Psalm 23

Loneliness and self-pity have been the sins I found myself guilty of this day.

What a mockery to my Savior and my God that I am too wrapped up in feeling sorry for myself to acknowledge the One who is always with me and who is the One who will not let me down. He knows me more deeply than anyone on this earth, yet some reason I desire to be with others more than with Him? Why? Forgive me O You, the Lover of my soul!

Tonight as I walked back from taking my dear friend Kira to the train, I began down that path of feeling sorry for myself again because I was there all alone, walking down those dark streets at 11:45 pm... when the words of Psalm 23 that I memorized in the KJV as a child rang through my head. I repeated it over and over, soon I was saying it out loud. Repeating verse after verse. Growing in confidence and believing the statements as I walked along.

What a comfort and what a declaration this Psalm is. Even more so since being in Israel and seeing the paths that sheep walk along, and hearing stories of shepherds. I understand how much sheep need a shepherd because I have raised sheep. I am a sheep and God is my Shepherd. That is the most perfect picture of who God is and how much He cares for me and how much I reject Him or forget that He is ALWAYS there. I'm stupid, it doesn't make sense to me. But the Shepherd is smarter than His sheep, He watches out for their every need, every need. He LEADS.

Read this, slowly, even in the KJV, there is just something about it.

Psalm 23

1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

6 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.