The Lord Is My Shepherd: Living in His Presence

Jul 05, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Burning Bush in the Mundane

A shepherd boy becomes a deliverer when God interrupts routine. Moses’ desert drudgery—watching sheep under a scorching sun—became holy ground. Fire flickered where he least expected it. God speaks through the ordinary: a bush, a staff, cracked desert soil. His calling often arrives disguised as disruption. What seems mundane becomes a threshold for divine purpose. [39:02]

The angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. (Exodus 3:2, ESV)

Reflection: Where has God interrupted your routine lately? What desert task might He be using to prepare you for holy ground?

Day 2: Theology Forged in Failure

David’s harp sang sweeter after Bathsheba. The king’s collapse into adultery and murder became a crucible for raw repentance. Psalm 51’s broken verses birthed deeper intimacy. Failure, when met with brutal honesty, becomes fertile soil for restored joy. God’s grace shines brightest through cracked vessels. [49:20]

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation. (Psalm 51:10-12, ESV)

Reflection: What area of failure have you been avoiding bringing into God’s light? How might honest confession become your pathway to renewed purpose?

Day 3: Rod and Staff in Death’s Shadow

Valleys aren’t destinations but passageways. David’s psalm names the dark gorge but focuses on the Shepherd’s tools—the rod to discipline, the staff to rescue. Shadows lose their terror when the Shepherd’s grip tightens. The path through becomes training ground for trust. [01:19:46]

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. (Psalm 23:4, ESV)

Reflection: What valley are you tempted to camp in? How might focusing on the Shepherd’s presence change your pace through difficulty?

Day 4: Table Set Before Enemies

Communion crumbs fall near adversaries. David’s feast happens with foes watching—a declaration that the Shepherd’s provision trumps their threats. The table isn’t about absence of conflict but presence of Christ. Broken bread tastes sweetest when eaten under hostile gazes. [01:27:10]

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. (Psalm 23:5, ESV)

Reflection: Where do you need to stop staring at opponents and start savoring Christ’s nearness? What spiritual nourishment have you neglected because of distraction?

Day 5: Goodness and Mercy Pursue You

Twin hounds of grace track believers relentlessly. David’s enemies chased him, but divine kindness outran them all. The Hebrew word “radaph” means holy pursuit—God’s blessings hunting down His people. Sheep don’t chase blessings; they follow the Shepherd, trailed by favor. [01:29:33]

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. (Psalm 23:6, ESV)

Reflection: When has God’s kindness surprised you in hardship? How might living as pursued change your posture today?

Sermon Summary

Prayer stands as the power of God, and Scripture supplies the best words for prayer. Psalm 90 speaks from Moses’s long obedience and says, teach us to number our days so the church gains a heart of wisdom. That prayer pushes love while there is time, peace while it can be made, and walking with God today as the only non-negotiable, because truth is a Person and his name is Jesus. Psalm 23 then rises, not as a funeral psalm, but as a life psalm. David speaks as a seasoned man who has fought lions and giants, worn a crown, sinned badly, repented deeply, and found restoration. Out of that history the line lands with weight: the Lord is my shepherd.

The covenant name, the Lord, stands first. Yahweh knows his sheep. The verb is matters next. The Lord is, right now, not was or will be. Then the word my brings the whole thing home. This is not concept but relationship. David could have said king, judge, or warrior. He chooses shepherd, the One who leads, guards, and carries. John 10 names him the Good Shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep. Hebrews 13 names him the Great Shepherd who equips his people for his will. The gift is not mainly what he gives. The gift is himself.

He makes, he leads, he restores, he guides. Those verbs run the psalm because the Shepherd stays at the center. Green pastures show provision. Still waters show wisdom. A restored soul shows grace. Rest comes only where trust lives, so the believer is told with plain talk, quit freaking out. The Shepherd is not surprised and does not sleep. Eyes belong on him, not on the predators.

The valley of the shadow is real, and David does not say if but even though. The Shepherd walks with the believer through, not into permanent camping. Rod and staff comfort, and the valley forges a real prayer life that leans on God for every breath. Then the table appears. The Shepherd sets it in the presence of enemies, but the enemy gets no seat. Fellowship, anointing, and an overflowing cup testify that goodness and mercy do not lag behind as a memory. They pursue like faithful companions all the days that remain. Romans 8 ties the knot tight. If God did not spare his Son, nothing can separate his flock from his love. The goal of prayer is not stuff. The goal is the presence of God, the simple joy of sitting at the Shepherd’s table.

Key Takeaways

1. Number days and love now Moses teaches that wisdom grows where time is counted as gift, not as grind. Love cannot be postponed to a quieter season because cemeteries are full of unspoken words. Making peace is not niceness, it is obedience to the God who reconciles. The church loses nothing by crossing aisles when Jesus is the center. [41:58]
2. The Lord is my Shepherd today Yahweh is present tense faithfulness, not a past memory or a future wish. The word my means this is relationship, not brochure religion. Calling him Shepherd means trusting his care more than one’s own capacity. The Christian learns God best by following him, not by theorizing about him. [63:11]
3. Rest grows where trust lives Sheep do not lie down when anxious, hungry, or threatened. Rest shows up when the Shepherd’s nearness settles the heart, and the verbs he makes, he leads, he restores do the heavy lifting. Self-shepherding exhausts; God-shepherding restores the soul. Provision, wisdom, and grace flow from his hand, not from frantic control. [73:25]
4. Stop camping in the valley The valley is for walking through, not for pitching a tent. Even though shapes courage, because presence replaces fear when the rod and staff are close. Valleys make prayer honest, and honest prayer becomes oxygen. The Shepherd carries limp saints until their feet find ground again. [81:10]
5. The enemy has no table seat The table means acceptance, fellowship, and belonging right in the middle of opposition. The Shepherd sits across from the believer, not the enemy, and that gaze resets desire and silences noise. Goodness and mercy then pursue, so chasing blessings becomes unnecessary. The cup overflows because the Host is generous. [86:36]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[35:14] - Hope and the power of prayer
[37:30] - Moses and God’s desert school
[41:07] - Teach us to number our days
[41:58] - Love, make peace, walk with God
[45:31] - Psalm 23 is a life psalm
[46:46] - David’s failures, repentance, restoration
[49:03] - Create in me a clean heart
[58:06] - Psalm 23 read aloud
[60:29] - The Lord, Yahweh, knows his sheep
[63:11] - The power of is and my
[65:34] - Why Shepherd is the chosen name
[72:29] - He makes, he leads, he restores
[73:25] - Trust to rest, quit freaking out
[79:46] - The valley and the Shepherd’s presence
[81:10] - Stop camping in the valley
[84:14] - A table in the presence of enemies
[86:36] - No enemy seat at this table
[89:33] - Goodness and mercy pursue
[91:08] - Communion at the Shepherd’s table
[93:03] - Romans 8 and unbreakable love
[96:49] - The presence of God is the goal
[104:53] - Sent to show the Shepherd’s care

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
- Psalm 23 (ESV)
- Psalm 90:12 (ESV)
- Romans 8:38-39 (ESV)

Observation Questions

In Psalm 90:12, what does Moses ask God to teach us, and what outcome does he connect to this request?
Psalm 23 begins with “The Lord is my shepherd.” What specific name of God is used here, and how does David’s choice of “shepherd” contrast with other titles like “king” or “judge”?
According to the sermon, why is Psalm 23 called a “life psalm” rather than just a funeral passage? [45:31]
What four actions does the Shepherd perform in Psalm 23, as highlighted by the verbs “he makes,” “he leads,” “he restores,” and “he guides”?

Interpretation Questions

Why might David emphasize the present tense (“The Lord is my shepherd”) rather than past or future language? How does this shape our understanding of God’s presence? [01:03:11]
The sermon states, “The valley is for walking through, not camping.” What might prolonged “camping” in difficult seasons reveal about our trust in the Shepherd? [01:21:10]
Romans 8:38-39 declares that nothing can separate us from God’s love. How does this truth reframe our perspective on fear or failure in valleys?
What does it mean that goodness and mercy “pursue” us (Psalm 23:6), and how does this contrast with chasing blessings? [01:29:33]

Application Questions

What practical step could you take this week to “number your days” (Psalm 90:12) and prioritize relationships or reconciliation you’ve been delaying? [41:58]
When anxiety arises, how can you intentionally shift your focus from “freaking out” to resting in the Shepherd’s nearness? Name one specific habit or reminder. [01:13:25]
Where are you tempted to “camp in the valley” of a prolonged struggle? What would it look like to take one step forward this week, trusting the Shepherd’s presence? [01:21:10]
How can you create daily space to “sit at the Shepherd’s table” — focusing on His presence rather than your problems? [01:36:49]
Who in your life needs to experience God’s pursuing “goodness and mercy” through your words or actions this week? [01:26:36]

Sermon Clips

73s

#WalkThroughTheValley

“Even though I walk through the valley, even though I walk can I just say something just just just to you with a heart of love? Stop camping in the valley. The valley is not for camping. The valley is to be walked through and it's hard and it's difficult, but too many Christians are pinching their pinching their tent in the valley and stay in there instead of walking through it. God. Preach it. I'm I'm just telling you, I I I understand the valley and I understand the temptation to stay in the valley when you have been knocked down and you got no breath and no strength to crawl. See, it's in that moment that the shepherd reaches down and he picks you up and he says, we gotta go through here but we ain't staying here. And he walks you through it until you get to the place that you could put your feet back on the ground and he says, we got stuff to do. That was a bad experience and you're never gonna ever forget it. But the one thing I want you to remember that I was with you in this valley.”

89s

#LoveNowMakePeace

“Love people while you can. Love people while you can. I I I can't stress that enough to you. Love the ones around you while you can. Don't wait till you're standing in the funeral home going, I wish I had. Make peace while you can was another incredible thing. Oh, God. If the church of Jesus Christ could learn to make peace. If we could get out of our denominational camps and cross the aisle and love our brothers that have a different theological point of view. If we could just learn to get around Jesus Christ and him crucified and him resurrected and him coming back, I think the rest of this stuff would kinda fade to black. Jesus Christ is the only one that's gonna save this world. It's not gonna be one of the isms that I keep talking about. There was not an ism on the cross. It was a person. His name was Jesus. He was perfect in every way and Jesus Christ was truth. If you wanna know what truth is, look at Christ. Truth is not a concept. It's a person.”

67s

#WalkWithGodNow

“Love while you can. Make peace while you can. Here's another one. Walk with God while you can. Walk with God while you can. Today is the day the Lord says, seek me while I may be found. Today, with God while you can. Quit putting it off, Christian. Quit pushing it back unbeliever. The one that you're stuck in sin and you wanna get out of it, quit pushing the Lord off and accept what he's done for you. Come on. Come on. Let him come into your life and and have this transformation happen. Quit thinking religiously and start thinking relationally. Quit checking the boxes. There's only one box at the gate of heaven. It's the Jesus box. And I don't care how much you show up with when you get there, the guy's gonna ask one question. What did you do with Jesus?”

59s

#SayYesToGod

“And you can go read the story, but what's very interesting about that is that, I've seen this over and over again in the life of the church. God will call somebody to something and the first thing they say is not yes, it's but. And they begin to give God all the reasons to why they can't do it. And that's not the point of God calling you. God is calling you because he wants to do something that you can't do. You have no power to do it. You have no wisdom to do it. You you you you you can't, and that's the whole point because he wants his glory to come through you into the world. Some of you got the call of God on your life right now and all you're doing is stiff arming him. You need to think about where you're at.”

60s

#LifeAfterRestoration

“And so we we we we see David is reflecting on Psalm 23 over a lifetime because he learned who God is. Do do you under do you understand the difference between knowing God or knowing about him and knowing who he is? See, David knew about God when he was a shepherd boy on a hill strumming a harp and writing psalms and watching after the flock. He was learning about God. It was at the middle toward the end of his life when he is a seasoned warrior, he's a king, he's been through it all, he's been there, done that, and he has seen God's faithfulness in his life over and over and over again, and now he knows who God is. This is David after the victories and after the failures and after the tears and after the repentance, and after the restoration. Do you know that there's life after restoration, guys?”

63s

#RepentAndBeRestored

“That you can have a massive failure and and and come to terms with it, and and and repent, and lay it at the feet of the Lord, and say, oh, God, help me. Oh, God, restore to me the joy of your salvation. God, I missed it. I sinned against you, and I have to take full responsibility. And God brings restoration into your life. It's a beautiful moment. And David has fought lions and giants and he's hidden from his enemies in a cave and he's worn a crown and he's buried loved ones and he has seen God remain faithful through every season. And he writes some of the most beautiful, incredible words in all of scripture and he says, the Lord is my shepherd. The Lord is my shepherd. See,”

81s

#ShepherdRestoresSoul

“See green pastures reveal the shepherd's provision. The still waters reveal the shepherd's wisdom. The restored soul reveals the shepherd's grace. David writes this as a restored man. He knew failure. He knew guilt. He knew what it meant to be brought back into the grace of God. A shepherd does more than fix circumstances. Did you hear me? A shepherd does more than fix your circumstances. He restores your soul. Vast difference. And he leads us in righteous paths not because we deserve them, but for his name. Those are my sheep. Those are my people. He's leading me for his sake. That people would be able to look at his people and understand that his people have a righteous shepherd. Has a faithful shepherd.”

78s

#StartWithGod

“The lord knows me. The lord is my shepherd. And see, David begins at in exactly the right place. And see, if you wanna know about God, you need to start with God. You don't need to start with a religious concept. You need to start with the one who started it all. See, David doesn't begin with himself. See, a lot of times we come to faith thinking it's it's all about me. And we hear the the the Christian message preached like it's a brochure at a timeshare somewhere. That all the amenities, if you come to faith, you're gonna get all these things. And and I wanna tell you something. If you're packing your life with stuff and things, you're gonna miss the shepherd. Amen. Because that's the only thing that matters. See, David starts with himself. He doesn't start with the sheep. He doesn't start with the pasture. He begins with God. He says, the Lord is my shepherd. And see, and everything from the rest of this flows from that.”

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The Lord Is My Shepherd: Living in His Presence

Devotional

Day 1: Burning Bush in the Mundane

Day 2: Theology Forged in Failure

Day 3: Rod and Staff in Death’s Shadow

Day 4: Table Set Before Enemies

Day 5: Goodness and Mercy Pursue You

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

The Lord Is My Shepherd: Living in His Presence

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