"He restores my soul."

This is a mutual endeavor. We each turn TO and turn WITH each other. More accurately, I turn to him and then we turn together; like a day flower steadfastly turning its face toward the sun as the earth rotates and a night flower following the path of the moon. As we mutually and naturally engage, as his light floods my being, my core, my soul, I receive his nutrients and sustenance. My soul sings in continuous restoration.

Who is this He? The Angel of your Being, the One you turn to in your time of need, the One always here no matter which way you turn.

Still Waters

"He leads me beside still waters."

No longer does he have to make me. I follow his lead voluntarily. Like the ox in the Zen Ox-Herding drawings, I have gone from wild cantankerous self-absorption to a calm interflow. The still waters soothe me.

No Contented Cud Chewing

"He makes me lie down in green pastures." 

Makes me. I don't want to. What is that about? I don't want to obey. I want to explore the nether regions. See what is over the next hill. Never content with existence now. Is this not a good thing?

Yes. It is. He always comes after me. He treasures the lost sheep above those contentedly chewing their cud in the fold. Why is that? Perhaps because he loves adventure himself. After all, he is no contented cud chewer. Adventure is part of his making me lie down. That's why he has that staff with the hook on it. To haul me in. He won't let me go. Green pastures are my fate and adventure is my path.

Not Want

"I shall not want."

This is getting downright personal. A "my" already exists, a claim: my shepherd. Now we have the capital letter skyscraper erection: I. I and my.

The reciter of this psalm (which includes you) is making another claim: the backbone spine of  me, the I, shall never go in want, will never be lacking for what the core spine needs.

You might want (desire) more than you are getting but you will not suffer want (lack of spiritual necessity.) You and your shepherd may disagree on this. You may want to take it to your local sheep union and see about going on strike. The shepherd will just stand there and look at you until those first two verses penetrate your thick skull once again: The lord is my shepherd. I shall not want.

The Source of all existence brings me into existence, supplies my every need, is in my favor.

"I shall not want."

Verse Quote

The Lord.
The Lord is.
The Lord is my.
The Lord is my shepherd.

Shepherd.
My shepherd.
Is my shepherd.
The Lord is my shepherd.

The Lord

This song to God starts right off with a facing of and immersion in our Source, the Well Spring out of which All flows -- a baptism in this ongoing rush of creative waters, this eternal creation of constant change. All debris is washed away. All becomes new.

Not "a" lord, not just any old lord, but THE Lord, the one and only Source of our being who continues in His resourcefulness.

I am not in charge. But I am charged. Charged with renewed energy. Charged with response ability. No longer turned in upon myself, an ingrown heir, but opening as a living heir of the Living Lord.

The 23rd Psalm

A Psalm of David.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures:
he leads me beside the still waters.
He restores my soul: he leads 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.