He Makes Me Lie Down

Jessie Lowry
20 hours ago
3 min read

A Reflection for the fourth Sunday of Lent by Rev. Jessie Lowry

Lectionary reading for 03/15/2026: 1 Samuel 16:1-13, Psalm 23, Ephesians 5:8-14, John 9:1-41

Selected passage for reflection: Psalm 23

Read

Psalm 23 NRSV

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 right paths for his name's sake.

Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I 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 overflows.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD my whole life long.

Reflect

We’ve all heard Psalm 23 many times over the course of our lives. We’ve seen it stitched into needlepoint, heard it read at funerals, and even encountered it woven into popular music and culture. As one writer puts it, Psalm 23 has become something of a “secular icon.” It belongs not only to the religious but to the human imagination. And that raises a question: why this psalm? Why does this ancient image of God as a shepherd continue to comfort people in a post‑modern world?

To understand Psalm 23, it helps to notice what comes just before it. Psalm 22 is a raw lament—full of anguish, fear, and abandonment. “All my foes surround me… my heart has turned to wax… my God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Psalm 23 follows that. Which makes it all the more remarkable. The psalmist has been through hell—and still dares to trust God to guide.

A shepherd guides in two ways. One is with the staff—used to pull sheep from danger or gently redirect them when they stray. The other is with the shepherd’s voice. Sheep may not be brilliant, but they know the sound of the one who loves them. Lent invites us to listen again for that voice amid the noise and urgency of our lives.

Try this simple exercise: name the things for which you are most grateful. Then name the things you most want right now. Ask yourself: Which would change my life more—losing what I’m grateful for, or gaining what I want?

The psalm speaks of green pastures and quiet waters because our souls need restoration. We were made to lie down—but we resist it. Our world moves at one speed, too fast, and we often work against the very rest we crave. Sheep only lie down when they feel safe. That, too, is the shepherd’s work.

Even in the valley—especially there—God draws near. Even at the table, where our enemies linger, grace is poured out until the cup overflows. Perhaps our greatest enemy is within: fear, pride, apathy, the impulse to run when we are most lost. Yet goodness and mercy pursue us. We cannot outrun God’s love. Lent invites us to stop running, to receive what is already being offered, and to rest—at last—in the care of the Shepherd.

Respond

In what areas of your life are you most tempted to run from God’s guidance or grace?
How might you listen more closely for the Shepherd’s voice amid the noise and busyness of life?
Which “needs” in your life are deepest—the things you want, or the things that restore your soul?
Where have you experienced God’s care even in your “valleys of the shadow of death”?
How can you practice resting in God’s presence this Lent, even for brief moments each day?

Rest

Shepherding God, You lead us to green pastures and quiet waters. You restore our souls and guide us through life’s valleys. Help us to stop running, to hear your voice, and to trust your care. Teach us to rest in your goodness, to receive your mercy, and to follow you with hearts open to life and love. Amen.

About the Author

Jessie has served as the solo Pastor of Christ Our Anchor Presbyterian Church in Annapolis, MD, for the last ten years. She is also a Board-Certified Chaplain with a particular interest in pastoral care. She attended Princeton Seminary for her M.Div, and she serves on the Dismantling Racism Team of Baltimore Presbytery. She is proud to have co-chaired the working group that created a successful proposal for the trailblazing Reparative Justice Fund. You can read more about that fund here. She is embarking this Spring on her first-ever clergy sabbatical and will love getting more time with her husband, two young children, and larger extended family.