I love the Psalms, especially the Twenty-third.
I’ve testified to that countless times before. And now at this writing, I’m feeling compelled to express that truth yet again because the labor is for this space.
And, by faith, I know that the Holy Spirit is close by, harkening: “It’s time to work son; and in preparation, get yourself to the Twenty-third Psalm.
Briefly, I ask myself – just because I’ve never lost the old newspaper man’s strong sense of nosiness: ‘Why would the Great Comforter want me to write something involving that passage of Scripture?’
Ah, the The Twenty-third Psalm: Why, that was one of my most favorite pieces of literature even before I became a
Bible-studying Christian:
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
“He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; he leadeth me beside the still waters.
“He restoreth my soul; he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thou rod and thy staff they comfort me.
“Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.”
The words, even then to me in my heathen state, sounded as they always do, like the sweetest and most inspiring poetry.
And the pictures they paint, even then, were always sharp yet oh so calming and comforting.
In my heathen days, during my times of trouble and pain, I’d repeat that Psalm in my head and that alone would always seem to greatly clear, for me, a path to relief.
Even in my unbelief with my view as my own ship’s captain, my troubles could, at times, make the shadow of death and its valley seem very real and very frightening.
And I’d tremble.
But in those times, especially, it wouldn’t matter that my mental pictures of the Lord would seem clearly based on “strangers’” beliefs.
The idea that such a Champion as God could be out there for me would always wax awesomely calming. And that would be unfailing in helping pull me through my struggles.
I could never say that the Twenty-third Psalm had no role in the Holy Spirit’s leading me to Jesus.
Ah, and now I believe that I get the answer to my question – as if I hadn’t
already:
Maybe someone out there needs the strong inspiration of the Lord’s word in the Psalms to help guide him or her to Jesus.
And that person or persons may need for all of that to happen on a day when we all gather, in mind, body and spirit, to reverently praise and glorify God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
We all are also strongly reminded, on this day, too, that it is God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit who lead(s) us daily through all of our happy and sad times – guaranteed.
“ As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is tried; he is a buckler to all those that trust him.
“For who is God save the Lord? or who is a rock save our God?” (Ps. 18:30-31).
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