It was a normal day, quiet, predictable, nothing out of the ordinary. I was at home with my youngest son, who was two at the time. My wife had gone in for what we thought was a routine doctor’s appointment. She was 17 weeks pregnant. Our oldest, who was five, was at school.
I was doing the normal dad things. I was cleaning the house, taking out the trash, picking up toys, trying to make sure everything was put away before my wife got home. We had a full day planned with people to meet, places to go, things to get done.
At some point, I realized I didn’t have my phone on me which is something that never happens anymore because, let’s be honest, we’re all basically attached to our phones. So I went looking for it. When I finally found it, my stomach dropped.
There were eighteen missed calls from my wife.
In an instant, panic hit, mind racing, body shaking, heart sinking. I called her back immediately. All I could hear was crying. Deep, painful, uncontrollable crying. When she finally got a word out, she whispered:
“We lost her.”
Have you ever been there, struggling to find words?
Where the world suddenly stops, and you’re left standing in the middle of a moment you never saw coming?
Life is full of those moments, the mountain-top highs, the crushing lows, and honestly, the long stretches of the ordinary, mundane middle where everything feels routine, uneventful, maybe even meaningless.
And when those moments hit, whether it’s grief, shock, confusion, or the overwhelming sense of I don’t even know what to say right now, what do we do?
Who do we look to?
Where do we turn?
Most people turn to whatever will numb the pain, distractions, panic, shutting down, or running to anything that promises temporary relief. I’ve been there. Lost for words. Unsure of what to do next.
But in that moment, when I had nothing to say, I remembered a passage of Scripture that has stayed close to me for years. It was the only thing I had the strength to text to a few close friends. The only thing I could speak out loud with any clarity.
Psalm 23.
Psalm 23 (NIV)
1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 He refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
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 your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.
The writer of this Psalm is King David, yes, the same David who once stood in a field as a young shepherd boy and took down Goliath with a sling and a stone.
Long before he wore a crown, David carried a staff.
Long before he led a nation, he led sheep.
So when he describes his relationship with God using the imagery of a shepherd and sheep, he isn’t just being poetic. He’s writing from experience—hard, gritty, real-life experience.
David knew the long nights. He knew the danger. He knew the protecting, the guiding, the comforting, the going after the one who wandered away. Being a shepherd shaped him, and prepared him.
Most scholars believe Psalm 23 was written later in David’s life, after the battles, betrayals, failures, victories. After he had lived enough life to look back and say, “Here’s who God has been to me through it all.” It reads like a man reminding himself of the faithful, steady care of his Shepherd, no matter the season.
But to understand this Psalm, we need to understand sheep.
Sheep are prone to wander—drifting without realizing how far they’ve gone. Sheep are defenseless, they cannot protect themselves. Sheep need to stay together to survive. Sheep have no internal sense of direction, they will literally walk in circles or straight off a cliff. (Okay, maybe not off a cliff, but you get the point.)
And here’s the most important thing, sheep follow the familiar, authoritative voice of the one they trust. Their shepherd. And honestly, all of that sounds a lot like us. We wander. We drift. We chase things that destroy us. We are easily influenced by whatever voice is loudest or most familiar. We numb pain, distract ourselves, panic, or shut down. This is why the voice of the Good Shepherd matters so much.
In John 10:11–14, Jesus says, “I am the Good Shepherd.” Centuries after David wrote Psalm 23, Jesus picks up the same imagery and completes the picture. David experienced the Shepherd. Jesus embodied the Shepherd. And Psalm 23 becomes an invitation. Step into it. Trust the Shepherd. Follow His voice. Rest in His care.
As months passed for my wife and I, we were left feeling empty. A loss for words, and not sure what to do or where to go. But I remember reading psalm 23. When I read it, I saw it differently, I spoke it differently, and it meant something different to me. When I read it, I was reminded of the truth, and I began to speak it out loud until it penetrated my heart.
Why do I speak Psalm 23 out loud when I don’t know what to say?
Because David wove the names of God throughout the Psalm, almost like a thread reminding us who God is in every circumstance.
Verse 1: “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.” He is Jehovah Jireh — The Lord who provides.
Verse 2: “He makes me lie down in green pastures… leads me beside quiet waters.” He is Jehovah Shalom, the Lord our peace.
Verse 3a: “He refreshes my soul.” He is Jehovah Rophe, the Lord who heals.
Verse 3b: “He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.” He is Jehovah Tsidkenu, the Lord our righteousness.
Verse 4: “Even though I walk through the darkest valley… You are with me.” He is Jehovah Shammah, the Lord who is there.
Verse 5: “You prepare a table… You anoint my head with oil… my cup overflows.” He is Jehovah Nissi, the Lord our banner.
Verse 6: “Surely your goodness and love will follow me… and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” He is Jehovah M’Kaddesh, the Lord who sanctifies.
Psalm 23 isn’t just beautiful poetry. It’s a declaration of who God is in our highs, in our lows, in our in-between, and especially in the moments when we have no words left.
As time passes from that day, I can easily ask many questions, but this I know is true, my God is the good shepherd. He will guide me, he will comfort me, he will protect me, he will provide for me, and he will always go with me.
Our circumstances and situations in our life will reveal a lot about us. Will you chose to listen to the good shepherd? Call him by his many names, he will draw near to you.
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Jesus, our Good Shepherd,
Thank you that Your voice steadies us, Your presence comforts us, and Your goodness pursues us. Lead us on the right path. Carry us when we’re weak. Quiet our anxious thoughts and fill our empty places. Help us trust Your guidance, Your timing, and Your heart. May we live today with the confidence that You are with us and for us. We rest in You.
Amen.
Listen to Still Waters by: Leanna Crawford below.
