But how does God do this? But the shepherds here use dogs and fences to drive and control the sheep. Please see Blue Letter Bible's Privacy Policy for cookie usage details. ii. But it is still the path that leads to righteousness. There is no if nor but, nor even I hope so; but he says, The Lord is my shepherd. (Charles Spurgeon). 6 Surely goodness and loving kindness shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in Yahwehs house forever. April 17, 2011. Pastor and teacher John MacArthur covers the complete Bibleevery passage of the Old and New Testaments, phrase by phrasein this valuable one-volume resource. I had good medical care. These cookies collect information that is used either in aggregate form to help us understand how our website is being used or how effective our marketing campaigns are, or to help us customize our website and application for you in order to enhance your experience. This gives us amazing confidence when we need it most. [5] We need to make sure that we have a Middle Eastern understanding of the Shepherd. We fully respect if you want to refuse cookies but to avoid asking you again and again kindly allow us to store a cookie for that. The Shepherds Crook. Scripture: Psalm 23. Commentaries; Sermons. God as our shepherd not only leads but restores as well. John is also president and featured teacher with Grace to You. He first spoke them for Israels sake, but he caused Isaiah to record them for our sake. The mercy here comes from the Hebrew word Hesed which depicts Gods covenant faithfulness. SCRIPTURE QUOTATIONS are from the World English Bible (WEB), a public domain (no copyright) modern English translation of the Holy Bible. To be invited to a persons table was an honor. It has not made the dying Christian slave freer than his masterNor is its work done. The Whole Bible David wrote Psalm 23 based on his experiences with God. It has charmed more griefs to rest than all the philosophy of the world. Another such honor would be an invitation for dinner at the White Housepreferably dinner with the President and a small group of his key people although a large state dinner would also be interesting. Hebrews 13:20-21 May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him His present care and provision for His people God was the one providing for him, God was the one anointing his head with oil (which was what gracious hosts did for their guests in Israel) so he knew that he would have more than enough! A great promise indeed! Daily devotional with John Piper. The shepherds rod was a sturdy club for use against wild animals that would otherwise prey on the sheep. 1.Jehovah is my shepherd. What is also interesting, even before we get into the actual verses, is that this Psalm is part two of what we could call a Messianic trilogy. i. With joy you will draw water out of the wells of salvation (Isaiah 12:3). c. You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over: Despite the dangers about and the presence of enemies, David enjoyed the richness of his hosts goodness. They have been comforted, strengthened, and warmed by the thought that the LORD would shepherd them through the valley of the shadow of death. This one-volume commentary on the entire Bible from one of America's foremost Bible expositors offers instead a minilibrary of understandable resources designed to convey the Bible's overarching message with historical and theological clarity. But there is a greater provision and far greater blessing still to come. Do we feel that our spirituality is at its lowest ebb? It is a psalm which has been sung by good Christians, and will be while the world stands, with a great deal of pleasure and satisfaction. That is some revelation! iii. When I was serving in Vietnam as a chaplain, I visited soldiers in the A Shau Valley near Laos. God refuses to let the godly go hungry. In Psalm 23, however, the psalmist declares that the Sovereign of the universe, the Creator of all things, can be described using "my," that the Lord attends to me in a personal way. Nobody is afraid of a shadow, for a shadow cannot stop a mans pathway even for a moment. He had a sidekick with him who spoke on 'I will build my church'. David knew all about this. Instead of speaking about his Shepherd, David speaks to Him. Again, there is comfort in the fact that God directs us and even discipline from the Lord (pulling us back into line!) When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned, Yea, though I walk, as if the believer did not quicken his pace when he came to die, but still calmly walked with God. Poetical Books But Jesus is the good Shepherd. You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. But the confidence David had is that the great shepherd will always know what we need and when to provide it. The words are not in the future tense, and therefore are not reserved for a distant moment. (Spurgeon). Joy -- You anoint my head with oil and my cup runs over. David experienced the goodness and mercy of God from His tender care. Forever. Psalm 23:4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death. All of John's 3,000 sermons, spanning more than four decades of ministry, are available for free on the Grace to You website. Sometimes those paths lead straight through the valley of the shadow of death. If there is a wire fence, they'll get caught in it. Jesus honored his disciples by inviting them to a table where he served them bread, saying, I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I tell you, I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God (Luke 22:15-16). The New Testament God anoints His people with oil just like how shepherds anoint their sheep with oil. The image exudes a sense of rest, comfort, and care. [5], We need to remind ourselves of this all the time. Jesus honors us by inviting us to his table, saying, This is my body that is for you. So God will always lead us into that which is right and that which is true. ), The New Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible, 5 vol. Usernames should only contain letters, numbers, dots, dashes, or underscores. It is a necessary method to protect the sheep. He guides me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. John 3:16, Jesus faith love), The Whole Bible Error: Passwords should have at least 6 characters, Error: Usernames should only contain letters, numbers, dots, dashes, or underscores. Note: MLA no longer requires the URL as part of their citation standard. Blue Letter Bible study tools make reading, searching and studying the Bible easy and rewarding. And I used to always think 'Well! Wisdom Literature Sun Valley, CA 91352 But we need to learn to lie down. ii. It was never used on the sheep. But, it does entitle David to experience Gods provision and providence in their midst. But if it is an honor to be invited to the Presidents home, it is an infinitely greater honor to be invited to the Lords house. David could say God is my shepherd because of his personal experience. Regardless of destitution, famine, storms, and other uncertainties, Gods flock is well-provided for in all seasons. He is a great leader who leads people to righteous living. What humanity needs now is the restoration of hope and joy. But it is there that you learn that though you may not be able to see the shepherd as well as normal, He can see you and is still protecting you! The Experiencing God Study Bible : the Bible for knowing and doing the will of God - Blackaby, Henry (1996) 1968 pages - CHECK THIS ONE! Davids former occupation was a humble shepherd. Wow! Countless experts also argued that David wrote it during the later years of his kingship because of its nostalgic and tranquil tone. Nederlandstalige Bijbelstudies door Stan Marinussen, Copyright - Enduring Word | . We may request cookies to be set on your device. The Old Testament In all of those things he was also being pursued the goodness and loving kindness of his great Shepherd. May God grant us grace to dwell in the serene atmosphere of this most blessed Psalm! People need comfort and encouragement. Gods presence enables David to feast in perfect security. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters., God as a shepherd knows where to lead His flock to rest. Kansas City, Missouri 64118, 2017 The Spurgeon Center and Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. That symmetric bracketing was a literary device intended to focus attention on the middle phrase, for you are with me. Gods saving presence is the focal point of this psalm. Psalms 23. Wisdom Literature They are in need of a good shepherd who will provide, protect, and guide his sheep. He wanted to depict the marvelous work of God in his life and encourage many believers with his testimony. The light shines the brightest in the dark. Not will be, like you look forward to something He will do but IS - present tense. So here is a man who has had to depend upon His Shepherd and is finding Him faithful even in trying times. It is expressed in this verse - Rom Would you prayerfully consider a gift of support today? He is a great shepherd. God is holy, and takes his holy name seriously: Since God is holy, we as Gods people need to insure that we do not tarnish his name by our wrongful words or actions. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death (v. 4a). 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. (Heb 5:12-14) [8]. General Epistles Click to enable/disable _gat_* - Google Analytics Cookie. He leads me - Jesus our Shepherd is in the business of leading and bringing you to a place of rest. But he would then carry that lamb while its leg mended and apparently, once healed, that lamb would never wander off from the shepherd again. But the love for our Saviour is great, with us waiting patiently for a time all these woes will come to an end. Published by Thomas Nelson, 2005. a. Whatever be the believers position, he is even now under the pastoral care of Jehovah. 3 He restores my soul. (1.) It's not somewhere that you set up camp thinking that is all you will ever know. We might say that the shepherds presence did not eliminate the presence of evil, but certainly the fear of evil. Nor is he saying that 'the LORD is my Shepherd, I get everything I want'. 1 Peter 5:4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away. The green pastures and waters spoken of in this verse were often some distance apart and the shepherd would have to lead his flock to these places. The world is now experiencing a dreadful pandemic. This is a great shame because it is not a psalm of death! Psalm 23 distinctively stands out compared to other chapters in the Book of Psalms and receives a larger magnitude of respect. For a shepherd, the healing purpose would be significant. Blue Letter Bible is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. They are still waters, for the Holy Ghost loves peace, and sounds no trumpet of ostentation in his operations. The following cookies are also needed - You can choose if you want to allow them: You can read about our cookies and privacy settings in detail on our Privacy Policy Page. [3]I learnt this when I went to a John Macarthur seminar one time. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.. (12) I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. David had had the highs of defeating Goliath to the lows of running for his life and hiding in caves from Saul. Readers benefit from the coherence a single commentator provides, finding faithful, understandable, and . GenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyJoshuaJudgesRuth1 Samuel2 Samuel1 Kings2 Kings1 Chronicles2 ChroniclesEzraNehemiahEstherJobPsalmsProverbsEcclesiastesSong of SongsIsaiahJeremiahLamentationsEzekielDanielHoseaJoelAmosObadiahJonahMicahNahumHabakkukZephaniahHaggaiZechariahMalachiMatthewMarkLukeJohnActsRomans1 Corinthians2 CorinthiansGalatiansEphesiansPhilippiansColossians1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians1 Timothy2 TimothyTitusPhilemonHebrewsJames1 Peter2 Peter1 John2 John3 JohnJudeRevelation. These twin guardian angels will always be with me at my back and my beck. But whether our fears are irrational or based on very real circumstances, our need to remember the Lord is the same. This feeding is symbolic of being fed spiritually with the word of God. Make sure your view of the 'Good Shepherd' Jesus is the right one! That was his role growing up. The Believer's Confession of Sin. The shepherd would use his staff to guide sheep and to pull them back from dangerous places. Johannine Writings John Piper Sep 1, 1980. Surely goodness (Hebrew: tob) and loving kindness (Hebrew: hesed) shall follow me all the days of my life (v. 6a). b. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death: This line from the psalm and the psalm as a whole has proven itself precious to many a dying saint through the ages. The gist of Psalm 23 is that God is our shepherd who always provides and protects. Site by Mere. In the ancient Near East, the shepherd was a royal metaphor. Otherwise you will be prompted again when opening a new browser window or new a tab. 1 Samuel 17:35), and the latter for control since discipline is security., iii. On other days, she was on the other side. God saved (Israel) for his names sake, that he might make his mighty power known (Psalm 106:8). 'Blessed be the day on which that Psalm was born! Right paths lead to life rather than death (see Matthew 7:13-14). The subsequent trips through the valley become progressively easier as trust increases. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. Our website uses cookies to store user preferences. So out of the blue she emailed a few weeks back asking: 'All ok with you? Grace Community Church 13248 Roscoe Blvd. He was faithful in caring for his flock and never complained about his responsibilities. When explaining why he was restoring Israel, God said, I dont do this for your sake, house of Israel, but for my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations, where you went. A shepherd would prepare a table for his sheep by scouting ahead to find good pastureland free from predators and poisonous plants. These instruments (or instrument) of guidance were a comfort to David. Let us stick close to Him and thank Him for His wonderful grace. We go through the dark tunnel of death and emerge into the light of immortality. The New Testament speaks of Jesus as anointed (Luke 4:18; John 20:31; Acts 5:42; Hebrews 1:9, etc.). In the presence of my enemies: This is a striking phrase. In that culture, people considered a persons name to be more than a simple label to identify that person. People need to know this beautiful Psalm of David to reorient and renew their thinking. Not to raging waves of strife, but to peaceful streams of holy love does the Spirit of God conduct the chosen sheep. [8] If you are someone that God has placed in a position of leadership or teaching then you should also remember that you are called shepherds and are called to feed the flock of God. John MacArthur. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish ; no one can snatch them out of my hand. That's the animal God choose which best represents you! The Third Commandment says, You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name (Exodus 20:7). Your rod and your staff, they comfort me (v. 4c). Grab your Bible and read this Psalm noting down the times 'I, my, me, he, his, you' etc are used. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.' Many people succumb to their hopelessness and fear. The sweetest word of the whole is that monosyllable, My. He does not say, The Lord is the shepherd of the world at large, and leadeth forth the multitude as his flock, but The Lord is my shepherd; if he be a Shepherd to no one else, he is a Shepherd to me; he cares for me, watches over me, and preserves me. The words are in the present tense. The World English Bible is based on the American Standard Version (ASV) of the Bible, the Biblia Hebraica Stutgartensa Old Testament, and the Greek Majority Text New Testament. 14a (Downers Grove, Illinois: Inter-Varsity Press, 1973), Limburg, James, Westminster Bible Companion: Psalms (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2000, Mays, James Luther, Interpretation: Psalms (Louisville: John Knox, 1994), McCann, J. Clinton, Jr., The New Interpreters Bible: The Book of Psalms, Vol. This line is especially suggestive when we read this psalm with an eye toward Jesus, the Great Shepherd. The image portrays that God has the power to feed and protect David. The enemy was strongly entrenched there, and was determined to stay. Beloved, I will ask you now a question. He had the honour of being King over all Israel, yet seen the lows of having his own son, Absalom, rise up against him and take the throne. Our website uses cookies to store user preferences. Luke-Acts Psalm 23 Many of David's psalms are full of complaints, but this is full of comforts, and the expressions of delight in God's great goodness and dependence upon him. God is his shepherd and his Goda God all-sufficient to all intents and purposes. Everything will be ok. They are quiet waters times when there are no waves and no troubles and you can feed and are restored. And, then, it is not the valley of death, but the valley of the shadow of death, for death in its substance has been removed, and only the shadow of it remains Nobody is afraid of a shadow, for a shadow cannot stop a mans pathway even for a moment. The Kings crown, Psalm 23:1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want. And let's not forget they are prone to wander. The anointed writer of Psalm 23 was King David. i. [12] Must admit that I have been dealing with a few trials lately and when I read this verse it kind of caught me by surprise! The idea that the LORD is a shepherd to His people is also prevalent throughout the Bible. It is a treasure chest filled with spiritual truths that encourage many. Sometimes it goes through the dark valley as the next verse indicates. Provision -- for Thou prepare a table before me. But, what makes it so compelling? i. In Psalm 23, we are compared to sheep who do not have a sense of direction, are hopeless, and are weak who need a Shepherd. I. And one day He will come in the clouds and troubles of this world will be over. We understand that a shadow is not tangible but is cast by something that is. Is it a terrible thing that even though God is sovereign and controls the entire universe, we don't want to let go of the reigns! Will He never leave me or will something I do cause Him to leave?' Maybe this verse should have read 'though I close my eyes and sprint through the valley of the shadow of death' This verse speaks to us of the trying times in our lives where there is darkness, confusion and fear. We are smart enough to do this in the physical. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: The hosts care brought the goodness and mercy of God to David, and he lived in the faithful expectation of it continuing all the days of his life. And when the days of this life are over, then we shall enter into that which we can only partly imagine, for, 'No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.'. By proceeding, you consent to our cookie usage. Psalm 23:4 I will fear no evil, for you are with me, There is a switch here from 'He' to 'You'. David gives a beautiful picture: table suggests bounty; prepare suggests foresight and care; before me suggests the personal connection. Pentateuch He would not be like his Lord if he had not. God is like a shepherd to David. Gods shepherding care from the previous verse brought restoration to Davids soul. The Shepherd, the Host, and the Highway Patrol Summer Psalms. Do you? Our God does not withhold anything good from His flock. Recognizing the value of consistent reflection upon the Word of God in order to refocus one's mind and heart upon Christ and His Gospel of peace, we provide several reading plans designed to cover the entire Bible in a year. Click to enable/disable _ga - Google Analytics Cookie. Although God, by his benefits, gently allures us to himself, as it were by a taste of his fatherly sweetness, yet there is nothing into which we more easily fall than into a forgetfulness of him, when we are in the enjoyment of peace and comfort. c. I will fear no evil: Despite every dark association with the idea of the valley of the shadow of death, David could resolutely say this because he was under the care of the LORD his shepherd.