More than just words. In parenthesis, this is what Psalm 23 means to me.

And this morning it is Father’s answer to me to remember and rest in his promises by not forgetting who I am to HIM and who HE is to me.

Enjoy!

🙏The Lord  is  my shepherd;

(My caregiver, my protector, my provider, my defender, my avenger. He disciplines me. He directs me. He orders my steps. He counsels me. He comforts me. He holds me close. …)

🙏 I shall not want.

(There is a difference between needs and wants. The Lord supplies all of my needs and gives me some of my wants also. He says that when I delight myself in Him, He shall give to me the desires of my heart. Psalm 37:4. He tells me that HE is the supplies of all of my needs giving me seed to sow and bread for food. 2 Corinthians 9:8-15. This is God’s goodness towards those who love HIM.)

🙏He makes me to lie down

(Yes I acknowledge that I have to be made to rest many times. I acknowledge that I keep some crazy hours. When many are sleep, I am woke and working. But, I am grateful that when I am made to rest, I can do so under the safety of our Heavenly Father’s watchful care. Thank you Lord.)

🙏in green pastures;

( All of which He has given me: I live in florida. I publish books and Audio books. I enjoy gardening, fishing, and traveling. I have an amazing husband whom I am able to grow with. Together we build. This I am experiencing also DAILY as HE awakens me to sit in His Presence and HE refreshes me with his Word. )

🙏He leads me

(His hand is upon me guiding me, directing me in the way that I should go. His yoke is upon my neck. So times when I don’t want to go, because I am afraid of the unknown, HE brings me. Times when I am at a standstill, not moving forward, again because I am afraid. He pushes me. He is my banner bearer going before me while walking with me. And those times when I just can’t… He carries me.)

🙏beside the still waters.

(Many times this has been a reference to peacefulness because of the stillness, but it’s so much more than that. The water is called “still” because it isn’t fed by a water source, and so it has little movement.  For many, the seriousness of this is missed. Not being fed by a water source can be dangerous because it opens the door for unhealthy pathogens and disease carrying insects.

You see, still waters are waters that are not moving and thus they are not living waters.  Notice what the word of God says about that: Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water” (John 4:10). 

God’s word says that the wisdom of this world is foolishness to him. So take note that he leads us “beside” still waters, not “to” still waters. Therefore, in the leading of me beside still waters, He keeps me moving where others are becoming stagnant because of not being continually fed by Jesus who is the Living Water.

Revelations 22:17, “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’ And let everyone who hears say, ‘Come.’ And let everyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who wishes take the water of life as a gift.” Water flows throughout the scripture, and this should remind us of its importance…both spiritually and physically.)

Before I forget, I also want to mention this…

🙏He restores my soul;

(I’ve been through so much. I’ve taken such a beating emotionally physically and spiritually especially where I’ve made mistakes in choices and mistakes in whom I have connected with in the past. But the Lord restores me in that He heals me in the areas where I’ve been broken. He refills me where I’ve been depleted. The scripture says that a broken and contrite spirit He does not despise.

The fact that He is restoring “my soul” is on a deep level. When a person gets tired in their soul it’s like driving a car on empty. No amount of sleep can refill an empty soul. The only way one can be refilled and reinvigorated in their soul is from spending time in the presence of the Lord. So the Lord does it. The Lord refreshes my soul.)

🙏He leads me

(Whenever you hear something two or more times, the validity and truth of what is heard is confirmed. The scriptures say that at the mouth of two or three witnesses let every matter be firmly established. 2 Corinthians 13:1. So it is firmly confirmed that God Almighty is who is leading)

🙏 in the paths of righteousness

(He takes me by the hand and leads me on a path of faith. That’s right – faith. You see, we are declared righteous by God because of our faith. So Father has me on a journey of faith. A journey where I am learning to believe and trust Him more and more… )

🙏 For His name’s sake.

(…and the amazing thing about this journey is that is that it incites me to praise HIM. I can’t stop praising His name. I can’t stop lifting Him higher and higher. For His goodness and His mercy towards us. People look at me like I’m crazy. They feel some type of way about me because I am always talking about God. But when you experience the hand of God leading you, bringing you thru, delivering you, providing for you, protecting you, avenging you, answering you when you call to HIM in times of trouble, teaching you, supplying you, equipping you, elevating you, and even delivering you… You can’t help but to praise HIM, worship HIM, honor HIM, magnify HIM, elevate HIM just because of who HE is. That’s right, for HIS name’s sake.

🙏Yea, though I walk through the valley

(I have my highs, but when I have my low moments, it is then that I am kept humble…)

🙏of the shadow of death,

🙏I will fear no evil;

(I have no reason to fear

• The Lord didn’t give me a spirit of fear
• The Lord gave me power over unclean impure spirits to cast them out and to heal all sickness and disease
• There is power in the name of Jesus
• At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow of those in heaven, on earth, and under the earth
• I shall walk in the authority that has been given to me. )

🙏For You are with me;

(Jesus said that he will never leave me nor forsake me. He continually reminds me that He is with me even as He sends angels to go before me and prepare the way while shoring me up with a rear guard also. I am covered. AND as if that isn’t enough, He has given to me, as a gift, the Holy Spirit to dwell with in me and be with me at all times. Guiding me. Correcting me. Directing me. A still small voice leading me in the way to go. A voice that gets louder and louder the more I listen, pay attention, and obey. )

🙏Your rod

(God’s Word is “quick and powerful, and sharper than any two edge sword,” we are told at Hebrews 4:12, “piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”)

 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 2Timothy 3:16,17 NLT

🙏and Your staff,

(Lol HIS angelic host. The ministering spirits whose job is to minister to me because I am set to inherit salvation. Hebrews 1:14.)

🙏they comfort me.

(They console me. They support me. They help me in my times of need.)

🙏You prepare a table before me

(He is orchestrating events, setting things up, training me, making me ready to be able to handle all that HE has for me. A delicious banquet because HE says that HE knows the plans HE has for me to give me a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11.)

In Jerusalem, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will spread a wonderful feast for all the people of the world. It will be a delicious banquet with clear, well-aged wine and choice meat. – Isaiah 25:6

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah25:6&version=NLT

🙏in the presence of my enemies;

(So many watch our journey. We are not always aware that we are being watched. But I will take this moment to share that it doesn’t matter who is watching or how they secretly or openly feel about us. What matters is that they are in a position to see the hand of God in our lives. What matters is that we are living in such a way that our lives is a living testimony for the goodness of God. What ultimately matters is that we are able to win souls to our Father because of how we behave as God is preparing the table for us.)

🙏You anoint my head with oil;

(This is more than just having my scalp oiled. This is a blessing, a sanctifying, a consecrating with oil – and not any type of oil, but the oil represents the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. When poured over ones head it empowers, enlightens and lubricates. Understand that I am reminded that I have the anointed oil poured over my head whenever I am doing something and I hear the voice of the Holy Spirit speaking to me, or I am reminded of God’s Word, or I am given wisdom knowledge and understanding in a matter. To God be the glory. To have the anointed oil over me and in me flowing like that is no small matter. Thiss is not something that I am ever to take for granted. So I am so grateful to be reminded of these things now. I am so genuinely grateful.)

🙏My cup runs over

(This is my favorite part because when I overflow then that means my posterity is blessed too. Fill me up LORD. Overflow me LORD in the name of Jesus Christ for Your name’s sake. When I overflow, that means that I am bubbling over and pouring into everyone that comes into my presence. Oowee…)

🙏Surely

(Truly. For real. Without any doubt. )

🙏goodness and mercy
shall follow me

(According to Galatians 5:22-23, “goodness” is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit; and mercy is compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one’s power to punish or harm. The fact that these follow me is significant because Jesus said that I was called to bear good fruit; and He also said for us to understand what is meant when he said that he desire mercy and not sacrifice. Matthew 9:13.)

🙏All the days of my life;

(There is no excuse ever for me to not exude with the fruits of the Holy Spirit. There is no excuse ever for me to not be merciful. I am told that ALL the days of my life I am being followed by goodness and mercy. Every hour, every minute, every second I am to be fruitful and there is really only one way to do that. )

🙏And I will dwell
in the house of the Lord

(To be fruitful, I need to dwell by living waters. )

Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers,but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers. – Psalm 1:1-3

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm1:1-3&version=NIV

Delighting in the law of the LORD and meditating upon it day and night causes me to dwell in the house of the LORD. I become like a tree planted by streams of water. My roots grow down deep, and I bear good fruit in every season. All because I dwell which means that not only am I “Living Psalm 23”, but I am also now “Living Psalm. 91”. CATCH🏈)

🙏🙏🙏Forever.🙏🙏🙏
– Psalm 23:1-6 NKJV

My life is crazy amazing because of our HEAVENLY FATHER. But not just my life. Jesus came that we might have life and have it more abundantly. Not just an abundant life but MORE abundantly. This means that I put words to how crazy amazing your life is also when your life is found in the LORD.

There is no explanation for any of this except for the amazing reality found in being in the presence of the LORD frfr. I know you are enjoying this because I am. I am left in awe of our Heavenly Father and His promises to us. I am left just wanting to sit even longer in the presence of the Lord.