Psalm 23 - I shall not want (3)

“We have all things and abound; not because I have a good store of money in the bank, not because I have skill and wit with which to win my bread, but because the Lord is my shepherd.” - C.H. Spurgeon



God will provide

Fear the Lord, you His holy people, for those who fear Him lack nothing. - Psalm 34:9

If God cares for us and is all powerful, then he is both willing and able to supply all of our needs. And indeed we know that in Jesus there is a 'bank of glory' sufficient for whatever we might need.
"My God will meet all of your needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus" - Philippians 4:19

This is saying that God yearns for our good; physically, mentally, spiritually - in every area of our lives. Indeed, we know that he "works all things for the good of those who love Him" [Romans 8:28].



Now but not yet

This inheritance is kept in heaven for you...
in all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while
you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.                 - 1 Peter 1:4, 6

This 'complete prosperity' is only to be realised in the new creation. But we can rest in the finality and totality of this promise of eventual restoration, and not worry or want for the things of this world as we might otherwise do. We shall not want at all in the new creation, so as we place our hope in the things unseen we can rest in this promise and truly trust God to correctly apportion our lot now also.

Christ is sufficient

My grace is sufficient for you,
for my power is made perfect in weakness                                  - 2 Corinthians 12:9

"Shall" has a note of defiance to it. Not just, "I need not want", but "I shall not want". This is not to be conditioned upon certain things going well. We do not want, irrespective of whether we have wealth, health, religious experiences, or whatever else our flesh might desire.

We shall not lack temporal things that are conducive to our spiritual flourishing, and so we need not be anxious (Matthew 10:29). Further, we shall not want spiritual things because his grace is sufficient, and in Christ our souls are secure (Hebrews 6:19). So it makes sense that David (and indeed we) can say that no matter what we go through we shall not want, because Christ is sufficient.

In fact, where we do lack and do suffer, we know this serves God's purpose for he works in our weakness, and so even in these things we have cause to rejoice (2 Corinthians 12:10).  O, would we be characterised by being content and gracious in spirit, as we trust God's sovereignty in all our lives!

Rest in Him

Though we may have less than others we are still called to rejoice.

How can we do this? Because we have found our rest in our Shepherd.

No matter how often like sheep we wander, he will patiently and lovingly guide us home again.

In all of the business and chaos of life, we find our rest in him.

But I have calmed and quietened myself,
I am like a weaned child with its mother;
like a weaned child I am content.                  - Psalm 131:2