I know it’s been a while since I have written a blog post. Maybe it’s because I bit off more than I could chew. Maybe it’s because life got super busy this summer and I didn’t discipline myself to make time to write. Maybe it’s because I’ve heard some negative feedback, and I was discouraged. Really, it’s because of all three. I have continued to study and write this summer, but I haven’t completed any posts because I was feeling pretty discouraged about it. Now that the fall is rolling around and I have a couple friends who have been nudging me, I decided I’d actually hit “publish” on some of the blogs I’ve been writing but was too afraid to actually post. SO, here goes nothing. Little by Little, I will get better at this writing stuff. Right?
It always amazes me how the Lord uses many different sermons, songs on the radio, conversations with friends, ect to communicate with us and to redirect us back to Him.
I’ve had a lot on my mind lately. Probably because I’ve had a lot on my plate. People who know me well would probably say that this is nothing new, and there is some truth to that. However, some seasons feel more overwhelming than others. That being said, one of my favorite ways to relax and process through things is to go for a drive either in the country or in the mountains. Just picture me singing the Dixie Chick Song “Wide Open Spaces”. yup. That’s what I need when I start feeling a little too claustrophobic with everything going on around me. I just need a little quiet to pray, reflect, process, and relax. Often, I listen to worship music or instrumental tracks. The other day, I was on a little drive up in the mountains, and a song came on that was singing about drinking living water and thirsting no more. It reminded me of a devotion that a dear friend shared in a church meeting last month about how Jesus came to give us newness of life and not only that but abundant life. I started thinking about the life I’ve been living the last few months, and I thought, “Is this it? Am I really living an abundant life in Christ?” I was truly convicted when I realized that somehow I have been trying to live an abundant life on my own, and let’s just say it hasn’t been going well. The result of my own self-dependence has caused me to feel more dissatisfied, weary, confused, and empty than ever before. I prayed that the Lord would forgive me, and as the miles ticked by on the road, it was like I suddenly started realizing how thirsty and hungry I had become for God’s presence and His Word. That’s the thing about self-dependence, is you usually end up pushing God’s Word away, and filling your time and needs with other things. You start distracting yourself with anything but Him. What a mess that can make! So as I drove,I started reciting some of my favorite verses and praying them:
“I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” Psalm 121
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” Matthew 5:6
“Satisfy me in the morning with Your steadfast love, that I may rejoice and be glad all my days…Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon me and establish the work of my hands!” Psalm 90:14,17
“But this I call to mind and therefore I have hope, the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases. His mercies are new every morning. Great is His faithfulness.”Lam3:21-23
“So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith ,love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.”2 Tim 2:22
“Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith- that I may know Him..”Php3:8-10a
“But one thing I do, forgetting what is behind and straining forwards to what lies ahead, I press on towards the goal of the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3: 13-14
I prayed most of the way home, and it was so wonderful to have a new sense of mercy and closeness with the Lord.
The next day, I was working on some stuff in preparation for fall bible study coming up, and I came across Psalm 23. Passages like this are actually kindof tricky for me to relate to because of their familiarity, so I decided I wanted to really study this verse and dig a little deeper. I didn’t really know where to start, though.
I started mumbling from memory Psalm 23, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name sake.Even though I walk through the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me… There. That was the part I wanted to research more. What does that mean? His big club is a comfort? I guess it can be. I looked up the Hebrew meaning for the words rod and staff and was surprised what I found.
I wondered why two different words were used here. I mean, doesn’t a shepherd just carry the one staff? Well, looking it up, it really is two different words for a reason. Hebrew word for Rod here is “shebet”-according to strong’s concordance, shebet is used 10x as a sceptor, 34x as a rod-like a beating stick. But it is used 140x in reference to someone’s reputation or tribe. Doesn’t that somehow change the whole meaning of that verse? The focus is actually on the authority and power of the One holding the stick instead of just how big His club is. The second word used here, is Mish’enah (mash-ay-na), and it is a shepherd’s walking stick, rod, used for aid or as weapon, used to pull from danger. It’s the word we normally think of for what a shepherd carries.
As I started processing these new meanings, I decided I wanted to look up the Hebrew meanings for all of the words in this Psalm to see if I could somehow grasp it in a new and fresh way. With that in mind, here is what I found. For any fellow Word Nerds out there, feel free to find the actual Hebrew words and written out definitions at the end of the post.
Psalm 23 with Hebrew meanings:
Jehovah, the Supreme God, is the One who takes care of me. He is my shepherd. There is nothing else I need or want. He knows when to make me take a break, and He knows where to take me- where I can get both relief and rest. He revives my soul. He shows me the only way to true righteousness is through Him and by His reputation in my place. Even when I walk through a ravine of great danger and darkness, I am not afraid of any kind of evil, wickedness, injury, misery, grief, trouble, affliction, illness, or harm. Why? Because You, Jehovah, are with me, and You have your staff. Not only does that bring me comfort, but iYour mercy leads me to repentance. You prepare a special table for me right in front of my enemies, and You show me favor and overwhelmingly bless me. I can be certain that God’s favor and mercy will pursue me my whole life. I will live in the house of Jehovah forever. Amen.
I love the contrast between the temporary break or resting place in the first section of the Psalm with the permanent home we will have with God in heaven someday. The rest stops on our journey with Him aren’t meant to be permanent, despite how much we may long to stay there. God is calling us to so much more; and if we will trust Him and allow Him to lead us, He will overwhelmingly bless us- with His comfort, mercy, and life eternal.
I also love the Hebrew word used for “Comfort” in verse 4 about the comfort that His presence and His staff give. It’s “nacham”, and it literally means “comfort and repentance”. The mercy God gives us when He pulls us out of or back from the ledge of sin and trouble should give us not just comfort in knowing He has our backs, but His mercy should lead us to repentance. When I look at what He has saved me from and all that He has saved me to, I can’t help but be sorry for the mistakes I’ve made and long to live the best I can to say thank you. That is true repentance, and praise the Lord, He never leaves us alone- ever. He walks with us. He rescues us. He cares for us. He blesses us.
As I end this post, I want to share a verse from Revelation that I think of whenever I read Psalm 23. “For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their Shepherd and He will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” Revelation 7:17. Isn’t that beautiful? That is the future we have as true Christians to look forward to.
As I went on my drive the other day and as I restudied and learned about Psalm 23, I was reminded again about the importance of conviction and repentance in our walk with the Lord. Conviction is never a great feeling or an easy one, but it is one that I know we must never ignore. I am so thankful for the Holy Spirit’s guiding and leading- calling me away from the ravine of sin I so frequently seem to find my self on the ledge of or even falling into sometimes. It is that reminder of his mercy and never-failing love that leads me to true repentance. And one day, we will see Him face to face and He really will wipe the tears from our eyes and we will live in the house of Jehovah permanently, Praise the Lord!
Word Nerds, here is where I have listed the Hebrew words and meanings. Enjoy!
Jehovah,the Supreme God,- The proper name of our supreme God
is the One who takes care of me. He is my shepherd. (ra’ah) (literal shepherd, pastor/teacher, caretaker/cultivator)
There is nothing else I need or want (chaser -ha:say;ah) (there’s nothing else I want- i have not void)
He lets me rest(ra-vats- druh:vats) recline, rest, lay down in comfort
in a safe place in a meadow.(deshe’ (dasheh)meadow naveh(rolledr)-stable,shelter
He takes me (nahal :nahell) lead,take, guide with care
to preposition: ‘al (to,upon, in, on, over, by, for, through, throughout, against, beside)
calm waters(menuwchah :men:ooo:hah) still, quiet, resting, calm (mayim: my) (different types of water: even springs, baths, or even peeing) (“he leads me by the still waters is a more poetic way of saying he takes me to the ultimate rest-stop, spa, or retreat)
He revives(shuwb:shoov) restore, return, delivers, brings
my soul (nephesh- neh:fish) true inner self, mind/will/emotions
He shows me (nachah:na-hah) to lead with authority
the only way to (ma’gal) circular track or marked trail
true righteousness (tsedeq: seh-deck)righteousness, justice, acting rightly
is through Him and by His reputation in my place.(shem and ma’an) renown, name and purpose/sake,fame on display
Even when (gam and kiy) doubtless, will happen, also
I walk (halak) literally or figuratively
through a ravine (gay’) gorge, steep valley, ravine
of great danger and darkness(tsalmaveth) thick darkness, shadow of death, perilous, depression
I am not afraid(yare’ lo) no fear, not afraid
of any kind of evil: (ra’) wickedness, calamity, injury, misery, grief, trouble, affliction,illness, harm
because You are with me (shebet) Rod- represents tribe/authority/great power
and You have your staff. (mish’enah:mash-ay-na) shepherd’s walking stick, rod, used for aid or as weapon, used to pull from danger
Not only does that bring me comfort, but it leads me to repentance. (nacham) comfort and repentance
You prepare (‘arak) set in order, prepare, set up, arrange
a special table (shulchan) king’s table, special table, sacred/private uses
for me (paniym)
right in front of (neged)
my enemies (tsarar) those who cause distress, enemy, adversary, those who bind
and you show me favor and overwhelmingly bless me.
<You anoint (dashen)to make fat, to bless, to take ashes away, to accept)(my head(ro’sh)with oil (shemen)(My cup (kowc) (overflows (revayah)>
I can be certain (‘ak) surely, certainly, undoubtedly
that God’s favor (towb) satisfaction, favor, goodness, approval “it is good” in genesis)
and mercy (checed) steadfast love,mercy, favor,
will pursue me (radaph) follow, pursue, chase
my whole (kol) the totality, the whole of, entirely
life. (yowm)Days, weeks, years, measured lifetime (chay)life, breathing, alive
I will live (yashab) dwell, abide, inhabit, remain, stay (contrasted with vs 2- this is a permanent dwelling as aposed to a “rest spot” or “break”
in the house (bayith) unlike the “meadow shelter from vs.2, this is a house
of Jehovah (Yehovah) Supreme God
forever (‘orek)
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