DAY FORTY-ONE: 

The Lord Is My Shepherd 

Psalm 23:1-6 

Good morning! It's hard to believe that we've reached #41 in our 100 Essential Bible Passages study. Before we dig into a small but very meaty passage, a housekeeping detail:

Sermon.net, which hosts the sermon podcast, is in the process of moving to new a new system and it's proved more complicated than they had thought. I can't post yesterday's sermon and am not sure when I'll be able. I'll try to get the radio program uploaded, which is on another service. In addition to the sermon you'll hear the choir's anthem and other highlights of the service.

Now, on to what may be the most beautiful poem/song ever written. The Psalms were Israel's hymnal. In David's tabernacle and then later in the Temple choirs of Levites led the worshippers in singing them. They were a key part of synagogue worship during the exile and after. The Psalms express the gamut of human emotion, from abject sorrow, to hot anger, to overpowering fear, to unrestrained joy. Bono, the lead singer for the rock band U2, said, "What's so powerful about the Psalms are, as well as they're being gospel and songs of praise, they are also the blues."

When you read a Psalm, pay close attention to what's above verse one. Though many Psalms have no subtitle, most do. They can identify an author (David, Asaph, Ethan, the sons of Korah, to name just a few). They can give the context of when and why the Psalm was written (David fleeing from Saul, for instance). And they can give musical and liturgical directions (to the choirmaster, according to a certain tune and on a particular instrument). Our passage today says simply "A Psalm of David."

David, you'll recall, was a shepherd in his youth. He was out watching his father's sheep when Samuel came to anoint him as king. His experience in fighting lions, bears and wolves to protect the flock gave him confidence that he could defeat Goliath. During the quiet moments he had time to take out his harp and sing. Cowboys would sing to their cattle as they rode around the herd at night. It reassured them that someone was caring for them. I'm sure David's singing had a similar calming effect on his sheep.

At some point David realized that the Lord was his shepherd, just as he was shepherd over his flock. He reflected on this and gave us this beautiful Psalm. Let's look at it in detail. But first, a little background on sheep. Phillip Keller wrote in A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, "Sheep do not 'just take care of themselves' as some might suppose. they require, more than any other class of livestock, endless attention and meticulous care. It is no accident that God has chosen to call us sheep. the behavior of sheep and human beings is similar in many ways...our mass mind (or mob instincts), our fears and timidity, our stubbornness and stupidity, our perverse habits are all parallels of profound importance." Not very flattering for either sheep or us! Yet God knows and loves us, His sheep, and cares for us.

"I shall not want." That means I will have everything I need and lack nothing. The shepherd provides for the sheep and they don't have to worry about anything. Jesus said in Matthew 6:31-33, "Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." David then went on to list the ways in which his Shepherd ensured that he had what he needed.

"He makes me lie down in green pastures." In David's time any good land was farmed and livestock had to graze on marginal land. Grass was scarce, especially in times of drought. Further, if not tended properly, sheep will gnaw the grass off to the root, killing it (this is why in the old Western movies the cattlemen hated the sheepherders). The shepherd had to move his flock constantly, and sometimes they went long distances to find grass (Remember Joseph's brothers? They went to Shechem, some 70 miles from their home in Hebron, to find grass for their sheep). When they found good pasture the shepherd would let them graze to their heart's content. Then in the evening the sheep would lie down and rest under the shepherd's watchful eye. God is constantly at work in our lives, by His providence arranging the circumstances in our lives to lead us to His perfect will. 

"He leads me beside the still waters." Sheep have an instinctive fear of rushing water. If they were to fall into a moving stream, their wool coats would soak up water and make it impossible for them to get out. They would drown. So the shepherd will gather rocks and make a little dam, producing a pool of quiet water for the sheep to drink. The flock can drink the cool, refreshing water and be strengthened to move on. He gives us what we need in a way that we can receive and use it.

"He restores my soul." Having ample food and water, the sheep grew and prospered. The Lord has provided us with the milk and meat of His Word. Just as food and drink refresh and sustain our bodies, we need also to partake of spiritual food to sustain us spiritually. Time in Bible reading and prayer restores our souls.

"He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake." While cowboys drive their cattle, pushing them from behind, a shepherd must lead his sheep. Without someone to lead them they will scatter and find themselves in trouble. The Lord leads us in "paths of righteousness," the way of life. Proverbs 6:23 says, "For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life," The Lord leads us for His name's sake. That means to bring glory to Himself as well as to bless us. When we live as we should others take notice. And they also notice when we don't live up to our profession of faith in Christ. We can give God a good name or a bad name. He desires that we glorify Him in all that we do.

"Even though I walk through the valley of death, I will not fear for you are with me." Sometimes the shepherd would lead his sheep through tall, narrow canyons where it was dark and creepy. These canyons were known as the valley of the shadow of death, because the dark, confined space felt like the grave. David went through many trials and dangers, but he had confidence that the Lord would bring him through them all. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 1:8-10, "For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again." 

"Your rod and your staff, they comfort me." The shepherd's rod was a big stick that he used to ward off the wolves who tried to attack his flock. It was a very effective weapon at close range, and quite possibly the weapon David used to kill a lion and a bear. The staff a long stick with a crook at the end, like Little Bo Peep carries. The shepherd can use that crook to rein in errant sheep and bring them back to the flock. The rod is for protection, and the staff is for discipline. David finds comfort not just in God's protection, but also in His discipline. Hebrews 12:6 says, "For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives." Discipline is painful but oh so necessary!

"You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies." The shepherd would gather the sheep together at night. He would build a campfire to cook his evening meal. The light of that fire often revealed the ghostly eyes of predators that would dearly love to feast on the flock. But the light of that fire and the shepherd's presence kept them at bay. They were safe in the light. We are safe in God's light. 1 John 1:7 says, "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin." The sheep gathered round the fire reminded David of a banquet. Even though enemies lurked just beyond them, David and his sheep enjoyed safety. 

"You anoint my head with oil." Each evening the shepherd would examine the sheep as they came into the sheepfold. Many times they would have cuts and bruises from encounters with thorn bushes or from falls. They shepherd applied olive oil to the wounds to ease the pain and help them heal. Likewise God heals us from the wounds of life. Anointing with oil was also a sign of favor and welcome in Bible times.

"My cup overflows." God's blessings are more than enough. They overflow! God's generosity is amazing!

"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life." The word translated good in this context has a sense of well-being. God will preserve David in His goodness and sustain him. The word mercy is elsewhere translated as lovingkindness. It refers to God's disposition toward His creatures. He loves and cherishes us! We don't have to wonder if God loves us. His lovingkindness goes with us.

"And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." What a beautiful conclusion! Jesus said in John 14 that His Father's house has many mansions (rooms is probably a better translation, but mansions sounds better!). He has a place for us in Heaven, all ready for us when we arrive.

We can't leave the 23rd Psalm without looking at Jesus, the Good Shepherd. Jesus said in John 10:14-15, "I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep." David's beautiful words are a picture of how Jesus cares for us, His sheep.

Here's a fascinating video of a Jewish Rabbi explaining the 23rd Psalm: