Top 40

Over the next 11 days, we are spending time in the Psalms. Many of the readings will be familiar to us, all of them in the proverbial 'Top 40'. Perhaps today's would even make no 1.

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, 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 overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Psalm 23:1-6

This is a very familiar Psalm, and we must be wary of the danger of over-familiarity. We can skim, thinking we know what is coming up. We can take comfort from the rhythm or the tune, rather than the Shepherd the Psalm speaks of and leads us too.

This is a favourite Psalm of many. Countless sermons been preached upon is. Many books are written about it. We must be wary of the twin dangers of thinking I must say something new about it, and only returning to the insights of our preferred preacher.

We must pray, for God to use this Psalm to speak into our current cirucmstances. And we must use the Psalm to express our praise to God, and his son Jesus, the one who is our good Shepherd.

With all that in mind, just one thought, arising from one word. 'He makes me lie down in green pastures.' As I read the Psalm I was struck by the force of the shepherds actions. He makes me lie down. He enforces rest. Perhaps through illness or injury, perhaps through retirement, perhaps through lockdown?

Take time to rest in his presence today.