A Devotional Journey Through the Psalms: Psalm 23

A Devotional Journey Through the Psalms: Psalm 23
-Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. Yea, 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. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever (Psalm 23).
 
This simple story takes us to the heart of Psalm 23, one of the most beloved portions of Scripture ever written…
 
At a social function, an aged minister asked an actor who was in attendance to recite something from memory. The actor, thinking to please the minister, decided to recite the Twenty-Third Psalm.

With perfect diction, elocution and in delicate shades of tone, he repeated the psalm in a manner that caused the audience to reveal their enthusiastic praise and applause.
 
Afterward, the actor, in order to honor the minister, asked if he would recite something for them. The minister could not think of anything and decided, if it was okay with everyone present, to repeat the Twenty-Third Psalm. Quietly, prayerfully, he slowly began to speak out the psalm as it came to mind. At its end, those in attendance sat hushed.
 
Taking the preachers hand in his, the actor said, “We both know the psalm, but it is clear to us all, that you know the Shepherd.”
 
Insight: Sheep don’t need a plan, they need a shepherd!

Restore, Renew and Refresh in the Psalms

Green Pastures. Quiet Waters. Righteous Paths.

meetinginthemeadow.com

 
#psalms #devotional #devotion #roylessin #meetinginthemeadow

©2026 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. Photo by Marina Bromley. Used with permission, all rights reserved.
 

A Devotional Journey Through the Psalms: Psalm 22

A Devotional Journey Through the Psalms: Psalm 22

-Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow

 

A posterity shall serve Him. It will be recounted of the Lord to the next generation, They will come and declare His righteousness to a people who will be born, That He has done this (Psalm 22:30-31).

 

From the moment of the fall of the human race in the garden, God’s redemptive work of forgiveness and salvation began to be revealed…And the story continues to be told from generation to generation.

 

At the end of the 19th century an organization called Gideons International was formed. One of their goals was to place copies of the Bible in public places such as hotels, hospitals, and prisons.

 

Approximately 50 years later a Bible was placed in a Las Vegas hotel room by a member of the Gideons. My father, an Orthodox Jew, was staying at that hotel. He was gambling in the hotel casino but became restless. He returned to his room, and to his surprise, discovered a Gideon Bible in his nightstand. Curiously, he began to read. The next morning, after stealing the Bible and hiding it in his suitcase, he checked out of the hotel.

 

Six months later, he was reading in the book of Isaiah. As he read chapter 53, his spiritual eyes were opened to see that Jesus was the Messiah of whom Isaiah spoke. That day he became a believer and a follower of his Messiah.

 

Since that time the salvation that he found in Jesus Christ has been heard and received by his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. From generation to generation, God’s light continues to shine. As Psalm 22 declares, “This is a work that God has done.”

Insight: How much does Jesus love you? He loved you to death!

Insight: Jesus’ suffering upon the cross was for you so you could be forgiven and have eternal life. Be His light to your generation. “May the Lamb that was slain receive the reward of His suffering.”

Restore, Renew and Refresh in the Psalms
Green Pastures. Quiet Waters. Righteous Paths.
meetinginthemeadow.com
 

#psalms #devotional #devotion #roylessin #meetinginthemeadow

©2026 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. Photo by Marina Bromley. Used with permission, all rights reserved.

A Devotional Journey Through the Psalms: Psalm 21

A Devotional Journey Through the Psalms: Psalm 21

-Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow

Be exalted, O Lord, in Your own strength! We will sing and praise Your power (Psalm 21:13).

 

God, who is good, can bring to your life the blessings of His goodness, the favor of His kindness, the security of His mercies, and the fulness of His salvation. How is it possible for God to do these things in your Life? It is because of the following four attributes that only God possesses…

 

The first attribute is God’s daily presence; Without the Lord you have nothing that really matters. But in His presence you have everything that matters most. Without Him you would easily fall prey to every spiritual enemy who is against you. God’s presence is the difference maker!

 

The second attribute is God’s limitless knowledge; God is not only with you, but He knows you. Every part of you. Inside and outside. Head to toe. He made you. Formed you and shaped you. He “gets you”. He knows your thoughts. Your needs. Your gifts. Your talents. Your sense of humor. Your interests. Your likes and dislikes. Best of all, He knows your heart!

 

The third attribute is God’s loving care; God is not only with you and knows you, but He also cares about you. If He didn’t care about you, He would walk away. He wouldn’t respond to your needs or listen to your cry. But He does cares for you, deeply, as a father cares for his child, or as a mother comforts her young. Everything that happens to you matters to Him.

 

The fourth attribute is God’s unmatchable might; Even though God is with you, fully knows you, and truly cares about you, if He lacked the power to keep you or fulfill His promises to you, all would be lost in the end. God, however, is all victorious! You can rejoice for the Lord God almighty reigns. The Lord is strong in word, in character, and in deed. He is almighty in resources and in authority. He and He alone has the final say!

 

Insight: God’s greatness is revealed, not only in the big things of life, but in the tiniest details.

Restore, Renew and Refresh in the Psalms

Green Pastures. Quiet Waters. Righteous Paths.

meetinginthemeadow.com

 

#psalms #devotional #devotion #roylessin #meetinginthemeadow

©2026 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. Photo by Marina Bromley. Used with permission, all rights reserved.

A Devotional Journey Through the Psalms: Psalm 20

A Devotional Journey Through the Psalms: Psalm 20

-Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow

May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble; May the name of the God of Jacob defend you; May He send you help from the sanctuary And strengthen you out of Zion; May He remember all your offerings And accept your burnt sacrifice. Selah. May He grant you according to your heart’s desire And fulfill all your purpose. We will rejoice in your salvation, And in the name of our God we will set up our banners! May the Lord fulfill all your petitions. Now I know that the Lord saves His anointed; He will answer him from His holy heaven With the saving strength of His right hand (Psalm 20:1-6).

Psalm 20 is the “encouragement for those who pray” psalm. It is filled with “mays” not “maybes”.

It begins by the writer offering prayers for us and ends with the blessings that prayer brings to us.

 

The Lord not only answers your prayers, He is also the Answer to your prayers:

• In times of trouble the Lord will be your Shield around you, and your Defender on every side.
• When you need help, the Lord will quiet you with His love.  He is your ever present help in time of need.
• In your weakness, the Lord will be your strength. He will raise you up to higher ground. He is the Almighty one who has placed His hand of blessing and covering upon your head.

He is the only one who is able to fulfill all the desires He has placed within you. His plan for you will continue to unfold. His purpose for you continues to have eternal meaning. Marvelous are His ways with you.


Insight: Psalm 20 is a wonderful prayer to personalize. Here’s how. Whenever you see a personal pronoun replace it with your name instead.

Insight: Prayers are requests not solutions, petitions not suggestions, supplications not manipulations.

Restore, Renew and Refresh in the Psalms

Green Pastures. Quiet Waters. Righteous Paths.

meetinginthemeadow.com

 

#psalms #devotional #devotion #roylessin #meetinginthemeadow

©2026 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. Photo by Marina Bromley. Used with permission, all rights reserved.

A Devotional Journey Through the Psalms: Psalm 19

A Devotional Journey Through the Psalms: Psalm 19

-Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow

The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them Your servant is warned, And in keeping them there is great reward (Psalm 19:7-11).

Psalm 19 holds within its verses a transforming revelation of why the words spoken by God are so beautiful, powerful, and life-giving. Here are five examples:

The Lord’s law.

It is God’s way of giving direction and instruction. If the GPS in your car consistently took you to the wrong location you would quickly mistrust every instruction it sent your way. The freedom found in God’s law comes from its perfection. No need to fear or worry about God’s laws, they will bring your soul rest and reassurance. They won’t confuse you, deceive you, or mislead you.

The Lord’s testimony.

The testimony of God bears witness that everything that He speaks is true. Nothing is fake. Nothing is false. Every word from God is a reality word. Nothing shaky or sneaky can be found. His word is the daily sustenance the wise can feed upon.

The Lord’s statutes.

God’s word causes our hearts to celebrate the authority of our King. God’s laws and commandments have weight because God alone has the authority to speak them. God alone reigns and rules over all that He has written. Our heart obedience to what God has spoken always puts us in the right place for the right reason.

The Lord’s commandment.

God’s commandments are such a blessing to us. It is His way of letting us know how life should be lived, how relationships should be built, how values should be formed, and how priorities should be established. Like the opening of a rose, God’s commandments are the unfolding of perfect love.

The Lord’s judgments.

God, as our judge, will always get it right. He knows and understands every thought and intent of the heart. His holy laws and commandments reveal our sin and show us our need of a Savior. His mercy welcomes every repentant sinner to receive His cleansing and forgiveness. God sent His Son to make our salvation possible. Jesus died in our place. The judgement for our sins was placed upon Him. He died so we could live and become a part of His family of the redeemed.

Insight: God is good, righteous, true and just. All the time!

Insight: The fear of the Lord comes to our hearts because God’s word is not a collection of suggestions, but a revelation of absolute truth.

Restore, Renew and Refresh in the Psalms

Green Pastures. Quiet Waters. Righteous Paths.

meetinginthemeadow.com

 

#psalms #devotional #devotion #roylessin #meetinginthemeadow

©2026 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. Photo by Marina Bromley. Used with permission, all rights reserved.