23rd Psalm Verse 2

Verse 23:2 - He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters

Sheep start their grazing about 4 o’clock in the morning. The sheep walk steadily as they graze, they are never still. Sheep are stubborn.  They don’t have enough sense to know when to lie down to rest.

By 10 the sun is beaming down and the sheep are hot, tired and thirsty.  The wise shepherd knows that the sheep must not drink when it is hot, nor when its stomach is filled with undigested grass.

So the shepherd makes the sheep lie down in green pastures, in a cool, soft spot. The sheep will not eat lying down, so it chews its cud, which is nature’s way of digestion.

This verse tells us, to rest and reflect. Sometimes God puts us on our backs in order to give us a chance to look up.  David takes time to rest in the presence of God.

Sheep are very timid creatures, they are afraid of swiftly moving water or the least bit of movement. They have a good reason to fear the water.  The sheep are poor swimmers because of their heavy coat of wool.  The water soaks into the sheep’s coat and pulls it down; just like life sometimes for us. 

The sheep know instinctively that they cannot swim.  Therefore, because of the sheep’s fear of water they will only drink from still waters.

The shepherd leads the sheep across the mountains and valleys and is constantly on the watch for still waters.  If still waters cannot be found, while the sheep are resting the shepherd will gather up stones to fashion a dam across the small stream to form a still pool. This allows even the tiniest lambs to drink without fear. 

Picture yourself resting beside the water in your mind and trusting that you will be renewed and strengthened from your rest. Saturate your mind with the reassurance of God’s presence and peace as David did.