Psalm 23:1-6
Verse 4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
Now that we understand the kind of peace that we are talking about this week, we need to prepare our hearts for this peace. Since we know this peace comes from the Prince of Peace we know that preparing for peace includes not stressing over the things of this world. David understood stress in a way most of us, thankfully, will not. It is this knowledge of David’s life that should help us see why this psalm is so important, even at Christmas.
David started this song of praise with a statement that even some non-Christians will recite at times and the phrase is essentially what Christmas is all about. “The Lord is my shepherd” is a reminder that we aren’t having to figure everything out ourselves and that even in the midst of chaos of life He is there to lead and guide us.
David saw how it was through the Lord’s guidance that he found peace, but he also knew from his life experiences that life wasn’t all easy sailing because of the Lord being his shepherd. This means that David had learned that real peace isn’t the absence of troubles but because of Christ’s presence in the midst of them. The Psalmist knew that only by staying close to God would he know the comfort of peace.
We can’t think about David and not think about his interaction with Goliath. There was the young man David looking up at the huge man in front of him. He was staring death in the face and he still seemed to have peace in his heart. This psalm shows us the truth of his peace. Because he was standing there as God’s defender, he had no doubt that God was there with him, guiding him every step of the way. He had no doubt because he had been preparing for the day by building his relationship with God and finding peace with Him no matter the trouble that came his way. Having God as the Lord of his life, David knew true peace and we can find that same peace when we make Him Lord of our lives.
Making It Personal
Have you found peace in Christ while struggling through trials? What does it mean to make Him Lord of your life? How are your preparing peace in your heart this holiday season?
Making It Personal Kids
How do you think David found peace when looking up at Goliath? How can you learn to have peace from Jesus when dealing with hard times in life? What do you think that peace feels like?
Closing Prayer
Father, thank You for providing peace for our lives when we are submitting to You. Give us the eyes to see the various ways You lead us in peace. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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