Psalm 23 Introduction
The Lord is my shepherd, I have everything I need.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
He refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
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.
Welcome to this 10-day devotional in Psalm 23.
Psalm 23 is probably one of the most familiar passages in the Bible.
You may have memorized it as a child or heard it read at a funeral.
Perhaps you turn to it when life feels frightening or uncertain.
But what if Psalm 23 has something to teach us about healing trauma and learning how to live again?
Trauma affects the way we see ourselves, other people, the world around us and sometimes even God.
It can leave us feeling alone, unsafe and constantly watching for the next threat.
It can make it difficult to rest, trust or believe that someone will be there when we need them.
In my work as a therapist, I have learned that healing doesn’t happen simply because we understand what happened to us.
Healing also requires experiences of safety, connection, rest and gentle care.
Psalm 23 gives us a beautiful picture of exactly that kind of care. Over the next 10 days, we will walk slowly through this familiar psalm.
We will look at what its words teach us about God, trauma and the sometimes long and winding process of healing.
I hope you join me here.
What We Will Explore:
Day 1 – You are not alone. One of the things that makes an experience traumatic is the feeling that we are alone in it. We begin by considering what changes when we know that someone is with us in our pain.
Day 2 – I have everything I need. Trauma can leave us feeling as though we must take care of everything ourselves. What would it mean to trust that our Shepherd sees our needs and will care for us?
Day 3 – He makes me lie down. For many of us, slowing down feels difficult or even unsafe. We will explore why rest and a settled nervous system are important parts of healing.
Day 4 – He guides me. Our experiences create well-travelled pathways in our brains. We will consider how the Good Shepherd gently helps us take the right step and begins forming new paths.
Day 5 – Through the darkest valley. Healing does not mean we will never walk through dark places. It means we do not have to walk through them alone.
Day 6 – Your rod and staff comfort me. What do we need when we are frightened or hurting? We will explore the comfort of knowing that someone understands what we are experiencing and has our back.
Day 7 – A table in the presence of my enemies. Trauma can train our nervous systems to stay on guard, even when we are no longer in immediate danger. What would it be like to sit at a table where we are protected and welcomed, and receive what we need?
Day 8 – You anoint my head with oil. The Shepherd notices the wounds and irritations that cause distress. We will look at the picture of a God who responds to our pain with protection and soothing care.
Day 9 – Goodness and love will follow me. What will we leave behind us? We will consider how healing can change not only our own lives but also what we pass on to the people who come after us.
Day 10 – I will dwell in the house of the Lord. Most of us carry a deep longing for home – a place where we are safe, known, and loved. We will finish by exploring what it means to finally find our way home.
Grab a journal and join us!
Prayer:
Lord, we come to you broken, living in a broken world.
We know you didn’t create the world like this.
We so desperately want to heal. To be whole.
Show us today how to accept your gentle leading.
Good Shepherd, teach us how to follow.
Amen
