David, the Shepherd King of Israel, wrote the twenty-third psalm. Perhaps no portion of the Old Testament is better known and oved than this portion of Scripture. Children learn to say it in their infant years, and it has brought comfort to countless souls both in life and on their death-bed.
There is a lovely story told of an actor and an old servant of Christ who both recited the twenty-third Psalm one evening. The actor held his audience spellbound as with perfect intonation and great impressiveness he repeated the six verses. After he resumed his seat, a great burst of applause filled the room.
The old pastor’s voice was far from perfect, but at the close of his rendering there was not a sound, nor a dry eye.
Approaching the old man, the actor laid his hands upon his shoulder, and addressing the company, he said, “I reach your eyes and your ears, my friends; he reached your hearts. The difference is just this I know the twenty-third Psalm; he knows the Shepherd.”
How is it with you, dear reader? Are you familiar with the words and the tune, but a stranger to the Shepherd? Or can you say, “The Lord is my Shepherd?”
ML 01/22/1967