The Bible is full of amazing promises. Every verse or chapter helps to shape our lives in one way or another. But if we are to be completely honest, there are those books, verses, or chapters that we read more than others. And one of them is Psalm 23.
Psalm 23 is not only a beautiful chapter but an impactful one.
It is also a prophetic Psalm for 2023.
It doesn’t mean we should not read other books in the Bible this year. But this Psalm should be the central chapter for us. We need to study and meditate on it now more than ever because God wants to speak and reveal Himself to us freshly and more deeply.
Let’s look in detail at Psalm 23 – 7 Benefits and Why it is Important to us in This Season.
1. Psalm 23 Gives us Hope
Hope is the assurance or confidence we have in God. It keeps us believing that God will come through when circumstances say otherwise.
The way David describes God as the good shepherd gives us confidence and assurance that God is who He says He is in the Word. God will not let us down but will help us as we go through different seasons in life.
He is the God of the valleys and the mountains.
It is hard to believe in someone who shows up only in good times. But through this Psalm, we see that the shepherd always leads the sheep in different seasons. He is at the forefront, and it is our work as sheep to follow Him every step of the way.
And even if we stray, which we will because we are human, God will rescue us.
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2. Psalm 23 Gives Us a Positive Outlook on Life
Philippians 4:8 encourages us to think about true, noble, praiseworthy, and pure things, which means we can choose what to think. We don’t have to entertain every bad thought that comes to mind.
The promises in Psalm 23 help us hold every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. It helps us have a positive outlook, which is very important.
We must think about good things, visualize good things, and believe that we already have those good things.
For restoration to happen, we must let go of the old.
If there are paths of righteousness, there are also paths of unrighteousness. Psalm 23 doesn’t tell us that things will always be smooth and easy.
It shows us that even though unrighteousness is in the world. God is there for us. He will be there with us in the losses, but not just that, God will restore us. This knowledge helps us look at life positively regardless of what may be happening in our lives.
3. It Gives Wisdom for Difficult Times
We need godly wisdom to remain truthful and grounded in our walk with God. With the rise of all kinds of spiritual practices, most of which twist the Word of God, we need godly wisdom so that we don’t fall for the enemy’s schemes.
But we also should not be afraid to look at things from a different perspective. We must allow God to tell us where we should go and what we should do.
God wants us to overcome creative block, receive God’s new ideas, and be co-Creator with Him.
And Psalms 23 is a good reminder for us to constantly take up the position of sheep and allow Jesus to become our shepherd.
As others choose to walk away from the faith, we should cling to the good shepherd and follow His path even when it doesn’t make sense to us.
Remember, Jesus, says that His sheep hear His voice, and they follow Him. It is in Him that we get everything that pertains to life. And it’s also in Him that we get the wisdom to deal with different situations because Jesus is our wisdom.
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4. Psalm 23 Reminds us of God’s Faithfulness
As you study and meditate on Psalm 23, you will realise that the good shepherd does almost everything. The work of the sheep is to keep in tune with the shepherd and follow His direction.
It is God who orders our steps by leading us in the way that we should go.
That is to say, the sheep only do what the good shepherd does.
You’ll also notice that the shepherd does not get fed up with the sheep at any point. He provides guides, protects, defends, and restores the sheep.
David shows us that God is faithful to His Word. He does not compromise it for His name’s sake. He is the kind of shepherd that will leave the ninety-nine and go after the one lost sheep.
Understanding God’s faithfulness keeps us grounded in Him, which in turn, causes us to live successful lives.
5. It Teaches us What the Christian Lifestyle Looks like
We need to know what a true Christian lifestyle is so that we don’t compromise our faith. Through Psalms 23, we learn that without the good shepherd, we can do nothing. It is God who orders our steps by leading us in the way that we should go.
Through this chapter, we learn that living according to the plan of God for our lives individually and as the body of Christ is very important. We also learn that it is essential to be connected to Jesus Christ as our head because He’s the shepherd and the vine, and we are the branches and sheep.
For us to be healthy mentally, physically emotionally, we need to allow Him to heal our hearts from old wounds and mistakes. He knows the end from the beginning and how we can safely get from one point to another.
6. Psalms 23 Reveals Jesus’ Love for Us
The word of God reveals who God is and the lengths He’s willing to go to portray His love for us.
Through this Psalm, we see that Jesus is the shepherd who:
- Cares deeply for His sheep
- Restores physically, mentally, spiritually, materially, and emotionally
- Defends
- Blesses His sheep
7. It Leads us to Victory
No matter how knowledgeable we are, we should always seek wisdom from God. Especially in this season when spiritual warfare is intense and many believers are falling away from the faith.
God has already made us victorious through His Son, Jesus. But it is in the spirit realm – we need to stand firm and fight from the point of victory until the promises of God are fulfilled in our lives.
But we need guidance and protection from Jesus. By following Him, we escape the enemy’s snares and enjoy the table He has set before us.
Psalms 23 shows us that Jesus is our everything.
For us to grow and thrive in whichever place God has placed us, we need to be connected to Jesus, the good shepherd. We can’t do anything apart from Him.
As we go about this year, let us live knowing that God is elevating His children in different capacities. But to be in tune with what He’s doing and to enjoy the blessings, we need to be led by Jesus Christ.
Jesus is not only the good shepherd; He is also the vine and the door. Through Jesus, we gain access to doors of hidden treasures and riches stored in secret places (Isaiah 45:3).