The twenty-third Psalm

          

The twenty – third Psalm

Life is a path of light and shadow.   Life is one of recurring peace

and struggle.  David had the assurance of The Good Shepherd

that “Thou art with me.” He had the assurance that his final

destination would be “to dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” 

What makes the difference? The difference is whether or not we

are known by the Good Shepherd and we know Him and follow Him. 

A sheep walking through the dark shadows of the valley without

the Shepherd is frightened, bewildered, and helpless prey for the

wild animals.  A sheep walking through dark shadows with the

Shepherd feels secure and knows that he is being lead to the

safety of the Sheep Fold.

Some years ago a group of church people gathered for a social

evening.  Among them was a popular actor.  During the course of the evening the actor was asked to give a reading.He obliged by reading the twenty-third psalm.  All were impressed by his deep, rich voice, his enunciation and the rhythmic well-measured tones as he spoke. After he had finished the group asked an elderly pastor to read the Psalm. Timidly he declined. Instead, he asked permission to explain certain verses as they are fulfilled in Jesus. As he expounded the psalm, he became more and more absorbed in its message, completely forgetting himself in the process.  And at the end with great feeling he quotes the entire psalm. Particularly moving was the confidence with which he spoke the words, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for thou art with me." Faith and Hope shone in his eyes as he concluded, “Surely, goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” A hush fell over the group as the elderly man sat down. What a difference there had been in the two presentations. One of the group put his finger on the difference when he observed, “The actor knew the Shepherd's Psalm, but the Pastor knew the Shepherd.