The Lord My Pasture Shall Prepare (Psalm 23)

The Lord my pasture shall prepare,
And feed me with a shepherd's care;
His presence shall my wants supply,
And guard me with a watchful eye;
My noonday walks he shall attend,
And all my midnight hours defend.

When in the sultry glebe I faint,
Or on the thirsty mountain pant,
To fertile vales and dewy meads
My weary wandering steps he leads,
Where peaceful rivers, soft and slow,
Amid the verdant landscape flow.

Though in a bare and rugged way
Through devious lonely wilds I stray,
The bounty shall my pains beguile;
The barren wilderness shall smile
With sudden greens and herbage crowned,
And streams show murmur all around.

Though in the paths of death I tread,
With gloomy horrors overspread,
My steadfast heart shall fear no ill,
For thou, O Lord, art with me still:
Thy friendly staff shall give me aid,
And guide me through the dreadful shade.


-- Joseph Addison (1672-1718), hymn text written 1710, sung to the tune Surrey

Call to Worship: In the Darkest Valley

(inspired by Psalm 23)

In the darkest valley,
at the banquet table;
in the hard work of life,
at the moments of ease;
in our day-to-day reality,
at times set aside–
like this time, now–
for worship, for listening, for paying attention;
with every step we take:
goodness and mercy follow us;
our cups overflow.


-- written by Joanna Harader and posted on Spacious Faith. https://spaciousfaith.com/

Scripture Reference: Psalm 23,  Easter 4 A, B, C, Lent 4A, Proper 23 

Everness

Inspired by Psalm 23.

When healing oil was needed
   for the wounds within my soul,
When battered raw and bleeding,
   I needed to be whole.
When enemies surrounded me,
   and all I knew was fear,
My Shepherd came and found me,
   and whispered, “I am here.”

He lifts me on His shoulders
   and laughs in fear's face,
He carries me through danger,
   and all I know is Grace.
Then gently puts me down again
   though enemies abound,
He tells me I am dear to Him,
   for I'm the sheep He found!

He leads me to green pastures
   and rests me by cool streams,
He lays a table for me
   within my darkest dreams.
The nourishment is such
   that when it's time to follow on,
I gladly face tomorrow,
   for all my fears are gone.

So when I cannot thank Him
   for all that's comes to pass,
I'll feast within the wilderness
   and wait for greener grass.
When I can't praise for what's been done,
   I'll lift my voice out loud
And praise my Lord for who He is
   “in” what He has allowed!

Praise who He is, my Shepherd dear,
   who gave His life for me,
Who's led and fed and raised the dead
   to live in Victory!
Whose rod and staff have saved me,
   from all my sinfulness,
He'll wipe the tear, be ever near,
   in Glory's Everness.

--Jill Briscoe, from Telling the Truth website, 2017.

Prayer inspired by Psalm 23

Let me give thanks and praise to God,

my shepherd and provider,
who claims me and unfailingly loves me as God’s own.
I lay all my trust at the feet of the Almighty,
Lover and Seeker of my soul.

God leads me into verdant, abundant pastures
filled with all I need, and gives me rest and security.
God restores and refreshes my soul,
tending and guarding my inmost being.
My Shepherd sees my weariness, and lifts me up;
guiding me in right pathways,
that I bring honor to God’s Name.

God, You shield me with your strength and vigilance;
may I always remain at your side.
No matter what terrors or trials approach me,
I am not afraid
for You,
Emmanuel,
are with me, even if death overhangs me.

O God, You provide for me plentifully and exalt me,
even as my enemies look on,
helpless to harm me.
You have consecrated me
and blessed me abundantly,
and the cup of my blessings overflows
like a spring in the desert.

O God, your promise to love me
envelops me in goodness and mercy,
following me as my companions throughout my life.
I am secure in God’s arms,
and my home is with you forever,
even into eternity.

--Leslie Barnes Scoopmire,  written July 15, 2018

The 23rd Psalm, today

The Holy One is my Shepherd;
   there is nothing else I need or lack.
In verdant fields God urges my rest,
   by clear, sweet waters God leads me.

You refresh and revive my soul,
   and are my guide to holy pathways
   that I may glorify Your NAME in each step.

Even if evil and death overshadow me
   and the walls of the deepest valley tower over me,
no fear of evil shall overtake me;
   for You are my companion alongside me always;
   Your rod and staff are ever between me and danger,
      and I am comforted and at peace.

In the face of those who seek my harm
   You prepare a feast;
You have marked me as holy and beloved,
   and have filled my cup to overflowing.

The sureness of Your goodness and mercy
   is the foundation and lodestar of my life,
and my home is with You in each moment,
   and eternally.

--Leslie Barnes Scoopmire, May 4, 2022

Psalm 23 (NZPB version)

Dear God, you sustain me and feed me: 
    like a shepherd you guide me.

You lead me to an oasis of green,
   to lie down by restful waters.

You refresh my soul for the journey,
   and guide me along trusted roads.

The God of justice is your name.
   Though I must enter the darkness of death,
      I will fear no evil.

For you are with me,
   your rod and staff comfort me.

You prepare a table before my very eyes,
   in the presence of those who trouble me.

You anoint my head with oil,
   and you fill my cup to the brim.

Your loving kindness and mercy will meet me every day of my life,
   and I will dwell in the house of my God for ever.

-- from Night Prayer, A New Zealand Prayer Book | He Karakia Mihinare o Aotearoa, p. 170

Psalms of Trust: Psalm 23

Psalm 23

The Holy One is my shepherd;
     I shall not be in want.
You make me lie down in green pastures
     and lead me beside still waters. 
You revive my soul
     and guide me along right pathways
     for the sake of your Name.
Though I walk through the valley
of the shadow of death,
I shall fear no evil;
     for you are with me;
     your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You spread a table before me
in the presence of those who trouble me;
     you have anointed my head with oil,
     and my cup is running over.
Surely your goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
     and I will dwell in the house of God for ever.

--from the St. Helena Psalter

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Lord is my shepherd;
     I lack nothing.
He lets me rest in grassy meadows;
     he leads me to restful waters;
     he keeps me alive.
He guides me in proper paths
     for the sake of his good name.
Even when I walk through the darkest valley,
I fear no danger because you are with me.
     Your rod and your staff--
     they protect me.
You set a table before me
     right in front of my enemies,
You bathe my head in oil;
     my cup is so full it spills over!
Yes, goodness and faithful love
     will pursue me all the days of my life,
     and I will live in the Lord's house
     as long as I live.

-- from the Common English Bible


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yahweh is my shepherd,
     I lack nothing.
In grassy meadows he lets me lie.
     By tranquil streams he leads me
to restore my spirit.
He guides me in paths of saving justice
     as befits his name.
Even were I to walk in a ravine as dark as death
     I should fear no danger, for you are at my side.
     Your staff and your crook are there to soothe me.
You prepare a table for me before the eyes of my enemies;
     you anoint my head with oil;
     my cup brims over.
Kindness and faithful love pursue me
every day of my life.
     I make my home in the house of Yahweh
     for all time to come.

-- from  the Revised New Jerusalem Bible

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Lord is my shepherd
     I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures;
     he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul:
     he leadeth me along right pathways for his name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
     I shall 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 shall dwell in the House of the Lord forever.

-- from the Authorized King James Version