Psalms 23:2 – “He makes me to lie down in green pastures..”
David writes this Psalm from the perspective of a shepherd. He begins with “The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.” This speaks of relationships and resources. Verse 2 reads, “He makes me to lie down in green pastures.”
Phillip Keller writes in his book, A Shepherd Looks at Psalms 23, “The strange thing about sheep is that because of their very makeup it is almost impossible for them to be made to lie down unless four requirements are met.”
1. Owing to their timidity they refuse to lie down unless they are free of all fear.
2. Because of the social behavior within a flock, sheep will not lie down unless they are free from friction with others of their kind.
3. If tormented by flies or parasites, sheep will not lie down. Only when free of these pests can they relax.
4. Lastly, sheep will not lie down as long as they feel in need of finding food. They must be free from hunger.
Keller continues, “It is significant that to be at rest there must be a definite sense of freedom from fear, tension, aggravations, and hunger.”
We are invited to “lie down in green pastures.” This is the rest of faith.
Hebrews 4:9-10 says, “There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.” The Apostle Paul writes in 2 Timothy 1:7, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” According to Exodus 33:14, we find rest in the presence of God.
Dallas Willard writes, “What kind of sheep lies down in green pastures? A sheep that has eaten its fill. If a sheep is in a green pasture and she’s not full, she’ll be eating, not lying down.” The opposite of fear is peace. Isaiah 26:3 says, “You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.” Why not make your prayer, “He makes me to lie down in green pastures.”
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