As we continue to look at this psalm everything is based on the understanding that “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want (I shall not lack, I have everything that I need)”. This has been my experience in my life, especially the last seven years when I have had to live without my precious wife of 53 years – going from living on a double pension to a single pension while most of my expenses still were the same. During this time I have experienced the provision of my shepherd. Verse 2 says “He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters”. I have discovered that sheep do not lie down of their own accord – they like to keep moving on. This is why the bible says that the shepherd makes his sheep to lie down. In the world in which we live there is great pressure to perform and to keep performing. As I look back over my lifetime there were times when I got caught on the merry-go-round of working long hours then my health suffered. I became short-tempered and my family life and marriage suffered. I am so glad that God gave me a good wife who helped me to live a more balanced life. God places so much importance on resting – after He created the world in 6 days he then rested. Genesis 2:3 says: “Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it”. Because in it He rested from all His works which God had created and made. When the children of Israel were delivered from Egypt God gave His people laws to live by – in Exodus 20:8 – 11, God said “Remember the Sabbath, to keep it holy, etc. While today we do not live under the law the way that we live should meet the requirements of the law. Hebrews 4:9-11a says: “There remains, therefore, a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered his rest, has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. Let us, therefore, be diligent to enter that rest”. Jesus said in Matthew 11:28 “Come to me all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest”. Jesus has a plan of rest for your life. One last scripture about resting Psalm 16:9b says: “ My flesh shall also rest in hope”. It is good to remember the difference between sheep and us – sheep can be made to obey – obedience to God is our choice. The second part of this verse is – He leads me beside still waters (Peaceful streams ). The shepherd leads the sheep to the best place to quench their thirst. I am reminded of an adage which says: “You can lead a horse to water but you cannot make him drink”. It is our choice if we quench our thirst. Psalm 42:1-2 says: “As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for you O God. My soul thirsts for God, the living God”. Today we have many choices for what to drink to try and satisfy our thirsting. Jesus said John 4:10b that “He is the living water” and in John 4:14 He said: “But whoever drinks of the water that I give will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life”. I am so glad that the Lord has provided rest for us and gives us the opportunity to be satisfied by drinking the living water.