The Healing Power of the 23rd Psalm
by Charles Allen
Immediately after World War II, the Allied Armies gathered up many hungry, homeless children and placed them in large camps. There the children were abundantly fed and cared for. However, at night they did not sleep well. They seemed restless and afraid.
Finally, a psychologist hit on a solution. After the children were put to bed, they each received a slice of bread to hold. If they wanted more to eat, more was provided, but this particular slice was not to be eaten—it was just to hold.
The slice of bread produced marvelous results. The child would go to sleep, subconsciously feeling he would have something to eat tomorrow. That assurance gave the child a calm and peaceful rest.
In the Twenty-Third Psalm, David points out something of the same feeling in the sheep when he says, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” Instinctively, the sheep knows the shepherd has made plans for its grazing tomorrow. It knows the shepherd made ample provision for it today, so will he tomorrow. So the sheep lies down in its fold with, figuratively speaking, the piece of bread in its hand.
This Psalm does not begin with a petition asking God for something; rather it is a calm statement of fact—“The Lord is my shepherd.” We do not have to beg God for things. St. Paul says, “My God shall supply all your needs” (Philippians 4:19). David puts it, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” With that faith, we can work today without worrying about tomorrow.
This is the first chapter of the free booklet, The Healing Power of the 23rd Psalm. To read the entire free booklet, click here.
http://www.ourprayer.org/healing-psalm23
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