“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. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 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.”
– Psalm 23:4-6
Today, we’re going to continue our verse-by-verse breakdown of Psalm 23, as we examine and meditate on the sufficiency we have in Jesus. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. No matter what you go through, like the King James version says, even if death hovers over you, you have nothing to be afraid of. There is absolutely no place you can go where you are not in the presence of Jesus’ sustaining power! Your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Our Almighty God is fighting for you. A rod and staff are used to protect sheep and ward off predators, and this is what the Lord does for you. Therefore, you can be comforted and not be afraid, no matter what comes your way. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You do not have to be afraid of those who are trying to hurt you, even when they appear threatening and scary. God has your back! You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. When God anoints your head with oil, He brings His burden-removing, yoke-destroying power to your midst, so much so that your cup runs over! Have you ever seen somebody so full of joy and life that they’re almost annoying because they just spill their exuberance onto everyone they meet? This is you in the Kingdom of God; you have way more than you need because of the greatness of God; your cup keeps running over! 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. Friend, notice that this verse doesn’t state that you will dwell with Jesus for a couple of years — it says forever! God is never going to leave you; you are like a diamond to Him — you are precious and treasured and He will never forsake you! You are His beloved, priceless child and He will not let go of you, no matter how rough or rocky the road gets. Matter changes but the spirit can’t be destroyed; In Him, your soul is untouchable and you are forever secure in His unwavering love! |
Prayer
Jesus, thank you for filling my cup to the point it’s overflowing with your goodness! I know that no matter how rough the road gets, you are always with me.
Reflection
As you meditate on this Psalm, which verses speak to your current situation? How do they bring you comfort?
If you’re unable to attend your local church or need some additional weekly inspiration, be sure to tune into Hour of Power every Saturday night at 6:30 p.m. PT on TBN or watch online at hourofpower.org/episode.