Psalm 23: When You’re Spiritually Down

Has there been a time in your spiritual walk that seemed very docile and stagnant and you kept wondering how to get back the vibrancy and constant activity that was once?

I remember vividly the fascination that I went through in grade 6 when my science teacher taught our class the life cycle of a butterfly. The life cycle of a butterfly is very fascinating, in fact one writer says, “The life-cycle of a butterfly (and moth for that matter) is a remarkable series of changes between seemingly very different forms culminating in the emergence of a butterfly. Throughout nature there are fantastic and fascinating occurrences of many kinds.”*http://www.butterfly-guide.co.uk/life/* The fascination is embedded in the varying cycle of expansion and the lack of it. For instance, it all starts with an egg that is hatched, then a pupa or larva in which there is a lot of activity going on like being able to move around looking for food to eat. The next stage is Pupa, and this just like the egg stage, has little or no activity because this is the stage where the caterpillar turns into an adult butterfly. Hence you can note that the life cycle of a butterfly is one that starts of with no activity, activity, no activity and lastly full of activity.

There is a profound similarity between the life cycle of a butterfly and Psalm 23. This popular Psalm, in most cases is seen in the light of God as our shepherd being a care taker and provider in our lives. While this is true, this Psalm also sheds light on the role of a Shepherd through the two contrasting moments of every Christian. That is to suggest, that the shepherd who is present in your life during those high moments of your spiritual walk is also present during those apparently low and docile moments too. Thus this article endeavors to highlight the typical journey of a Christian that is portrayed in Psalm 23. In this journey, there is a reality of both the highs and lows that play a role in the making of a mature disciple of Christ. I will do this by seeking to portray the Psalm as a movie that can be seen as a mental motion picture through the verbs used in the Psalm that are associated with motion.

The psalmist starts in a low moment. He clearly points out that because The Lord is his shepherd, he does not want, which is to be understood that he is well supplied in all his needs. Then he draws his readers’ attention to a sheep that lies on green grass without much activity. Contrary to conventional thinking that when a sheep goes to fields, it is there to graze, the Psalmists portrays a picture of a sheep, referring to himself, does not need to graze and therefore, just lies on food; the green pasture without much activity. This is a low energy and static moment.

The next is a high powered moment. The psalmists after lying on green pasture without necessarily eating it, he goes on to say that he has been led beside still water. This connotes some movement from one point to another because one can not be led without actually following. Even though we do not see the sheep drinking the water, surely we can see a motion picture of a sheep following a shepherd along the still waters. This is a high energy and motion moment.

He again reverts to paint the picture of one not in motion by saying that the Lord has restored him. Restoration usually has overtones of rest and lack of motion. In fact the first four letters of the word make up the word, rest. This is a low energy moment.

The same verse of restoration implies another motion picture, one who is being guided in paths of righteousness. Paths are usually used as channels that help movement from one place to another. Hence the Lord guides the Psalmist during through all the motion moments in his life “for his names sake”. He goes on to the next verse with the high powered moment by saying that even if he is guided into dangerous paths he would not fear evil because the shepherd is not only with him, but he is leading him. That is important to note.

The next is another low powered moment. He describes a picture of one who is at a table eating. There is no motion usually at a table when people eat. In fact the presence of a table brings the idea of a stationary place that has been prepared that does not allow movement. This too has been prepared by the shepherd with whom he has no want.

Then the last verse is like the home run for the Psalmist. It is the climax because it is has both the last high and the last low powered moments tied together. He wants to end with a self assuring high powered moment that “surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.” That connotes that as he has been led by the Lord in front as he has been moving along, right behind following has always been and will always be goodness and mercy from God. One can not be followed or led if he is not moving. This last high powered moment seeks to show that God does not just lead the way, he also lets his goodness and mercy follow us all the way.

The last low powered moment comes in when the psalmist declares that he will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. With the word dwelling comes the aspect of having a place to stay which takes a way the need to keep moving around like a wanderer in search of a permanent place to stay.

In conclusion, Psalms 23 starts with a low powered moment and ends in a low powered moment. The first low powered moment starts the whole Psalm rolling from a field of green pasture and the last ends the Psalms in the house of the Lord. Therefore, if you find that you are in a low powered moment right now in your spiritual life and the vibrancy and activity that was once there is no more, it is not time for you to be despondent and live in discouragement and frustration, but rather, being assured of the leadership of God as your shepherd and have the attitude of the Psalmist that through the highs and the lows and through the static and moving moments its all part of the process and you too can say “I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever”. Question is, who is your shepherd?