Reflections
Psalm 23: 1-2, 3-4, 5, 6 (Read)
“The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want." We are like sheep, and we look to the Good Shepherd
to lead us beside still waters, and guide us along right
paths. We fear no harm, because the Good Shepherd
is at our side.
The Psalm's words are a source of peace for us,
a source of strength, a source of healing. The Lord
provides for us, as he does the little sparrows and the
lilies of the field – “There is nothing I shall want.”
The Lord restores us, for we had gone astray like sheep,
but have returned to the shepherd and guardian of our
souls (today's 2nd reading, 1 Peter 2:20-25). Jesus
himself assures us that we who enter the sheepfold
through Him will be saved and will find pasture (Gospel,
John 10:1-10).
Our psalmist promises that we are to be anointed by
the Lord, “You anoint my head with oil, my cup overflows.”
This cup becomes for us the precious blood of Christ, the
source of our salvation.
We lack nothing when we trust in the Lord. We fear nothing,
even when our lives are at a low point spiritually or physically.
Having been rescued by our Savior, and now counted among
His obedient sheep, we are ready to do His will. We are
groomed to enter the Kingdom and dwell in the house
of the Lord forever.
Amen
Discussion Questions for Reflection
1. The Psalm assures us that we will be given repose by the Lord
and led to restful waters. Describe how these verses are a source
of peace and a source of healing for you.
2. Our psalmist assures us that only goodness and mercy will
follow us all the days of our life and that we shall dwell in the house
of the Lord forever. Tell of how you are comforted by these words
that speak of our eternal joy in the Lord's mansion.
Maybe the young think they can handle everything on their own, but we older people know that we want the shoulder of an older, wiser person, and I’ll take the Good Lord as my friend, benefactor, and counselor any time.
ReplyDeletePsalm 23, repeated often, it can help turn around negative thinking and assist a person with fears.
ReplyDelete"The Lord is my shepherd." This proclaims that God is like our shepherd. That is, He helps us to find food, water, work, love, friends and all that we need. He also protects us from evil. He also gently or firmly prods us when we step out of line and deviate from the way of living set down in the Bible as being correct.
I will have everything I need if I allow God to be my shepherd. I may not have everything the ego wants, but I will be cared for, loved, and provided for very well, indeed.
"Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me." For many people undergoing the journey of healing and retracing, it tells us that yes, you may need to walk in difficult territory in your life. However, you need not fear, for the Lord is with you. One often needs to move back into issues and health conditions that need correcting, healing and perhaps reframing or a different understanding. Anyone who has done it knows this to be the case. (a very good example, my friends L and A).
The power of this Psalm may be due in part to the fact that millions of people have used it over the past three or four thousands years. However, it is also a very profound statement of the process that human beings often go through as they heal at deep levels.