Sunday Service | January 24, 2021
Psalms 23
This scripture is often read at funeral services, or in settings where there’s been great hardship and loss. While the passage is fitting for those settings, there is more to it than being in a deep dark place. This scripture is one of the most well-known passages in the Bible and can be ranked near John 3:16 in terms of common usage.
The passage is very much about living life with God. Living, existing, and being a part of what God is up to. As Brian Ban often says, “being a person of the Resurrection.”
In a way this passage is different from the other Psalms that David wrote. This Psalm is not about lament or frustration. It’s about comfort and delight in God’s goodness. We also read this differently today than when it was originally written. David was a shepherd, and had real context for what it meant to be a shepherd. He uses the Shepherd metaphor to describe how God had tended to the people of Israel in Exodus. Psalms 23 is unique in how personal it is. It’s one of the few times in the Bible that is God described as “mine” or “my” shepherd.
This personal connection that David shines a light on says that the Lord tends to him in a very personal way. Human beings are driven by the need to connect and belong. We want to connect, have roots, and belong somewhere. David shares this huge message in a tiny word - “My.”
David then goes on to describe the things God does for him and the ways he can count on him. The personal bond that David has is the game changer in this passage. As people, we call upon the Lord when things are troubling. But the first 3 lines of this passage tell us that God is always with us, not just when things are hard. When I am living, existing, surviving, or thriving - God is there. In the dark and in the light.
From a pure lens of delight, David is saying that God is always there. “When I’m afraid, when I’m happy, when I’m resting, when I’m existing - God is there. God wants good things for me and I belong at his table.”
If we look for God, we can see that he is always there in our lives. We can take a tip from David in this passage.
David knew God’s character and David trusted his personal experiences with God.
We reached out to a few members of The Anchor community this week to ask how God has carried them through the past year of the pandemic. They were asked; How has God given you exactly what you’ve needed? We heard from David Jolly, Lori Madden, Roman Haviland, Apryle Green, Chris Vicari, Lisa Shadrick, Nick Sehman, and Alecia Hawl.
Seeking out the Lord can look like time in nature, taking a walk and/or reflecting with a moment of gratitude. It is our job to encourage ourselves to see the goodness of the Lord and the good work of the Lord. Because we belong, we have everything that we need. God is with us on that journey. The Lord is my shepherd; I have what I need. Repeat these 9 words for a minute!