BESIDE THE STILL WATERS…
This partial passage, which comes from the 23rd Psalm, needs to be pondered.
David had many requests or prayers within the Psalms. He needed many prayers and requests because of the troubled life he was living. As you know, he was sought after by King Saul, who wanted to kill him; his wife
Michal had been taken away from him and given to another man; David had committed the sin of adultery and had Uriah murdered so he could steal his wife, Bathsheba; his son Amnon raped his daughter Tamar; another one of his sons, Absalom killed Amnon and then took over David’s kingdom; the list is endless, i.e., the troubles and trials of David. Yet in this Psalm we see, not his requests or prayers, but David’s praise and his knowledge of how great a Savior we serve and how we can depend upon God in times of need. David knew that God leads us to still waters. Whatever storms are in our lives, they too, can be calmed by the Master. Jesus’ disciples were astonished at the power of Jesus, but David understood.
Mark 4:39, 41…And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, “What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him”?
When we see a pastoral scene of a shepard with his staff, we often think of how that hooked staff can bring the sheep into submission, driving them wherever the shepard desires. A study of the customs of the Middle-East corrects this thought. You see, a shepard leads the flock. The Bible reflects this in John 10:4…he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
Another interesting fact is the yoke mentioned in Mat. 11:29…Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls…is a two-person yoke. Jesus is not telling us to just give Him our burdens, He is telling us to go where He goes, yoked to His way, and He will handle our burdens, “give rest unto your souls”.
Likewise, in the 23rd Psalm, God is telling us to let Him lead us. We need to get out of the way and let the Master of the storms in our lives lead or go with us in this troubled world.
Ps.23:1-2…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.
