I thought I knew! (Psalm 23)

In times of trouble, discouragement and uncertainty, there are only a couple of things that can truly bring me peace.

One is prayer and the other is the word of God.

Hebrews 4:12 tells us that the word of God is alive and powerful, sharper than any two edged sword, it goes so deep it can divide soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and it can discern what the intents of our hearts and minds are.

That’s powerful!

I was in prayer about three days ago, asking God to help my heart and show me how to be content in Him concerning certain areas of my life.

God said to me while in prayer, “read psalm 23”.

Me, being the biblical scholar that I THINK I am, started to recite the 23rd psalm from memory. God said, “no read it”.

When I read the word of God I like to read it in different English translations, to get a better understanding of the text. The word of God was originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek. The first translation of the Old Testament was translated in Greek and the first English translation was written in the 1500’s.

Today the bible has been translated from its original text into more than 2300 languages, that’s simply amazing!

When I study or read the bible I usually read three different English translations, New Living Testament, New King James and New International Version. These translations of the original text don’t use all of the thee’s and thou’s the King James Version uses, it’s written in plain modern English. It does not water down the original text at all, it makes it an easier read for someone who isn’t as versed in scripture as I THINK I am.

God said to me in prayer, “read the version that is in your bedroom”. I went to my room to get the bible and it’s the Contemporary English Version Study Bible.

When I began to read it, I realized something slightly different from the KJV. In the KJV psalm 23 reads as if I am talking about God to myself or maybe to another party, but in the CEV, I am talking to God about God.

When we talk to God about God that changes the dynamic of the conversation, because we are no longer just in prayer, we are in worship. When worship takes place God shows up for us in a different way. Yes God inhabits the praises of His people as recorded in Psalm 22:3, but when we worship Him, He shows up fixing what’s wrong with us.

What do I mean by this?

God goes into the recesses of our minds, and He fixes the thoughts that have been blocking our blessings. Worship takes the focus off of us and what we THINK we need, and it places the focus on God and when God is the focus, He shows up and gives us exactly what He KNOWS we need.The only way we can talk about Him to Him is when we find out who He is by reading His word. How can we know if we don’t look in the book to study His character, the only way we can speak well of Him is if we learn and read about Him. Yes we can go off of personal testimony but there is nothing like being able to speak what it written and know what He has promised you first hand from the word.

In worship God goes into the the places of our hearts that’s been calloused for years and He softens those areas, making room for Himself to come in and teach us real forgiveness. God fixes marriages in worship, God mends families in worship, God heals bodies in worship, peace is given in multitude in worship and God manifest Himself as King in worship. When God shows up as King, He reigns over ALL.

Psalm 23 Contemporary English Version

1 You, Lord, are my shepherd. I will never be in need. 2 You let me rest in fields of green grass. You lead me to streams of peaceful water, 3 and You refresh my life.You are true to Your name, and You lead me along the right paths. 4 I may walk through valleys as dark as death, but You are with me, and your shepherds rod makes me feel safe. 5 You treat me to a feast, while my enemies watch. You honor me as Your guest, and you fill my cup until it over flows. 6 Your kindness and love will always be with me each day of my life, and I will live forever in your house.

When I read this scripture in the CEV for the first time the other day, it blew my mind! I have never heard it read in this way. It really opened my eyes.

Let’s take an in depth look at this scripture.

1 You Lord are my shepherd I will never be in need.

Imagine how much confidence and trust we would have in God if we actually meditated on this one scripture daily. God there is not a need I have that You can’t meet. We’re talking about God here, not the little image of God we have in our minds. I’m talking about the one who makes sure the sun is no closer than 92.96 Million Miles from the Earth, because if it gets any closer we’ll all burn up, yeah that God.

2a You let me rest in fields of green grass

Fields, plural, of green grass, representing prosperity and not just prosperity in the material aspect, but a continual state of joy, love and peace. It’s not just a one time thing with God, everywhere He leads us is flourishing, there is never a moment you are not succeeding with God. Even when it looks rough, God is leading us to green grass and it’s working for our good even in the rough spots.

2b You lead me to streams of peaceful water

If peace is not there, God didn’t lead you, and if He did lead you there, it’s only to bring peace. God continually leads us to peace. If we are constantly in chaotic situations, we need to question whose lead are we following.

3 You refresh my life

Wow! This is my favorite part! God you meet all of my needs, You lead me to prosperity and peace and then You refresh my ENTIRE life? Lord who wouldn’t follow You? God my life is refreshed in You. Depression and anxiety leaves me when my life is refreshed. I am a vital part of any situation I find myself in when my life is refreshed. I am a better mother, daughter, spouse and friend when my life is refreshed. Lord my business will take off when my life is refreshed. God You are amazing! You are refreshing my life. I won’t tolerate foolishness from people who mishandle me when my life is refreshed. God You make me wise financially when my life is refreshed. When You refresh my life, I stop being lazy. There are so many benefits we have when we allow God the space to refresh our lives. We wont ever know God is able to do these things for us, if we never open up the book!

3b You are true to Your name and You lead me along the right paths

God You are not like the people who broke my heart, You can not lie because You are perfect. God when You say You’re going to do something, I can depend on it taking place because You are consistent and You keep Your word, for Your name sake! God I can trust You to lead me in the right direction for my life. Lord Your leading only guarantees prosperity, peace and refreshing!

4 I may walk through valleys as dark as death, but I won’t be afraid. You are with me, and Your shepherds rod makes me feel safe.

Lord I know life isn’t perfect, but You are and You said trouble will come, illness will come, contention will come, the enemy of my soul will show up. But God You are with me and because You are my protector, I will never fear! God, as the shepherd uses his rod to protect his sheep from the wolves, You use Your strength to protect me from the enemy. God even in the valley I can find You, and I know You are leading me to green grass and peaceful streams.

5 You treat me to a feast while my enemies watch. You honor me as Your guest, and You fill my cup until it overflows.

God You are so gracious, You invited me to a feast especially prepared for me. God You prepared a blessing so amazing for me and You make sure my enemies see it. God You force those who spoke ill will toward me to watch the blessing. Not only do You bless me and cause my enemies to watch me being blessed, but You honor me as Your guest! I am the guest of the creator and Lord of the universe. The one who created creation has honored me as His guest to a feast he treated me to. I am so messy, God Does not have to do anything for me, but He honors me anyway, simply because I trust Him. I can’t get puffed up and prideful about Him honoring me as His guest because I know where I came from, and I understand He is no respecter of persons. God not only honors us, but He fills our cup up in the face of the enemies who said we would never be anything, and he allows so much to be poured into our cups that it spills over blessing the other people in proximity. When God honors us as His guest, we don’t need to worry about whose invite list we didn’t make it on, because the King of Glory has given us the royal treatment and made us His special guest to a feast that He prepared! I’d rather be His guest!

6 Your kindness and love will always be with me each day of my life, and I will live forever in Your house, Lord.

Lord, no matter what this life brings me, Your love, support, kindness and favor will be with me for as long as I live, and after this life is over, God You love me so much, You invite me to live with You in Your house eternal in the heavens.

I wonder what would happen to our perspective if we read and meditated on psalm 23 CEV every day of our lives?

How drastic would the change be if we actually mixed faith with the word and watched it become alive in our lives? If we took three minutes of our day to sit still and read these 6 verses, really digesting what it means for our lives, How much confidence, joy, peace and hope would these six verses produce in our lives?

This blessed my life so much I wanted to share it with everybody I loved and I wanted to share it with you. I am sharing it with you exactly how God gave it to me. I hope moving forward you would develop a sincere hunger and thirst for the word of God and I pray it would change your life in ways you can’t even imagine.

God bless and keep you!

I’m praying for us!