JOURNAL ~ PsalmsSample

GREEN MEADOWS, DARK VALLEY, AND A FULL-COURSE GOURMET BANQUET - Day 2

Even if you've never been to the Middle East, you know that it is not known for its green and grassy meadows. You must look really hard to find them. David tells us that the Good Shepherd does precisely that. This is a task that takes great effort.

And why does He do this? Because the Good Shepherd does not only want the sheep to eat, he wants them to eat well. An average shepherd, on the other hand, might not care! A hired hand might only be doing his job for his paycheck. But the Good Shepherd cares. He makes me lie down in green pastures. (v.2).

The Good Shepherd also wants the sheep to drink well. He leads me besides quiet waters. You should know that water is also not easy to find in Palestine. Finding water requires hard work. It's even more difficult to find water that is safe for sheep to drink.

A sheep doesn't want turbulent water. What a sheep wants is quiet waters, and that's the point. The Good Shepherd leads the sheep besides quiet waters. That's how much cares. It's not just any food or drink. It's the best kind of food and drink.

By providing for the sheep in these ways, David tells us, that the Good Shepherd always provides and “refreshes my soul.”

Moses reminds the Israelites about their journey through the desert after the exodus, and he says "these forty years the Lord your God has been with you, and you have not lacked anything." (Deuteronomy 2:7).