These Are My JOTtings, Part #2

Psalm 23 for Athletes

Adapted from the King James Version:

1. The Lord is my Trainer.
I shall not oversleep. I'll have as much as I need.

2. He maketh me to lie down to rest in an appropriate bed,
but not to become lazy.

3a. He leadeth me beside the still waters
to hydrate my body as He restoreth my soul.

3b. He leadeth me to rightly walk appropriate paths for the care of my body
as well as for the care of my soul for the glory of His Name's sake.

4. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
due to my poor eating habits and poor exercise practices or
through the choice of the Lord, regarding the responsibilities, that He has chosen for me,
then I will fear no evil, no injustice with which I might be tempted to accuse the Lord:
for thy chastening rod and thy gently guiding staff, they comfort me,
guiding me back to good health, if that should be His Will,
or through days of difficulty to the breaking of my pride,
while training me to live in agreement with His Will and for His Glory.

5a. Thou preparest a table of good and healthy food before me in the presence of mine enemies, my detractors, and all, who refuse to believe, that I can live a physically and spiritually healthy life in the Presence of the Lord.

5b. Thou anointest my head with oil as king, succeeding in all of your goals for my life. My cup runneth over, showing the Lord as my greatest Supporter and Provider in all of my endeavors, that are in agreement with His Will for my life.

6a. Surely the goodness of the best physical health, (that He hath decreed for me,) and His mercy (of not giving me what I really deserve) will follow me, manifesting their presence throughout the entirety of my life:

6b. ...and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever as the physically-fit and spiritually-fit athlete He has made me to be, who is prepared to serve Him eternally with the proper training, that He has expressed to me and in me throughout my temporal days on Earth.

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Written in my own words:

1. The Lord is the one, who has the right to tell me what to do.
Oversleeping is unhealthy. I only need the sleep, that is appropriate for my body.

2. He gives me proper rest in the bed, that is right for my body,
and He will not allow me to become lazy.

3a. He leads me alongside a quiet pond
to give me the chance to drink without fear,
hydrating my body as He makes my soul strong, again.

3b. He leads me to walk in the right way, in the right places, and for the best purposes
to the proper caring of my body
and of my soul for the glory of His Name's sake.

4. Now, this is a fact, even though I am permitted to grope
through that dark valley of Death's shadow for myself
or others, who are near and dear to me
because we've been eating badly
or exercising poorly or
through the choice of the Lord, regarding the responsibilities, that He has chosen for me,
then I will not be afraid of evil,
(nor will I assume, that there is some injustice with which I might be tempted to accuse the Lord):
for your spanking paddle and your gentle walking staff will both comfort me,
guiding me back to good health, in the Will of the Lord,
or through days of difficulty in which my pride is broken.
All the while you will be training me to live in agreement with Your Will and for Your Glory.

5a. You set a table before me of good and healthy food.
You set this table before me in the presence of my enemies,
who include my detractors,
and all, who refuse to believe,
that I can and will live a physically and spiritually healthy life in the Presence of the Lord.

5b. You pour oil all over my head to show the world, that you have chosen me to rule as a king,
succeeding in all of your goals for my life.
My cup is overflowing,
which shows that the Lord as my greatest Supporter and Provider in all of my endeavors,
that are in agreement with His Will for my life.

6a. It is absolutely sure, that the goodness of the Lord, (which creates the best physical and spiritual health, that He has decreed for me,) and, that His mercy (of not giving me what I really deserve) will follow me, showing that they are present throughout the entirety of my life:

6b. ...and I will live in the house of the LORD forever
as the physically-fit and spiritually-fit athlete He has made me be,
and as someone who is prepared to serve Him, eternally with the proper training,
that He has expressed to me and in me throughout my temporal days on Earth.

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Original King James Version of this passage:

(A Psalm of David.) The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

by Jay O'Toole
on July 20th, 2019