Contentment, Restoration, Protection, Provision, and Paradise: An Elaboration of Psalm 23

I have been in such a rut lately; I spread myself too thin. I am burnt out on school, and I procrastinate too much.  These issues combined with my impatience, short temper, worrisome and easily stressed temperament lead me to a place of feeling distant with God and very discontent with my life.  I have been so crabby and sensitive and weak lately.  I have experienced self-hate because I know in my mind that I should be able to just focus on God and not stress. However, it's difficult in practice.

None of these negative feelings have come from God.  He is the giver of good things, and I am rejoicing because He gave me such a good gift at work this morning.  Tuesday's shift is 5:45am-8am, but I have to wake up at 5 am.  It's the pits.  However, in the MTSU rec center, God was present.
He sat with me in my sleepy stupor and opened His word to me.  He gave me creative thoughts. 
It all started with psalm 23; this is perhaps the most well known psalm.  I intended to read many psalms this morning, but God kept me on this one.  Holy Spirit began to breath life into the pages of my Bible.  I cannot tell you how many times I have read this psalm, but The Word is so alive.  It is ceaselessly amazing to me.  I saw new things in this psalm this morning.  Because psalms are prayers, Holy Spirit took me into an hour long prayer with Him where I got to write.  I felt and feel so alive now.  When I woke up I was down and crabby, but despite this unseasonably cold weather, I am so joyful this morning.

I call this type of prayer Psalm expansion; there is probably some technical term for it, but I don't know what that is.  I just wanted to share what Holy Spirit showed me this morning.

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.

 

 

God, You are my Shepherd; I do not even know where to go without You as my guide. 

No where I could go would escape your presence.
Your very presence is more than enough for me.  In You, and You alone my God, do I find contentment. 

You are my portion, and Your being fills my cracks; You make me whole.
You lead me to sun-kissed pastures.  I lay in the green grass filled with joy.  You take my hand as a father takes the hand of his child, and You bring me to a babbling brook.  You delight to see me splash around in the heat of the day.  We laugh together as I play like a child.  I explore Your creation, and my heart is restored.
I was broken-hearted.  I was thirsty.  I was hungry.  I was lethargic.  I was down. 

But You, You my God and my Father, have filled Your child with good things.
I am revived.  I am complete.  I am refreshed.  I am content. I am energized. 

I am happy, and my whole being is joyful.

 

Even when clouds cover the sun,
Even when winter grips my bones and cracks my lungs,

Even when I am stripped of all wealth,

Even when stress chokes all my reason,

Even when I am blinded by anger,

Nothing in all of creation can separate me from Your presence.
Even when I am my own worst enemy,

Even when I take myself to the valley of the shadow of death,
You will not forsake me; You will never leave my side.

Even when I am carried off by powers outside of my control,

You pursue me.
Nothing in all of creation can separate me from Your presence.

In Your presence there is perfect love.  In perfect love there is no fear.
Even when I cannot understand,

I will trust You.
I will not fear for my life.
For You are where my life is found.  You are my true life.  It is hidden in You.
Even in death,
I would be found in You.
I seek the life that is truly life, and I find it in You.
Nothing in all creation can separate me from Your presence, from life.

 

Your instruction and Your discipline are a comfort for me. 

It is through them that I become a true child; You discipline the one You love.
In Your fiery consuming presence I am refined like much pure gold.
I bow before You, humbled in Your presence.
Your statutes are upright, and I meditate on them unceasingly.

"Make my mind more like Yours!" I cry out.
My bones ache to be like my Saviour.
I walk Your paths day in and day out hoping, longing, to be reformed in Your image.
Like clay, I am ecstatic to be made a vessel for Your use.  I pray, "Mold me on Your potter's wheel."
You fashion me; though at times I resist, You are patient.
You add slick and form and perfect Your creation.
I look forward to the day that I will be fired to perfection without crack or blemish.
I rejoice with each movement that brings me closer to Your heart.

 

I am assailed daily by the powers of the air.
Corruption is jealous for my bones.
Decay pulls at my garments.
Rot mocks me.

Anguish pierces my soul.

Sin spits upon my face.
Satan topples boulders in attempt to crush me.

Yet, Your presence silences them. 

They dissipate quickly like mists in the presence of the sun.
They flee in terror.

Even the memory of their abuse is dulled and altogether eradicated

in the presence of You, my Father of lights.

 

Emmanuel, You fill Your servant with good things.
A table stretches so far that I am overwhelmed.  To taste of all the good things upon it would take

an eternity.

You make me worthy to approach it.
You heal the wounds sustained by the enemies and wrap your crystal robe around me.
My shame is covered at Your Word, and I tremble with awe, reverence, and joy.
You recline with me at the table.
You teach me, and I listen intently.
I could sit at Your feet eternally. 

My soul rejoices. It has found its purpose.
To do Your will and serve You, to be in Your presence, these are my greatest desires.

 

You pour a cup for me; Your living water bubbles over the rim. 

I laugh as I attempt to drink from the overflow.  The excess bathes me, and my joy is multiplied.
I run to others nearby and bid them to taste, drink, and see that my Lord is so good.

I giddily take their hands and bring them to the table.

They, too, are in awe when they meet You.  They fall on their faces,

but You lift us all to look upon Your face.

Your eyes are more compassionate than my thoughts had afore ever fathomed.

You cup my face in Your nail-scarred hands, smile, and say, "Well done, my daughter."
This is Paradise, Your presence.

 

 

 

[Jesus, let me remain here and never leave. 

You have promised that I will remain here for eternity, and words cannot even express my thoughts and feelings.  It is more than joy. You are my King, and I will worship You in Your holy temple forever and ever and unto ages upon ages Amen.]