Psalm 23 for the Single Christian

      By Fern Horst

"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want .... Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." (Psalms 23:1, 6)

The 23rd Psalm is a much-read, well-loved passage of Scripture, and for good reason. It aptly applies to anyone in any walk of life, and at any point along the earthly path from birth to death.

Looking at it from a single's point of view, we can appreciate the companionship of the Shepherd that this Psalm portrays. The vulnerable sheep has, whether alone or with a flock, the protection and provision of the Shepherd. Because the Shepherd is his provider, he has all that he needs. It is the Shepherd's concern about where the next grassy knoll will be found for the sheep's meal, and where the best shelter will be had for protection from night-time predators. The sheep's job is to follow obediently along where he is led, and to not wander off on his own. As long as he remains in the Shepherd's care he is safe. The sheep's worst danger, though, is himself and his tendency to roam. There's a verse from a hymn that so capably expresses this tendency of ours to wander:

O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I'm constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here's my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.

(Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing by Robert Robinson, 1758)

God's grace is indeed amazing as He binds our vulnerable hearts to Him, and leads us along to green pastures of nourishment and to waters of refreshment. "He restoreth my soul."

For years I have feared the deaths of those I love, leaving me even more alone. But I have learned that Jesus the Shepherd walks with us through those dark valleys, removing our fears, protecting us from evil, and comforting our hearts. Nothing we face, even our own physical deaths, will we ever face alone, because Jesus the Shepherd walks with us through the valley of the shadow of death. He never leaves our side.

Even in the presence of our enemies He is with us, providing a banquet to feast on and anointing our heads with oil so that our cups of joy run over. Who but the Shepherd could provide us with joy in the presence of those who would harm us, whether it be physical or emotional? When we keep our eyes on Him and His love and care for us, the significance of others' non-caring becomes less. After all, we are still loved and cared for, and by the very best.

After all of the goodness and mercy that our Shepherd provides us throughout our earthly lives, we will have the wonderful blessing of dwelling with Him in His house forever.

It may seem many times that we are going it all alone. But when we belong to the Shepherd He is always with us providing, leading and comforting. And when we wander – like the lost sheep in the parable that Jesus told (Luke 15:3-7) – He comes and finds us, drawing us back to His watchful loving care.

© 2007 Fern Horst

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