The Twenty Third Psalm
The Lord is my shepherd: I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green Pastures; he leadeth me
beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness
for his name's sake,
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil: for thou art with me, thy rod and staff
they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:
thou anointed my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of
my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
Meditation Thoughts on the Twenty Third Psalm.
The Twenty-third Psalm is one of the most powerful pieces
of writing in existence, and it can do marvelous things
for any person. Charles Allen, author of 'God's Psychiatry'
says that he has suggested this psalm to many people and,
in every instance in which he know of it being tried, it
has produced results. He says that this psalm can change
your life very quickly.
Allen suggests that you read this psalm 5 times a day for
one week. Read it the first thing when you wake up in the
morning. Read it carefully, meditatively, and prayerfully.
Read it again immediately after breakfast. Do exactly the
same thing, immediately after lunch, again after dinner,
and, finally, the last thing before you go to bed.
Don't just go through the motions and chant it quickly.
Instead, think about each phrase, giving your mind-time
to soak up as much of their meaning as possible. At the
end of just one week, things would be different, he says.
Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "A man is what he thinks
about all day long." Norman Vincent Peale says, "Change
your thoughts and you change your world." The Bible
says, "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he"
(Proverbs 23:7).
The Twenty-third Psalm is a pattern of thinking, and. when
the mind becomes saturated with it, a new way of thinking
and a new life results.
Twenty-third psalm represents a positive, hopeful, faith
approach to life. It is believed to have been written by
David, who had a black chapter of sin and failure in his
life. But David chose not to dwell on his past mistakes.
He chose to look forward.
Allen talked about a story about an old man and a young
man on the same platform before a vast audience of people.
A special program was being presented. As a part of the
program each was to repeat from memory the words of the
Twenty-third Psalm.
The young man, trained in the best speech technique and
drama, gave, in the language of the ancient silver-tongued
orator, the, words of the Psalm.
"The Lord is my shepherd ..." When he finished,
the audience clapped their hands and cheered, asking him
for an encore so that they might hear again his wonderful
voice.
Then the old gentleman, leaning heavily on his cane, stepped
to the front of the same platform, and in a feeble, shaking
voice, repeated the same words-"Lord is my shepherd.
. ."
But when he was seated -no sound came from the listeners.
Folks seemed to pray. In the silence the young man stood
to make the following statement:
"Friends," he said, "I wish to make an
explanation. You asked me to come back and repeat the Psalm,
but you remained silent when my friend here was seated.
The difference? I shall tell you. I know the Psalm, but
he knows the Shepherd"
Psalm of David has sung its way across the barriers of
time, race, and language. For twenty-five centuries it has
been treasured in the hearts of people. Today it is more
beloved than ever before. Why? Because it tells that above
all the strife and fears, the hungers and weaknesses of
mankind, there is a Shepherd.
A Shepherd who knows his sheep one by one, who is abundantly
able to provide, who guides and protects and at the close
of the day opens the door to the sheepfold-the house not
made with hands.
The Twenty-third Psalm gives men the assurance that we
are not "alone". That is why it lives in the hearts
of men, regardless of race or creed.
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