My 23rd Psalm

Good morning everyone. I pray you had a blessed Memorial Day.  I want to say thank you to everyone who is taking part in contributing to this BLOG.

I am excited about today’s post because it is something I truly love to share with others as I believe you will find the same desire after having done this yourself.  I am talking about taking Psalm 23 and personalizing it so it was as though you wrote it…because you are going to write it.  It is a great blessing to be able to see just how effective this Psalm is to your life.

First, we must start by looking at the Psalm as a whole:

1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not be in want.

2 He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside quiet waters,

3 he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name’s sake.

4 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.

5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.

6 Surely goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.

You may have noticed this is not the King James Version. The reason being because when I did this originally I used the first study Bible I bought way back in 1986 which is the NIV Ryrie Study Bible.  So the text may not be the same as you had memorized when you were younger.

For me, this all began in 1989. I was single, living in my small apartment in my small East TX. town and teaching the College and Career class in the church I was attending.  As mentioned in the post, “The Cost of Discipleship”, the same mentor who wound up arrested two years ago in a sex sting was teaching one of the prayer classes I was going to on Sunday nights. He did a focus on Psalm 23 and it was something that wound up being very special to me.

As I look back over 21 years ago, I can see how God’s hand was on my life then and how it has not changed one iota to this day.  The sad part is it is even clearer than ever the attacks the enemy will use as he will wait and wait and wait until he has worn you down and just at the right time, he will pull the string and he will have snared you.  This was the very unfortunate circumstance of my mentor. God only knows how long Satan had been planting seeds of destruction in his mind that he would turn so far while “Serving” God at the same time.  It is a very strong reminder of just how pertinent Ephesians 6 truly is.

However, back in 1989 we were deep in God’s Word together and God was at that time preparing me.  In other words, the steps God ordered for me to walk back then are the very same steps I am walking today. What I am going to share with you is my own personal Psalm 23.

My 23^rd Psalm
from 11/30/89

The Lord is my best friend
I know I can trust Him. (2 phrases)

He places me in situations to influence others.

He leads me to plants seeds of faith there. (2 phrases)

His presence is always with me.
He is teaching me to put Him first. (2 phrases)

When He impresses me to reach out to those who seem to hate Him

I know He is in control

Because He loves them too. (3 phrases)

I know you have a master plan for my life.

You bring me through trials to teach me your ways.

You are preparing me to stand up for you. (3 phrases)

I will follow you Lord wherever you lead me.

And you will be with me wherever I go. (2 phrases)

The reason I am sharing this with you is because I want you to have this as your own. This is how you make your own personal 23^rd Psalm.

Verse 1) Who God is in relation to me (2 phrases)

Verse 2) Where He puts me (2 phrases)

Verse 3) The walk I have with Him (2 phrases)

Verse4) Potential danger and His protection (3 Phrases)

Verse 5) God’s provision (3 phrases)

Verse 6) My future in relation to this special relationship with God (2 phrases)

I pray that you will find a special place of comfort and peace in your own heart and life through this as I have. When I found this a couple of years ago, I took it to church and had our youth group participate in creating their own version. They really seemed to enjoy doing so.

I hope you will too and I pray you will be blessed and will share your own Psalm 23 with your unsaved loved ones and your unloved saved ones…or just about everybody God lays upon your heart.

In Christ,