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The Secret of a Happy Day: Meditations on Psalm 23
For more than one hundred years, The Secret of a Happy Day has inspired and instructed readers with insights on Psalm 23. This classic bestseller describes the power and care of the Great Shepherd as it examines each line of the psalm. The book makes a wonderful devotional, offering thirty-one meditations‹one for each day of the month‹and challenging "Suggestions for Today" that help readers apply the theme of each entry to their lives. This edition of The Secret of a Happy Day contains updated language and content and uses the New King James Version of Scripture. Details and ideas are more accessible to today¹s readers, but the simple elegance of the message is consistent with the original 1899 publication.
112 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1899
About the author
John Wilbur Chapman
99 books3 followersJohn Wilbur Chapman (1859-1918) was a Presbyterian evangelist in the late 19th century, generally traveling with gospel singer Charles Alexander.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
January 1, 2018
Psalm 23, the Shepherd's Psalm, is so well known that one can kick into "automatic pilot" when it is encountered--- meaning that the mind sort of rhythmically repeats it without deeply considering the meaning. I was refreshed and encouraged by this 31 day devotional, and the opportunity to meditate on the beloved and timeless words. The Psalm is approached phrase-by-phrase and nothing is left out. Here is one quote I particularly liked:
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil . . . Psalm 23:4
"where there is a shadow there must be a light somewhere, and so there is. Death stands by the side of the highway in which we have to travel, and the light of heaven shining upon him throws a shadow across our path. Let us then rejoice that there is a light beyond. Nobody is afraid of a shadow, for a shadow cannot stop a man’s pathway even for a moment. The shadow of a dog cannot bite; the shadow of a sword cannot kill; the shadow of death cannot destroy us. Why therefore should we be afraid?"
This title can be found in entirety online. It is a slim volume that would make an encouraging little gift for someone who is suffering, though anyone can benefit from it.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil . . . Psalm 23:4
"where there is a shadow there must be a light somewhere, and so there is. Death stands by the side of the highway in which we have to travel, and the light of heaven shining upon him throws a shadow across our path. Let us then rejoice that there is a light beyond. Nobody is afraid of a shadow, for a shadow cannot stop a man’s pathway even for a moment. The shadow of a dog cannot bite; the shadow of a sword cannot kill; the shadow of death cannot destroy us. Why therefore should we be afraid?"
This title can be found in entirety online. It is a slim volume that would make an encouraging little gift for someone who is suffering, though anyone can benefit from it.
March 30, 2022
The book gave a new perspective on an old, well-known Bible reading. Much more of a living meaning rather than a Psalm for the end of life seemed to be the interpretation of this author. Good read.
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April 9, 2026"Fourth Day: "The Lord is MY shepherd." "This psalm belongs to us if we can truthfully say these first five words; then the rest of the psalm is our spiritual possession.
One of my friends was telling me the story of a traveler in Switzerland. He was a Christian. One day he came across a little shepherd boy to whom he told the story of the good Shepherd who had given his life for the sheep. He tried to teach him the twenty-third psalm but the little fellow could not read, and so made slow work of it. At last the man said to him, " I will tell you how to read a part of it on your fingers. Just take the first five words, and you will have a word for each finger." So the little fellow counted the words on his fingers, "The Lord is my Shepherd." This was only to keep them in his memory.
A while after that the same traveler was passing through Switzerland again, and thought he would look up his little shepherd boy. He came to the place where he had lived, and was met by the mother of the lad, who in answer to the inquiry concerning her boy said that he was dead. The gentleman expressed his sorrow, and said that he had hoped to see him again.
Then the mother said, "Are you the man that taught my boy to say something on his fingers?" He replied that he was, Then she said to him, "My boy, just before he died, told me to tell you, if you ever came this way again, that he died holding the fourth finger of his hand." The little fellow was just laying claim to the possessive pronoun "my."
I think I should like to die like that. But it is better far to know that we may live claiming this promise. He is my shepherd--all that he is is mine, his mind, his peace, his meekness, his gentleness, indeed, his spirit, all my own.
There is surely thus no excuse for failure, and there can be no reason why we should go astray.
"Thou art my light and my salvation;
Of whom shall I be afraid?""
- By Rev. John Wilbur Chapman
One of my friends was telling me the story of a traveler in Switzerland. He was a Christian. One day he came across a little shepherd boy to whom he told the story of the good Shepherd who had given his life for the sheep. He tried to teach him the twenty-third psalm but the little fellow could not read, and so made slow work of it. At last the man said to him, " I will tell you how to read a part of it on your fingers. Just take the first five words, and you will have a word for each finger." So the little fellow counted the words on his fingers, "The Lord is my Shepherd." This was only to keep them in his memory.
A while after that the same traveler was passing through Switzerland again, and thought he would look up his little shepherd boy. He came to the place where he had lived, and was met by the mother of the lad, who in answer to the inquiry concerning her boy said that he was dead. The gentleman expressed his sorrow, and said that he had hoped to see him again.
Then the mother said, "Are you the man that taught my boy to say something on his fingers?" He replied that he was, Then she said to him, "My boy, just before he died, told me to tell you, if you ever came this way again, that he died holding the fourth finger of his hand." The little fellow was just laying claim to the possessive pronoun "my."
I think I should like to die like that. But it is better far to know that we may live claiming this promise. He is my shepherd--all that he is is mine, his mind, his peace, his meekness, his gentleness, indeed, his spirit, all my own.
There is surely thus no excuse for failure, and there can be no reason why we should go astray.
"Thou art my light and my salvation;
Of whom shall I be afraid?""
- By Rev. John Wilbur Chapman
February 20, 2023
A beautiful, little gem. The perfect devotional. Despite being over one hundred years old, this book has astounding application for today.
August 11, 2025
Chapman does a fine job going verse by verse through the 23rd psalm thereby providing encouragement and guidance to believers as we navigate through our day to day lives.
January 1, 2014
I really don't like to rate any devotional this low, but I really didn't get much out of it.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews