My thoughts on Psalm 23 in relationship to Preparation for my walk with Jesus, specifically, and my life in general.

Understanding the Benefits part one.

Psalm 23.
Understanding the benefits for those to whom the Lord is Shepherd.

the last posts was about the word “Lord”
There are several other words in the first phrase:

The
Lord
is
MY
Shepherd

THE

The definition of “the” by Mirriam Webster.
definite article \ for emphasis before titles and names or to suggest uniqueness \

UNIQUENESS!
used to say that something or someone is unlike anything or anyone else
: very special or unusual
: belonging to or connected with only one particular thing, place, or person

This is not just a word to be overlooked as part of the poetry of Psalm 23. It is indicative of another very key part of Who the LORD is.

Deuteronomy 6:4
4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.

Exodus 20:3
“You shall have no other gods before me.”

And this command contains a reason:

Deuteronomy 5:
6 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
7 “You shall have no other gods before me.

Jesus spoke of the first commandment in this way:

Mark 12:29
And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:

And this was not a NEW thing…even the scribes and pharisees understood this concept:

Mark 12:32
And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he:

The Strongs Concordance defines

ONE this way:
εἷς heîs, hice; a primary numeral; one:—a(-n, -ny, certain), + abundantly, man, one (another), only, other, some. See also G1527, G3367, G3391, G3762.

There are implications here that there are other gods…just none like Yehovah.
It is clear, that we can put other gods above HIM, or HE would not exhort us to NOT put others above, or before Him.

I put this quote in my signature line, from My Utmost for His Highest. It reminds me why I do what I do, and it reminds me to check what is the highest priority in my life:

“The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear. If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation. If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself.” – from My Utmost for His highest

There are many things that can come before THE LORD in our lives – and we each have our own that we need to take down.
I’ve had

• things
• people
• places

and then,

• fear
• depression
• and anxiety.

Often folks don’t realize that those last ones can be idols.
IF things stand between me and my faith in the Lord – or if I run to other things, instead of the Lord – I have put those things up as an idol in my heart. Ouch? Yep – it’s ouchy. Because I am an advocate for mental illness and making it less stigmatic, but more understood and helped.
That doesn’t change what my heart sometimes does – by putting the depression before the Lord! Listening to the words of the enemy rather than focusing on the Words of the Lord.
Running to others for consolation, rather than running to the Lord my counselor and comforter. Even more questionable about being an idol is that I have run to food as my comforter. Food. an Idol. For me, yes.

Each of us have our own things, tangible or not, that we run to instead of Jesus.
Each of us have our own things that we embrace, when God asks us to do something.
Each of us has something that we have or do or struggle with that can come between us, and God.
That is an idol. We should put away all idols…especially those that are in hearts!

Ephesians 4:22-24
22You were taught to put off your former way of life, your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;
23to be renewed in the spirit of your minds;
24and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Ephesians 4:25- 27 & 30-31
25Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are members of one another.
26“Be angry, yet do not sin.”c Do not let the sun set upon your anger,
27and do not give the devil a foothold.

30And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
31Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, outcry and slander, along with every form of malice.
32Be kind and tender-hearted to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you.

So many of these are emotions, wounds, and feelings of being wronged!
UNFORGIVENESS???
It’s not worth it, and it separates us from fully entering into the joy of our Lord!

Here’s one I didn’t post:

Ephesians 4:
29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

There is a why to this all…THEREFORE – SINCE…

Hebrews 12:
12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

1 Peter 2:1-2

It’s because of Jesus – the God-Man, the incarnate God. The only ONE.

Jesus is the ONE – and is different than any other religion’s savour or messiah. UNIQUE!
There is no other.

Acts 4:12New International Version (NIV)

12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

1 Timothy 2:5
For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus

Just looking around the world, we know that there are various deities…but, in this psalm, we are talking about THE God.
The God that created the heavens and the earth.
The God that Adam and Eve sinned against.
The God that provided a sacrifice for Adam and Eve in the garden,
and promised to provide a sacrifice for mankind – and did at the cross.
Other religions have martyrs.
They are dead.
Christianity has the Christ, that died, paying the price for our sins…BUT IS NOW ALIVE! taking death captive!
The ONE way to heaven, with the ONE God, manifested in three persons.

THE –
The definition of “the” by Mirriam Webster.
definite article \ for emphasis before titles and names or to suggest uniqueness \

UNIQUENESS!
used to say that something or someone is unlike anything or anyone else
: very special or unusual
: belonging to or connected with only one particular thing, place, or person

This word is designating WHICH Lord – THE Lord.

Another Unique aspect of THE Lord?
The gift of the Holy Spirit – to come, teach, guide, comfort and counsel us. GOD living in us!

John 14:26King James Version (KJV)

26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

And that Holy Ghost dwells within us!

1 Corinthians 3:16
Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?

This – THIS – is what makes THE Lord so unique:

2 Corinthians 6:
The Temple of the Living God
14 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?
15 What accord has Christ with Belial?[b] Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever?
16 What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said,

“I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them,
and I will be their God,
and they shall be my people.
17 Therefore go out from their midst,
and be separate from them, says the Lord,
and touch no unclean thing;
then I will welcome you,
18 and I will be a father to you,
and you shall be sons and daughters to me,
says the Lord Almighty.”

THIS is what THE is all about!

This is a beautiful meditation video. Enjoy!

My prayer is that those who read this post will be blessed to know the beauty of the Love of the Lord as their shepherd!

And this is an upbeat song…my prayer!

Thanks for joining me in this journey,
In His hands and under His wings,
~Christi
Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

I want to thank Blue Letter Bible and Bible Gateway for the ability to search the Bible online.

“The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear.
If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation.
If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself.” – from My Utmost for His highest

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