Day 1 | The LORD – Alex Kes

In our modern world that’s driven by endless hurry, noise, and Instagram influencers, who we look to first matters and spiritually shapes who we become.

Before King David ever speaks about God’s provision, guidance, or protection, he simply begins with God’s name. “The LORD…” That’s far from an accident. It’s intentional and foundational for the rest of Psalm 23 and our lives. 

Although it’s an incredibly easy detail to overlook with Western eyes, “the LORD” carries an enormous amount of weight in the original language of the Old Testament. In the Bible, whenever “the LORD” appears in all capital letters, it represents God’s personal name, Yahweh (I AM WHO I AM). 

So, why does this name matter for 21st century Americans?

Yahweh is the name that the Triune God revealed to His people to describe who He truly is, not just what He does for them.

Everything in our universe has an origin, something that created it, sustains it, or influences it. But not our God. The LORD is the only Being in the entire cosmos who is self-existent and self-sufficient. He’s not dependent, limited, or shaped by our world’s circumstances or the evening news. He simply is.

This reality and truth immediately sets Him apart from everything else we rely on in this life. We presently exist in a world where almost everything is unstable on some kind of level. Peoples’ emotions shift in an instance. Special dinner plans fall through. Jobs get eliminated without a second thought. 

Even the things we trust most can disappoint us. There’s always this sense that something could go wrong, break, or spin out of our control. And because of that, many of us live with a low-grade anxiety in the States that’s constantly trying to secure, manage, and hold everything together by a single thread. 

But Yahweh is entirely different.

He doesn’t fluctuate. He doesn’t improve or decline like the stock market. He isn’t reacting to the world; He stands above it all. He isn’t figuring things out on the fly, He’s already fully complete in wisdom, power, and presence. There has never been a single moment where our God was uncertain and there will never be one.

That’s why King David starts here!

Because if we begin with our everyday circumstances, we will always feel unsteady. If we begin with our needs, we will always feel like something is missing. But if we begin with the LORD, with Yahweh, we anchor our lives to Someone who is never-changing in our ever-changing world.

Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

This is so much more than a nice theological concept, it’s a shift in one’s perspective. It means our starting point is no longer “What’s going on around me?” but “Who is God?” It means our confidence is no longer rooted in how things look or feel, but in the never-changing nature of the One we put our trust in. It means that even when our lives feel unpredictable and falling apart, our foundation isn’t.

And there’s something deeply grounding about this.

Because when everything else feels uncertain, we need something that isn’t. When our thoughts are racing and our emotions are loud, we need a reference point that doesn’t move no matter what. 

Yahweh is that reference point. He isn’t just present in our lives, He’s constant in His character and heart toward us.

King David understood this despite his own brokenness. That’s why he doesn’t rush past God’s name. He lets it set the tone for everything else that follows. Before anything else is stated about his life, the focus is solely placed on who God is first.

And that invitation is also available to us, too. To slow down enough to start in the right place. Not with our worries. Not with our questions. Not even with our daily needs. But with the LORD.

REFLECT

1. Who or what is shaping your way of life?

2. Where can you depend on the LORD this week?

PRAYER

LORD, You alone are never-changing. Thank you for being the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. I confess that I often try to control my own life instead of surrendering it all to You. Help me Holy Spirit to become dependent on You like a child. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Amen.

TAKE ACTION TODAY

Before starting your day, take one minute to pray: “LORD, You are the Great I AM, reveal yourself to me today and always.” Then choose one choice, big or small, where you will intentionally draw near to His majesty.