Breath prayer
The Shepherd
Psalm 23 · for winding down
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.
Psalm 23:6 · King James Version
The rhythm
- 4 counts in — The LORD is my shepherd
- 1 counts held
- 6 counts out — I shall not want
- 1 counts rest
How to use it
This is not a relaxation technique with a verse attached to it. Breathing slowly is simply what a body does when it is not afraid, and doing it on purpose tells your body the truth before your feelings have caught up. The words are the point. The breathing is the pace.
The lines, in order
- In: The LORD is my shepherd · Out: I shall not want
- In: He maketh me to lie down · Out: in green pastures
- In: He leadeth me · Out: beside the still waters
- In: He restoreth · Out: my soul
- In: Though I walk through the valley · Out: I will fear no evil
- In: Thou art with me · Out: Thy rod and Thy staff comfort me
- In: Goodness and mercy · Out: shall follow me
- In: I will dwell in the house of the LORD · Out: for ever
This is not mindfulness. It is the old Christian practice of praying one line of Scripture on the breath — a phrase going in, a phrase going out — which predates every wellness app by roughly seventeen centuries. If you feel light-headed, stop and breathe normally; if you have a heart or lung condition, ask your doctor before making a practice of it.