Psalm 23

For the past few weeks my reading and attention have been consistently drawn to the words of Psalm 23. In a previous post I wrote about a guest preacher and his sermon entitled "Renaming Your Valley." Since then I have been led to this exact passage of scripture by friends, family, other guest preachers and now my sign language choir has voted to sign to the song Psalm 23 by the Indiana Bible College choir.
I have had this verse memorized since the third grade. Even though I did not grow up in church I attended a Bible study actually given at a public school when I was young, and memorizing this verse was part of our curriculum. I have had it down pat and have kept the words with me for all of these years, but I never truly understood the meaning of this passage until I began studying the Bible myself in more recent years. I have come to understand this passage and because it's meaning is so deep and significant I have grown to love this verse...and not just because I can recite it word for word!
I'm beginning to realize that God is trying to tell me something. There is something about this particular verse that God wants me to see and it has something to do with 'walking through the valley.' I don't pretend to know what God is saying to me at this point, but I do know that He is trying to reveal something to me through His word. I have prayed for guidance in this, and I will continue to pray until I understand and grasp the true meaning of this scripture and how God is using it in my life.

The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures
He leadeth me beside still waters
He restoreth my soul
He leads me in paths of righteousness
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,
and my cup runneth over
Surely goodness and mercy
Shall follow me all of the days of my life
And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever

Amen and Amen