Trading efficiency for beauty
The Lord Is My Shepherd (Part 1)
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The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name’s sake.
Psalm 23:1-3 (NET)
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While I’m partial to Psalm 1 myself, this is perhaps the most famous Psalm of today.
For good reason:
It paints a beautiful picture of resting in God’s goodness.
Something I learned about poetry in college and in seminary: it’s inefficient.
What I mean is, they use artistic, flowing, image-laden language to paint mental pictures and convey emotions. What they don’t do is efficiently tell you the thesis.
You can almost always sum up a poem in a single, pithy sentence.
“God protects us through all the ups and downs of life.”
Sure, that gives you the main message, but it’s not beautiful …
It’s not memorable.
And it doesn’t stir up the emotions in your heart of what it feels like to walk with God through green pastures, beside serene waters, restoring your soul.
We need poetry to do that.
Why does God lead us like this?
For the sake of His name.
Remember, names are much more than mere words. They carry your reputation. They are passed on to your family.
When Abram and Sarai joined in covenant with God, He gave them new names, breaking off a piece of His name (YHWH). Now they were Abraham and Sarah.
More amazing:
God took on their names too!
He became known as the God of Abraham … later, the God of Isaac … the God of Jacob.
Marriage is a great picture of this relationship.
It makes sense that the Church is the bride of Christ.
Much more could be said but I’m out of room.
— Ricky Ketchum
Copyright © 2026 by Ricky Ketchum. All rights reserved. Unauthorized duplication prohibited.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NET) are from the NET Bible® copyright ©1996, 2019 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from the ESV®Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright© 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NKJV) are from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.