Psalm 23:2
Following is a Bible Study for the assisted living home my Mom resides at. I’ve been reminded how important it is to continue to labor for God even as age sets in, wherever we are placed and whatever our physical condition. The blessings are all mine as I meet these individuals, mostly in their eighties, nineties and beyond, and they sweetly pray or read scripture out loud in their quiet, crackling voices! May all of us continue to walk worthy of our calling well into the frailties of old age …
Last month:
What does it mean personally to be able to say, “The Lord is my shepherd”?
Explain the words, “I shall not want”.
Ps 23:2 He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters.
The Lord gives us rest.
Consider. Would you put sheep in a land of waste, weeds and dried up grasses? Why not?
Green pastures literally means tender green grasses or herbs, a pleasant place. This is what we find in God. Not just rest, but nourishment. All that is needed to fill our soul with peace and rest is found in Him.
Consider. How does this work? We don’t literally find a pasture to lie down in, right? (Although, it sounds appealing!) As a child of God, we find rest in His truths written for us in His Word. Look back again to the first verse of this Psalm: The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.
“He maketh me to lie down in green pastures. What are these "green pastures" but the Scriptures of truth -- always fresh, always rich, and never exhausted? There is no fear of biting the bare ground where the grass is long enough for the flock to lie down in it. Sweet and full are the doctrines of the gospel; fit food for souls, as tender grass is natural nutriment for sheep. When by faith we are enabled to find rest in the promises, we are like the sheep that lie down in the midst of the pasture; we find at the same moment both provender and peace, rest and refreshment, serenity and satisfaction”. Treasury of David
Does the fact of His care give you peace? Does the truth of His provision for everything you might need, put your mind at rest? Consider who you are and who God is. When we understand the assurance we have in Him and His grace towards us, we find safety and comfort.
Our Psalmist, David, was a shepherd so he well knew about pastures. At that time, a green pasture where the sheep were placed was often a penned in area where they not only had new spring grass to eat but also were safe and could rest without the threat of attack. If you’ve ever had teenagers or young adults in your house you understand the idea of going to ‘sleep’ with one eye open! You go to bed but really don’t get any rest until you hear the return of your ‘kids’, knowing they are safely home. Only then do you truly rest without concern. The rest we find in Jesus’ arms is completely satisfying because we know we are in the arms of safety, we don’t have to keep an ear listening or an eye open. We can trust in God’s care for us at all times and in every situation. He has everything under control.
The second half of Psalm 23:2 says, He leads me beside quiet waters.
Let’s think for a moment about water in general. The ocean can be beautiful when it’s calm and quiet, but also, it can be treacherous during a storm with large waves crashing all around. The sound of a gentle brook spilling over pebbles is relaxing and almost mesmerizing. Yet, when heavy rains cause water to flow fast, that same brook can become deadly in its power to devour the earth around it.
Consider, quiet waters. The words used to define quiet (or still in the KJV), are peace, comfort, ease and rest. God provides rest in a world where things are happening around us all the time. We have schedules, deadlines, dates to remember, expectations put upon us, and responsibilities required of us. Most of you, even in your latter years living in a place where some responsibility has been lifted off your shoulders, still have a list of things to get done or remember. Several of you probably are expected to make certain phone calls. Most of you still need to keep track of a meal schedule and several activities that are provided for you to take part in.
When we think of quiet waters, or a tranquil place, it is rest from all things around us. I treasure my ‘quiet’ time each morning. I turn off my phone, sit at my desk in the office and engross myself in God’s word. This is a place where I don’t think of a schedule, or a list of responsibilities or my concerns or worries. I just rest in God’s truths as I read and study my Bible and I am filled with the peace He offers. This is quiet waters, a hub where there is no disturbance, a place of calm.
My husband has suffered from multiple sclerosis for years, almost since the year we were married. He now has a brain affliction that is causing his personality and thinking to change. It is sad and scary to watch and it would be so easy to become fearful and focus on what might be. But this will not change the future God has planned and it will only feed into a heart that could be overtaken with the “what ifs”. Instead, I choose to find peace and rest and quietness of heart in God’s truths. How does this practically work, what does it look like? When the temptation to become fearful of the future begins to set in, I think of what is true. The truth is, none of us know the future and before our fears ever become real, something else could happen. In other words I can become overwhelmed by something that may never be. Instead, I can concentrate on today, on this moment, and what I have in Christ. Right now, I have an opportunity to invest in others; right now, I can make memories; right now, I can know that God promises to walk every step of the way with me into His perfect plan.
Where are you refreshed? Where do you find rest and safety? What helps you to focus on all things that are good and right and true, instead of the negative and unknowns?
We’re in the middle of summer months right now and we have experienced temperatures over 100˚. In countries where hot afternoons are common, the practice is to lie down for a bit in the afternoon in a cool place, out of the beating sun. The picture of a green, grassy field with a slowly meandering stream brings a sense of relief from the scorching heat.
Eze 34:15 "I will feed My flock and I will lead them to rest," declares the Lord GOD.
Have you ever been lost? Most of us have been lost at one time or another. Two such incidents quickly come to my mind. Once I was driving from a very long distance with my three young children. After driving all day and into the night, I was excited to think we would finally be home in about an hour or so. Unfamiliar with the freeway system and in a day when technology had not yet provided a GPS system, I was left to my own sense of direction to navigate. Unfortunately, I made a wrong decision and drove myself and my children a few hours out of our way. Upon realizing my mistake, I’m thankful God protected us and gave me the energy and focus to get us all home safely. Another instance that comes to mind is much more embarrassing! Eons ago, I drove an ambulance for a living. This was back in the day of using a Thomas Guide. Reading a map well was essential for this position when time was of the essence. You had to depend on your work partner to give you correct directions while you maneuvered through traffic with lights and siren blaring. Printed maps did not always keep up with real construction changes. As a result, there were a few times when it seemed like you were circling the place of emergency without reaching the exact location. When you did finally arrive, the looks from bystanders said it all.
We all get lost, in all sorts of ways. Not just in direction, but in purpose. There is a familiar phrase most of us have heard, of someone ‘losing their way’. This means the bigger picture is lost, distractions along the way change our planned direction. Psalm 23:2 says “He leads me…” Matthew Poole’s Commentary remarks, “He leadeth me, lest I should wander and perish”. God leads us to what is good, to where we can rest when needed, to safety. God protects His sheep; He sustains them, carrying them when necessary, guiding them gently to Himself. God’s care for us will not end on earth. God’s children can look forward to the promise of being in His presence forever.
Re 7:16-17 "They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; neither shall the sun beat down on them, nor any heat; 17 for the Lamb in the center of the throne shall be their shepherd, and shall guide them to springs of the water of life; and God shall wipe every tear from their eyes."
Our lives are a journey. We are expected to take part in this journey with action. We have been given a guide. Psalm 23:2 tells us that God is our guide, He is the One who leads us. He even knows when we may need to be led by the quiet waters and away from a storm.
God is good – He leads us to green pastures and unlike a green grassy knoll we may envision, God’s provision is never picked bare, it doesn’t turn brown with seasons; He leads us to quiet waters where drought cannot touch His constant source of refreshment. Do you depend on His provision for you in green pastures and quiet waters?
