The Lord is My Shepherd

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” These words are so familiar to me. I learned them as a child, and somewhere along the way I learned all the rest of it, too, from the King James Version. Now I find them so comforting and repeat them when I’m having trouble going to sleep. “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.” What lovely images! The still waters — especially when I remember water-skiing over an early morning lake when it seemed like glass.

“He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” I didn’t conclude the memorizing of this part until after learning one version of “The Lord’s Prayer” set to music, and now that sound in my head brings the words into the right order. And the thoughts bring my life into the right order.

“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.” Yes, these words have comforted me and helped me to comfort others when I have accompanied others — patients that I nursed and family members — in their journeys through the valley of the shadow of death.

“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.” My mother’s Bible says, “A Psalm of David” and “David’s confidence in God’s grace,” and I remember my mother’s confidence in God’s grace. I rebelled against her strong belief for years, but now I cherish the memory of it.

— Helen Furrow