Psalm Friday

Remain in Him

Psalm Friday
Psalm 23, continued

* Pray. Ask God to give you an open heart and mind to learn new truths from His Word. Read Psalm 23 through three times. Record any thoughts or questions you have in your journal. If a verse stands out to you, write it on an index card and begin committing it to memory.

Today, our journey through Psalm 23 comes to a close. We have walked through lush green pastures, rested beside still waters, trekked up mountain ranges in order to reach the tablelands of His goodness; we have been protected, provided for, comforted, cared for, and loved. Because we have been provided such tender care and mercy, we can say with great confidence, “I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”

I want to share with you Psalm 23:6b from the Amplified Bible.

“through the length of my days the house of the Lord [and His presence]
shall be my dwelling place.”

Dwelling comes from the Hebrew word yâshab which means to remain; to settle, to inhabit. As a sheep belonging to the flock of the Good Shepherd, David was able to say, “for the rest of my days, both living on this earth and living in heaven, I will remain, I will settle into, I will inhabit the presence of the my Lord.”

I think for us to get a better understanding of this last statement of Psalm 23, it would benefit us greatly to go back to the beginning of time as we know it.

In Genesis 1:26, God said, “Let us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness.” The word image as it pertains to this verse comes from the Hebrew word tselem, which means to shade or to shadow. Man was created from the beginning of time to live in, to remain in, to settle into, to inhabit the shadow of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. In order to be in something’s shadow or to be shaded by something one has to be in close proximity to it. God created us to forever be in close proximity to Him; to be in His presence.

In God’s presence is fullness of joy. In His presence is mercy and grace. In His presence is peace and rest. In His presence is protection and defense. In His presence is provision and healing. In His presence is discipline and restoration. In His presence is found a life like no other; for it is in His presence where we find the love, compassion, and tender care of the Good Shepherd.

Are you in the presence of the Good Shepherd today? My friend, this is the place you were created to dwell in. Remain in Him and He will remain in you. Seek Him with all your heart. Run to Him. Rest today in the shadow of His wing.