by Phoebe
In a recent Hermeneutics class, my lecturer made us reflect and draw our thoughts about Psalm 23, a very common Psalm, and yet through the reflection exercise, I gained new insights.
What the Psalm means to me
“Though the dread of night overwhelms my soul, He is here with me, I am not alone.” This song verse from “Ancient of Days” by CityAlight encapsulates what Psalm 23 means to me. The weight of the darkness of life can sometimes be very overwhelming. Loneliness. Demands for success in life. Lost of friendships. Sickness of innocent people. Death of loved ones. Degradation of the environment. Wars and violence in the world.
Psalm 23 brings a message of rest amidst darkness, despair, weariness and enmity. Like the sheep in the picture, when I am in the lowest valley, I will find my Shepherd beside me comforting me. He is holding the space of grief and mourning, sitting in silence with me as I contemplate and make sense of the valley. The attention my Shepherd is giving me is undivided. Although He has other sheep in the pasture to take care of, He is choosing to put them aside in order to spend time with me. On the other hand, the attention that I am desiring from Him is a jealous one – because of my deep need for Him at the moment, I would rather Him choose to be with me than with the other sheep (those who I also love, and those who I feel enmity towards). The other sheep seem to be doing well compared to me as they are up in the mountains while I am in the valley. With my Shepherd, He assures me everything is alright and I do not need to be anxious and troubled about many things (Luke 10:41) but to choose Him where I can find rest. It is also at the deepest of valley where I will find still waters which I can drink from to restore my soul.
The season in the valley will not last forever, but while I am in the valley, my Shepherd is staying with me until I am ready to move out of the valley. He will also lead me on the right path towards the top of the mountains. The time in the valley will recur again and again; through the seasons of life there will be ups and downs like the mountain range, but the Shepherd will also again and again be there with me.
What I will do in light of this truth I learnt
To always seek Jesus as my Shepherd especially during this time when thoughts about life and tasks to be done overwhelm me. I concede that my pride and belief in self-sufficiency will not help me get out of the valley and acknowledge I am like a helpless sheep who needs its shepherd’s guidance all the time. I will learn to surrender and lean on Him in all things I do, look to His calming presence for comfort and assurance, and lean on Him in all things I do. While my need for the Shepherd is very individualistic, I also need to fellowship with others as a form of spiritual support and uplifting.
Jon and Phoebe's thetomyumkongs journey. 