He Leads Me Beside Still Waters

The 23^rd Psalm

“He leads me beside still waters” (Ps. 23:2b)

Sheep do well in semi-arid country such as we find around Palestine, but water is a necessity. If there is heavy dew on the grass each morning, the sheep arise before dawn to get enough water to satisfy their thirst. When it’s too hot the shepherd has to lead them to wells, springs, or pure streams to drink. David, who wrote the 23^rd Psalm, knew this. That’s why he wrote, “He (the Good Shepherd) leads me beside still waters.” The shepherd knows where the still, quiet, deep, clean, pure water is to be found that can satisfy His sheep and keep them, fit.

   Just as sheep need pure water, so also the human body can survive for three weeks without food, but only three days without water. The Scriptures clearly point out that the human personality, the soul, has a capacity and need for the water of the Spirit of God.

   When sheep are thirsty they become restless and wander away in search of water. If not led by the shepherd to good, pure, clean water, they will end up drinking out of a muddy, polluted pot hole where they pick up parasites as nematodes, liver flukes, or other diseases.

   Christ, our Good Shepherd, makes it perfectly clear in the Bible that thirsty souls can only be satisfied by drawing on Himself. In Matthew 5:6 Jesus said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled (satisfied).”

   In Jesus’ conversation with the Samaritan woman, he said, “Whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”(John 4:14)

   David knew the secret of spending time with God; “In the morning O Lord, You will hear my voice; in the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch.” (Psalm 5:3)

Prayer: Dear Lord, every morning I can feed on your word and get refreshed.