Today I want to share with you from the first three verses of Psalm 23 from the Passion Translation. These verses give us a glimpse into the intimate relationship the shepherd King David enjoyed with the Lord. The first verse and the comments from the TPT notes have the aroma of intimacy on them.
1. The Lord is my best friend and my shepherd.
I always have more than enough.
‘The word most commonly used for “shepherd” is taken from the root word ra‘ah, which is also the Hebrew word for “best friend.” This translation includes both meanings.’
‘This is an interesting twist that we see in the Hebrew language revealing to us this friendship as well as dependency that David enjoyed with the Lord. The Lord was His Shepherd who supplied, protected and led David throughout his life. He was also his closest friend. The next verse focuses on the guidance the Shepherd brings.’
2. He offers a resting place for me in his luxurious love.
His tracks take me to an oasis of peace, the quiet brook of bliss.
The TPT notes give further insight into God’s love for His sheep.
“The Greek word for “love” is agape, which is a merging of two words and two concepts. Ago means “to lead like a shepherd,” and pao is a verb that means “to rest.” Love is our Shepherd leading us to the place of true rest in his heart. The Hebrew word menuhâ means “the waters of a resting place.”
The third verse describes the restoration and renewal that flows out of this place of intimacy with God. This is where we find our place of spiritual rest.
3. That’s where he restores and revives my life.
He opens before me pathways to God’s pleasure
and leads me along in his footsteps of righteousness
so that I can bring honor to his name.
It seems like many of us long for vacation to bring us our needed rest. This relationship with the Shepherd can bring us into a place of enjoying God’s daily rest. Here again are the notes from TPT on this passage.
“Or “He causes my life [or soul, Heb. nephesh] to return.” So often life drains out of us through our many activities, but David found that God restores our well-being by pursuing what pleases God and resting in him.’
This is the place where our spiritual batteries are revived. In His presence we find our place of continual rest. Walking in the Spirit is where we experience the spiritual rest and recovery our hearts are longing for.
1 thought on “Psalm 23 – The Passion Translation”
Revelation 21:6-7 TPT
Then he said to me, “It has been accomplished! For I am the Aleph and the Tav, the beginning and the end. I will give water to all who are thirsty. As my gracious gift, they will continuously drink from the fountain of living water. [7] The conquering ones will inherit these gifts from me. I will continue to be their God and they will continue being children for me. 🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈