1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing;
2 in green pastures he makes me rest. He leads me beside calm waters;
3 gives me new strength. He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake.
4 Even if I go through dark valleys, I fear no danger because You are at my side; Your shepherd's rod comforts me.
5 You prepare a banquet before me in the presence of my enemies. You have anointed my head with perfume; You have filled my cup to overflowing.
6 Kindness and love will follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Peace in the middle of the valley
God has prepared a celebration banquet for us, but not when we finally leave the dark valley, but when we are in the midst of it. God wants us to rejoice in Him, even in the midst of our problems. Is this out of reality? Hardly. Jesus is the only shepherd who knows what it is to be a sheep (John 10:11). He understands what we go through and will be with us every step of the way, even through death itself, where “all other guides turn away” (Romans 8:39).
Prayer
Lord, if I feed on Your love, Your grace and Your truth, I will lack nothing. In this life I will not be able to obtain this, but You are always with me and one day You will guide me to my true country, to the home I have been searching for all my life. Help me find rest in this. Amen.
Extracted from the book The Songs of Jesus by Timothy Keller
