The Medicine of Still Waters

Sacred Song 23:1-3

“Grandfather is my shepherd. My lodge will always have plenty. He gives me rest in fields of tender sweetgrass and guides me near quiet and peaceful waters. Through these good medicines, he brings strength to my body and healing to my soul. He shows me the good way to walk with firm steps on the road of life, to bring honor to his name” – Psalm 23:1-3, FNV

For my people, water has always meant more than survival. We are river people. The Colorado River has held our stories, our prayers, and our way of life for generations. We do not have to travel far to find water because the river itself has always been with us, a living presence flowing through our homelands. Water is ceremony, water is prayer, water is medicine.

The psalmist sings of waters that are restorative and peaceful, waters that give rest and healing. These still waters echo the medicine we know well. They are where God restores exhausted souls and brings peace. God, our Shepherd and our Guide, leads us to waters that refresh the body and renew the soul.

At times, our spirits grow restless. Maybe the noise of life gets overwhelmingly loud, or our thoughts start circling without relief. In these moments, God invites us to step into still waters. Not the rushing flood, but the calm stream. Here we learn to breathe again. Here, peace touches us like cool water on a tired face. Here, hope restores, and in this place, we can be renewed for the journey ahead.

In Scripture, water is holy. It washes, it heals, it delivers, it blesses, and it announces. For Quechans, the river has always been more than a resource. It is a relative, teacher, and medicine, much like the psalmist names water and sweetgrass as signs of God’s care. To say, “My lodge will always have plenty,” is to trust that God provides what sustains both body and spirit. The sweetgrass reminds us of provision, the still waters remind us of peace, and together they tell us that God’s goodness continues to provide what we need.

Medicine for the Day

I receive the medicine of still waters; God restores my soul.