The Lord is Sufficient, I Lack Nothing!
A Reflection on Psalm 23
Oh, how I pray that I would believe the sweet truth that the Lord is sufficient for me—that I lack nothing! The Spirit testifies to my spirit that this is true, yet my heart and mind often wrestle with doubts, fears, and discontent. Often, I find myself sitting in the tension where feelings collide with faith. In these moments, I run to Psalm 23, a Psalm of David, where I am reminded how the Good Shepherd provides for every need.
1 “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
3 He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil, for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.” - Psalm 23:1-6
Henry Ward Beecher spoke of this Psalm, explaining how “It has charmed more griefs to rest than all the philosophy of the world,” and James Montgomery Boice wrote that “Millions of people have memorized this Psalm, even those who have learned few other Scripture portions. Ministers have used it to comfort people who are going through severe personal trials, suffering illness, or dying. For some, the words of this Psalm have been the last words ever uttered in life.”
Across generations, Psalm 23 has been a powerful anchor, a meditation on God’s goodness and promises. So, if you find yourself in the valley of the shadow of death today, or, by God’s grace, on the mountaintop, be encouraged again by these 6 truths from Psalm 23, that anchors us to the sufficiency of our Shepherd.
1. The Lord Supplies Every Need
When describing God, David could have chosen titles like “King” or “Deliverer.” But instead, he chose “Shepherd.” God is indeed the King of kings who delivers us from the depths of sin, yet He is also the Shepherd who dwells with His people—guiding and protecting. He is not only the Shepherd but my Shepherd.
Calling God our Shepherd also demands of us to have only one posture: we are sheep. We are in desperate need of His protection, direction, and care. But there is a blessing in this posture! In Matthew 5, Jesus reminds us,
What grace! That God has gifted the Kingdom of heaven to those who know their need and trust in their Shepherd for eternal life.
I pray that “I shall not want.” It is both a declaration and a decision. Jesus, our Good Shepherd, supplies every need and loves us unconditionally. In abundance or in trial, we lack nothing. And I pray these two statements of “God the Provider” and “Contentment” would be declarations we proclaim daily:
1. “All my needs are supplied by the Lord.”
2. “I choose not to desire more than what my Shepherd gives.”
2. The Lord Provides Unending Peace
“He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.”
This verse calms my heart. Sheep are known for being very peculiar; they will not lie down unless four conditions are met: they must be free from fear, free from friction with other sheep, free from flies and parasites, and free from hunger. How much like sheep we are! Fearful, discontent, restless, and often unwilling to trust the Shepherd’s provision. And how often do we run to false gods, when those conditions are unmet, instead of wrapping ourselves in God’s love.
Yet He is the One who deals with the fear, the friction, the pests, and the famine. Because of Him, we truly can rest in green pastures and beside still waters. Our circumstances may remain, but His presence brings comfort and peace.
Not only does He bring rest, but He restores our souls. From the first day of salvation to the daily sanctification of repentance, He purifies and transforms our hearts to be more like Jesus. I praise God for He not only comforts my soul, but He doesn’t leave me how He found me. I can truly say, “It is well with my soul,” because of these truths! Which leads us into point #3:
3. The Lord Consistently Sanctifies
“He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.”
What a comfort to know that we don’t need to understand the path; we just need to follow the Shepherd. It is not by our power to find the green pastures or the still waters. Our only job is to know where the Shepherd is, confident He will lead us.
Paul in his letter to the Philippians assures us that God is working on us,
“He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” - Phillippians 1:6
Our Shepherd is faithfully leading us into righteousness, not by our own merit, but for His glory. May we savor the sweet truth that He has chosen us for His name’s sake. Not to us, but for His glory to be known.
4. The Lord Brings Comfort in Every Season
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
Because of Jesus, we only face the shadow of death. He bore the full weight of death in our place, so death no longer has power over us. The shadow of a knife cannot cut, and the shadow of a lion cannot bite. We can say boldly, “O death, where is your sting!”
There are heavy burdens, and some are in the very shadow of death, with life dwindling. But God has promised us eternal life! We no longer fear death; we instead look in anticipation to what our God has granted us! The Shepherd may not remove the presence of evil, but He removes the fear of it. His rod guides, His staff protects, and His presence comforts. Nothing can separate us from His love. This is why Psalm 23 has been the last words on many tongues, because even though there are deep valleys, we have the victorious King with us amid them.
5. The Lord Secures in Abundance
“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.”
The table speaks of abundance. The preparation shows His care. The words “before me” show His intimate relation. Like a host, God prepares a table for us, even in the presence of enemies. His timing is perfect, His house is safe, and His plan is sovereign!
The overflowing cup reflects His goodness consistently poured out on us. Charles Spurgeon once asked, “Beloved, I will ask you now a question. How would it be with you if God had filled your cup in proportion to your faith? How much would you have had in your cup?”
May our cups overflow with faith and trust in His abundant grace. He is worthy!
6. The Lord Pours Out Endless Goodness
“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
God doesn’t just promise a meal at His table. He promises eternity in His house. His goodness and mercy flow from His character, spoken in His Word, proven in His sacrifice, and sealed by His Spirit.
Even now, in the brokenness of this world, we dwell with Him. Our fellowship with the Lord will not change when we enter eternity—it will only deepen.
As Spurgeon wrote: “While I am here I will be a child at home with my God: the whole world shall be his house to me; and when I ascend into the upper chamber I shall not change my company, nor even change the house; I shall only go to dwell in the upper story of the house of the Lord for ever.”
Dear Heavenly Father,
We come before You, led by Your grace into green pastures and still waters. Thank You for loving us enough to take on humanity, to dwell among us, and to remove the power of death over us. Thank You for preparing a table for us and promising eternity in Your house. Help us to look to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, and enjoy the goodness of Your presence for all our days. You are my Shepherd, Jesus—I shall not want. May this be the declaration of my life and the decision I make daily. I love You, Lord!
Amen!
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