Psalm 23: Let Me Lie Down in That Green Grass
Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
The Beautiful Promise from Psalm 23
by Dr. Marilyn Murphree
The promise is this: 
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; he restoreth my soul, he leadeth me beside the still waters.
But what if…?
“I feel like my green pasture is drying up.”
We will have difficulty at times, even though we are following God’s ways. We want our days to be hassle free and filled with sunshine. But that is not being realistic. We are surrounded by problems, restrictions, and less than perfect outcomes.
When our ongoing weeks are less than perfect, and we get tired and weary of it all.
David, in the 23rd Psalm, said, “He makes me to lie down in green pastures. He restoreth my soul.“
Too often we run on empty instead of resting and restoring our souls. We forget to check in with God, running on by what He has provided for our restoration. We allow things that drain us of our physical energy to triumph over our spiritual refreshing. Our green pasture seems to be drying up.
“Thou art with me.”
God provides a place of relaxation when He leads us beside the cool waters. But the Psalmist also lets us know there are dark days ahead.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me.
Sometimes we know of these promises, but we don’t see them clearly or rest in them confidently.
“Will I ever see green grass again?”
When things become brown and dry, when health concerns loom and don’t go away, when a job dries up, when I don’t feel the presence of God or the restoration of my soul, just where are the green grass and the quiet waters?
Will we ever see the the lush green pastures again? Do we have anything to hope for again? Sometimes we think that “No, we don’t.”
Ask yourself: “Where in my life do I need some green grass and cool waters to refresh me and restore me once again?”
Do I need healing? Do I need a job and a paycheck? Do I have family problems? Do I need to get out of debt? Do I have a relationship that has fallen apart?
There could be many things that would count as green grass to us. Too often we live day after day with a sense of lack when the promises of God are for us. There is green grass and cool water available but we just can’t see them clearly.
“How do I find rest in God’s green grass?”
Sometimes we think the Lord is holding out on us.
Consider these Scriptures.
Psalm 34:10 “They that seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing.”
Psalm 84:11 “No good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.”
We also have a promise of deliverance from the not-so-good times in our lives:
“A righteous man may have many troubles, but the Lord delivereth him out of them all” (Psalm 34:19).
Prayerfully ask God to reveal to you how to enter into His promise of rest and provision.
The late Marilyn Murphree wrote books and articles for over 30 years. She was a retired high school guidance counselor and retired United Methodist minister.
Perhaps this video about entering into the rest that God offers us will help you. It starts with worship music. Listening to it or singing along will prepare your spirit for the message that Lt. Tabitha Swires from the Bayridge Brooklyn Salvation Army shares after the worship.
