"The Lord is My Shepherd"

A profession of joyful trust in the Lord as the good Shepherd-King.

The beautiful poetry of the King James translation of the Bible is something to savour. Although at times particular old English words can cause some misunderstanding, Psalm 23 is a passage that requires no additional translation.

It is a Psalm that many know off by heart.

The simplistic beauty of the Twenty-Third Psalm provides us light, insight, promise, assurance and peace in the knowledge that God in His awesome, magnificent, glorious and graceful ways 'will never leave nor forsake us' (Deuteronomy 31 v 8).

There are two main parts to this psalm: the Shepherd and His sheep; and the Host and His guests.

 

 The Lord is my Shepherd … that’s a RELATIONSHIP.

The Lord provides and protects but is also our King (cross ref John 10 v 11-15).

I shall not want … that’s SUPPLY.

Satan desires to deceive those who trust in God, and wants them to believe they are lacking and deprived of the good things in life. David tells us that to have God as our shepherd is indeed to have everything we want – true contentment of the soul. He who is all-knowing, all-powerful, and all-caring, is enough; He is sufficient. With Him we need nothing else (cross ref Psalm 73 v 25-26)

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures … that’s REST.

To lie down in contented, secure rest.
‘Green pastures’ is a metaphor for all that makes life flourish.

He leadeth me beside the still waters … that’s REFRESHMENT.

Leads like a shepherd – cross ref Isaiah 40 v 11.
“Water of resting places” i.e. waters that provide refreshment and wellbeing.

 He restoreth my soul… that’s HEALING.

While a shepherd provides his sheep with food, rest, and restoration, God provides His sheep with His Word, which is the principle means of giving spiritual nourishment, rest, revival, refreshment and restoration (cross ref Psalm 19 v 7a).

He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness … that’s GUIDANCE.

Guidance is recognised as one of the principle tasks of the shepherd. As a shepherd leads his sheep to places in paths that offer safety and well-being, taking care to avoid those that are dangerous; the Lord guides us in ways that cause us to be secure and prosperous in our hearts.

For his name’s sake … that’s PURPOSE.

The measure of a shepherd is the condition of his flock. God’s work of saving men by grace (through giving His Son Jesus to die on the cross for our sins) was for the purpose of bringing ‘praise to the glory of his grace’ (cross ref Ephesians 1 v 5,6, 12, 14).

Thus, the prosperity (of joy and love) in our hearts that we share with others in this world, brings honour to His name in that the love we have and show one another is the love that God himself has for us that displays  his goodness and graciousness.

 Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death … that’s TESTING.

In order for God’s sheep to be led to grassy meadows and restful streams, they must pass through dark and dangerous places. The ‘paths of righteousness’ (v. 3) are not always peaceful paths.

I will fear no evil … that’s PROTECTION.

While we are never promised there will be no evil, we can be assured that we need ‘fear no evil’ if we follow Him. 

For Thou art with me … that’s FAITHFULNESS.

God goes before us when the path is smooth, but He stands beside us when the way is dangerous and frightening. It is His presence which dispels our fears. 

Thy rod and Thy staff comfort me … that’s DISCIPLINE.

His 'rod' and 'staff' give us comfort, serving as instruments of protection, guidance and assistance; both used to ward off enemies and to rescue straying sheep. Disciplinary use of the ‘rod’ is also implied. Discipline seems unpleasant at the time, but is a comfort in the long term (cross ref Heb. 12 v 5-12) and a motivation for us to ‘make our paths straight’ (Heb. 12 v 13). While God may not always use His power to keep us out of trials, we can be reassured that His presence and His power will always be with us to keep us through our trials. As He Himself said, ‘I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you’ (cross ref Heb. 13 v 5; Deut. 31 v 6; Joshua 1 v 5).

 Thou prepares a table before me in the presence of mine enemies … that’s HOPE.

Here the second allegory begins. A magnificent banquet is provided by a most liberal and benevolent host; who has not only the bounty to feed me, but power to protect me; and, though surrounded by enemies, I sit down to this table with confidence, knowing that I shall feast in perfect security.

 Thou annointest my head with oil … that’s CONSECRATION.

'Consecrated' means to be set apart, dedicated; precious to the Lord for choosing to serve Him.
Perfumed oil was poured on the heads of distinguished guests, when at the feasts of great personages.

 My cup runneth over … that’s ABUNDANCE.

Satisfaction, significance, and security are all abundantly supplied.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life … that’s BLESSING.

Goodness and lovingkindness are probably the two most comforting attributes of God’s character; they are especially consoling in times of distress. God not only walks before us, leading us to places of rest and refreshment, but His goodness follows us from behind as well.

 ‘All the days of my life’: through all its changes; in every variety of situation; until I reach its close. Life indeed does end, and we ought not venture to speculate when that would be; but as long as life continues, we should confidently be assured that everything needful will be bestowed. The language is the utterance of a heart overflowing with joy and gratitude in the recollection of the past, and full of glad anticipation (as derived from the experience of the past) in regard to the future.

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord … that’s SECURITY.

To 'dwell' means ‘to spend one’s life in’… constant service of God with pure joy, peace, love, gratefulness, praise and worship, like that which is forever perfect and abundant in the place where God dwells, and where His Son, Jesus prepares a room for each one that trusts in Him (see John 14:2)…

Forever … Now that’s ETERNITY.

…in His eternal dwelling, Heaven.

 

The blessings and the calmness of soul which David experienced in his life and expressed in this psalm are a delight to know and experience. Assurance of them in our lives is a simply beautiful concept. We must be one of His sheep. In the words of the Good Shepherd Himself: “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish; neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand” (John 10 v 27-28).

‘He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart’ ~Isaiah 40 v 11a

 It is amazing to ponder that in order to become the Good Shepherd our Lord first had to become a sheep—‘the Lamb of God’ (John 1 v 29), and give his life so that we might be able to live with Him in Heaven! (John 10 v 15).

 May you ‘live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins’ ~Colossians 1 v 10-14.

 

 Let us grasp that God Himself never fails us, never leaves us, and never will forsake us. Know His voice and Follow Him! KNOW in your heart that he holds those he loves close to his own heart.