I can't count how many times I've turned to Psalm 23 over the years. In seasons of grief, uncertainty, exhaustion, or simply the daily grind of life - these words have a way of steadying me when everything else feels shaky.
"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want." That opening line is profound when I really sit with it. David isn't saying he has everything he wants. He's saying that with the Lord as his shepherd, he has everything he needs. There's a difference. A good shepherd knows what the sheep require - rest, water, protection, guidance - and provides it faithfully.
The psalm walks through different landscapes that mirror our actual lives. Green pastures and still waters represent those peaceful seasons when life feels settled and good. I need those times of rest and restoration. My soul needs refreshing, and God leads me to places where that can happen.
But then the psalm shifts: "though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil." Notice it doesn't say if I walk through dark valleys - it says though. The valleys are coming. Loss, pain, fear, uncertainty - these are part of the landscape of being human. But even there, especially there, "you are with me."
I find such comfort in that simple phrase. Not "you'll get me through this quickly" or "you'll make it easy." Just "you are with me." Sometimes that's all I need to know - that I'm not walking through the darkness alone. The Good Shepherd is right beside me, His presence the thing that drives out fear.
The imagery shifts again to a prepared table, an anointed head, an overflowing cup - all pictures of abundance and blessing, even "in the presence of my enemies." God's provision doesn't wait until everything is sorted. He spreads the feast right in the middle of difficulty.
And then that final promise: "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life." Not just the good days. All the days. Every single one. And at the end of them all, I get to dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
If you're in a dark valley today, may this psalm remind you - you have a Good Shepherd who knows your name, knows what you need, and walks with you every step of the way.