My mentor is fond of saying, “A ‘classic’ is a book no one reads anymore.” When a great piece of writing first circulates, it seems like everyone is reading and talking about it. But over time, even the “classics” are more talked about then read. I think we are prone to not appreciate what is most familiar to us.
Take Psalm 23, for example. It’s familiar . . . The Lord is my Shepherd . . . but do we know what it means? First, Psalm 23 was written by a shepherd—David, who not only cared for his father’s sheep as a lad, but was also chosen by God to be “shepherd of My people, Israel” (2 Samuel 5:2).
Still, David recognized he was just like a sheep himself, in need of care and protection, and he declared, “The LORD is my Shepherd.” Notice how personal this Psalm is: “The LORD is my Shepherd,” “He leads me,” “He restores my soul.”
Yet, did you ever notice the little change in verse 4? All along David has been talking about God, but when he speaks of walking “through the valley of the shadow of death” he talks to God: “I will fear no evil,” he says, “for You are with me.”
It’s in the deepest darkness that we get most serious about following our Shepherd. We know He can lead us out. We know He is with us all the way. Let us share the faith that sings, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.”
We follow the Shepherd, and His grace and steadfast love are ever following and overtaking us. By His grace through faith we “shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”
Psalm 23. It’s a classic everyone should read.
