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There is one difficulty when preaching or teaching what is considered a well known portion of the Word of God. It is this that that the preacher disillusions or challenges the hearer as to some of their former notions about the portion under study.
The 23rd Psalm has packaged around it much emotional sentimentality with no sound basis from actual facts.
Having said that also there is much spiritual teaching to be found in this lovely Psalm.
This psalm is found in a most beautiful setting . That is between Psalm 22 and 24. It is like a beautiful piece of jewellery.
Psalm 22 Psalm 23 Psalm 24
The cross The crook The crown
Saviour Shepherd Sovereign
The Good Shepherd The Chief Shepherd The Great shepherd
Past Present Future
His passion His power His praise
Peace purchased Peace possessed Peace perfected
Loving sinners Leading sheep Liberating saints
Mockery Mastery Majesty
His people bought His people taught His people brought
Price Preparation Presentation
Salvation Preservation Transformation
Suffering Succouring Sanctifying
This psalm has six wonderful verses and 118 words.
Some treat this psalm as a funeral psalm but this is a psalm for living.
Maybe it is used so often at funerals is because of verse four. We will see later in the psalm the words "Yea though I walk through the valley of death" have a greater and more beautiful meaning.
This psalm is divided into two parts. Verses 1 to 3 spoken to a third person about the shepherd. Verses 4 to 6 spoken to the first person the shepherd himself.
It has been said by greater men than me that this psalm is divided up into three pictures:-
vs 1 - 4 The shepherd and the sheep
v 5 The host and his guests
v 6 The father and his family
Some have said that the psalm is not all about the shepherd and the sheep and that it is naive to say it is. the reason given is, and I quote
" You have never seen sheep sitting at a table." Well I may be naive or have wrongly read what the psalm says but I read "Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies" [v 5]
[2]As far as I can read it does not say any thing about any sheep sitting at any table.
Maybe the reason behind this thinking is that David was a King but let us never forget that David was a shepherd long before he was a King.
In fact I would call him the Shepherd King and of course this psalm written in a eastern land. It is most conceivable that when we from a western culture read this wonderful psalm we forget this important fact.
When we come to look at this psalm we find that meaning of the whole psalm hinges upon the very first sentence. "The Lord is my shepherd,"
It seems to me that the same could be said about the model prayer in Matthew ch 6.v 9 "Our Father which art in heaven".
Only those who have been "Born again" [John 3:3] are truly able to call God , “Father”.
And yet men and women refuse to acknowledge God’s greatness or love even though He has revealed it to them.
The Lord Jesus Christ showed His great love and how much He desired men and women to come under His devoted care when He gave His life on Calvary for them. He took there sin burden, He paid their penalty. “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” [Isa.53:6] “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.” [John 10:11]
It would therefore follow that only those that cleansed from their sin and have been rescued by the “Good Shepherd” are in the flock of God. Those who have been found by the Good Shepherd can truly say " The Lord is my shepherd." There is clearly a personal relationship seen, "Our Father," "My shepherd."
This first sentence is so pregnant with meaning.
"The" A particular shepherd. “The” is used to emphasise excellence or importance of.
"Lord" A powerful Shepherd.
"Is" A present shepherd.
"My" A personal shepherd
Not only A shepherd, not only the shepherd but my Shepherd.
"I shall not want"
This is a state of utter contentment. The sheep are not in need of desireing anything else because the “Good Shepherd” has fully satified their need. It shows a deep seated dependancy of thought and mind on the “Good Shepherd”. I’m in His care!
Rest, "lie down". Refreshment, "beside the still waters".
Restoration, "restoreth my soul. Guidance. "He leadeth me".
Companionship, "thou art with me". Protection, "Thy rod".
Comfort, "Thy staff comfort me" Sustenance, "Thou preparest a table" . Confidence, "in the presence of my enemies" . Power, "Thou anointest my head with oil". Anything here, "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life" Anything hereafter.
"and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever."
[3] "He maketh me to lie down" [v 2] The shepherd knows exactly what they need. Sometimes "He" The Lord, "maketh" compels "me" singular. He is interested in me although I don't understand the reason.
A sheep that is continually straying and leading other sheep astray the eastern shepherd hobbles or ties the legs together and some times has been known to break a sheep's leg to stop it straying. If any sheep were found on some ones private property or in a vineyard before the shepherd found the sheep, the sheep would then have to be forfeited.
"Whom the Lord loveth he chaseneth" [Heb. 12:6]
"....lie down in green pastures". A sheep lying down in green pastures pictures an fully satisfied and happy sheep otherwise the sheep would continue to nibble the lush green grass. The good shepherd always knows where there is plenty to eat and always leads His sheep there but His sheep are always satisfied. "Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things" [Psa 103:5] "For He satisfieth the longing soul and filleth the hungry soul with goodness" [Psa. 107:9]
In the church many of the hymns we sing are hymns of action and fighting for truth. "Fight the good fight”. “Stand up, stand up for Jesus."
"Work for the night is coming". "There's a work for Jesus ready at your hand."
Many of us want to be working, fighting , singing, preaching, teaching and standing up for Jesus. In fact any thing except to "lie down in green pastures".
Of course the sheep will not feel comfortable lying down unless they are full and free from fear, friction and fleas. [parasites]
We as God's people find it difficult to rest in God's presence if there is fear in our hearts, friction in the flock, or sin in our lives.
Can we not here our shepherd say to us "come ye apart and rest a while" [Mark 6:3] This is just what we really need. Quiet retirement and nourishment in secret with God alone.
“He leadeth me beside the still waters”
“Leadeth” leads not drives. John 10:3/4 “He goeth before them” “My sheep hear my voice and they follow Me”
1/ He does not ask the sheep to go where He has not gone before.
2/Those nearest hear His voice the best.
3/Those nearest the shepherd are those that get the titbits He collected from the bushes beyond their normal reach.
Peter said “What shall this man do? Jesus siad, “What is that to thee? Follow thou Me.
The mountain streams are turbulent and noisy tumbling over the rocky bed --The sheep are timid. “He leadeth beside the still waters” At fountains and wells the shepherd fills the troughs. He dams the streem to make a still dam so that the sheep mat safely drink in peace.
"He restoreth my soul"
If a sheep falls and gets on its back sometime because of the thick fleece it cannot get back onto it's feet and has difficulty crying for help. What it really needs is the shepherds help He restoreth". If it sick or infected with sheep ticks. It needs help.
[4] The shepherd will remove it from the flock and treat it, until it is well and then bring it back to the flock fit and well. "He restoreth"
When the sheep strays through the hedge. The shepherd need to bring it back before the owner of the field or vineyard catches the sheep then it would be forfeited. "He restoreth" when the sheep is hurt and cannot walk the shepherd will carry it until it is healed then put it back into the flock. "He restoreth" To restore means to revive, revigorate, replace. I think David knew about restoration after he had sinned. [Bathsheba]
"He leadeth me"
Remember the one who leads "The Lord" The creator and upholder and sustainer of the universe. HE LEADS! This mean that the sheep only tread where the shepherd has trodden before. He has been along that path and knows it well. The path will not lead to a dead end.
"He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness" The sheep would stay around the same place to eat and only move when they went on the paths they knew. The good shepherd leads his sheep in the right paths not where the sheep would be hurt, lost or harmed by any enemies. He must lead them to fresh lush green pastures .
Do we feed on the same things day after day or do we allow the shepherd to lead us on to new and better food where there are no poisonous. plants that the sheep could eat and die.
"for His names sake"
The shepherd is not leading the sheep for their sakes only but for his good names sake. He has his reputation as a good shepherd to maintain and not to lose any sheep.
When the shepherds got together they would speak of the exploits of caring for their sheep and keeping all of them. So our Good shepherd.
Our good shepherd has never lost a sheep. "I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand" [John 10:28 ]
This shepherd has won the trust of His sheep over the ages.
"I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine, the good shepherd giveth His life for the sheep." [John 10:14]
He leads and we follow. "My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me" [John 10:27]
[5] "In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy paths" [Pr.3:6] Now the Psalm changes. It is not about the shepherd but to the shepherd.
"Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death"
This is the verse that causes many people to use it for funerals etc.
This is most wonderful and yet it is completely miss-understood.
Here we see the shepherd deciding to lead his sheep to new pastures or maybe to a safe place for the night. The most direct route is through a deep ravine or valley. As he sets off through this valley he plucks from a high bush or branch some sweet leaves which the sheep could not reach without him and calls them and begins to walk through the valley. What do we see here? The sheep that is nearest to the shepherd gets to eat this special treat picked from beyond their reach.
What else do we see here? The sheep that is nearest to the shepherd hears his voice the best. How well are we hearing the shepherds voice and how often are we enjoying the special things when we are close to the shepherd.
But on through the valley with the bushes and rocks that can hide the enemies from sight. The shepherd eyes are alert watching for the hyenas, wolves, snakes. He beats the rocks and the bushes to drive away those things that would harm the sheep. Yes, it is a dark valley with all the enemies who would threaten the sheep but, I "l fear no evil for Thou art with me". The shepherd is with them.
When we are in the dark valleys of life remember , the good shepherd is with us. Note too, before you can have a shadow you must have a bright light. Beyond that which causes the shadow is the bright light.
Life is not a flower garden. Life is hard and sometimes dark and gloomy.
When we are following the shepherd closely, we not only hear His voice more clearly, but we can enjoy more choice food and we are nearer to our protector.
Do you fear Illness, failure, the future? Remember "Thou art with me"
Thou- the power, presence and person of God
Art - now with you
With - Not just close by but in the situation with you. the dark valley.
Me - as if there was no one else to look after.
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