Like many, I have always loved Psalm 23. It is popular for good reason, and I love the poetry of the Elizabethan English.

Psalm 23 King James Version (KJV):

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

² He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

³ He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

⁴ Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

⁵ Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

I pray Psalm 23 daily, slowly, meditating on it something like this:

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

• The Lord, YHWH, creator of heaven and earth, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, true and living God, Master, King, Abba-Poppa
• YHWH guides me, directs me, cares for me, protects me, is my shepherd.
• Therefore, I want for nothing.

² He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

• I rest in warm, lush, green pastures of grace, basking in God’s love.
• I drink long and often from deep, pure, cold springs of living water.

³ He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

• God restores, repairs, renovates my sin-damaged soul.
• God leads me to practice justice on behalf of the oppressed
• This enhances His reputation

⁴ Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

• The valley – a place of peacefulness, beauty, flowers, gentle streams, wildlife, long shadows and cool breezes.
• Death, for the believer, is but a shadow – it cannot hurt us.
• To have a shadow, there must be light behind it.
• Death is simply a transition into God’s living light.

⁵ Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

• The tableland, the plateau of lush vegetation is available. Enemies, demonic forces, surround, but cannot touch or harm me.
• The oil of the Holy Spirit, God’s anointing for healing and service, rests upon me.
• Like Joseph whose boughs bore abundant fruit, hanging down outside the garden to provide sustenance for all, so my cup overflows with God’s trinitarian love – an abundance of love for all with whom I have contact.

⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

• My life is filled with goodness and mercy.
• I dwell in God’s house now.
• I live in fellowship with the living God
• Nothing will ever separate me from Him.