Weekly Meditation May 3rd

www.HopeandHelpCenter.org

Weekly Meditation
by Tom Robertsen

Psalm 23: 1-6 [King James Version]

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

God maketh me to lie down in green pastures: God leadeth me beside the still waters.

God restoreth my soul: God leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for God's name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

There is hardly any other biblical psalm which sings to us more sweetly or with more comforting assurance than these brief six verses! In fact, some scholars and critics have considered this to be one of the great masterpieces in literary history.

What can say more to us in any tough circumstance than "I shall not want"? And then the psalm writer portrays in one image after another our heavenly Parent as being the inexhaustible, divine Love, which is forever operative on our behalf -- guarding, cherishing, sustaining and protecting us.

While the psalm seems to find its way into nearly every funeral service, it is really not so much about the after-life as about our now-life. In fact, the early Jewish culture gave very little thought to any immortal life to come.

And so, beyond the beautiful imagery of green pastures and still waters, the writer arrives at the point which touches us all so deeply -

"...Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil..."

Not the valley of death, but the shadow of death -- those dark forebodings and fears which come to stand in our way.

I have seen members of my own family -- my parents -- in their declining years often have to face that shadow of death in debilitating illnesses and despair. Yet, in so many ways they seem to see that table of abundance and grace in the wilderness which God provides right out there in the face of all obstacles or enemies.

Perhaps then our truest lesson is in knowing that we dwell forever in the house -- or consciousness -- of the infinite Love, where we can be at one with our heavenly Parent and where we are constantly and continuously lifted up, regenerated and empowered in the divine, eternal workmanship of God.

Yes, goodness and mercy shall follow me. "I shall not want."