The Lord Is My Shepherd
This week, I'd like for us to take an in-depth look at one of the most popular chapters in the entire bible, one that many can recite from memory, the 23rd Psalm. As eloquently written as it is, there are many beautiful truths just below its surface, and our faith is strengthened as we search out the scriptures, and God reveals these things to us as we study His word. So, let us ponder the 23rd Psalm together...
"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me;
thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 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."
David, the writer of this Psalm, was a shepherd himself when he was young, and so he was very familiar with the duties and responsibilities of a shepherd. It is not known at what point in David's life that this Psalm was written, but it seems that it must have been in his later years, as the very nature of the Psalm lends itself to experience, and the provision and safekeeping of God through many trials. The psalm actually contains two very different analogies, one referring to the care and provision of a shepherd, and the other pertaining to a feast. Both have very valid points to make, and so, let's look at them verse by verse...
In verse 1, we read the beautiful and reassuring words..."The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want." As the Good Shepherd, Jesus not only leads and protects His flock, but at the same time, He supplies all their needs. In the original Hebrew text the phrase "I shall not want" is literally translated into a very emphatic "I want nothing", which implies the supply of every possible need, simply put, all that is required for well being and happiness is to be found in the Lord. However, if we are to be cared for and provided for by the Great Shepherd, we must be as sheep in His pasture, quiet, meek, humble, and ready and willing to be led.
Verse 2 tells us..."He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters." Notice here, He maketh me to lie down in green pastures...sometimes, we are reluctant to "let go, and let God", we are resistant to the idea of relinquishing control, or somehow fearful of the peace of mind that comes from simply resting in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. We seem to think that, without our efforts, without our oversight, that our situations will somehow spiral out of control. We must understand, however, that control is an illusion. It is only when we let go of the urge to govern and maintain our own lives, and let God take the reins, and lead us by His Spirit, that we will find ourselves in the paths of righteousness. Without His divine guidance, we are blind, and without His light, we have no focus, as we are told in Jeremiah 10:23..."O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his own steps." May we abandon this illusion of self control, and allow God to lead us beside the still waters, that we would live in peace and harmony with His will.
Encouragement and inspiration is found in verse 3, as we read..."He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake." When we are overcome with temptation, when we are weak, He will restore our souls. His love is such that He is not willing that any should perish, and His sacrifice for us is so complete that He restores us when we fall, and He cares for us when we are weakened or sick, as a Shepherd cares for his sheep. He leads us in paths of righteousness, not that we are righteous by our own merits, but that His righteousness has been transferred to us, as believers. For the sake of Christ, and His supreme sacrifice, the righteousness of God has been accounted to us, though we are so undeserving, and this, Praise God, is the very definition of grace!
Verse 4, being the midpoint of the psalm, marks the transition from one thought to another. It is in stark contrast to the first three verses, as it paints a darker picture, the semblance of danger and death, and the reliance upon the Lord for safety and guidance through these perilous times. "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." The shadow of death, which is the Hebrew phrase "sal-ma-wet", or "the death-darkness", is the Hebrew equivalent of the blackest darkness, a place of peril and torment, and here David asserts that even in the valley, or the lowest point, of this darkness, that he will not fear, because his God is with him. What an inspirational thought, that no matter the situation, or where we may find ourselves, evil is not to be feared, because God is with us, and He holds us in the palm of His Mighty Hand. Traditionally, the rod of the shepherd was used to guide as well as to count the sheep, as the shepherd would keep count as each sheep passed under the rod. Here, David refers to the comfort and reassurance that he feels as he passes under the rod, knowing that he belongs to God, as a sheep in His pasture. So, we see that God guides us and counts us as one of His own. The rod and the staff are one tool, the crooked end being the rod which the shepherd used to gently guide the sheep and which they passed under as they were counted. The staff was the long straight end which the shepherd would use to ward off wolves, dogs, or other predators which would seek to attack the sheep. We should take comfort in the knowledge that God is protecting us from our enemies, and from the attacks of the devil. Not that we will not be tempted, but that, as we are told in 1 Corinthians 10:13, God is faithful, and will "...not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." How blessed we are to be counted as God's own dear children, led by His Spirit, and protected as the sheep of His pasture!
Verse 5 gives us the analogy of the provision of God as a feast..."Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil: my cup runneth over." The Hebrew word for "table" is "shulchaan", which is literally translated as a king's table which is set for a feast. God prepares this richly appointed table in the presence of our enemies, who may look on in envy, but just as the rich man beheld Lazarus in the bosom of Abraham, and could not reach him for the great gulf which was fixed between them, so the enemies of God will have no place at His table. "Thou anointest my head with oil:"...The guests at a feast were often anointed with oil and perfumes, and God anoints us with the "oil of gladness" as we are told in Psalm 45:7. Furthermore, God reproved kings of enemy nations in 1 Chronicles 16:7 by telling them..."Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm." So we see that God anoints those who he provides for and protects. When we follow after God, and depend upon his provision, we will have all that we need and more. These blessings naturally lead to overflow, as David tells us..."my cup runneth over." What a beautiful picture of the abundance of love, mercy, and grace that our God has in store for us as the children of the King!
David closes out the Psalm with a majestic and reassuring proclamation..."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."
Just as the sheep are pursued by predators, but watched over and protected by the shepherd, so the goodness and mercy of God follow after His children. We, as believers, are graciously shadowed by the love and provision of our Shepherd throughout this life, and, because of His supreme sacrifice, we are able to contemplate the dwelling that He is preparing for us, where we will be with Him forever in the house of the Lord.
"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me;
David, the writer of this Psalm, was a shepherd himself when he was young, and so he was very familiar with the duties and responsibilities of a shepherd. It is not known at what point in David's life that this Psalm was written, but it seems that it must have been in his later years, as the very nature of the Psalm lends itself to experience, and the provision and safekeeping of God through many trials. The psalm actually contains two very different analogies, one referring to the care and provision of a shepherd, and the other pertaining to a feast. Both have very valid points to make, and so, let's look at them verse by verse...
In verse 1, we read the beautiful and reassuring words..."The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want." As the Good Shepherd, Jesus not only leads and protects His flock, but at the same time, He supplies all their needs. In the original Hebrew text the phrase "I shall not want" is literally translated into a very emphatic "I want nothing", which implies the supply of every possible need, simply put, all that is required for well being and happiness is to be found in the Lord. However, if we are to be cared for and provided for by the Great Shepherd, we must be as sheep in His pasture, quiet, meek, humble, and ready and willing to be led.
Verse 2 tells us..."He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters." Notice here, He maketh me to lie down in green pastures...sometimes, we are reluctant to "let go, and let God", we are resistant to the idea of relinquishing control, or somehow fearful of the peace of mind that comes from simply resting in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. We seem to think that, without our efforts, without our oversight, that our situations will somehow spiral out of control. We must understand, however, that control is an illusion. It is only when we let go of the urge to govern and maintain our own lives, and let God take the reins, and lead us by His Spirit, that we will find ourselves in the paths of righteousness. Without His divine guidance, we are blind, and without His light, we have no focus, as we are told in Jeremiah 10:23..."O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his own steps." May we abandon this illusion of self control, and allow God to lead us beside the still waters, that we would live in peace and harmony with His will.
Encouragement and inspiration is found in verse 3, as we read..."He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake." When we are overcome with temptation, when we are weak, He will restore our souls. His love is such that He is not willing that any should perish, and His sacrifice for us is so complete that He restores us when we fall, and He cares for us when we are weakened or sick, as a Shepherd cares for his sheep. He leads us in paths of righteousness, not that we are righteous by our own merits, but that His righteousness has been transferred to us, as believers. For the sake of Christ, and His supreme sacrifice, the righteousness of God has been accounted to us, though we are so undeserving, and this, Praise God, is the very definition of grace!
Verse 4, being the midpoint of the psalm, marks the transition from one thought to another. It is in stark contrast to the first three verses, as it paints a darker picture, the semblance of danger and death, and the reliance upon the Lord for safety and guidance through these perilous times. "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." The shadow of death, which is the Hebrew phrase "sal-ma-wet", or "the death-darkness", is the Hebrew equivalent of the blackest darkness, a place of peril and torment, and here David asserts that even in the valley, or the lowest point, of this darkness, that he will not fear, because his God is with him. What an inspirational thought, that no matter the situation, or where we may find ourselves, evil is not to be feared, because God is with us, and He holds us in the palm of His Mighty Hand. Traditionally, the rod of the shepherd was used to guide as well as to count the sheep, as the shepherd would keep count as each sheep passed under the rod. Here, David refers to the comfort and reassurance that he feels as he passes under the rod, knowing that he belongs to God, as a sheep in His pasture. So, we see that God guides us and counts us as one of His own. The rod and the staff are one tool, the crooked end being the rod which the shepherd used to gently guide the sheep and which they passed under as they were counted. The staff was the long straight end which the shepherd would use to ward off wolves, dogs, or other predators which would seek to attack the sheep. We should take comfort in the knowledge that God is protecting us from our enemies, and from the attacks of the devil. Not that we will not be tempted, but that, as we are told in 1 Corinthians 10:13, God is faithful, and will "...not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." How blessed we are to be counted as God's own dear children, led by His Spirit, and protected as the sheep of His pasture!
Verse 5 gives us the analogy of the provision of God as a feast..."Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil: my cup runneth over." The Hebrew word for "table" is "shulchaan", which is literally translated as a king's table which is set for a feast. God prepares this richly appointed table in the presence of our enemies, who may look on in envy, but just as the rich man beheld Lazarus in the bosom of Abraham, and could not reach him for the great gulf which was fixed between them, so the enemies of God will have no place at His table. "Thou anointest my head with oil:"...The guests at a feast were often anointed with oil and perfumes, and God anoints us with the "oil of gladness" as we are told in Psalm 45:7. Furthermore, God reproved kings of enemy nations in 1 Chronicles 16:7 by telling them..."Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm." So we see that God anoints those who he provides for and protects. When we follow after God, and depend upon his provision, we will have all that we need and more. These blessings naturally lead to overflow, as David tells us..."my cup runneth over." What a beautiful picture of the abundance of love, mercy, and grace that our God has in store for us as the children of the King!
David closes out the Psalm with a majestic and reassuring proclamation..."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."
Just as the sheep are pursued by predators, but watched over and protected by the shepherd, so the goodness and mercy of God follow after His children. We, as believers, are graciously shadowed by the love and provision of our Shepherd throughout this life, and, because of His supreme sacrifice, we are able to contemplate the dwelling that He is preparing for us, where we will be with Him forever in the house of the Lord.
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