When I think about this psalm, I see it visually. I imagine myself lying in a wildflower meadow, surrounded by bees and butterflies. Then my God leads me along smooth, sandy paths. To my left is a stream, not too still, that would become stagnant. The stream is gently flowing into the centre of the picture and teeming with fish. To my right are rough dangerous places, places where I could slip, fall and face the shadow of death. Then beyond that, still to my right is a wonderful city which appears to be sitting on a hill, though for some reason, in my vision it is down in a valley.
I’m enjoying the wildflower meadow but I know I will need to travel to the right and pass through the dangerous valley. Then I shall immerge on the other side and enter that wonderful city. As the psalmist tells me, ‘I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.’