Psa 23 | EE | STEP | This is a psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd. I will not need anything.

Psalms 23

God Loves You

This is a psalm of David.

1 The LORD is my shepherd.

I will not need anything.

2 He makes me lie down in green fields.

He leads me to waters where I can rest. ^{▼▼23:2 Verses 1-2: God is like a shepherd. In Israel, sheep followed their shepherd. The man that wrote Psalm 23 said:
– He makes me to lie down in green fields: these were fields where the grass was new. Grass is a plant that grows in fields. Cows and sheep eat grass. Green fields means that the sheep would find plenty to eat. And they would sleep easily.
– He leads me to waters where I can rest: this was the best water. It was probably a well, not a river.
The shepherd leads the sheep to all that they need: food, rest and water. Jesus leads his people to all that they need. Remember – what we NEED is not always what we WANT.}

3 He gives me new life.

He is my guide to the right road.
He does this to do what his name promises.

4 I will not be afraid when I walk through the valley of the shadow of death.

This is because you LORD are with me.
Your rod and staff make me feel brave. ^{▼▼23:4 Verses 3-4: God is like a guide. We do not know who led David to Barzillai. There was a guide. Just as the old shepherd Barzillai made David think about God, so the guide made David think about God. Some Christians think verses 3 and 4 are also about the shepherd and his sheep. Others think that it is about a guide. That guide led David through the wild places to where Barzillai lived. The two ideas are true. GOD IS LIKE A GUIDE. GOD IS ALSO LIKE A SHEPHERD. The valley of the River Jabbok was very dark. But with God as guide and shepherd, David was safe. God brought David through the shadow of death. He will do the same for us – if we believe in Jesus. We must all die. It is a great help to know that:
– Jesus died and God raised him from the dead
– If we believe in Jesus God will raise us from the dead}

5 You prepare a table in front of me when my enemies are present.

You put oil on my head.
My cup is so full that it overflows.

6 I am sure that good and loving and kind things will follow me.

They will follow me all the days of my life.
I will always live in the house of the LORD. ^{▼▼23:6 Verses 5-6: God is like a friend. Psalm 23:1-4 is about life on earth. Psalm 23:5-6 is about life in heaven. Heaven is the home of God. People that believe in Jesus go there. They go there after they die. In the psalm, Barzillai made a great dinner for David. He poured oil, from plants, on David’s head. This was usual in those days. He gave David wine to drink. You can make wine from a fruit that we call the grape. It made David feel very happy. But it also made David think this: I WILL ALWAYS LIVE WITH GOD. It is the same for us. If we believe in Jesus we can say, ‘I will always live in the house of the LORD.’ The house of the LORD is in heaven.}