Psalm 23 (part 2)

Psalm 23:2

"He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside still waters"

In this verse, David begins to elaborate on the provision that the Shepherd gives to his sheep. The word that first comes to mind when I read this verse is peace. David illustrates the scene of a mid-day oasis. A lush green pasture, perfect for sheep to graze in and a cool body of water to quench their thirst. God cares for his sheep by providing nourishment and giving them peace and rest.

In a spiritual sense, God nourishes his sheep with the feeding of His Word. He provides us with the food that our soul needs. He provides us with the only food that is truly satisfying. Furthermore, it is important to notice the verb usage in the first half of verse 2. God 'makes' us lie down in green pastures. Why would God need to 'make' us lie down. Well, as stated earlier, sheep are quite incompetent. Perhaps God needs to 'make' us lie down because we won't lie down on our own. This is probably because we can't always recognize green pastures. Isn't it funny how much time we spend planning our own lives, as if we know what is best for us. God will bring us to the places that are ultimately for our good. We might not think they are. We might be uncomfortable. Our circumstances may not be according to our plan, but they are according to His. We can trust that where he 'makes us lie down' is in the green pastures. It may not seem like it, but God will always give us necessary nourishment. Even more, we know that God is working all things for the good of those who love him. We know that God did not spare his own Son, but gave him to us. If this is true, how much more should we trust that God is making us like down in green pastures, even when it doesn't appear so.

Moreover, this verse sheds light on our greatest need for peace. Our greatest need for peace, is peace with God. The Bible says that we are by nature enemies of God. There is enmity between us and God. There is wrath. Our greatest and most basic need for peace is with God. We are unable to be His sheep unless we have peace with him. God 'making us lie down in green pastures' tells us that we have peace with God. Specifically, we have peace with God through the death of Christ. At the cross, all of God's wrath, all the enmity that prevented peace, was placed on the Son of God, so that we may have peace. We can have peace, we can lie down in green pastures, because Christ has made it possible.

Therefore, this verse ultimately points us to the peace we have with God through the death of Christ, who is the propitiation for our sins. The peace we have is that we are justified by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. We rest in that.