We live in a world shaped by short attention spans, where truth is often reduced to 30-second sound bites. This problem creates a challenge for soul care. Spiritual “snacks” may offer brief encouragement, but they rarely go deep enough to bring lasting transformation. True discipleship requires time, reflection, prayer, and steady engagement with God’s Word.
In Seeing with New Eyes, David Powlison encouraged new biblical counselors to master the book of Ephesians, saying, “In a pinch, you could do all counseling from Ephesians.” What felt like a shortcut in 2005 now feels daunting. Ephesians—over 3,000 words of rich theology—requires time and careful study. In today’s fast-paced, distracted culture, using it in brief moments can feel overwhelming, even unrealistic.
In a sound-bite world, may I humbly echo David’s wisdom and offer a simpler starting point: master Psalm 23. In just 113 words, it speaks of God’s provision, rest, guidance, and protection, while also exposing our self-reliance, foolishness, unbelief, and misplaced identity. It’s short enough for distracted hearts, yet deep enough for the Spirit to use in lasting ways.
What follows are themes and questions from each verse—designed to encourage the weary (1 Thessalonians 5:14), renew the mind (Ephesians 4:23), and gently examine the heart (Psalm 139:23-24). The goal isn’t to say everything, but to trust the Spirit to apply the right truth in the right moment.
Psalm 23 Counseling Reflections
Verse 1:The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
Encouragement: God is not a distant observer but a present Shepherd—one who feeds, leads, and protects. He is Emmanuel, intimately involved in our care.
New Thinking: The shepherd-sheep image invites us to see ourselves rightly: vulnerable, dependent, and prone to stray. Should we not question our self-confidence and resistance to guidance?
Heart Examination: What desires have taken hold of your heart? Where might self-reliance be keeping you from trusting the Shepherd’s lead?
Verse 2:He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.
Encouragement: God leads us into His peace, not into frantic striving. His care is not just provision but the tender, protective love of a Family Man who longs for us to rest in safety.
New Thinking: “He makes me lie down” suggests a loving insistence—because He knows we all struggle to embrace His rest. We chase distraction to avoid stillness, often because true rest requires trust: trusting that God is in control and we don’t have to be.
Heart Examination: What distractions are you turning to instead of God’s rest? Where might unbelief be driving your need to stay in control?
Verse 3:He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.
Encouragement: God doesn’t just repair—He restores and transforms both our inner and outer lives. He transforms. “God will make new people of us, whose ways will be His own.”
New Thinking: Do you prioritize soul care for yourself and others? Do you trust God’s path, even when it’s costly or countercultural?
Heart Examination: What lesser desires are you chasing? Are you settling for shallow promises instead of the fullness God offers?
Verse 4:Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Encouragement: God is the only Shepherd who walks with us through every valley, including suffering and death. He leads as One who has gone before, so we are never alone.
New Thinking: The rod and staff are tools of care—protecting and gently correcting. God’s Spirit uses them to shape us into Christ’s likeness, offering comfort, not fear.
Heart Examination: Where is your heart drifting from the Shepherd’s path? Do you see His correction as love, or resist it as control?
Verse 5:You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Encouragement: The shepherd image shifts to a family setting. Like the father of the prodigal son, God welcomes us as sons and daughters, inviting us to share in His joy and abundance.
New Thinking: In Jewish culture, dining in the presence of enemies signified complete safety. God may not remove every trial, but He gives something greater—His steady presence.
Heart Examination: Has God’s invitation reshaped your desires and led you to walk in His ways? Are you resting in His grace—or still trying to earn His approval?
Verse 6:Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
Encouragement: God’s goodness and mercy don’t just follow—they pursue us like a Shepherd chasing His lost sheep (Luke 15). His grace is active, persistent, and reckless by the world’s standards.
New Thinking: Our place with God isn’t earned—it’s a gift of mercy. As Jesus says in John 17, communion with the Father is not just a future hope but a present reality, secured by His rescue. This fabulous truth is our new identity in Christ.
Heart Examination: Is your deepest desire to dwell with God—to know Him and be near Him? Or are you seeking relief and blessings more than communion with Him?
Summary
Psalm 23 is a gospel-shaped guide for everyday discipleship. In a distracted world, it offers brief but rich truths that reveal God’s heart. Used prayerfully, even a single verse can become a Spirit-led moment of clarity, reminding others they are fully known, fully loved, and forever secure in Christ, the Good Shepherd.
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Mark Grant was raised in Columbus, Ohio, and attended Ohio State. He married Lesa as he finished his MS in Mechanical Engineering. He moved to Los Angeles to work in the Aerospace Industry. After 5 years of a difficult marriage, he and Lesa were saved. Shortly thereafter, they moved to Portland, Oregon and were blessed with a daughter. He currently works for the Navy as a civilian engineer. He lives outside Philadelphia.
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