The familiar words of the twenty-third Psalm, "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want," and, "I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever," are more than simple statements of fact. They are declarations of unalterable truth which, when understood, have a profound effect on our lives. They promise the fulfillment of our hopes for a useful and successful life.
In the light of Christian Science these words mean that, since man is the child of God, He guides and takes care of each one of us. The words, "I shall not want," may be applied to any condition which confronts us. If we are beset by sickness and disease or overcome by a sense of weakness, we can know that because God, good, has all-power and is omnipresent, we cannot lack health or strength. If we are in want, we can be assured that because God, Spirit, is the source of supply, His spiritual ideas are ever at hand to meet the human need; and we therefore cannot be deprived of any rightful supply. When mortal mind claims to bind us with restricting conditions, we can know that false beliefs cannot interfere with the boundless freedom that is man's divine, uninvadable right.
Mary Baker Eddy realized that spiritualization of thought is necessary in order to gain release from bondage. In her textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," she says (p. 242), "Denial of the claims of matter is a great step towards the joys of Spirit, towards human freedom and the final triumph over the body."
