by Jilene Scherenske
This is the fourth in a series of articles on Psalm 23. I have found this study to be a great blessing to my soul and trust it will be to yours also. The reader should be aware that I have used Phillip Keller’s book A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 as a resource. I refer often to his book and knowledge of the care of sheep. Then I take his insights, combine them with the Word of God and meditate thereon. This is the result of my meditations.
Psalm 23:2b
“Leadeth” means to protect, sustain and lead on gently. “Still” refers to a comfortable, quiet resting home. “Waters” is a spring, always fresh, always available. If we used those Hebrew meanings, we might paraphrase it like this: My Shepherd, Jesus, makes me to rest in lush pleasant places which are our home/abode and He protects and sustains and leads me on gently through waters of quietness. How utterly sweet! Let us delve into this a bit more.
“…He leadeth me beside the still waters.”
Once again, to better understand this important phrase, let us turn to the nature of sheep, this time to its physiology. Keller tells us that water makes up about 70 percent of the body of a sheep. This water maintains normal body metabolism. Water is in every cell and contributes to the body’s normal life functions. It determines the vitality, strength, and vigor of a sheep and is vital to its health and general well-being. If a sheep does not have sufficient water intake, dehydration of the tissues happens and can to serious damage. The animal becomes weak and impoverished. It must have a source of water in order to survive and thrive. I know this to be true just from my experience with severe colitis. I became severely dehydrated and as a result I was extremely weakened.
If a sheep becomes thirsty, he becomes restless and strives to find water. Sheep are dumb; to satisfy their thirst they will drink from polluted potholes where they pick up parasites. Remember, the best country for a flock are the dry arid regions, but that also means that water, good water, is not in plentiful supply. The shepherd finds water in three places, dew on the grass, deep wells, or springs and streams. Surprisingly, sheep can live satisfied on the water from dew, if it is heavy dew and the weather is not too hot, for a few months! By habit, sheep rise before dawn and begin grazing. Or if there is bright moonlight at night they will graze then. These are the hours that vegetation is heavy with dew. Dew is a clean, pure source of water. It is a “still water”. There is nothing calmer than dew! If sheep are going to be afforded this necessity of heavy dew, the shepherd must rise with them and lead them into the heavy vegetation full of dew. Once the sun comes out, the sheep are satisfied and can retire to the shade of the bushes/trees and can lay down and rest.
The Bible is replete with verses about rising early to be in God’s Word. The one who does this is the one who is most able to cope with whatever the day brings. Through the Word believers are led to quiet and still waters that they desperately need, whether they realize it or not. Great men of the faith all attribute their successful Christian life to this very thing. In that early hour one is not tormented by the upcoming needs and events of the day. There is no ringing of the phone. There is no one to interrupt. It is time with just you and God. That’s why many call it “God and I time”. This is where you hear the still small voice of God best. This is where you can surrender the easiest. One comes away from this time refreshed and satisfied.
But what if dew is not available? Then the shepherd must dig a well! One such well is described by Keller and is much different than I would have imagined. He says this: “Some of these [wells that he had seen] were enormous, hand-hewn caverns cut from the sandstone formation along the sandy rivers. They were like great rooms chiseled out of the rocks with ramps running down to the water trough at the bottom.” However, it was still up to the shepherd to get the well water into the trough. He would strip his clothing and work feverishly to pail the water into the trough. Perspiration poured from his body as he exhausted his strength in an effort to satisfy his thirsty flock. Think of it, at one time he had to hand carve in the stone this wide room and make passageways down to it and then troughs to hold the water. But the work was not complete, for every day he still had to bail water for his entire flock.
There are times in our Christian walk where Jesus also leads us into dark and seemingly unsure places, perhaps even what seems to us as dangerous and/or disagreeable places. But if we will but follow, without fail, He is leading us to the pleasant waters of greater satisfaction with Him. He is deepening our relationship with Him, our fellowship with Him, our awareness of our need for Him.
One more consideration: the skittish sheep had to be willing to walk into this dark room in order to get to the cool, pure water. All the time our Jesus is working hard for us. He has already worked hard revealing to us Who the Father is and how we can live a Christ-like life. Then He did the hardest thing of all – He died for us! Now He lives every day interceding for us. We are never for an instant forgotten by Him. He never stops working for us! He makes plans for us, plans which will lead us into even greener pastures and stiller waters! Sheep have to learn to trust their shepherd when he leads them into dark caverns. So, too, must we learn to trust Jesus our Shepherd when it appears that the path ahead is dark. If we would but follow and trust, we will always find that it leads to still waters.
What if dew is not available and neither is there an available well? What then? The shepherd must lead the sheep to a stream. Often as sheep climb or descend to a mountain stream, they will find puddles along the way. Puddles filled with urine and feces from previous flocks. Muddy puddles from the many feet of sheep gone before. Puddles filled with parasites. As dumb as they are, they will stop and drink of these! It is unthinkable! But it is just like any human being. Sure, the path to clean, pure water might be a climb, or even a scary descent, but if one is following the Shepherd Jesus, there is beautiful life-satisfying water at the end of the journey. Do not stop along the way to intake the polluted water.
Often in our lives we find ourselves on a mountain. Either climbing or descending it, both can be tricky. But if we will but just keep on following our Savior, the path will be sure and will always lead to still waters. Water, in the Bible, is always referring to the Holy Spirit. It is He Who brings us stillness, peace in our souls if we but yield to His promptings in our heart. He leads us into grace, which gives us the enablement to climb or to descend. In both walks we need surrender to His soothing Presence.
Sometimes there may be a river nearby, but the Shepherd knows the swift moving water will frighten the sheep and/or, if any dare come close to get a drink, the current will easily carry the sheep away. So, even if it means a greater distance, the shepherd must lead the sheep to still waters. We must always be willing to wait for the water supply the Shepherd Jesus will lead us. We might pass a water supply that will be enticing to us because of our thirst, but, if we go there, we will be in great danger. Let us be patient to wait for what the Shepherd has planned for us.
Beside the still waters the shepherd can clean and mend the wounds that the sheep have sustained in the journey. Here is calmness. As we have seen, the word for ‘still’ is actually a noun meaning rest. It is a place, not an adjective. The still waters are a place of rest. We are to be always resting in Jesus. That is to be our state.
God created us with a thirst for Him. The unsaved seek many ways to quench their thirst, including a lot of polluted potholes. They do not realize that their thirst can only be quenched with Jesus. Only with Him will anyone find complete satisfaction. Mt 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Joh 7:37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. The word ‘drink’ in spiritual terms means to take it in, to accept it, to believe it. It refers to a person who assimilates the very life of Jesus to the point where it becomes a part of him.
Application
Still waters…..complete and perfect rest. Is that what your soul is experiencing right now? If not, seek what it is that is stealing that from you and let Him correct it as you yield to Him completely. Seek Him early every morning. The rich and satisfying dew of His Word awaits you every day. Be in His Word daily. Memorize it. Meditate upon it. Study it. Read it. Pray. Only by this will you hear clearly His still small voice leading you to still waters. Remember, all He wants for you is to abundantly satisfy your thirst and see you resting completely upon Him and His leading.
We must be willing to follow. The Shepherd cannot lead if we are not willing to follow. How are we doing at following? Are you allowing Him to lead you into quiet time with Him every day? Is there some prompting from the Spirit which you are resisting right now? Is there a hesitation to do the thing that you know He wants you to do? Give it to Jesus. Let Him take away your fear so that you can wholeheartedly and completely follow Him.
Be willing to follow no matter what the road ahead appears to be. Trust in Him that He will only lead you to still waters….rest. If you have a lack of faith for where He is leading you, then give that unbelief to Him and let Him return to you perfect faith.
Sometimes our flesh desires to take the easy way out and drink from the potholes along the way. Make sure you are not doing this! They are so unhealthy for you! He only knows what is best for you. Keep on following Him – only then will you experience rest. Be willing to wait for His still waters. Cry out to Him for He will even give you the patience you need in the waiting process! Dear friend, there is nothing so sweet as drinking from His still waters. May you know it today.
Follow On by William O. Cushing
1. Down in the valley with my Savior I will go,
Where the flow’rs are blooming and the sweet waters flow;
Everywhere He leads me I will follow, follow on,
Walking in His footsteps till the crown be won.
o Refrain:
Follow! follow! I will follow Jesus!
Anywhere, everywhere, I will follow on!
Follow! follow! I will follow Jesus!
Everywhere He leads me I will follow on!
2. Down in the valley with my Savior I will go,
Where the storms are sweeping and the dark waters flow;
With His hand to lead me I will never, never fear,
Danger cannot fright me if my Lord is near.
3. Down in the valley, or upon the mountain steep,
Close beside my Savior will my soul ever keep;
He will lead me safely in the path that He has trod,
Up to where they gather on the hills of God.