Book of Psalms Psalm 23 The Lord is My Shepherd This is probably the most well known and beloved chapter in God s Word. One writer said it is the most prominent, most loved, most used, most preached, most written about of all the psalms. Thousands of people have memorized it. We hear it often at funerals because it brings so much comfort, but it is a psalm for everyday life. This psalm describes the special relationship of a shepherd and his sheep. Writing out of his own experience as a shepherd, David testifies of the Lord s faithfulness as his good Shepherd. It is a short and simple psalm. It only takes about 45 seconds to read Psalm 23. These verses remind us that, as God s children, we have a heavenly Shepherd who takes care of every need. Beneath me, green pastures; beside me, still waters; with me, my Shepherd; before me, a table; around me, my enemies; after me, goodness and mercy; beyond me, the house of the Lord. We re covered by His blessings, now and forever. Everyone needs the Lord as a caring shepherd. Jeremiah 10:23 O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps. Characteristics of Sheep: Sheep are weak Sheep are vulnerable Sheep are prone to wander Characteristics of the Shepherd: The shepherd cares for his sheep The shepherd defends his sheep The shepherd knows his sheep John 10:14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. God as Shepherd in the Old Testament: Apart from Psalm 23, maybe the best known verse is Psalms 100:3 Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. God was a Shepherd to the whole nation of Israel. Psalms 80:1 Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth. The promised Messiah was described as a Shepherd. Ezekiel 34:23 And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd. A shepherd s work in ancient Israel was considered among the lowest of occupations. A shepherd lived with his flock around the clock with unwavering devotion. Jesus as Shepherd in the New Testament: The apostle Peter understood his role as the under-shepherd and Christ as the Shepherd of His sheep. Peter never forgot the experience with Jesus after His death and
resurrection. John 21:17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. 1 Peter 2:25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. Jesus is the Good Shepherd John 10:11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. Jesus is the Great Shepherd Hebrews 13:20-21 20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21 Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. Jesus is the Chief Shepherd 1 Peter 5:4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. Psalm 22, 23, and 24 are a trilogy. Psalm 22 presents Jesus as the Good Shepherd who dies for His sheep (the cross). Psalm 23 refers to Christ as the Great Shepherd now risen and caring for His sheep (the crook). Psalm 24 looks ahead to Christ as the Chief Shepherd who will come again for His sheep (the crown). If the Lord is my Shepherd, then 1) I will enjoy abundant provisions David begins this psalm by linking his personal relationship to the Lord and his plentiful resources from the Lord. The sheep are not lacking anything. Psalms 84:11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. 2) I will experience perfect peace Green pastures is literally pastures of tender grass and still waters is literally waters of rest. Sheep need to lie down and rest. People that know sheep tell us that hungry sheep will not lie down. When sheep are lying down in green pastures, it means their tummies are full. And they will not drink from rushing water; it scares them. Sheep don t handle stress very well. The Shepherd knows where to find the green pastures and still waters. We trust Him to lead and provide what is best for us. 3) I will expect faithful guidance Restoreth means to bring back. It may refer to spiritual or physical restoration. Sheep lack a sense of direction. They need guidance. The shepherd doesn t drive his sheep from behind, but he leads them gently and lovingly. The reason for His guidance in the paths of righteousness is for his name s sake. His character is linked to our conduct. When God s people walk in paths of righteousness, His name is honored. Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
4) I will endure difficult situations Life is uncertain and our circumstances can change drastically at any given moment. Job 14:1 Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. The reference to this valley speaks of any threatening environment or situation. In spite of enemies and dangers the Lord leads us so we fear no evil. Death is the supreme test of life. This is not just talking about our actual day of death. Every person lives in the shadow of death. When we were born, we started down a great canyon called the valley of the shadow of death, and we are in it constantly. You can t escape it; you must go through it. All of us are in death s valley. The shadow of death is on us, but we don t fear because our Shepherd is with us all the way. After the death of his wife, Dr. Donald Grey Barnhouse was thinking how he could help his children deal with the loss of their mother. The shadow of a large truck passed over their car as they were driving down the road. Kids, would you rather be run over by a truck or by its shadow? The children answered, The shadow because it can t hurt us. Then Barnhouse said, The truck of death ran over the Lord Jesus Christ 2,000 years ago so that only its shadow now passes over us. That s all that happened to your mother. Only the shadow of death has passed over her. She is in heaven now and she is fine. 5) I will enjoy personal fellowship David no longer talks about the Lord, but now he talks to Him ( Thou art with me ). The shepherd is near and he uses his rod and staff (club and crook). These were used for protection and direction. The rod was for defense and the staff was for direction. The rod (club) was about two feet long, and the staff (crook) was bent on one end and used to pry sheep loose from thickets, pull them out of holes, and lead them along narrow paths. The word comfort (vs. 5) carries the idea of breathing deeply. The Lord s presence helps us to breathe easy. 6) I will enjoy total security Sheep have many natural enemies, but as long as the shepherd is with them, they are secure. 7) I will experience daily blessings The able Protector is also the abundant Provider. David describes his relationship with the Lord as a guest and a host. The imagery of anointing is usually associated with blessing. Some people have never learned to live one day at a time. It s been said that the average person is being crucified between two thieves, the regrets of yesterday and the worries of tomorrow. As a result, he doesn t enjoy today. The overflowing cup is a symbol of joy. A good host provides a constant supply of drink so that the cup is always full to the brim. We need to be like the girl who said, Lord, fill up my cup. I can t hold very much, but I can run over a whole lot. This world needs Christians who are running over with joy. 8) I will expect everlasting satisfaction The last verse speaks of the Lord s highway and the Lord s home. When we follow the Lord as our Shepherd, the future is bright. The Lord is going with us and going before us to prepare a heavenly home where the fellowship and joy never end. Psalms 16:11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. John 14:2-3 2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
No wonder thousands of people have memorized this meaningful psalm. It deals with our frailty, our foes, and our future. It contains the secret of a blessed life, a blessed death, and a blessed eternity. Is this a psalm for everybody? No. It s a psalm for those who honestly can say, The Lord is MY shepherd. Two different men read the 23 rd Psalm at a community event. One of them had a deep resonant voice, an outstanding command of the language, perfect enunciation, and flawless delivery. The other man had a very ordinary voice and stumbled a few times in his delivery, yet the crowd was deeply moved by his recitation. After the program was over a couple of people were trying to figure out what made the second man s reading so effective. Someone commented, The first man knew the psalm, but the second man knew the Shepherd. It is one thing to say, The Lord is a shepherd, but can you say, The Lord is my Shepherd?
Book of Psalms Psalm 23 The Lord is My Shepherd This is probably the most well known and beloved chapter in God s Word. One writer said it is the most prominent, most loved, most used, most preached, most written about of all the psalms. Thousands of people have memorized it. We hear it often at funerals because it brings so much comfort, but it is a psalm for everyday life. This psalm describes the special relationship of a shepherd and his sheep. Writing out of his own experience as a shepherd, David testifies of the Lord s faithfulness as his good Shepherd. Everyone needs the Lord as a caring shepherd. Jeremiah 10:23 O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps. Characteristics of Sheep: Sheep are Sheep are Sheep are Characteristics of the Shepherd: The shepherd The shepherd The shepherd John 10:14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. God as Shepherd in the Old Testament: Psalms 100:3 Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. God was a Shepherd to the whole nation of Israel. Psalms 80:1 Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth. The promised Messiah was described as a Shepherd. Ezekiel 34:23 And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd. Jesus as Shepherd in the New Testament: John 21:17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. 1 Peter 2:25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. Jesus is John 10:11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
Jesus is Hebrews 13:20-21 20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21 Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. Jesus is 1 Peter 5:4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. Psalm 22, 23, and 24 are a trilogy. Psalm 22 presents Jesus as the Good Shepherd who dies for His sheep (the cross). Psalm 23 refers to Christ as the Great Shepherd now risen and caring for His sheep (the crook). Psalm 24 looks ahead to Christ as the Chief Shepherd who will come again for His sheep (the crown). If the Lord is my Shepherd, then 1) I will enjoy 2) I will experience Green pastures is literally pastures of tender grass and still waters is literally waters of rest. 3) I will expect Restoreth means to bring back. It may refer to spiritual or physical restoration. Sheep lack a sense of direction. They need guidance. The shepherd doesn t drive his sheep from behind, but he leads them gently and lovingly. 4) I will endure Life is uncertain and our circumstances can change drastically at any given moment. Job 14:1 Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. 5) I will enjoy David no longer talks about the Lord, but now he talks to Him ( Thou art with me ). The shepherd is near and he uses his rod and staff (club and crook). These were used for protection and direction. 6) I will enjoy Sheep have many natural enemies, but as long as the shepherd is with them, they are secure. 7) I will experience The able Protector is also the abundant Provider. David describes his relationship with the Lord as a guest and a host. 8) I will expect The last verse speaks of the Lord s highway and the Lord s home. John 14:2-3 2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.