Psalm 23, often known as ‘The Lord’s My Shepherd’, is one of the best and well known pieces of ancient poetry. Whether you are a person of faith or not, the words echo down the centuries to give us comfort and reassurance in troubled times. Whilst there are many contemporary versions around, nothing beats the language of the King James Version.

  1. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
  2. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
  3. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
  4. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
  5. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
  6. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

From these few verses, I want to highlight nine ways that we can all benefit from God’s goodness to us. Nine reasons why we can have hope, no matter what is happening in our / the world.

1. God will meet your needs when you’re worried!

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want (Psalm 23:1). Because God is good, you don’t need to worry about any of your needs.

2. God will teach you to relax when you’re stressed out!

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters (Psalm 23:2). God will lead you to a place of peace. He’ll teach you how to relax when you’re stressed.

3. God will replenish your strength when you’re empty!

He restoreth my soul (Psalm 23:3a).  God promises to give you the resilience you need for any trouble you encounter today or tomorrow.

4. God will guide you when you’re confused!

He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake (Psalm 23:3b). Indecision is stressful, but God promises to guide you. You don’t need to worry about tomorrow’s challenges because God will help you with whatever you face.

5. God will walk with you in your dark and fearful days!

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me  (Psalm 23:4a). We have lived through some dark times in the past and we will go through more dark periods in the future, but God will walk through them with us, too. If God is with us, it doesn’t matter who is against us.

6. God will protect you when you feel insecure!

Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me (Psalm 23:4b). A shepherd used a rod and staff to help protect the sheep. God protects us when we feel powerless against outside forces. He gives us assurance of our future during any trouble.

7. God will show his favour on your life!

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over (Psalm 23:5). God doesn’t just promise to show his favour on your life; he promises to do it in front of those who attack you. He promises to not just meet your needs but to give you abundance if you trust him.

8. God will be good to you no matter what happens!

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life (Psalm 23:6a). You may not feel as if you can count on anything right now, but you can count on the goodness of God. Other people may not be good to you in the future, but God will. You can count on his consistency and benevolence – no matter what happens.

9. God will take you to heaven one day!

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever (Psalm 23:6a). No matter what you experience on earth, God promises you an eternal home with him in heaven. Your future is guaranteed.

Psalm 23: The Lord Is My Shepherd