My Favorite Psalm

My bedtime Bible readings have been from the Gospels for awhile and I have now changed it to the Psalms. Though there are many favorites, right now it is again the 23rd Psalm. It speaks to how I think God has cared for me and blessed me in so many ways and without me deserving it. I'm following this copy of it from the Holman Christian Standard Bible which is what I'm reading from at night. (In the mornings I'm reading through the Bible in "The Message" translation which is the best every day language Bible available now.)

Below the psalm quote I'm placing the photo that I entered in our church's Art Festival several years ago when the theme was the 23rd Psalm. It is a Masai shepherd boy in Kenya with his sheep and note his "rod (knife) and staff" which the Psalmist says "comforts me." To me it is a good picture of how God shepherds and protects a dumb sheep like myself and thus in some ways a picture of my life, receiving more care than I deserve.

Psalm 23

The Good Shepherd, A Davidic psalm.

1 The Lord is my shepherd;
there is nothing I lack.
2 He lets me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters.
3 He renews my life;
He leads me along the right paths
for His name’s sake.
4 Even when I go through the darkest valley,
I fear no danger,
for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff—they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Only goodness and faithful love will pursue me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
as long as I live.