Psalm 23 (Meditation) [Part 2]

Note: In Meditation posts, I will be sharing the lessons and insights I have personally gained from studying and meditating on God’s Word. Please note that these are from my personal viewpoint. I am aware that God may reveal many different insights to different people from the same verse or passage. That is what makes the Bible alive! So don’t stop searching for God’s own personal revelation to you.

      Verse two: He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

      Let’s keep in mind what we’ve discussed in the previous post as we explore the second verse of this psalm.

      “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures.” The Greek term for “lie down” is “Rabats” (raw-bats'), which means “to stretch oneself out; to lie stretched out.” Imagine relaxing in the afternoon stretched out under a tree or on a hammock. How would you feel? You might feel peaceful and lethargic, probably even slightly vulnerable. When sheep lie down in a pasture, they would become helpless, unable to respond quickly to danger. Therefore, their shepherd must make sure that the environment is safe. Likewise, our Lord, the Good Shepherd, leads us to rest, and we can have faith that we are safe. However, the struggle is in trusting God enough to be led to a vulnerable position. We do not like to feel weak. The question is: Are we willing and able to trust God in our weaknesses?

      One of a shepherd’s task is to lead his flock to a pasture with good vegetation. The word “green” in this verse means “grass; new grass; green herb.” Our Lord would not lead His sheep to a field with poor quality, dry, brown grass. Rather, He would bring them to pastures with grass that are new, fresh, and healthy. That’s the love of our Heavenly Father. We can be sure that, as we place our lives into His hands, He would take good care of us and give us the spiritual nourishment we need each day.

      “He leadeth me beside the still waters.” This continues the concept of God leading us to places of rest and refreshment when we need them. He leads us to “still waters.” The NIV uses the words “quiet waters.” I believe that the psalmist was trying to convey the wonderful peace and safety that can only come from God.

      Our LORD knows everything we need. This second verse of Psalm 23 addresses two of the main fundamental needs of man: nourishment (both physical and spiritual) and inner peace. And it encourages us to turn to the Person who can meet those needs in ways the world can’t. So my question for us all today is this: Will we turn to God for our daily bread and for the true peace that will sustain us amidst the world’s turmoil? I pray we will, each and every day.

Blessings,
Nathanael Chong