Psalm 23 - Safe, Secure, and Well Cared For
Psalm 23
Safe, Secure, and Well Cared For
God cares about your feelings.
Let me begin with a story. Imagine a board covered with red dots and green dots. Red dots point out problems—what's wrong. Green dots point toward solutions—what brings hope and healing.
There are a lot of red dots in the world. Everyone seems to know what's broken. But the real question is: where are the green dots?
While traveling, I spent time with someone who works closely with sober living houses—homes where men live together with the shared goal of staying sober. Each house has "house leads," men with lived experience who provide mentoring and leadership. Some would call it accountability.
During a visit to one of these homes, I noticed a whiteboard with everyone's name on it. Next to some of the names were red dots. I asked, "What are the red dots for?"
He replied, "Those show the housemates where they're falling short."
So I asked the obvious next question: "Okay… so what's the proposed solution?"
Silence.
Friends, as supporters, parents, pastors, and companions, we must deliver green dots.
• Green dots inspire.
• Green dots empower.
• Green dots provide hope.
→ How does that sound? What does a green dot look like for you?
Let's turn to Psalm 23 and see what King David identified as green dots. Psalm 23 is, in many ways, one long green dot. Every verse describes what God does for us. God is a solutions-giver. And God cares deeply about our feelings.
Psalm 23:1 — Safe, Secure, and Well Cared For
Psalm 23 begins:
"Grandfather is my shepherd. My lodge will always have plenty."—First Nations Version
The First Nations Version translates the divine name YHWH—rendered as LORD in most English Bibles—in a relational way. In Exodus 3:14, God reveals Himself as "I AM WHO I AM," emphasizing His self-existence, faithfulness, and eternal presence.
In many Indigenous cultures, social structures are deeply relational and egalitarian. The title Grandfather carries honor, dignity, intimacy, and loving authority. Grandfathers and grandmothers are deeply revered. Grandfather is the father of all fathers.
In Proverbs, wisdom is personified as a woman. The First Nations Version follows this tradition by presenting Wisdom as Grandmother, alongside her sister.
So when David says, "Grandfather is my shepherd," what comes to mind?
• Safe.
• Secure.
• Well cared for.
Now listen to how Jesus embodies this comfort:
"I am the gate for the sheep. The ones who enter by me will be safe and well cared for. Following the Shepherd, they will go in and out and find good food to eat. Thieves enter only to steal, kill, and destroy. I have come to give the good life, a life that overflows with beauty and harmony. I am the Good Shepherd… I will lay down my life for the sheep."—John 10:9–11, FNVNT
Jesus doesn’t just promise us a life that overflows with beauty and harmony—He lays down His life to secure it.
Psalm 23:2 — Rest and Connection
"He gives me rest in the fields of tender sweetgrass and guides me near quiet and peaceful waters."—First Nations Version
I love this image. David describes God comforting him through nature. This is both comfort and connection—an invitation into rest.
In week one of my 20-week Thrive course, we focus on sleep. Our anchor verse is Psalm 3:5:
"Because I know Grandfather watches over me, I sleep soundly through the night and awake with new strength."—First Nations Version
I work with families supporting loved ones in crisis, and one of the first things to disappear is sleep. Yet sleep is one of our most powerful tools for restoring strength.
→ Where does sleep fit into your journey of comfort? Maybe it's time to make sleep and rest a priority.
Listen to Jesus:
"Come close to my side, you whose hearts are on the ground, you who are pushed down and worn out, and I will refresh you… you will find rest from your troubled thoughts."—Matthew 11:28–29, FNVNT
Most English translations say "rest for your souls." I love how the First Nations Version puts it: rest from your troubled thoughts.
So much of my work involves helping people manage negative and intrusive thoughts. Here, Jesus is speaking directly to those who are worn out—offering rest for the mind and heart. That's Jesus caring about our feelings.
You've probably heard the phrase, "Live in the now." It's powerful because anxiety and depression often keep us trapped in past pain or future fear. When we learn to live in the present, symptoms often begin to ease.
Psalm 23:3 — Restoration and Healing
"Through these good medicines, he brings strength to my body and healing to my soul."—First Nations Version
God brings comfort through "good medicines"—sleep, nature, rest, and restoration. We explore relaxation in the Thrive course.
Jesus is the Great Physician. Listen to His words:
"People who are well do not need medicine… I have come to help the broken ones find the way back home."—Mark 2:17, Luke 5:32, FNVNT
→ What are your good medicines? How do they make you feel?
David says God restores his soul. The Hebrew word for "restore" is shuv—to return, to turn back. The verb form used in Psalm 23 indicates continuous, intentional restoration.
This is God's original design.
"I treat sin like a disease. We're not criminals—we're sick, and we need a doctor."
The starting point isn't that we are sinners. The starting point is that we are made in the image of God. Restoration is an invitation to return home—like the Father's love in Luke 15.
→ Maybe God wants to throw you a party. How does that sound?
God Makes Us Whole
Ephesians 2:8–9 reminds us that wholeness is a gift, not a performance. 1 Peter 1:5–9 speaks of being kept safe by trust, even while walking through seasons of sorrow. Revelation 12:10 declares that the good road has arrived—the road that sets us free and makes us whole.
It's not about what we do. It's about what God does.
God is the architect restoring His original design—like someone restoring a classic car, obsessed with making every detail whole again.
Recommended reading: To Heal or Harm: Scripture's Use as Poison or Medicine for Abuse Survivors by Steven Tracy
Psalm 23:4 — Comfort, Not Punishment
"Even if my path takes me through the canyon of darkness… your walking stick and chief's staff bring comfort and peace."—First Nations Version
God's staff isn't for striking—it's for guiding and comforting.
So many messages suggest that when we fail, God pulls away. But Hebrews says otherwise:
"I will never leave you or give up on you."—Hebrews 13:5, FNVNT
Never means never.
I once asked a mother, "Is there any force in the universe that could stop you from loving your son?" She said, "None."
Now that sounds like God.
Psalm 23:5–6 — Honor and Pursuit
"You prepare a great feast for me… You honor me with a headdress of many feathers."—First Nations Version
In Native culture, a headdress is reserved for the highest honor. Picture it—God honoring David.
I once encouraged fearful parents of a recovering son to replace fear with celebration. "Dress him in a tuxedo," I said. "Help him grow into the future you believe is possible."
And finally:
"Your goodness and love will chase after me all the days of my life. Grandfather's longhouse will always be home."—First Nations Version
God isn't waiting for you. God is chasing you.
→ How does that make you feel?
Remember—God cares about your feelings.