Bridget A. Thomas
Every day is a gift!
Psalm 23 – Introduction
Hi, Friends! Over the next several weeks I am going to share some thoughts on the six verses of Psalm 23.
The Lord put it on my heart to write a series of posts based on this Psalm. I wonder what He was thinking. 😅 There are two reasons why this is daunting. First, many of us know some or all of the verses by heart, even without trying to memorize them. We have heard them so much, they stuck with us. And because these sentences are so familiar to us all, it makes it difficult to approach this subject with fresh insight. On the other hand, there is so much that could be said about these six verses. 118 words in the King James Version; yet countless books and commentaries have reflected on this chapter of the Bible.
Nonetheless, here we are. I am looking forward to all the Lord reveals to us over the coming weeks.
In the U.S. around the time of the American Civil War (1861-1865) this Psalm became a common staple recited at funerals. For those of you who don’t live in the U.S. let me know in the comments if this Psalm is often shared at funerals in your country as well. I’m curious!
Even though this Psalm is often read at funerals, it’s not about death. Once you begin to study it, you will find it is about life with the Good Shepherd, and how He is everything we need. For whatever we might face on this earth, He is enough.
“Years ago, Saturday newspapers routinely carried the sermon topics for the next day in the leading pulpits in town. In Norfolk, Virginia, Reverend R. I. Williams of Fairmont Park Methodist Church picked up the phone and called the local paper to give them his sermon topic. ‘The Lord is my Shepherd,’ he said. The person on the other end said, ‘Is that all?’ Reverend Williams replied, ‘That’s enough.’ The next day the church page carried his sermon topic as ‘The Lord Is My Shepherd—That’s Enough!’ When the Lord is our Shepherd, that is enough. He is enough.” 1
When we remember that the Lord is our Shepherd, this takes a lot of weight off of our shoulders. If a sheep has a Good Shepherd, he doesn’t have to worry about anything. He feels safe because he keeps his focus on his Good Shepherd who will provide all of his needs.
Psalm 23 is a very personal Psalm. Not just for the author, King David. But it is personal to each of us that are God’s children. Take a moment to read through the lines below and put your name in the blank spaces. 2
The Lord is _______ shepherd; _______ shall not want.
He makes _______ to lie down in green pastures;
He leads _______ beside the still waters.
He restores _______ soul;
He leads _______ in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.
Yea, though _______ walks through the valley of the shadow of death,
_______ will fear no evil;
For _______ Shepherd is with _______;
His rod and His staff, they comfort _______.
The shepherd prepares a table before _______ in the presence of _______ enemies;
He anoints _______ head with oil; _______ cup runs over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow _______ all the days of _______ life;
And _______ will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
There are so many blessings found in these powerful words. And when we read this Psalm, remembering that the Lord is our personal Shepherd, it changes our outlook on life and the challenges we face.
Before I go, I wanted to say thank you for continuing to be here, even while my writing has been sporadic. And if we have been friends for a bit, then you know that there have been times when I have changed what day of the week I schedule my posts. I have recently decided to try Tuesdays and see how this works out with my schedule. I extend my sincere thanks for reading. I know everyone is busy and it means a lot that you took a moment to stop by.
I will be back next week to look at verse 1. Have a good week and God bless you!
(My plan is to share a song with each post. I have the video embedded below. But if that doesn’t work, the link is also in the caption.)
1 The Lord is My Shepherd: Resting in the Peace and Power of Psalm 23 by Richard J. Morgan (New York, NY: Howard Books, 2013)
2 In her Psalm 23 – Bible Study, I like how Jennifer Rothschild encourages the reader to insert their name into the various lines.
© 2018-2025 Bridget A. Thomas. All rights reserved.
Bridget A. Thomas 
Psalm 23 has been so meaningful in the midst of anxiety this year for me. Thank you for jumping in and sharing this with us! Looking forward to further reflections. ❤️ I also love Phil Wickham’s song. (And anything by him, haha)
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That makes me happy to hear that Psalm 23 is also near and dear to your heart. 🤍 And I definitely agree about liking anything by Phil Wickham! 😁
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Excellent introduction Bridget 😊 I particularly liked the typo in the newspaper…it was right on the money! God bless you today sister 🙏
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I agree about the newspaper clip! It makes me chuckle. But it is so true too. Thank you, Alan. And God bless you too. 😊🙏🏻
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This is awesome. I look forward to the journey through Psalm 23.
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Thank you, Rainer! It’s wonderful how we can fellowship together this way, even though we are hundreds or thousands of miles apart! I hope the weeks ahead bring us all insight and encouragement. 🤗
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I think an apt study to lead us into the Holiday season. I like that exercise of putting my name in there. ❤
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Thank you, Judy! I was thinking about that too. As we head towards Thanksgiving and Christmas, I hope this will bring us closer to our Shepherd. ✝️ And I agree about putting our name in the Psalm. It does help us reflect on these words with a more personal view. ♥️
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Love this!! I hadn’t ever heard or thought to put my name in with these verses but it’s pretty encouraging. I’ve done this with 1 Corinthians 13 (using my name in place of love) and I realize I need a lot of work there!!😅
Good stuff! Thanks for following the Lords leading for this Psalm 23 study and reflection!!💜
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Yeees! I know exactly what you mean about 1 Corinthians 13! 🤦🏼♀️ I’m so thankful the Lord continues to grow us in the areas we need. Thank you, friend. I’m excited about the weeks ahead! 🤍
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Wonderful message, Bridget. Psalm 23 reminds us that when the Lord is truly our Shepherd, we have everything we need. I love how you made it personal by adding our own names, it really brings His care closer to heart. He is always enough 🙏
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I don’t always do a good job of remembering how our Shepherd is always there to help us with everything in our lives. I hope over the coming weeks we can all take that to heart. And yes “He is always enough” – Amen! 🙏🏻
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Amen 🙏
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The 23rd Psalm has always been close to my heart. It is the only Psalm I have memorized all the way through and learned that as a child. So I can call up any line of it when needed. My fav though is “the LORD is my SHEPHERD, I shall not want.”
Thanks for this post! Loved it.
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I agree. The 23rd Psalm is such a comfort. Especially the first verse. It’s a wonderful reminder that our Good Shepherd is all we need. ♥️🙏🏻
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Sorry, I missed your introduction! But I am enjoying this series. Thanks for sharing this with us, even with your busy schedule. 💕🙏🏿
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Don’t be sorry. But I’m glad you are enjoying it. I admit it does take a lot of time and thought. But it is well worth it. ♥️🙏🏻
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