By Will Kynes, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Biblical Studies, Samford University
OVERCOMING WORRY
Psalm 23:1–6
For many, the events of this past year caused a deluge of worry. Will I or my loved ones get sick? Will I lose my job? Will this ever end? Who will win the election? If your New Year’s resolution is to worry less and trust God more, Psalm 23 can help. As one of the most beloved passages in Scriptures, this psalm assures us of the rest and comfort we have in God and reminds us that God cares and is greater than any issue that causes us worry.
Worry is unnecessary when we trust God’s guidance and provision. (1–3)
As our shepherd, the Lord cares for us and provides for all our needs as He guides us through life. Much of our worry derives from fear of losing what we have or of not getting what we desire.
But if we trust God to provide for us, not wanting will also mean not worrying. As Paul writes, “Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:6–7).
Jesus makes the same point about divine provision dispelling worry. If the Lord feeds the birds of the air and clothes the lilies of the field, He will certainly care for those who “seek first the kingdom of God” (Matt. 6:26–33).
Worry is unnecessary when we trust God’s presence. (4–5)
Though the psalm promises divine guidance and provision, it does not guarantee freedom from hardship. As Jesus says, “In this world you will have trouble” (John 16:33). The “paths of righteousness” (v. 3) on which the Lord leads His sheep may go though “the darkest valley” (v. 4). Yet even here, the Good Shepherd’s rod and staff provide comfort. In the Old Testament, the rod and staff are symbols of power and authority, wielded by rulers (Gen. 49:10; Num. 21:18), as well as human teachers (Prov. 13:24) and God (Job 9:34; Isa. 10:5) for discipline and correction. Continuing the shepherd imagery, the psalm envisions the Lord using these bucolic instruments to keep His sheep, forcefully if necessary, on the path which will deliver them from evil (see Mic. 7:14). This creates an apt parallel with God’s commandments, which both restrain our behavior and guide us into God’s blessing (Deut. 30:19; Matt. 28:18–20). Picturing this blessing, the psalmist exchanges the shepherding metaphor for one of God as generous host. Though enemies are present, they are harmless, while the psalmist is honored before them.
Worry is unnecessary when we trust God’s goodness. (6)
The word translated “follow” used here is better understood as “pursue.” Instead of the enemies “pursuing” the psalmist (v. 5), the Lord’s covenant “love” tracks him throughout his life. It is in the “house” of this good host that the psalmist is confident to dwell “forever.” Whether or not the psalm’s final words, literally “for a length of days,” refer to eternity or the rest of the psalmist’s earthy life, they point to the permanency of God’s hospitality, while the goodness and love that accompany it indicate its pleasures. “House of the Lord” commonly refers to the temple (e.g., Ex. 23:19; 1 Kings 7:12; Ps. 27:4). This is where the “Good Shepherd” leads — to “life to the full” in God’s presence (John 10:1–18).
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