Psalm 23 (CEB)
1 The Lord is my shepherd.
I lack nothing.
2 He lets me rest in grassy meadows;
he leads me to restful waters;
3 he keeps me alive.
He guides me in proper paths
for the sake of his good name.
4 Even when I walk through the darkest valley,
I fear no danger because you are with me.
Your rod and your staff—
they protect me.
5 You set a table for me
right in front of my enemies.
You bathe my head in oil;
my cup is so full it spills over!
6 Yes, goodness and faithful love
will pursue me all the days of my life,
and I will live in the Lord’s house
as long as I live.
Contentment is found in God’s provision for the humble.
Here are some questions for discussion:
1. “He leads… He restores… He guides…”—what does this repeated pattern in Psalm 23 reveal about dependence on God versus self-direction, and how does it challenge ideas of independence or self-sufficiency? Where do you notice resistance—personally or within a community—to being led, and what might be behind that hesitation?
2. If sheep are known for wandering, vulnerability, and needing guidance, what might that suggest about human nature at its core—and how comfortable are you with that picture of yourself? Do you see it as honest, offensive, or freeing?
3. In our youth almost all of us have trouble distinguishing between ‘wants’ and ‘needs’ but as we age this distinction becomes more clear. How has your faith helped you to redefine what you need as opposed to what you want?
If you’d like to dig a little deeper, consider the following:
1. Psalm 23 says, “He leads me,” while John 10 says the sheep can discern and know the shepherd’s voice and follow him—how do these ideas connect, and what do they suggest about the relationship between God’s leading and our listening? Is it an active or passive process?
2. Verse 23:2 describes a tranquil setting. How might a physical relocation bring about a sense of peace and abundance? How might a more metaphorical relocation bring about a sense of peace and abundance?
3. The words of 23:4 include the rod and the staff. The rod was for protection and the staff for guidance. Think of the imagery we have of Jesus the Good Shepherd, how many times do you see the rod? How often do you see the staff? How do you see our Good Shepherd?
4. In verse 23:5 there is a table prepared by the Lord before my enemies. We live in the world but our sustenance is provided here by our Shepherd. How does this verse look in your life?
5. Looking at Psalm 23:6 in light of real-life suffering, how do you reconcile the idea of being pursued by goodness and mercy with experiences of injustice, loss, or hardship? Does this verse feel like a promise, a tension, or a mix of both?
For further contemplation, consider these prompts:
1. What impact does it have on your life to recalibrate your views on an abundant life? How do you measure the abundance in your life? Has this changed from your youth to today? How do you hope for it to change going forward?
2. Psalm 23 unfolds across a series of scenes—what kind of journey do you see taking shape, and how does each setting build on the one before it? Where do you see yourself in this psalm today: in the pasture, on the path, in the valley, at the table, or longing for the house?
3. Consider the image of a single cup running over. How does accepting faithfully the single cup help us to avoid a tribalism that values our prospering over everyone prospering?