Wednesday, 13 May 2020

Thoughts from Psalm 23

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Question of the day: How do we get past Psalm 23:1? "A psalm of David. Adonai is my shepherd, I shall not want."

Answer: We can't get past it. We start by acknowledging "Adonai is my shepherd." That means I am one of His sheep. Psalm 95:7 "For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, the flock of His hand. Today, if you hear His voice." We know we are sheep when we hear the Shepherd's voice.

Then there is that last phrase, "I shall not want." That means I shall not have lack or need. Psalm 34:10-11 "Fear Adonai, His kedoshim, For those who fear Him lack nothing. Young lions may lack, and go hungry, but those who seek Adonai want for no good thing."

Yehovah Yireh is one of God's names. We are probably more comfortable with the name Jehovah Jirah, and we translate it "God is my provider." Yireh is etymologically connected to the Hebrew verb Lir'ot which means "to see." Yehovah Yireh means "God will see to it."

Isaiah 59 starts with a statement about God's abilities. Isaiah 59:1 "Behold, Adonai's hand is not too short to save, nor His ear too dull to hear." It continues with a great description of our troubles due to sin. Then God offers the solution. Isaiah 59:16 "He saw that there was no one - He was astonished that no one was interceding. Therefore His own arm brought salvation for Him, and His righteousness upheld Him."

God made provision for His people. Galatians 4:4-7 "But when the fullness of time came, God sent out His Son, born of a woman and born under law- to free those under law, so we might receive adoption as sons. Now because you are sons, God sent the Ruach of His Son into our hearts, who cries out, "Abba! Father!" So you are no longer a slave but a son - and if a son, also an heir through God." Welcome to the family of God. He is able to provide for His own.