We Never Walk Alone - May 9

Read Psalm 23

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, 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 goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Reflect

Has this psalm ever been a comfort to you? What were your life circumstances at the time?

One of the greatest blessings of putting our faith in Christ is knowing that from that point on, we’ll never walk through this life alone. When we put our trust in Him, He becomes our Good Shepherd and it is such a comfort to know that God is leading us as we walk through this life with Him.

That’s why today’s passage, the Shepherd’s Psalm, is well-known and beloved by many. Charles Spurgeon referred to Psalm 23 as the “Pearl of the Psalms.” He commented on Psalm 23 saying: “The sweetest word of the whole is that monosyllable, ‘My.’ He does not say, ‘The Lord is the shepherd of the world at large, and leadeth forth the multitude of his flock’ but ‘The Lord is my shepherd,’ if he be a Shepherd to no one else, he is a Shepherd to me; he cares for me, watches over me, and preserves me.’ The words are in the present tense. Whatever be the believer’s position, he is even now under the pastoral care of Jehovah.”

Isn’t that a great miracle and mystery of walking with the Lord? He walks with all of His faithful followers and yet for each of us, our journey through this life with Him is deeply personal and intimate. Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:27-28).

As His sheep, we know and depend upon our Shepherd completely. We recognize that it is He who meets our needs and satisfies our souls. He is the One who grants us peace and rest. We recognize that His rod and His staff (His shepherd’s club and crook) guide, protect, and govern us. He is sovereign over us and we are safe under His care. He anoints us with blessing upon blessing and shows us how to live righteously.

Under the care of our Good Shepherd, we don’t need to fear our enemies or even our greatest enemy— death. That’s why so many cling to the words of this psalm in times of grief and sorrow.

To quote Charles Spurgeon again, “Yea, though I walk, as if the believer did not quicken his pace when he came to die, but still calmly walked with God. To walk indicates the steady advance of a soul which knows its road, knows its end, resolves to follow the path, feels quite safe, and is therefore perfectly calm and composed…Observe that it is not walking in the valley, but through the valley. We go through the dark tunnel of death and emerge into the light of immortality. We do not die, we do but sleep to wake in glory. Death is not the house but the porch, not the goal but the passage to it…”.

This life is a journey to be sure. There are highs and lows, joys and sorrows, good times and bad times, plenty and scarcity, sickness and health…but no matter what we encounter as we walk through life, we have the immense comfort of knowing that, in Christ, we never walk alone. The LORD is my shepherd. He is with me and in the end, I will dwell in His house forever.

Respond

Lord, thank You for the joy and peace of knowing that I never have to walk through this life alone. You are my Shepherd. You are always with me! With You, I have nothing to fear or dread for I know that I will dwell with You now and forevermore. Amen.

Reveal

Do you know someone who is grieving or struggling? If that individual knows the Lord, remind them that the Lord is their Shepherd, they are not alone. If that person is not a believer, tell them how they can put their trust in Christ and experience the peace and comfort of following the Good Shepherd.