Washing Hands to Psalm 23 in the Midst of a Pandemic
The Coronavirus is a pandemic that has rightfully captivated the attention of the nations and leaders of nations. It seems that everyone is responding and everyone is affected one way or another. However, even in the midst of daily conversations and news reports regarding COVID-19, this pandemic doesn’t have to define our days. We don’t have to wake up in the morning and rely upon the daily news to tell us how our day is going to go. Instead, we can wake up in the morning focused on and resting in the daily goodness and mercy of the Lord.
So how do we daily reflect on this goodness and mercy? I want to offer a practical recommendation.
WASHING HANDS WHILE RECITING PSALM 23
The CDC (Center for Disease Control & Prevention) recommends that we wash our hands for 20 seconds with soap and water. To help us make sure we wash for at least 20 seconds, they recommend that we sing the song “Happy Birthday” twice while washing hands. For those who prefer a different tune, CNN has published a list of songs from various decades that we can sing while washing our hands, including: Elvis’ “Jailhouse Rock;” and “My Girl” by The Temptations.
In order to quiet our hearts in the goodness of the Lord, I encourage you to skip the “Happy Birthday” and “Jailhouse Rock,” and instead, quote Psalm 23 each time you wash your hands.
There are only 6 verses, so while you may read them off your phone while you wash the first couple of times, I believe that you’ll have it memorized by the end of the week (if you’re actually washing your hands a lot). It takes about 20 seconds to sing “Happy Birthday” twice all the way through, and it will take you just a few seconds longer to recite Psalm 23.
In this way, you will be constantly reflecting on the goodness and mercy of the Lord much more than the daily news.
As you recite Psalm 23 for the 20 seconds of hand washing, reflect on some of the beautiful truths of this passage:
The Lord is my Shepherd—“My”—Celebrate the personal nature of this Psalm. “Shepherd”—Praise the One who guides, provides, and protects, and let us trust in Jesus as our Good Shepherd.
I shall not want—With the Lord as my Shepherd, I shall not lack. With the Lord guiding, providing, and protecting, we lack nothing that we truly need. The Lord has met our deepest needs for forgiveness, salvation, life, and peace with God.
He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters—The Lord is guiding. The Lord is providing. He knows where we need to be and leads us faithfully.
He restores my soul—He refreshes us in seasons of dryness. Are we Resting in Him during this pandemic?
He leads me in paths of righteousness—Our heart’s desire should not be for a path of ease and comfort; for a path of security and riches and good health. Our heart’s desire should be for a path of righteousness.
For His name’s sake—What God is doing, where He is leading, what He is allowing, will all ultimately be for His glory. I believe the Lord is leading us for our joy and His glory.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil—This is such a timely verse for us today. So many in our world right now feel as though this is the valley of the shadow of death. There is death and disease and sickness and fear and uncertainty. And yet in Psalm 23, David fears no evil. Now we might wonder, why would the Good Shepherd lead David through the valley of the shadow of death in the first place? John Piper responds: “To get to some better place…God has seen to it that the grazing pastures for his flocks are not fence to fence, but are separated by often very treacherous territory.”
For You are with me—David just described the scariest scene imaginable and then said that he is not afraid. And he’s not beating his chest when he says it. He is not boasting in his own courage. He has a very specific and simple reason why he’s not afraid and it has nothing to do with himself. The Lord is with him. Whatever else is going on around him, the Lord is right by his side—expelling all fear.
In a week of “Social Distancing,” avoiding one another, isolating ourselves, for some, even self-quarantining, how refreshing to remember that the Lord never leaves us. He doesn’t practice “social distancing.” No matter how sick we are, He is with us. He never leaves.
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me—This is the word we need today: A word of comfort. David is in the valley of the shadow of death and not only is he unafraid, he is comforted. He is not only acknowledging the absence of fear, he is rejoicing in the presence of comfort. David is comforted in an uncomfortable situation.
In the face of the Coronavirus, we have fear, and we try to curb that fear with a sense of control. If I have enough water, and soap, and toilet paper, and if I avoid large groups, and if I sanitize everything, then I’ll be OK. But the truth is, whether it is the Coronavirus, or some other challenge we face, no matter what is out there, our comfort and peace comes, not when we manage to control the situation, but when we trust the Lord to prepare all we need.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows—The simple truth that David has enemies reminds us that while the Lord leads us to green pastures and while we will ultimately dwell in the house of the Lord forever, there are also valleys and sufferings and hurts, hardships, viruses, and yes, even enemies.
But as we follow our Shepherd, there is victory. David has emerged out of the valley and will now enjoy the banquet table of the Lord.
The Lord is hosting a feast, preparing a table for David. He has anointed his head. The table is set. His cup overflows. The Lord has prepared it all.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life—David remains convinced that, in light of the character and nature of the Good Shepherd, goodness and mercy will daily pursue him. Every day of his life will be characterized, not by valleys and enemies, though they might be present, but by the goodness and mercy of the Lord.
And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever—The Psalm ends with some of the most joyful and hopeful words we can imagine. We have a forever home and it is with the Lord. This is an unending joy. A joy that never runs out.
Toilet paper may run out. Hand sanitizer may run out. The shelves might be empty, but there is something that we can always count on—something that we know will always be there—and that is the joy of dwelling with the Lord forever!
Jonathan Williams, Ph.D. (Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary) is the founder of Gospel Family Ministries, the author of Gospel Family: Cultivating Family Discipleship, Family Worship, and Family Missions, and the senior pastor of Wilcrest Baptist Church in Houston, TX. He lives in Houston with his wife and three children.