank You for Your gracious abundance which You pour into my life. I pray that as I spend time with You today, that I would know how precious I am to You and that I would experience immense gladness and joy.
In Jesus’ name, amen.
Day 9
Scripture: Psalms 23:6
Sure Of What’s To Come
Well, here we are, dear friend, the final verse of Psalm 23. On our journey through this psalm, we have come to know God as our beloved Shepherd.
What we have seen is that our Shepherd is the one who protects us and provides for us; He leads us into rest and safety; He is with us in the darkest valleys; and He sets a table for us in the presence of our enemies.
As we read over this description, isn’t it already so much more than we ever could have imagined of our Shepherd? He is so glorious!
But dear friend, if you thought it couldn’t get much better than this, think again. This is how David closes his heart’s meditations on God our Shepherd:
‘Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life…’
David’s final remarks offer us such sweet assurance. The care of David’s beloved Shepherd brought the goodness and mercy of God to him – and now our Shepherd brings it to us.
Not only does our Shepherd lead and guide us from the front, but He has also made provisions for what is behind us: goodness and mercy follow us, dear friend!
This goodness and mercy of God suggest His immense kindness and support. We can count on God for this in our lives.
I love how Charles Spurgeon put it, “These twin guardian angels will always be at my back and at my beck. Just as when great princes go abroad they must not go unattended, so it is with the believer.”
When we follow our Shepherd, we can rest assured that His goodness and His mercy will indeed follow us wherever we go.
Then, in conclusion, David speaks words of his contentment, joy, peace, determination, and conviction:
‘I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.’
David ends the psalm with the calmest assurance that he would enjoy God’s delightful presence forever, both in his days on earth and beyond the grave.
At the end of it all, dear friend, David reveals to us that He has truly found his heart’s desire and his heart’s place of rest – it is in the presence of God Himself.
The same goes for us. As we follow our Shepherd day by day, letting Him lead us and guide us, may we too be sure of what is to come: God’s ever-present Presence and His immeasurable goodness and mercy.
May God bless you as you continue to walk with Him daily, dear friend.
Reflection:
In what ways have you experienced God’s goodness and mercy in your life?
How would you like to experience it in the future?
Prayer:
Good Shepherd,
Thank You for leading me and for hemming me in with Your goodness and mercy.Lord, I am so undeserving of these constant lifelong companions, and yet in Your love, You lavish them on me when I follow You.
I pray, make me a good follower. Make me someone who knows what it means to follow You as my Shepherd. Make my heart’s longing the same as David’s – to experience Your beautiful presence every single day of my life until the grave and beyond.Thank You for Your blessed assurance of what is to come.
I love You, Lord.
In Jesus’ name, amen.