Some of you are experiencing difficulties right now. You may even be in situations that seem dangerous and bigger than you are. Maybe there are health issues, a financial crisis or relationship challenges; but I want you to know, that Psalm 23 is for you today—right where you are—no matter what trials you are dealing with.
Beloved, David wrote Psalm 23 while he was going through a difficult time in his life. He was not on a relaxing vacation somewhere, sitting under a palm tree and drinking a glass of cool lemonade. No, David was facing serious adversity. In fact, most of David’s life was filled with trials and tribulations. He was constantly fighting enemies (2 Sam. 8), fleeing for his life from Saul (1 Sam. 21:10) and from his own son Absalom, who rose up against him (2 Sam. 15:1-18). So David wrote this psalm not as someone who was free from difficulties but as one in the midst of great problems and facing significant danger.
“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want” (Ps. 23:1, NASB).
Notice, David calls the Lord his “shepherd.” This is an important distinction because in most of the psalms, God is described as: King, Lord, shield or rock. But, here the Lord is described as David’s own shepherd. David wanted to convey that the Father, just like a good shepherd, is intimate. He lives and walks with His sheep. He gently tends His sheep and watches over them. Likewise, Father is with you right now, watching over you day and night, and taking care of you—because He loves you so much.
Next David says, “I shall not want.” David knew his source for life was God, and the same holds true for us today. You see, David was living in caves most of the time while fleeing from Saul, not in the king’s palace. Yet he had enough, because of God’s presence and richness in his life. When David needed a roof over his head or something to eat, he knew the Father would provide it. That is why he said:
“Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Or his descendants begging bread” (Ps. 37:25).
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Beloved, God never said we would all be rich. Consider the apostles, especially at the ends of their lives. They were martyred, exiled, hanged upside down and tortured. God never promised us that our lives would be those of luxury. But He did promise us this: We would have everything that we needed to go through life—sufficiently and triumphantly (Rom. 8:31-39). He also promised that Jesus is more than enough to complete our assignment on earth, which is to glorify God, become conformed to the image of Christ and know Him in His abundance.
We do not need to have a lot to be fulfilled.
Paul had learned the secret of being content in every situation, whether he had a lot or a little. He was comfortable in both circumstances, because his life was based on the fullness that was in his heart—Jesus. Beloved, when we have Jesus, we have everything we will ever need.
That is why Paul said: “Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need” (Phil. 4:11-12).
“I shall not want.” We need to not just study this, we need to take hold of it, believe it and declare it. We need to speak these words back to God, because these words are for us. It is not just enough to read them; we need to make them ours. We need to ingest them. We need to seize them and not let go. We need to make this truth ours by saying to Father every day:
“Father, You are my Shepherd, I shall not want.”
David then says in verse 2a: “He makes me lie down in green pastures.” Here, David is speaking about rest. When you think about sheep lying down in green pastures, you picture a place of security, safety and peace. We need to declare back to King Jesus that we are safe because of Him, that we believe that He is taking care of us, watching over us. In Him we are secure, In Him we have rest and in Him we find our peace.
Jesus is going before you, He is working things out for your good and He is even in tomorrow for you—before tomorrow arrives. You do not have to worry about tomorrow. Just focus on today. Jesus desires that we focus on practicing His presence today and stop worrying about tomorrow. There is nothing to be afraid of. He is going to be there. He is going to make a way. Jesus is involved in our lives. He is involved in the very details. And when we believe that, we have rest.
By faith, beloved, let us say to Father:
“Forgive me, Father, for my lack of trust. I am going trust You—with no exceptions. I am going declare right now that I will depend on You and not myself or others. Thank You, Father, that You are my shepherd, and I lack nothing. Thank You, Father, that You make me lie down in green pastures, giving me peace and rest—all the days of my life. Amen.”
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Rabbi Kirt Schneider hosts the impactful television program “Discovering The Jewish Jesus,” which is available in more than 200 million homes in the United States and nearly 200 nations worldwide. In 2021 he began broadcasting on radio and now airs across America. Rabbi Schneider imparts revelation of Jesus’ Jewish heritage and His fulfillment of Messianic prophecy. Questions of how the Old and New Testaments tie together and how Yeshua completes the unfolding plan of The Almighty Yahweh are answered with exceptional clarity. www.discoveringthejewishjesus.com/about-2/rabbi-schneider/
Abby Trivett 
Don Colbert, MD 
Shane Idleman 
