Psalm 23: "I Long for Green Pastures"


Here’s another paraphrase of Psalm 23, written by Christine Frye, author of Through the Darkness.

Psalm 23
“I long for green pastures”

Your people are an Easter people.
But I am not an Easter person;
I cannot rejoice in the miracle of new life.

Lord, I know there must be valleys,
but mine reach down to hell.
Each time I climb to a mountaintop
I dread the valley on the other side.

Fearing the valley,
I cannot celebrate the mountaintop.

I long for fertile plans,
green pastures where I can catch my breath,
where I can rest my spirit,
where I can renew my resources,
before I must face the next mountain,
and the next valley.

Lord, I long to celebrate life,
I long to trust you more.
Forgive me for not living the life you gave me;
and give me courage to keep on trying.

— Christine Frye,
published by Wood Lake Books. 

For more paraphrases of Psalm 23,
click on Psalm 23 in the list of “Labels”
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