Sermon 11

Sayeth David:

Passage: Psalm 23 NKJV
  The LORD is my shepherd;
         I shall not want.
  He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
         He leads me beside the still waters.
  He restores my soul;
         He leads me in the paths of righteousness
         For His name’s sake.
  
  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
         I will fear no evil;
         For You are with me;
         Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
  
  You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
         You anoint my head with oil;
         My cup runs 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.
shep·herd (ʃɛpərd): 1. A person who herds, tends, and guards sheep. 2. A person who protects, guides, or watches over a person or group of people.

I'm pretty sure that this Bible passage is the most famous passage. I mean, I have the whole thing memorized... and I was surprised when I went to look it up that I had memorized the New King James version of the passage. I don't think I even own a copy of that particular translation, and I do have several different Bibles.

Part of this Psalm is my second favourite Bible passage, right after Luke 23:39-43 ---the one with the two other criminals hanging on the crosses at the same time as Jesus, and where one is told He'll be in Paradise after standing up for Jesus and asking for redemption. Anyway, the part that's my favourite is the "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death...", 'cause that really is what faith is to me: fearing nothing, not even death, because you know that God's going to be there right there beside you. I do take comfort in His rod and staff. I'm overfilled with His blessings.
Basically, what I'm saying is that I love Psalm 23 because it rings so, so true. That's probably why so many people know it, too. Psalm 23, one of many psalms of David, is a summary of our relationship with our Father, and a reminder that we can, as I read somewhere, let go and let God.

~Godspede