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Psalm 23 – In Times of Turmoil Trust
Psalm 23 is a song, a poem, of David. Jewish tradition states he writes it when he is being hunted. One time frame is when Saul hunts David, making David hunted by his own king, by someone who formerly had his trust, and the father of his best friend. Another is that David composed it when his son Absalom rebels and again David flees for his life in disgrace. So much of David’s late life is marred by family conflict caused by his sin with the wife of Uriah. Whichever the background, obviously David’s life is in jeopardy as he is hunted and hounded, like a sheep is stalked by a wild animal. Perhaps, because so much of his early life had been spent as a shepherd in that same wilderness, the circumstances recall his shepherd life, a life of tranquility despite the dangers. The images in this Psalm are drawn right out of his experience as a young shepherd, which also contained dangerous times but times of trust (1 Sam.17:34-37). The Holy Spirit records this psalm for us, for people who, like David, experience major upheavals in our lives. Perhaps you feel hunted and hounded by personal issues. Maybe you too have children, who are rebelling, or your home is in turmoil, or some cherished relationship in your life is breaking up. This psalm is written for you. It is a psalm for people who are shaken and in turmoil, yet trusting in God’s salvation.
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