PSALM 23 - Complete

The LORD's my shepherd
God Almighty, the Creator, He who holds the universe in His hand, the King of Kings, the Lion of Judah, the Lord of armies, the great I AM, is my protector, my guard, my carer, my leader.

I shall not be in want
He knows what I need and what is good for me, and he provides all this. He allows me to flourish. In Him I am satisfied.

He leads me beside quiet waters
He brings me rest, refreshment, serenity. He stills my anxieties.

He restores my soul
He offers renewal. I draw strength from His presence, from His nearness. I am made whole in Him.

He guides me in paths of righteousness
He has a path mapped out for me. He walks beside me and shows me the way. His plan is to prosper me, to give me hope and a future.

For his name's sake
The way in which he cares for me shows His true nature - his justice and his mercy. In my walk with Him, I am but a mere reflection. All glory and honour is to Him.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
There are times of great distress, when I feel isolated and abandoned. It's then that the Black Dog bares his teeth and Satan prowls around. My fear overtakes me and you seem so far away.

I will fear no evil
Even when I can’t feel your presence, I must trust that you are there. You have kept your promises to your chosen people since the beginning of time, and you have kept your promises to me, time and again. You meter out the strength I need moment to moment. Because you are on my side, I know that the darkness will not be victorious. You have defeated death. You have overcome the world.

For you are with me
Wherever I go, you are with me. When I ride the crest of the highest wave - you are there. When I sink to the depths - you do not desert me. When the night is at its darkest you are closer to me than ever.

Your rod and staff they comfort me
You are my support, my rescuer, my guide and my protector. You bring warm, tender, gentle reassurance. You gather me in your arms and carry me close to your heart.

You prepare a table before me, in the presence of my enemies
You invite me to your banquet table where I revel in your presence. You lift me up – up above my adversaries, above my foes. You chain the Black Dog and you silence the Accuser.

You anoint my head with oil
You show me that I am your precious one, your honoured guest.

My cup overflows
You pour out your love. You pour out your grace. Your pour out your mercy. Your blessings overflow and will never run dry. I experience you intimately and I enjoy your lavish provision. I will never exhaust your love for me. I will never demand more than you can give.

Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life
Your covenant promises - your love, your mercy and your grace are always with me. Even when in foolishness I try to run from you, you pursue me. You hold me tight and let nothing snatch me from your grasp.

And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever
I am yours today, tomorrow and forever. I have the gift of your Spirit within me and I await the day when you will wipe every tear from my eyes. I will hear you say “I am making everything new” and I will praise you in rapture evermore.

The Lord is my Shepherd Part II

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of the death
There are times of great darkness, when I feel trapped and alone. It's then that the Black Dog bares his teeth, my fear overtakes me and a loving God seems so far away.

I will fear no evil
Despite it all, I know you are faithful. You have kept your promises to your people since the beginning of time, and you have kept your promises to me. You give me the strength to face each moment and I know that you will catch me when I fall. Even when I don't feel your presence, I put my trust in you - for you are supremely powerful and when you are on my side, I have nothing to fear.

For you are with me
Whereever I go, you are with me. I know that the darker the shadow, the closer you are. If I ride the crest of the highest wave - You are there. If I sink to the depths - You are there. Even when, in my foolishness I thought I could run away from you, you have proved over again that you are always faithful and nothing can snatch me out of your hand.

Your rod and staff they comfort me
You are my support, my rescuer, my guide and my protector. You bring me warm, tender, gentle reassurance. You gather me in your arms and carry me close to your heart.

You prepare a table before me, in the presence of my enemies
You invite me to your banquet table, where I am your honored guest. You lift me up - above the hostile people and hostile circumstances all around me. The Accuser is silenced. The Black Dog is chained. We share an intimate time enjoying your lavish provision.