The Lord is My Shepherd
That’s why David said, “The Lord is my Shepherd” meaning I have everything I need. Meaning that the Lord is with me through my life and beyond. “He maketh me lie down in green pastures” What does it mean when the psalmist tells us that the Lord “maketh us to lie down in green pastures?” In my mind’s eye I can picture it for myself: a mattress of soft, green grass, cold shade under some tree, no noisy street traffic or worry from dangers or problems–just peaceful rest! “He leadeth beside the still waters, He restoreth my soul—that means He gives me new strength and He guides me along the right direction in which to go. The first three verses indicates to us that so far everything is going well for David, look at it again, He leads me…He renews my strength…He guides me… but he changes a little bit at the 4th verse, because he says even when (he’s not saying ‘if’ but ‘when’) I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will not be afraid for you are with me.
Do you understand fully what David is saying here? No matter where I go, no matter what I have to go through…God is with me! And if God is with me I actually have no need to be afraid. In the valley or on the mountaintop no matter where it may be we have His presence in our pain, His love in our loss, and His patience despite our complaints. Through hardship, He may strip us of pride, renew our passion for Him, refine our character, and/or purify our motives. David said even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death; but the original language of this actually calls it the “valley of shadows” meaning it is only a valley full of shadows and the point being, what can a shadow possibly to do us? It’s just a shadow.
