THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD, I LACK NOTHING

Passage: Psalms 23:1-6

Key verse: 23:1

NIV

Psalm 23
A psalm of David.

The Lord is my shepherd,(A) I lack nothing.(B)
    He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,(C)
    he refreshes my soul.(D)
He guides me(E) along the right paths(F)
    for his name’s sake.(G)
Even though I walk
    through the darkest valley,[a](H)
I will fear no evil,(I)
    for you are with me;(J)
your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

You prepare a table(K) before me
    in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;(L)
    my cup(M) overflows.
Surely your goodness and love(N) will follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
    forever.

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Footnotes
  1. Psalm 23:4 Or the valley of the shadow of death

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

The Lord Is My Shepherd

A Psalm of David.

23 The Lord is my (A)shepherd; I shall not (B)want.
    He makes me lie down in green (C)pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.[a]
    He (D)restores my soul.
He (E)leads me in (F)paths of righteousness[b]
    for his (G)name's sake.

Even though I (H)walk through the valley of (I)the shadow of death,[c]
    I will (J)fear no evil,
for (K)you are with me;
    your (L)rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

You (M)prepare a table before me
    in (N)the presence of my enemies;
you (O)anoint my head with oil;
    my (P)cup overflows.
Surely[d] goodness and mercy[e] shall follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I shall (Q)dwell[f] in the house of the Lord
    (R)forever.[g]

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Footnotes
  1. Psalm 23:2 Hebrew beside waters of rest
  2. Psalm 23:3 Or in right paths
  3. Psalm 23:4 Or the valley of deep darkness
  4. Psalm 23:6 Or Only
  5. Psalm 23:6 Or steadfast love
  6. Psalm 23:6 Or shall return to dwell
  7. Psalm 23:6 Hebrew for length of days

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

First, he provides his sheep with everything (1-3) As the good shepherd provides his sheep with green pastures and the quiet streams to quench their thirst, so the Lord our good shepherd fed us with his abundant word and refreshed our weary soul with his holy spirit. He went ahead to guide us along the right path for his own name's sake all through 2

16 and all our lifetime too. Second, he protects his sheep (4-5). These days we feel like walking through the darkest valleys with such threats as ISIS terror every moment. Yet we feared no evil in 2

16 all through the year. For the Lord Mighty God was with us as Immanuel. His rod and staff were our comfort that protected us from evil and also guided and disciplined us. God made us more than conquerors in the presence of our enemies anointing us, filling our cup overflow (Rom 8:37). Third, he perseveres (6). The goodness and love of our Lord had followed us not only in 2

16 but will follow also all the days of our life. We would dwell with the Lord forever in his kingdom.

Prayer: Lord, thank you Jesus for being my good shepherd all through 2016. I will lack nothing in coming years too!

One Word: The Lord is my shepherd; I lack nothing