The Missionary's Anti-Psalm 23
When we forget we have a Good Shepherd, we live and minister as if we are all alone.
8/18/2026
Psalm 23
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.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will 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 forever
Psalm 23 has long been a favorite passage of Scripture for many reasons. The imagery offered by the psalmist paints a picture of a competent, tender shepherd in whom the sheep can find life, protection, provision, and more. This is who the Lord is for his people. In Jesus, we have a Good Shepherd (John 10:1-18).
And it is the ascended, reigning Jesus—our Good Shepherd—who has promised to go with us to the nations (Matt. 28:18-20).
Now, though we love this passage, the challenge we face time and time again is believing it. So, we, with our misguided hearts, end up rewriting this beautiful psalm to something far less comforting.
Consider what it feels like when we forget that the Good Shepherd goes with us, in an anti-Psalm 23:
The Missionary's Anti-Psalm 23
I must be my own shepherd, because I am all alone.
Green pastures and still waters are a thing of the past, something I left behind when I left my home country.
My path is determined solely by the will of government officials, fluctuating financial support, and my best guesses as to what to do next.
Culture shock and stress will be the death of me.
I am terrified of the next challenge that awaits me.
I am in enemy territory now. Satan and the enemies of the gospel encircle me. It’s as if they ridicule me, and I am left to face them on my own.
I have been called to wander this earth and this life, forever searching for my home but forever living as an exile.
Missionary, which version of this psalm are you believing?
Senders, will you pray for your missionaries to cling to the beautiful promise of the Good Shepherd who has gone with them to the ends of the earth? Will you pray that their hearts and minds would be guarded from feelings of isolation and despair?