PSALMS 23

Recently, I encountered a song called Psalms 23 (Surely Goodness, Surely Mercy) and absolutely fell in love with it. I had to bring it into reGEN and fortunately I was given the opportunity to do so. Last Saturday, I asked the musicians in the band to listen to it and learn it. It went so well. Luckily, I managed to get a third singer just the Friday night before because I just had to have a three-part harmony in the bridge of that song.

It couldn't have been a coincidence.

Service at reGEN ended and I made my way to the main sanctuary to attend main service at 11:30. A man sang another version of Psalms 23 for special music. Not only that but the speaker's word was about Psalms 23! I was awestruck at how coincidental it was. A day filled with Psalms 23. Maybe God was trying to tell me something so when I got home after church service, I took a look at what Psalms 23 had to say. Because I did kind of nod off during the sermon oops.

1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters,

3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the

shadow of death, I will fear no evil, 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 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days

of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

(English Standard Version)

I pondered this verse for not too long because I was really anticipating my Sabbath nap. Not much came up in my head other than "oh it's a psalm about how the Lord comforts and all that good stuff." I proceeded onto my nap. However, later on, I was redirected to a discussion I had earlier that morning. At reGEN, instead of sitting in rows and having Word, there were tables set up so that we could have table group discussions. Corey asked me to be a leader that morning so I was super confused but as I led the discussion, there was some really awesome insight. The people in my table group were the musicians of my band and two others. I used the questions on a piece of paper that followed the discussion but somehow popped up a question of my own.

Primarily, the question asked about how one could spread the gospel and with the majority of my table group being musicians, they agreed at my statement claiming how powerful praise really is. Soon afterwards, I brought up a situation I have been experiencing in the form of a question. I really forgot how or what I asked but the topic was about how my family would judge me for my praise. In their eyes, the praise I do seems like more of an act. The stages, the lights, the full band set, it all just seems like attention-seeking. For these reasons, I would sit through hour-long lectures or even be grounded. And then they spoke.

Fortunately, I was able to have JJ and Lydia help me out on bass and violin. Together, they agreed to my situation. I was actually super shocked. "Really? Your family thought that of you too?" I genuinely believed that the misunderstandings I experienced were exclusive to me. However, I was proved wrong. God gave me that discussion and the privilege of meeting those two people to comfort me in knowing that I am not alone. It sounds absurd to put His mercy in this way but bro wow. All this time I thought that I was the only person to be challenged in the sense that I praised for nothing but Him. But I was not alone and perhaps there are more than just two people in this world that underwent these circumstances but God is with me. God is with us.

I love the beginning when it says "I shall not want." I purposely chose the ESV because all the other versions said something like "I lack nothing." I mean that phrase is cool, yet I love how so simple and powerful "I SHALL NOT WANT" sounds like. I especially love the segment of the verse that says, "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil." WOw. We are all wanderers that eventually and inevitably get lost in this so-called valley of the shadow of death. There will be instances where we will have no direction and be fearful frequently. Life will go crashing down and you will break. However, having Christ really changes that. My parents always tell me "stop worrying. As long as Christ is in your life, there is nothing to worry about." I really thought about it this time and said "hell yeah they're right! 'I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.'" And damn. I am so okay now. There are so many not good things happening around and within me right now. For heaven's sake, I was doing all my AP lang summer homework and then staying up and only getting approximately 2.5 hours of sleep the day before/day of school but I wasn't stressed. I repeatedly said "it's fine it's fine. I have Christ. He will provide a way. I will be okay." And I got my homework done without any stress. Well I mean a lot less than I usually would.

Like this verse, God gives many "coincidences" to comfort us. I want to refer back to a previous point I mentioned in which I said God is taking care of you in ways you don't realize. This mere coincidence was him working in me. Through that brief discussion, I was assured that I was not alone in one of the toughest struggles I have faced, received some life changing input, and became closer to those people that I made music and spoke with. This is one of the blessings I counted.

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Psalms 23 (Surely Goodness, Surely Mercy) by Shane & Shane//Shepherd by Amanda Cook