23rd Psalm
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil: for thou art with me.
Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:.
Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
The 23rd Psalm is also known as The Lord's Prayer and is a source of comfort and peace for Christians throughout the world. It is particularly helpful for those times when we find ourselves struggling with the challenges, losses, and heartbreaks of life. From the Bible's (New) Testament, it is attributed to have been a prayerful meditation written by David. It is a common meditation amongst Christians of all denominations. The Lord's Prayer reminds us that we are not alone in our journey and that God is with us always, guiding and protecting us, as we make our way through life.
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The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
We begin by reminding ourselves of the familiar metaphor of God as shepherd tending to creation as his flock. Our shepherd is providing for our needs and keeping us out of harm's way. There is nothing we could desire that has not been provided for us and the prayer reminds us of this in the first sentence with the assurance that, through God's love for us, we shall not want for all that life offers.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
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God brings us to rest in the peace and solace of green pastures. As the flock being lovingly attended, there is little we could ask for that is not available in this land of soft tender grass and clean, clear, still water. The role of a shepherd is to guide, nourish and protect his flock and that is just what God offers us, protection, sustenance, and guidance. We are brought to the green pastures where we find safety and solace. The still waters refer to freedom from the turbulence of life and easy passage as our needs are met.
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He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Imagine finding that our needs are perfectly met, that we are protected by a loving and attentive master with all our worries removed and peace restored to our lives. Even though we have struggled against the storms of life, been consumed with worry and fear and found ourselves exhausted by our travails, the green pastures and still waters have restored us until we are able to find the courage to lean into our lives, becoming fully present to all that is offered to us. God is leading us through example, down the path of righteous behavior, for if we are to call ourselves followers of God then we must walk in those footsteps and model ourselves in the way of goodness and the same love that is shown to us by our Lord.
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We are to behave towards others as if they were the Lord here now, leading, teaching and guiding us toward that Eternal Wisdom that we have named God. Only through this behavior can we find a righteous and restored life. Who am I to say who is more holy, and why would I even want to be responsible for making that assessment of anyone? What is mine to do is to allow God to express through me by bringing love into the world, doing my best to leave it better than I found it. I do this in the name of God, knowing that I am protected and held in love.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Being embodied means living in a chaotic world that is often confusing and surreal. We move through our day to day lives never knowing which breath will be our last. Even though we may not be in danger of physical death, there are infinite numbers of metaphorical deaths which we endure daily. Death is an inevitable part of our lives. It is the other side of life and just as important a part of our existence as birth. This shadow is with us all of our days, but there is no reason to fear, for we are under the protection of our Lord.
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God is omnipresent and therefore always with us. As our shepherd, we are assured that protection from evil is ours and we are offered comfort in all of the ways in which God's presence is known to be manifest, whether that way is through trial or support.
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Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
I know that even in the presence of life's most challenging times that God is blessing me, perhaps in ways that I can't even imagine. That in even the most difficult of times I have all that I need, and that even those who are seemingly working in counter-purpose to my own needs and desires are helping to move me towards my ultimate goal of union with God. I see that I am blessed by the nurturance and bounty of God. I have been blessed, and I am grateful beyond measure. Living in a body we have no conception of what is truly happening in our life. We are only able to see and perceive that which is perceivable through our senses, but life is much greater than that! Just as it is impossible for our minds to grasp the idea of an infinite universe, it is equally impossible for us to see how the thread that is our own personal experience of life is intertwining with everything else. It is as if we are one little bit of a thread which is making up a beautiful and intricate tapestry. We cannot see the entire image of the tapestry; we are only able to see that which is in our own grasp.
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One Judaic interpretation of the oil we are being anointed with, is that this oil is the spirit of God entering our consciousness. God anoints us, and we become filled with the Holy Spirit.
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Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
I know that never again will I experience lack or deprivation, for the Lord is truly my shepherd and always will be. I will live with this protection forever knowing that I am safe and cared for. The house of the Lord is creation itself. I will always be in this house for there is no where that the Lord is not. For so long as I remember who my protector, my shepherd, and the Lord of my heart is I know that God's grace is mine. For grace isn't something we must strive for, it is the very essence of our life.
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The Lord's Prayer is about living with this grace. Grace is defined as unmerited love, love that is given to us for no reason other than that we are. I was listening to a speaker once talking about his children, saying to them, "do you know why I love you?" "I love you just because you are you." This is grace and the Lord's Prayer offers this same unconditional and unmerited love to us. The shepherd doesn't care for his flock because of what they do, he care for them because they are, and because it is the path of the shepherd to care for his sheep, just as we care for our children, and just as God cares for us.
Through God's grace all of my needs and desires are met.
I am brought to the land of plenty where I am fed and protected.
My soul is made stronger through God's grace and I am led down the path of right action.
Although life presents challenges and changes, I know that there is nothing to fear for I am held in safety and love.
Even when it seems as if I am surrounded by evil and deprivation I know that all that belongs to my Father belongs to me, that I am blessed in all ways, and that the abundance of creation is available to me.
I know that this grace is mine not because of what I do, but because I AM and this understanding strengthens and me and provides me with the realization that so long as I remember the truth of this, that I shall forever be without fear or lack.