STILL WATER
Psalm 23 may be one of the most quoted chapters of the Bible, but just because it is familiar doesn’t mean we have mined all the meaning from the text. The Bible is alive. The Spirit will draw meaning from the Word every time we read it. I memorized this chapter long ago, but as I was reading it again, I began to see a pattern emerge.
We often fixate on the valley of the shadow of death and the reality that there is an enemy crouching so closely in the shadows that we could have died. Thus, the valley can be emotionally dark and foreboding, a place we don’t want to be. Then the great Shepherd reenters, and we repeat the next phrase with relief. “I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4, NJKV).
The danger remains, but the fear is gone because we are protected. As the story unfolds, the posture of the psalm changes from survival and overcoming fear to a place beyond being comforted—a place of victory! The enemy must come to the table of surrender. Then in the valley where we almost died, we receive fresh anointing and our cup runs over with abundance. What a story! No wonder this psalm is loved by so many.
Before the closing admonition of a newfound confidence that goodness and mercy will continue to follow us, I want to draw your attention to a verse that precedes the one about a shadow in the valley. Perhaps the action the Shepherd takes just before the threat of death can teach us how God prepares us for the darker seasons of life. Read it slowly and think about it:
“He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters” (Psalm 23:2, NKJV).
He makes me lie down. The Hebrew word for lie down is pronounced “rabats.” It means “to stretch oneself out, to lie down, or to lie down stretched out.” We can learn two things from this word: (1) Before we go through the valley, the Shepherd makes us stretch! Stretching is one of the most overlooked activities. For proper mobility and better usage of your strength, stretching is essential. (2) Symbolically, God is letting you know that before you go through the valley, He is going to use what happens next to stretch you; so He wants you to practice stretching while things are still calm.
He leads me beside the still waters. The Hebrew word for still is pronounced “men-oo-khaw.” It means “place of rest, quiet, or comfort.” Before you walk through the shadows of the valley and experience fear and anxiety, God has a quiet resting place, a space of grace. Not long ago, I heard the Spirit say, “What will you do with the quiet?”
These resting places are a gift from God. How will you respond to the quiet place God is arranging for you? Will you allow yourself the joy of opening your spirit to relax in the green expanse of God’s goodness? Will you stretch out and bask in the safety of His leading? Don’t take these moments for granted. The still waters are there to fill you with courage because you know the Lord is your Shepherd, and you will want for nothing.
© 2026 Jason Sciscoe