Copyright ©2015 by Ayodele Ajileye
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Ayodele Ajileye
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Unless otherwise stated, all scriptural references are taken from the New Living Translation. Italics in scriptures are for emphasis only.
PSALMS 23
The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need.
He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams.
He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.
Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.
You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings.
Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.
Psalm 23 is a popular and the most recited Psalm but barely do we really understand much of what David is trying to pass to us through it. This Psalm seems to mean a lot more than its simple context just like every word of God. In fact, since the word of God is new every morning, this Psalm seems to jump out of the Scripture through the help of the Holy Spirit to give us new meaning of the word.
This is the era of the Holy Spirit when our hearts are enlightened to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God. And I am grateful for the privilege to share the greatest King in Israel - King David’s view of a life with God.
God has used this message to touch more lives even before I realized it. Friend, I am not about to give you what I have not also tasted, still enjoying and will continue to enjoy.
What you are about to read is the ‘how I lived a great life’ of David as well as other great men. The destination is greatness, the principles are the same but the route could be different.
I wish you a sweet ride through the pages of this book and I pray that as you journey with me through these pages, the Lord will open your heart to understand, and to know how He wants you to go through life and grant you grace to live it in His way.
Psalm 23 was written by King David who was himself a shepherd. He was a shepherd of his sheep and he was called to shepherd his countrymen.
We do not know when he wrote this wonderful Psalm but we know that he was an experienced shepherd of both sheep and human. He led a trouble-filled as well as victory-filled life. He lived in plenty as well as scarcity, in holes as well as mountain tops, he was sad and happy to mention few of what depict his life.
Somewhere along the line he took stock of his life so far and compared with that of his sheep and perhaps the lifestyle of his followers. And he declared God as his shepherd. He considered how the Lord took care of him. He remembered the mountain top as well as his valley experience. He recalled his days in green pasture and in dry land. His memory brought back his days of ridiculing as well as his days of public honor.
In my view, Psalm 23 is a summary of how he lived his life with God as his guide. He summarized his life and showed us his hope for the future, not only did he hope for that future but he was certain of the glorious home.
Solomon, the wise king, told us that nothing is new on earth in his book Ecclesiastes chapter 1 verse 9. Are you going through somethings and you feel like nobody can understand because it is new? Well, it is not new, someone had gone through it before. Yes, the problem is not new but you are new in it. And David had put all that life holds for everyone in this wonderful Psalm. He went through life and he had learnt from experience just like you. Now, he hands to us how he lived, saw and conquered.
I see you are beginning to think that this book is for young people who still have a lot ahead of them. You still have a young mind and have a lot ahead of you too. Abraham was 75 years old when God called him out to a life of exploit. You can still have what king David has to say because it will mean a whole lot to you and you’ll begin to live better and more purposefully with a great guide than you ever had.
You are welcome to the wonderful life made available by God and summarized by David.