Read: Psalm 23:2-3
THEME: Psalm 23 carries a weight of maturity. It is more than a song of a shepherd boy; it is the testimony of one who has been shepherded through a lifetime of pain, challenges and correctives.
As we look at the second and third verses of Psalm 23, we can reflect on the pressures of kingship that came upon David from the moment Samuel anointed him. There were privileges, yes, but huge responsibilities too. David had to discover a pattern for rest and righteousness. The key, as he knew full well, was to be shepherded by a caring Creator: ‘He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.’
On one occasion, long after he had gained the crown, David created his own break from his responsibilities by staying home from the battle and looking over the palace wall for wrongful recreation. The rest was not the problem, the wrongful recreation was.
Years later Jesus said ‘Come to me all who labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light’.
There is a rest God gives us from our labours and there is a rest that God gives us in our labours. There is a partnership with Him that keeps us in His peace, no matter how great the pressures of the day. David had to come back in brokenness and repentance to the simplicity of knowing God leading him; causing him to lie down in a place of abundance, even when tempted to press on in his own strength; making him walk beside still waters, even when drawn after rushing streams and babbling brooks.
May our lives be a testimony to God’s faithfulness in leading us in paths of righteousness.