Psalm 23, For A Time Like This :: By Dave Hubley
(There is a special message at the end of this article for those who might happen to read this and do not have Jesus in their life and are looking for peace and a way to better understand the present-day insanity and confusion.)
There is no firm dating of when King David wrote Psalm 23. It is probably the most beloved and memorized of all the Psalms. I remember being taught it by my mother when I was very young, and for some reason, it was easily remembered by me all through my life.
I wandered far from the Lord in my first 40 years, but He faithfully (as I can clearly see looking back as well as looking up) preserved my life through many trials and experiences. Many of my trials were birthed by my own poor decisions. Some I thought were plain old “luck”?
But, as it seems clear now, it was, and still has, nothing to do with “luck” and everything to do with my Shepard leading me Home when He knew it was the right time.
Over the years, as familiarity with anything lends itself to indifference, some of us have allowed the Psalms to recede into the background of our Bible reading, but like all of God’s Word, they will not stay there. He will bring them forward at the “right” time.
The Psalms and Proverbs are a treasure chest for our lives, and we should not neglect to spend time in them.
Psalm 23, especially, is like a vase full of flowers sitting in the middle of the dining room table, filling the air with a wonderful fragrance and treating the eyes to a myriad of colors that serve to remind us of God’s amazing, sovereign, and unequaled creativity.
It is the centerpiece of the table that God has prepared for us in this life in the presence of our enemies (James 4:4).
Now, here in 2024, this Psalm takes on more significance than ever as life becomes so “challenging.” No, precarious. It is becoming precarious.
The enemies of God are rising. They have deceived themselves into thinking that they can defeat Him.
At this time, long foretold in the Scriptures, the “end of days” as so many – even those who do not have Jesus – call them, Psalm 23, for the believer, serves a renewed purpose: to remind we who belong to Jesus that, in fact, we never do walk alone.
I recite this Psalm every morning and even sometimes when I wake in the wee hours of the night. It is a deeply personal communication with our God, who we know hears our every thought and prayer. Thankfully, He acts on our prayer requests (or sometimes thankfully, doesn’t) in His own time, according to His Will and Wisdom.
I invite you to take a walk with me through this Psalm as I connect the dots of its deeper meanings as I have come to see them and as the Spirit has brought them to my mind.
First, the verses according to the New King James, and then what they mean to me.
Psalm 23
“The Lord is my shepherd.” – The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit only.
“I shall not want.” I shall not want, but also, I do not want. You are the only God, and I rejoice in that Truth. You are the answer to all my needs.
“He makes me to lie down in green pastures He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul.” You give me peace that passes understanding (Philippians 4:7). Even when I see the world crumbling around me because of sin and rebellion, You enable me to keep it all in perspective. According to Your Word, Your counsel will stand, and You will do all Your pleasure (Isaiah 46:9-10). You have made Your pleasure clear to me that You will save all who are willing (2 Peter 3:9).
“He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.” You cause me to desire to act according to Your will and not according to the flesh, that I might reflect the attributes of my Savior, Jesus Christ, as You continue the work You have begun in me and that I know You will complete, as You have promised (Philippians 1:6).
“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me.” While I am walking through this life, I know that I need not fear death or evil because Your Word has assured me: “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39).
“Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” Your rod of correction and Your staff of direction remind me that You are ever with me. “I have set the LORD always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved” (Psalm 16:8). – “The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth” (Psalm 145:18).
“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.” You provide my every physical need even in a world that has become hostile to us who bear the name of Christian.
“You anoint my head with oil.” – You fill my heart and mind with your Holy Spirit and provide for my every spiritual need.
“My cup runs over.” My life is full in every way because of Your presence. Your mercies abound, and they renew every morning (Lamentations 3:22-24).
“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life.” I know that you will strengthen me and stand me back on my feet when I fall, as You have always done, even when I did not realize it.
“And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.” I have eternal life because of Jesus’ sacrifice for me, and I will dwell in Your House forever along with all my sisters and brothers in Christ, all those who will receive Jesus until the Rapture. All those saints that You have redeemed throughout all human history. All those whom You will save out of the Time of Jacob’s Trouble (Tribulation, Daniels 70th Week), and even all those You will redeem out of the Millennial Kingdom!
All this according to Your Word of Truth. Amen, Hallelujah and Maranatha!
“He who testifies to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming soon.’” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20).
Now to the crux of this article.
As God has promised for thousands of years, there is a time when He will close out what we have come to know as “normal human activity.” And as Jesus has provided in the Scriptures, there are “signs” of this event, and they are manifest every day now.
You do not have to go down with this sin-infested world. As long as you are in your living years, you can open the door to the eternal life that Jesus has promised and that only He can provide (John 14:6).
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me” (Revelation 3:20).
As I said at the beginning of this article, life has become precarious, so while you may be physically healthy, your life could end at any moment.
I hope you will consider the balance of this article and act on it. The door of which Jesus speaks can only be opened from the inside.
The special message I promised you:
For anyone who may read this article and has not trusted in Jesus Christ and, therefore, has no hope or peace in your life.
You can have hope. You can have the peace that Jesus has promised to all who have made Him their Lord and Savior. The peace that passes understanding.
It requires that you come before God on His terms.
And, what are His terms according to His Word?
- Genuine repentance (turning to God instead of continuing to reject or ignore Him).
- Confession of sins (that you are a sinner and acknowledge that to God).
- That you understand that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23).
- To acknowledge to God that you are unable to pay that debt.
- Belief that Jesus Christ paid your death sentence for you on the cross and rose from the grave three days later, conquering death, just as He promised.
- To believe that Jesus is the Way, the only Way, that God has established by which humans may be saved from the consequences of their sin and rebellion.
God has made it absolutely clear that there is no one who comes before Him, under His terms, that will be refused.
- No one: no race, no color, no country of origin, regardless of any previous belief system: no one.
- No matter what your past sins have been, God can and WILL forgive you because He says He will.
- Salvation is available to everyone without any exceptions.
If you put all your trust for salvation in Jesus, and Him only, you can follow that prayer up by simply saying, “Thank you, Father God, for hearing my prayer and saving me,” because we can trust Him to keep His Word. He always has. He always will.
“Truly, Truly, I say to you that he who hears My words and believes the One who sent Me has eternal life and will not be condemned. He has crossed from death to life” (John 5:24).
There are no answers and there is no hope in the world by governments, organizations, politics or politicians. There are only lies and deception. But you can have the Truth and the peace you seek.
The answers are in the Word of God—The Bible. If you ask God, with all your heart, He will hear you.
“And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13).
Pro Salvator Vigilans
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