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Psalm TWENTY THREE

 Psalms [Praying our fear] 

Psalm 23_ 

The world is a scary place. If we manage, with the help of our parents / care-givers / teachers / friends, to survive infancy and childhood... we find ourselves launched into an adult world full of reasons to be fearful. Add to that the constant ‘terror watch’ that we’re on thanks to 24 hour news cycles and social media! 

 

[Group discussion starter] What are your recurring fears? 

 

Prayer brings fear into focus and faces it. But prayer does more than bravely face fear, it affirms God’s presence in it... 

 
[Read Psalm 23] 

 

This is a well-known Psalm. It takes real effort to read / hear / see it in a fresh way. 
Is there anything that you have never noticed before? 

 

 

[Activity] There are two big metaphors in this Psalm: the shepherd (verses 1-4) and the host (verses 5-6). Compare and contrast these two images. 

 

 

 

 

Look carefully at the shepherd (v1-4) 
How exactly does he care for his sheep? 

 

 

How does the setting of verse 4 contrast with that of verses 1-3? 

 

In verse 4, “I fear no evil” is a bold statement. 
What does it mean for you to say that? 

 

 

Look carefully at the host (v5-6) 
How exactly does he provide for his guest? 

 

 

How many times does the first-person pronoun (I, me, my) occur in this Psalm? 
What impact does this have on you? 

 

 

 

What is the most comforting thing that you have experienced in the life of faith? 

 

 

Psalm 23 is a weapon against fear. 
What fear, in your life, will you go to war against, using this Psalm prayer? 

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