I woke up in the middle of the night recently and Psalm 23 was racing through my mind.

Over and over.

This passage has always been special to me. It’s packed with so much hope, emotion, promise and comfort.

“The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.” (vs. 1.) To have this kind of faith isn’t always easy though. To lack nothing when my heart weeps. To lack nothing when my biggest prayer can’t be answered. To lack nothing?

How can I lack nothing?

But, I think what this verse really is saying is, to lack nothing because eternity and real hope and joy lies with God. Life this side of Heaven can’t provide us what we really need, because everything we truly need can only be found in Him.

Making this head connection is easy for me – it’s the shambles of my heart that can’t be trusted. My head knows that God will lead me to quiet waters (vs. 2. He will refresh my soul (vs. 3) even though grief has left me feeling as if I am walking in the darkest valley (vs. 4) A pit of despair.

It can also be hard to feel God’s gentle hand when there is so much about life that doesn’t make sense.

Tragedies, sickness, politics, destruction. All of it leaves our hearts feeling wounded.

But, every challenge or hardship creates an opportunity for God to comfort us (vs. 5) and allow His goodness and love to follow us ( vs. 6).

Psalm 23

A psalm of David.

1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.

May the peace and love of Our Shepherd, which surpasses our human understanding, be the very comfort that your heart needs right now.