5/3 Through Psalm 23

He Leadeth Me
Psalm 23:2, "He leadeth me…”

Only in Scripture could such a small statement contain such a large ocean of truth! Wrapped within these three words is a glorious gift from God that brings consolation to those who are “strangers and pilgrims on the earth.” (Hebrews 11:13) This, indeed, is a sweet solace to the weary wonderers in this world! What a blissful thought and what a blessed truth we find in knowing that our faithful God is also our faithful Guide!

In order to emphasize the depth of this truth, these precious words are penned twice by the psalmist in this treasured text. In verse 2 he states, “He leadeth me beside the still waters”. Then in verse 3 we read, “He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” Two times he is reminding us of the ever faithful leadership of the Shepherd in our lives!
When we see this, it is important to note that, though these two uses of the phrase “He leadeth me” are similar, they are not completely the same. They are like two sides of the same precious coin. In them we find two perspectives of the same wonderful promise.

When we first read these words in verse 2, they come from the Hebrew word (nahal). The stem of the word is Piel, and thus it carries the idea of leading with care, leading to the place of rest, or to refresh. In other words, God's leadings are always careful leadings. He is a tender guide directing us to that place where his supply can refresh our souls. He is continually directing us to the quietness of the “still waters” to supply that which we need to sustain us from day to day. Oh how blessed it is to know that our wonderful Shepherd can be trusted to bring us to the divine “watering hole” where refreshment can be found for our parched souls. Yet, that is not all!

We read the words “He leadeth me” for the second time in verse 3. In this case, they come from the Hebrew word (nachah), which means to guide, lead, or direct. The stem here is Hiphil which is normally causative. This simply means that God causes me to walk “the paths of righteousness”. He directs me in this determined way regardless of the twists and turns that may accompany the journey. These paths are "paths" that he has chosen and charted. The reason for the distinction between these two uses is simple. In the one we see that God is ALWAYS CARING in his leadings, and in the other, we see that God is ALWAYS WISE in his leadings. But in both, we see that God, indeed, is ALWAYS LEADING!

Think of it weary one! The psalmist did not say, “He driveth me”, nor did he say, “He showeth me”! He declares with great joy, “He leadeth me”! This, dear friend, is a vital truth! You see, the Lord could not lead me in “paths” that he himself had not walked. The leadings described here could not be so, unless he had first gone before me in the way! When I measure the fullness of this psalm in the light of such a truth, I can see the assurance of a perpetual promise, that his leadings are careful, consistent, and wise, regardless of where the “paths of righteousness” may go!

Consider it dear friend! He has walked before me in the way, for “He leadeth me” (verse 2 & 3)! He will walk beside me on the way, for verse 4 says, “Thou art with me”! He guards me from those things which seek to pull me from the way, for the psalmist proclaims, “thy rod and thy staff they comfort me” (verse 4)! He has promised that he would make a way, for in verse 5 he declares, “Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies”! He will supply every need along the way, for he shouts, “Thou anointest my head with oil” and “my cup runneth over” (verse 5)! He will give me provision for the way, for we read, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life” (verse 6)! He will bring me safely to the end of the way, for verse 6 affirms, “I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever”!

Oh the joy that floods the human heart when we understand the carefulness and faithfulness of his leadings! Oh what rapture of soul overtakes, when we are assured that he has gone before us, and that he will guide us in the way we ought to go! Think of what this means dear friend! We need not be dreadful of what lay along the path before us! We need not be anxious for the uncertainties of the day! We need not fear the enemies that lurk in the shadows, for as long as we are following the Shepherd who “leadeth” us, we can be sure of sufficiency for the journey and safety when we arrive at our destination! Oh what a peaceful promise is ours in three little words: “He leadeth me”!