Explore the Bible Lesson Preview June 18, 2017 The Shepherd Background and Lesson: Psalm 23

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1 Explore the Bible Lesson Preview June 18, 2017 The Shepherd Background and Lesson: Psalm 23 Motivation: Believer s Study Bible, pp gives this introduction: 23:1 This psalm is one of the most beloved passages of the Bible, one of the crown jewels of Scripture. Although it is customarily thought of as the Shepherd Psalm, and rightly so, this psalm of David actually encompasses three distinct scenes (1) the shepherd scene (vv. 1-4), (2) the host or banquet scene (v. 5), and (3) the home or heavenly scene (v. 6). The shepherd motif is used here and elsewhere in the O.T. (cf. Is. 40:11; Ezek. 34:11) to characterize God, and it is also a marvelous foreshadowing of the Good Shepherd, who loves the flock (v. 1; cf. John 10:11-15), feeds the flock (v. 2; cf. John 10:9; 21:15-17; Acts 20:28), tends and cares for the flock ( restores my soul, v. 3; cf. Is. 40:11; John 21:15-17; 1 Pet. 5:1-4), protects the flock ( rod, v. 4; cf. John 10:11-15; Acts 20:29-32), and seeks the lost and straying sheep ( staff, v. 4; cf. Luke 15:3-7). The sense of the second line might be paraphrased, What more could I want? Examination: I. Provides (1-3) A. Companionship The Lord is my Shepherd (1) Explore the Bible Commentary (Spring, 1999), p. 70: A shepherd was a familiar figure in the geographical region and the historical time frame when Psalm 23 was written. The first audience to hear the poem would have understood the typical relationship between a shepherd and his sheep. A shepherd s role and responsibilities were well known... The unique feature of this psalm is the employment of the metaphor of God as Shepherd of the individual. Most people in America believe in God, (up to 90% per some polls). However, less than half 1 / 9

2 feel they have a personal relationship. Head knowledge must make the 18-inch journey from head to heart. Christianity is not a religion, but a relationship. B. Care There is nothing I lack (1) God supplies everything we need to live a productive and satisfied life. 1. According to Moses... The Lord your God has been with you the past forty years, and you have lacked nothing. (Deut. 2:7)... none of the good promises the Lord your God made to you has failed. Everything was fulfilled for you; not one promise has failed. (Joshua 23:14) 2. According to Jesus If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! (Matt. 7:11) 3. According to John All things were created through Him, and apart from Him not one thing was created. (John 1:3) 4. According to Paul And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. (Phil. 4:19) He did not even spare His own Son, but offered Him up for us all; how will He not also with Him grant us everything? (Romans 8:32) C. Contribution (2) 1. Provision He lets me lie down in green pastures. a. Rest Hebrews 4 tells of a Sabbath s rest for God s people. 2 / 9

3 b. Reassurance Sheep will not lie down unless they feel safe and full. c. Renewal Without a shepherd, sheep will destroy a pasture by eating the grass too low. We need God s leadership to lead us to green pastures. (Joshua 1:8; Ps. 1:3; John 16:13) 2. Preparation He leads me beside the quiet waters Sheep seem to be terrified of rushing water. A shepherd may create quiet water by damming up the streams with stones. Even before they call, I will answer, while they are still speaking, I will hear. (Isaiah 65:24, cf. John 7:37-39) D. Comfort (3) 1. Prosperity He renews my life Look in any newspaper or watch T.V. and take notice of the advertisements aimed at renewing the body. America has learned how to renew natural hair color, lean body mass, and sagging wrinkles. Products are designed to make you look better, smell better and even feel better. However, the great need of America is soul renewal. Psalm 6:3 speaks of a soul in anguish; 19:7 says that God s law revives the soul. Psalm 35:9 describes a rejoicing soul that delights in His salvation; I am at rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him. (62:1) Jesus asked, What will it benefit a man if he gains the whole world yet loses his life? (Matt. 16:26) God desires to restore souls of the unsaved through a saving relationship with Jesus. But there is also a sense in which Christians need their souls renewed (revived, restored). If we allow God to renew our souls through a repentant process, then we can once again have the joy of His salvation (Psalm 51:12; John 1:12, 3:3, 20:31; I Thes. 5:23). 2. Prescription He leads me along the right paths for His name s sake A shepherd 3 / 9

4 provides direction to his flock. He takes them along paths that lead to his destination; the sheep must trust the shepherd and follow him. (John 10:25-27) Jesus said, Enter through the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many that go through it. How narrow is the gate and difficult the road that leads to life, and few find it. (Matt. 7:13). Jesus claimed to not only be the gateway (John 10:7) to the path, but also the path itself (John 14:6). HCSB: p.903: 23:2-3 Lets me lie down is a Hebrew form implying causality, showing that God is the cause of the refreshment. Right paths might have a twofold idea. In keeping with the shepherd and sheep image, it can mean safe paths that are free from danger. In the larger context of Wisdom literature it refers to paths of righteousness, though usually that would contrast one path of life with another leading to death. The former idea is probably the primary meaning here. II. Guards (4) A. Peace Even when I go through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for You are with me; KJV translates this the the valley of the shadow of death The shadow of death falls upon us always. Heb. 2:14-15 speaks of the slavery caused by fear of death. Psychiatrist Gregory Zilberg is reported to have said The fear of death is present in our mental functions at all times. The tendency would be to run through the valley, fearfully trying to get through the experience. The utter peace that only God can give is evidenced by the slow pace and lack of fear (I John 4:18). The word through implies the assurance of emerging on the other side of this valley. HCSB: p. 903: 23:4 Some argue that the Hebrew term tsalmaweth is related to an Akkadian word ( tselem ) that means deep darkness. Others say it comes from two Hebrew words, tsal and moth, and means shadow of death. It occurs approximately 20 times in the OT. It is clear that it implies intense darkness that represents extreme danger (Jb 10:21; 28:3; Jr 2:6). Darkest fits 4 / 9

5 this specific context, since it is in the darkest valley where the greatest danger (such as a predator) lurks for sheep. B. Protection Your rod This was a short club used to fight off predators. Paul writes B ut the Lord is faithful; He will strengthen and guard you from the evil one. (2 Thes. 3:3). Christians are not immune from sickness, injury or tragedy. Jesus said Don t be afraid of those who kill the body but are not able to kill the soul (Matt. 10:28) Again, Paul declares Death has been swallowed up in victory. Death, where is your victory? Death where is your sting? (I Cor. 15:54b-55) God will keep us in His arms and protect us until He takes us to heaven at the appointed time. C. Prohibition and Your staff, they comfort me Whereas the club is for protection, the staff is for correction. It was a tool the shepherd used to guide the sheep back onto the chosen path. When a sheep would continue to wander away, as a last resort, the shepherd could break the foreleg of the animal, forcing it to be carried next to the shepherd s heart. By the time the splinted leg had healed, the sheep was so bonded to the shepherd that he would never wander away again. Sometimes the Good Shepherd must restrict us in some way to bind us closer to Him. III. Hosts (5-6) HCSB: p. 903: 23:5 The image shifts from shepherd to friend. The identification of Yahweh with a shepherd emphasizes His care and protection, but He is much more than that for a person who is in close fellowship with Him. While protection from enemies is still implied, it is intensified with the image of a banquet (table) that is served while the enemies look on. In Jewish society oil was a symbol for rejoicing (104:15) and was also used in the welcoming of guests (45:7; 92:10; Lk 7:46). A. High-powered Host You prepare a table before me 5 / 9

6 1. Fearlessness in the presence of my enemies The power and strength of the host is demonstrated by the lack of fear of the guest. The implication is that my enemies can do nothing to me in my host s presence. If I am near Him, I will fear no evil. In the presence of an unbelieving world, we can claim this promise (Phil. 2:15; Heb. 13:5). 2. Faithfulness You anoint my head with oil Anointing with oil was a gesture of honor. It was a way for the host to approve of a guest, to accept him/her, to say you belong. How awesome to know that we are accepted, approved by Almighty God! Peter writes But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the One who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but are now you are God s people; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mer cy. (I Peter 2:9-10) We are not special because of our faithfulness but because of His faithfulness. (Eph. 1:6) 3. Fruitfulness My cup overflows. Jesus promised I am the vine, you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in Him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me. (John 15:5) When listing the results of the Fruit of the Spirit (love), the first in the list is joy (Gal. 5:22; John 15:11) God promises to keep giving and giving until we cannot contain the blessing (James 1:17; Luke 6:38) Malachi wrote 1 Bring the full tenth into the storehouse... Test Me in this way, says the Lord of Hosts. See if I will not open the floodgates of heaven and pour out a blessing for you without measure. (Mal. 3:10) B. Home in Heaven I will dwell in the house of the Lord as long as I live. Commentators who see a unified shepherd theme in all six verses identify goodness and mercy as the two sheep dogs guiding and protecting the sheep. This is the culmination of this glorious psalm; if the Lord is my Shepherd, I can claim His promises: 6 / 9

7 1. God s goodness This is not good luck or pleasant fortune. This is a divine gift from God. Jesus said, There is only One who is good. (Matt. 19:17) Our goodness is worth nothing to God. His goodness is given as grace. (Eph. 2:8-9; James 1:17) 2. God s mercy His mercy means that we don t get what we deserve. (Rom. 6:23). God deals with us in mercy, forgiving again and again. 3. God s home Jesus said In My Father s house are many dwelling places; if not, I would have told you. I am going away to prepare a place for you. If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come back and receive you to Myself, so that where I am, you may be also. (John 14:2-3; Isa. 11:11; Heb. 9:28) The conclusion of following the Good Shepherd is eternal fellowship with Him! (Rev. 21:3; 22:12; Gen.15:1). HCSB: p. 903: 23:6 The verb pursue is commonly used for attackers, but here Yahweh s goodness and faithful love are personified as the ones who chased the psalmist throughout his life. As long as I live represents the Hebrew for the length of days. This is equivalent to the parallel all the days of my life. Though some translate this as forever, it is nowhere else used that way but always refers to one s earthly life (91:16, Pr 3:2, 16). Dwell ( Hb yashav ) is similar to the word for return ( Hb shuv ). In this verbal form, it differs only in the vowels. It is possible that the request is to return to the sanctuary of Yahweh throughout one s life, although the preposition in argues for the idea of dwell. Application: 1. Our Shepherd provides all we need to be satisfied. (Phil 4:18) 7 / 9

8 2. Our Shepherd protects His flock. (II Tim. 1:12) 3. Our Shepherd is planning a banquet for us. (Rev. 19:9) Leader Pack Item 7 Chart: Messianic Psalms; item 8 Poster: God in the Psalms Illustrator: p. 94 The Valley of the Shadow of Death Notes: **You may now access David s Lesson Preview in MP3 format at: y.org ; also, the Highpoint Bible Study (Downtown) is available on MP3 at the HFBC site under the Highpoint link/downloads. Dates: 6/11-14 Camp Intersect; 6/14 - Beautiful Inheritance Women s Ministry; 6/18 SPF Father s Day; 6/21 Camp Reflections; 6/24 Men:Serve; 6/25 Timothy Loop; 6/26-29 VBS (children) & VBX (students); 7/2 David the Loop; 7/4 Independence Day office closed; 7/9 Dr. Kevin the Loop; 7/9-13 Houston 1:8; 7/15 Oasis Single Mom s Conf.; 7/16 8 / 9

9 Ben the Loop; 7/17 RUSHWEEK Rally; 7/21-27 RUSHWEEK 2017; 7/23 - SPF Birthday Bash; 8/2 RUSH Celebration; 8/20 Back to School Sunday; 8/23 Midlink/Milestones Preview Night; 8/27 SPF Birthday Bash; 8/30 11/15 Midlink on Wednesdays; 9/4 Labor Day Church offices closed; 9/8 - Marriage Matters. 9 / 9