Psalms 23:1

Psalms 23:1 says, After being identified as a psalm of David, verse one says, The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.  David said that since the LORD was his shepherd that he would not want for anything.  This meant that David had a personal relationship with the LORD, and that He would supply all of David's needs.  If we are followers of Christ, we need to have that same faith.  Verse two adds, He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.  Since David said the LORD was his shepherd, he used an analogy that would have made a sheep content.  David said that the LORD made him lie down in green pastures, and not in some grand palace, and that He lead him by still waters.  These were what sheep needed for food and drink.  We today should be content when God provides us with what we need in life, and not be disappointed if He doesn't provide us with what we want.  Verse three declares, He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.   David said the LORD, or God, restored his soul.  When we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, our soul is restored.  David also said God led him in the paths of righteousness for God's name sake.  When we follow the path of righteousness, it reflects glory on the name of God.  Verse four adds, Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.  David said that even if he was in the valley of the shadow of death that he would fear no evil around him.  We hear a lot about the evil in the world today, but if we are Christians we should not be afraid of it.  David said that the reason he feared no evil was because God's rod and staff protected him.  This was another Shepherd analogy, and David didn't say it was because of his great abilities or weapons, but because God protected him that he was unafraid in bad situations.  We need to put our faith in God's protection, and not in our own strength or any weapon that we might have.  Verse five states, Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.  David said that God prepared a table for him in the presence of his enemies.  David didn't say that God removed him from his enemies, but the He provided for David's needs in their presence.  He also said that God anointed his head with oil and that his cup ran over.  God went above just meeting David's needs when he was in the presence of his enemies, but He blessed David with an abundance of what was expected at a meal.  God's blessings will always meet our needs, but they will also show His abundant love and grace for us.  Verse six concludes. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.  Since David was often under attack, it was God's goodness and mercy that gave him peace and security.   If we feel that we are under attack in the world today, we as followers of Christ should still acknowledge that God's goodness and mercy will be with us all the days of our lives.  David said that he would live in the house of the LORD forever, and as Christians, we know the we have everlasting life with God through our faith in Jesus Christ.  This is one of David's best known psalms, and in it he basically declared himself to be a sheep in God's pasture, and yet we today look down on those that are called sheep. I believe that we sometimes want to think more highly of ourselves than what God calls us to be.