Category: Psalms

  • Psalm 23: Do You Know Him or Just About Him?

    Five Valais Blacknose sheep with curly white fleece, black faces, and black knees and feet stand close together on green grass, facing the camera. Iluustrating a reflection on PSalm 23

    Lately, my social media feeds have been filled with videos of Valais Blacknose sheep. These black-and-white sheep, especially the romping lambs, are incredibly cute and make me smile (but please don’t send more of them). I have no idea how cost-effective or profitable raising them is, but if I were a shepherd, I might be tempted to keep a few, just because of the cute factor.

    The thoughts of sheep and shepherds bring to mind one of the world’s best-known Bible passages.

    The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

    He makes me lie down in green pastures.

    He leads me beside still waters.

    He restores my soul.

    He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

    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.

    You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

    Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23 ESV

    Even many non-believers can recite these familiar words. Many people turn to them in times when they need comfort. The images are clear, and the text is theologically rich. I can’t begin to imagine how many times I’ve heard or read this little passage, or seen it referenced in some way.

    Yet only recently did I notice something about Psalm 23 that may be obvious to others. A pronoun change.

    It’s obvious that David knows of the Lord. The first few verses talk of Him; then the pronoun changes to something more relational. He becomes you. David not only knows of the Lord; David knows Him and has a relationship with Him.

    Everyone knows something about God, whether they acknowledge it or not. Romans 1:20 is clear that we are without excuse. Yet only a relatively small number truly know Him and have a relationship with Him. There is a vast difference.

    I know many things about famous people, present and historical, but I’m not actually friends with them. I can’t knock on their door at any time of day or night and be welcomed with open, loving arms. I can’t expect them to be ready to help me, bring me comfort or just be there to talk to.

    Knowing about God is very different than actually knowing Him and being in a relationship with Him.

    Do you know Him or just about Him? He’s calling you into relationship today.

    Kevin

    SUMMARY

    I only recently noticed that, partway through Psalm 23, David stops speaking about the Lord and starts speaking to Him. He’s calling you to know Him too, not just know about Him.

    TAKEAWAY

    In Psalm 23, “He” becomes “you.” David didn’t just know about the Lord; he knew Him and had a relationship with Him.

    Everyone knows something about God, and Romans 1:20 says we are without excuse. Yet relatively few truly know Him.

    You can know plenty about famous people and still not be welcome at their door. Knowing about God is very different than knowing Him, and He’s calling you into relationship today.

    CHECK OUT THESE POSTS

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  • Sheep without a Shepherd

    Missing the Messiah

    Flock of sheep lying down in deep green grass

    I was reading a familiar story in Mark’s gospel. It’s the story of Jesus feeding the 5,000, something I’ve read more times than I can remember. This time the Holy Spirit grabbed my attention and highlighted something. I’m always amazed when the Spirit illuminates something like that.

    Jesus feeds the 5000 men (plus women and children), a passage so familiar to most of us that we skim-read it.

    The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves. Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things. And when it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is now late. Send them away to go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” But he answered them, “You give them something to eat.” And they said to him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii7 worth of bread and give it to them to eat?” And he said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” And when they had found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.” Then he commanded them all to sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups, by hundreds and by fifties. And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. And he divided the two fish among them all. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men. Mark 6:30-44 ESV

    Notice something: they were like sheep without a shepherd. Jesus had them sit on the green grass and fed them. It’s the language of Psalm 23.

    The crowd didn’t understand, but Jesus was taking the familiar language of David’s messianic Psalm and living it out amongst them. The Lord, the shepherd, was standing there among them on the green grass and prepared a table before them.

    Perhaps 20,000 people of all ages saw the meal and hungered for it, but they missed the Messiah standing among them.

    We could condemn them for being so blind, but I have to wonder how many times God has worked something in our lives that is plainly obvious, but we have missed Him. Probably more often than we would care to admit.

    The Lord is working around us every day. Pause to watch and give him the glory He is due.

    Be blessed

    Kevin

    SUMMARY

    Jesus fed the crowd on the green grass as the Shepherd of Psalm 23, but they missed the Messiah standing among them. The Lord is working around us every day too, so let’s pause to watch and give Him the glory He is due.

    TAKEAWAY

    Don’t skim-read the familiar stories. You may have read a passage more times than you can remember, and the Holy Spirit can still grab your attention and show you something new in it.

    Look past the meal to the Shepherd. Jesus sat a crowd that was like sheep without a shepherd on the green grass and fed them. He was living out Psalm 23 right in front of them. They saw the meal and hungered for it, but they missed the Messiah standing among them.

    Before you condemn the crowd, ask how often you’ve missed Him. God has probably worked plainly obvious things in your life that you missed. The Lord is working around you every day, so pause to watch and give Him the glory He is due.

    YOU MIGHT ALSO ENJOY

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