Ecstasy

Psalm 23 is arguably among the most powerful (and renowned) passages in Scripture dealing with faith in God and offers instruction on how to deal with life’s inevitable vicissitudes. The secret of happiness is hidden in Psalm 23. First, one has to rely on the Lord who is being compared to a shepherd who has a rod (i.e., crook) and staff and takes care of His flock. We should never forget that we have to live a moral and spiritual life and understand that God is watching over us and cares what happens. Note that the Shepherd guides his flock on the path of righteousness and justice.

One must do more than simply rely on God. The Psalmist asks that we not be overly materialistic. “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want,” is not a message of asceticism. It is a message to humanity asking them to reduce their wants and needs and be satisfied with less. This will ensure that there will be plenty for everyone. It is greed that caused the Great Recession of 2008 and the loss of millions of jobs. In the long run, the desire for an ostentatious, flamboyant life filled with material goods results in unhappiness. True happiness comes from living a moral, righteous life filled with the love of family, friends, and people. One does not need to own five homes and a $200,000 car to be happy.