The Gospel according to the Sheep and the Shepherd (Psalm 23) by Dr. Steven Ingino

Public Reading of the Scriptures

Let’s stand and read the Word of God. In Nehemiah 8, the people of God stood up in reverence for God and His Word as they worshipped, so we’ll do the same.

Psalm 23 (ESV). The superscription says that this is a psalm of David, and many people believe David wrote this later in life, which makes the words even more poignant as you’ll see. Let’s all read it out loud together and make this our declaration of faith:

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Introduction and Subject

If someone asked you to describe God, what would you say? Maybe you’d list a few attributes – saying that He’s all-knowing, all-powerful, omnipresent, and holy. Or maybe you would explain the doctrine of the Trinity, trying to explain the one God who eternally exists in three persons.

Maybe you would say that God is a perfect, loving Father in heaven, but the person asking you to describe Him says that that’s too abstract or he had a distant and uncaring father. How would you describe God?

There are certainly many metaphors and descriptions of God in the Bible such as a shield, a fortress, a rock, a judge, a king, a warrior, light, a potter, a farmer, fire, a lion, a husband, but one that is repeated the most from so many books in the Bible is the picture of God as our shepherd.

In fact, Kenneth Bailey has written a book which traces the theme of God as our shepherd all throughout the Bible, entitled, The Good Shepherd, and it’s as eye-opening as it is life-changing.

A. W. Tozer said, “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” When you think about God, do you envision Him as a shepherd, as your shepherd? That’s how God has revealed Himself to us and how He wants us to see Him and relate to Him.

Shepherd Symbol

It was interesting to me to find out recently, that the dominant symbol for God that the early church left us was the shepherd.

To me, the early church, while imperfect, was closest to the time of the apostles, they knew Greek, they understood the culture in which much of the Bible was written, and they were less bogged down by traditions that have accumulated over the centuries…

So, it should be instructive for us to learn that the Christians in the 1st and 2ndcentury most often portrayed God as a shepherd.

Church historian Philip Schaff wrote this about the artwork found from the 1st to 4th century in the Roman Catacombs:

“Their most characteristic symbols and pictures are the Good Shepherd, the Fish, and the Vine. These symbols almost wholly disappeared after the fourth century, but to the mind of the early Christians they vividly expressed, in childlike simplicity, what is essential to Christians… the idea of Christ and his salvation, as the only comfort in life and in death. The Shepherd… suggested the recovery of the lost sheep, tender care and protection, green pasture and fresh fountain, the sacrifice of life: in a word, the whole picture of a Saviour.”[1]

Richard Trentwrites, after examining artifacts from the 2nd century, from jewelry to a communion cup,

On no image does the early Church seem to have dwelt with greater delight than this of Christ as the good Shepherd...[2]

The early church focused on their relationship with God as sheep to their shepherd. Do we?

Need

Maybe you’re a new mother here today, wondering what will happen as you raise this newborn baby, asking God to protect your child in the years to come, but also questioning if you’ll ever get the rest you need.

You may be here today and wrestling with a certain sin that has beset you, and you’re wondering if you’ll ever find victory and peace with God. Like most of us, you could be wrestling with an important decision you need to make, and want God to guide you.

Maybe you’re a teacher gearing up for the new year, and you’re anxious about what’s ahead. Perhaps you’re a business owner, and with things being slow over the summer, you wonder if God will meet your needs.

Or, you could be a student, wondering if you’ll make new friends at school, and are fearful about being lonely. Or, maybe you’re dealing with a health issue, and you’re struggling as you endure pain and ponder uncertainties about the future.

Perhaps you’re dealing with a problem in your marriage, or a broken friendship, or some other valley of the shadow or trial that you’re going through. May I submit to you that what we all need, in any of these scenarios, is to know and trust our shepherd.

Purpose

It sounds cliché – we talk about knowing God and trusting God all the time, but as you’ll see, Psalm 23 gives us deep and rich truths related to knowing and trusting God because He is our shepherd.

Text and Outline

So, please turn in your Bible to Psalm 23, and let’s look at the gospel according to the sheep and the shepherd. We’ll divide this Psalm up into two main sections because the imagery changes midway. First, we’ll see that only our shepherd Jesus provides constant care. Point 1:

The God Who Provides Constant Care (v. 1-4)

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. (Psalm 23:1)

It’s striking that God, the maker of heaven and earth, who is high and exalted, would condescend to take care of us lowly sheep. But God is powerful and personal. We need to remember that the word used to translate “Lord” is the word Yahweh, the name of God.

This is a personal and intimate picture of David and the God he knows on a first name basis, Yahweh, the Great I AM, the unchanging self-sufficient one, the covenant making and covenant keeping God. He says that Yahweh is “my” shepherd, the exalted king, yet emphasizing the intimate relationship he had with God. This is the God who shepherds His people – us.

It is written in Isaiah 40:11: Like a shepherd He tends His flock; He gathers up the lambs with His arm; He carries them close to His heart; He leads the ewes along.

What a personal and intimate picture this is of a God who knows us, loves us, cares for us, and does so with tender compassion. But there’s more…

Ancient kings were often called shepherds, and as king, David was called the shepherd of Israel in 2 Sam. 5 and Psalm 78, so David the shepherd-king calls God his shepherd-king. The King of the universe is our shepherd.

David also grew up working as a shepherd as 1 Sam. 16-17 reveals. He tended sheep and knew exactly what it took to be a good shepherd, and so He calls God his shepherd. But, for us to understand God’s role in our lives as our shepherd, we need to grasp a little more about sheep.

Most of us don’t come into contact with sheep all that often, so let me tell you about them and then you’ll see why we truly need a shepherd.

I remember Pastor Derek shared a few things like this in one of the messages on Hebrews, but for this Psalm, I’d like to dig into that a bit more.

Sheep

You see, sheep are the most helpless animals on earth. So, it’s not exactly a compliment when God calls us sheep. It’s a loving and warm picture, but not one that shows great faith in our abilities.

God’s Word doesn’t liken us to horses or bears or lions or sharks or even cats – all of which have more skills than a helpless sheep.

And get this - a sheep is the only animal in the world that is symbioticwith man, meaning, it can’t exist apart from man. No other animal in the entire world, out of all of God’s creatures, needs man, or a shepherd to survive. Isn’t that the perfect illustration from God?

He created sheep to show us ourselves, to illustrate to us how dependent we are upon Him. In fact, sheep are the most frequently mentioned animal in the Bible with nearly 400 references, especially if we include the term flocks as well. (Dictionary of Biblical Imagery, 782)

So, let me share with you the 6 Ds of sheep so that we can understand why we need the Lord as our shepherd.

First, sheep are:

1. Dumb: They have no keen senses. They have no wisdom or skill. The wander from the one who cares for them, like little babies who don’t realize that their food, cleaning, and care come from their parents. One Bible dictionary stated that sheep are “singularly unintelligent…unable to find their way to a sheepfold even when it is within sight.” (Dictionary Biblical Imagery) Sheep are probably one of the least intelligent animals. Sheep are dumb. And we are dumb too compared to an all-knowing God. But, God patiently cares for us and teaches us.

2. Dirty: Sheep are also dirty. Sheep smell. They can’t clean themselves properly and need the shepherd to clean them and manage their wool. And of course, we need to be cleansed by Christ our Shepherd.

3. Defenseless: Sheep are defenseless. They can’t run or climb or bite well, they have no real offensive moves. A cat can scratch, a dog can bite, a horse can kick, a bear can claw, even a skunk can spray, but a sheep can do nothing. They have no claws or sharp teeth, they just make a nice sweaterand a gyro sandwich.

They’ve been called creation’s snack because without the shepherd, they’re just prey, which is why they’re so skittish. They have no camouflage. They’re just these big helpless marshmallows out in a field.

The only reason a sheep can live is by the grace of the shepherd. If a wolf comes, the sheep is literally dead meat unless the shepherd protects it. And we too need God’s protection. Our only true security is our risen shepherd.

4. Directionless: Sheep are directionless. Many animals can run miles away and find their way back home. Sheep can’t. They don’t know which way they just came from and they don’t know how to find their way back to the sheepfold. One man tells of how one of his sheep walked off a cliff, and then all the other sheep just followed after it. In fact, they so lack any sense of direction that you’ll often find their circle widening and widening as they walk in circles because the sheep just mindlessly follow each other. Sound like anyone you know? People mindlessly follow each other all the time, going with the flow, being conformed to this world, unless they know Christ as their good shepherd. Sheep are followers. In fact, in Turkey not long ago, 1500 sheep were out in their field. One wandered off, the rest follow, and one by one they all walked off a cliff.

All 1,500 walked off the cliff and fell to the valley below. The story is sad and funny – guess why?

The first 400 died, but because the pile got softer and softer with dead sheep piling up, the other 1100 survived after their fall. Young people – listen to me – Proverbs 14:12 says, There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death. Don’t mindlessly follow the fallen culture, the world, the way of death. Follow the good shepherd, whose path leads to life.

5. Defiant: Sheep are also defiant or stubborn. One shepherd describes how he’d have to push a sheep away from a dangerous spot 20 times an hour with his staff. Other shepherds talk about how accurate the Scriptures are when Isaiah described us as straying sheep in the context of Christ’s sacrifice for our sins.

Look at Isaiah 53:5: 5 But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fellupon Him, and by His scourging we are healed. 6 All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him. (Isaiah 53:5-6)

Sheep are more adept at straying than anything else. And our hearts stray from the Lord as well, which is why we need Him as our shepherd.

6. Dependent: Finally, sheep are dependent. As I said earlier, sheep are the only animals that rely on man to survive. They can’t find food for themselves. They can’t rest, clean, or fight by themselves. Did you know that sheep need a shepherd to help them give birth. The shepherd must find them pastures. If they fall over on their back, they can’t roll over. They need the shepherd to help them up. So, sheep are dependent on the shepherd for everything. Sheep can hardly even take a drink without the shepherd’s help. They’re scared of fast running water and would hardly ever find a clean stream without the shepherd. Sheep must rely on their shepherd or they die.

Goats and Sheep

The metaphor of the sheep and the Shepherd shows our complete dependenceupon God who alone can meet all our needs and it’s a metaphor that’s revealed all throughout the Bible.

Remember how Jesus said in Matthew 25 that He will separate the sheep from the goats when He returns? The sheep will enter into eternal life but the goats go to eternal punishment.

Why? Well, Goats are independent. But, sheep depend on the shepherd. The goats are the nonbelievers who said, “I don’t need God.” The sheep are the ones who trusted in Christ for salvation because, by God’s grace, they recognized their need for the good Shepherd. Salvation is the miracle of God turning a goat into a sheep. Amen?

So, in a word, sheep are helpless. What an appropriate picture of who we are. However, the focus in the passage is not our deficiencies, but rather, God’s sufficiency. And like sheep, despite our weaknesses we are of great worth and value to the shepherd.

In fact, a shepherd in those days would actually live with his sheep 24 hours a day. It took unwavering devotion day and night to nurture, guide, and protect his sheep. The shepherd assumed full responsibility for the needs and safety of his flock, even risking his own life for their protection. This is what God has chosen to be to His people. (Lawson, p. 126)

So, let’s look more closely at this Psalm to see what God is saying to us. God wants us to leave here today with a firm picture in our minds and hearts of how He intimately cares for us and relates to us.

(23:1) The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. (2) He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. (Psalm 23:1-2)

Let’s look at… an aspect of Jesus’ constant care, His provision. (v. 1-2). We’ll see that God our shepherd provides food, rest, refreshment, correction, guidance, protection, comfort and so much more.

(23:1) The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not lack.

The rest of the Psalm describes how David did not lack. He’s not saying that God promises everyone a Lamborghini and a 2nd house on the beach. No, the rest of the Psalm explains how we will not lack and in what ways God promises to provide for us.

Spiritual Food

The Bible tells you that because the Lord is your shepherd, you will not lack anything that you need. David may have physical food in mind here, since the green pastures were for sustenance, but he also may have had in mind how God provides spiritual food for us.

As a shepherd leads sheep to fresh grass for feeding, so the Lord leads provides spiritual nourishment for His people. The Word of God is the spiritual milk and meat that we need. But that being said, what did Jesus say about Himself as the good Shepherd in John 10:10?

“The thief comes only to steal, and kill, and destroy; I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd [that is a powerful claim to deity, taking Yahweh’s role - only God can be a shepherd who provides for and protects millions of His sheep around the world. I am the good shepherd]; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.” (John 10:10-11)

He’s not a stingy God. This Shepherd gives us eternal and abundant life. Our God is not a distant or uncaring God. Our God isn’t neglectful or indifferent or apathetic. He’s a loving shepherd who generously providesand guides and protects. Are you trusting in Him to provide for you mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually?

Provides Rest

God our shepherd also provides rest. (23:1) The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. (2) He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. (Psalm 23:1-2)

Here the sheep lie down in restful security because of the good shepherd’s care. It’s restful because they don't have to be anxious about where their next meal is coming from. They’re laying on it! They are surrounded with evidence of their Shepherd’s provision all around them just as we are. (Piper’s sermon)

Lie Down­­­­

Now, it’s difficult to get sheep to lie down. Sheep are fearful animals, easily scared by birds or prey. One shepherd describes how he had to get rid of flies and insects, stop the flock from bumping into each other, feed the sheep, water them, and make sure they felt free from fear of predators to get them to lie down.

If any of those things were missing, the sheep refused to lie down and rest. In the same way, God works in our lives to provide us times of rest. Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath, of rest - the God who gives us peace. Do you need rest? Stay close to your Shepherd.

He will make you lie down in green pastures and lead you beside quiet waters. So, if you’re going and going and going, you’re not following His lead or obeying His Word which causes us to rest. Remember, Jesus said in Matthew 11, “Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” The Lord also provides refreshment. Look at verse 2 again:

(2) He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. (Psalm 23:1-2)

Notice it says that God our Shepherd leads us to quiet waters. This has the idea of stilled water. Why? Well, after walking many miles to find pasture and water, the sheep would be very thirsty. But, sheep are instinctively very afraid of running water. They know their thick wool is like a big sponge and would drown them.

Waters / Drink

So, the shepherd would pick up some large stones and dam up a part of the rushing stream to slow its current and create quiet waters.

Then the sheep would drink without fear. In the same way, God gives peace and refreshment as we abide in Him and drink of His grace. The picture is that the Lord leads us to what will ultimately satisfy us and quench our real thirst.

And remember, in John 6, Jesus said that He is the bread of life and that whoever believes in Him will never hunger and thirst. He is the true pasture and drink that satisfies our souls.

Dirty Puddles

If sheep aren’t led to good water, they’ll drink from dirty puddles along the route, and sometimes they’ll catch parasites or diseases from that. So, the metaphor is quite fitting for us.

We’re all quenching our thirst with something. No matter how many different earthly wells we run to, we’re never satisfied until we drink from the water that Jesus the Messiah alone gives.[3]

So, our Shepherd provides what we need – rest and refreshment, and what else? Even correction if needed. Look at verse 3. 3 He restores my soul

Restoration

The idea here is that when I go astray as a lamb, the Lord will correct me and restore me on to the right path. This word for “restore” is often used in the context of repentance and restoration (such as in Ps. 19, Ps. 60:3; Jer. 8:5).

It can also be translated, “He causes me to repent.” And the image is of restoring something to its original state. That’s what God does for us – by His Spirit, He is renewing us each day through the gospel. And David knew this – he was an adulterer, a murderer, he needed God’s restoring grace as we saw in Psalm 51. And we do too, no matter what sins we may commit each day in thought, word, or deed.

Broken Leg

In Israel, a shepherd would break a straying lamb’s leg in order to teach it to follow him. While he carried the lamb with the broken leg on his shoulders, it would become more acquainted with his voice, and it would learn to trust and follow him. What did David say in Psalm 119:71? It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I may learn Your commands.

It is written in Psalm 119:67: Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep Your word.

Like straying sheep, God restores us to fellowship with Him through Christ. He restores our soul. If you’re disobeying the Shepherd, only He can restore your soul.

You see, because we’re truly helpless and dependent, God provides for all our needs – food, rest, refreshment, correction, and next, another aspect of Jesus’ constant care as our shepherd is His guidance. Look at the rest of verse 3: …He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. (Psalm 23:3)

Voice and Names

As I said earlier, sheep lack a sense of direction and can become easily lost. They go astray and are prone to wandering. A good shepherd knows the right paths on which to bring the sheep home safely. So too the Lord loses none of His sheep, but guides them in the right way.[4]Sheep really did know their shepherd’s voice as Jesus describes in John 10.

They followed his distinct voice and back in the 1st century, and still today, they make certain sounds with their voices to lead the sheep. And each sheep was named by the shepherd. It would respond to the shepherd’s call.

So, as the Lord calls us by name, we follow His direction, we follow His voice in the pages of the Bible, because He is our loving shepherd. He has given us His Word and the Holy Spirit and wise counsel from Spirit-led brothers and sisters to guide us.

So, are you spending time in the Word each day, listening for the guidance of your loving Shepherd. Without the Word, we go astray, but with it, we’re led by Him in the paths of righteousness, the good and right and holy way.

Why does God our shepherd guide us so faithfully? Because He cares for us, yes, but also for His own reputation. …He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. (Psalm 23:3)

God cares about being known as a good shepherd. The condition of the sheep reflects upon His reputation and His character which is what a name would represent. God’s desire to be glorified in our lives is shown by how He provides for us, and protects us, and guides us.

For His Glory

In so many Psalms and in Isaiah and in 1 John, all over the Bible, God talks about acting for His name’s sake, forgiving us for His name’s sake, delivering us for His name’s sake, for His glory. God’s reputation is on the line in terms of how well He cares for His sheep. He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.

And if you look carefully at these past verses together you’ll see that God promises to provide for our physical, spiritual, and emotional needs. What a great and awesome shepherd!

A commentator named Perowne wrote,

“Certainly no image could have been devised more beautifully descriptive of rest and safety and trustful happiness, than that of the sheep lying down in the deep, rich meadow-grass, beside the living stream, under the care of a tender and watchful shepherd.”

That’s the picture God wants you to have of Him and His care for you, to help you with stress, fear, anxiety, and the daily cares of life.[5]Is that how you think of and relate to God?

Protects in the Valley

Next, we see another aspect of Jesus’ constant care as our good Shepherd. He protects and comforts you (v. 4).

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. (Psalm 23:4)

The shepherd has to move the sheep from place to place to find new pastures. And sometimes that means going through a dark valley to get to the green pasture.

Talk about peaks and valleys – this Psalm talks about the dark valleys of life, and the Hebrew doesn’t necessarily point to death, it can refer to dark times, trials, difficulties, painful circumstances in life – it’s more literally, “the dark valley.”

The Wadis

When the shepherd would move the flock, they’d go in narrow, rocky, valleys between high jagged cliffs or they’d have to travel in the rugged wadis – dried up stream beds, similar to our “washes” as you can see on the slide.

These valleys were filled with potential dangers, such as flash floods or wild animals or robbers. If you go to Israel, you see these wadis all over.

So, the sun would be blocked from the valley because of the cliffs, and it would be hard to see. But the shepherd would use his staff to direct his sheep. Look again at verse 4.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. (Psalm 23:4)

Now, what’s this rod and staff all about?

Rod and Staff

The rod was used like a club to strike wolves, or lions, or other predators – it was like a bat with pieces of iron embedded into it on the top, sort of like a medieval mace (2.5 feet, Bailey, 50).[6]

The staff was a long stick that the shepherd would use to skillfully guide the sheep.

Sometimes this staff was like a crook and was bent or hooked on one end to pry sheep loose from thickets, or to push branches aside, or to pull a sheep out of a hole. The staff would even be used to drive off snakes.

Guard and Guide

You see, the Lord our Shepherd has the tools to protect us and comfort us throughout the uncertainties of life and during our darkest moments. This is a picture of God’s constant vigilance to protect His sheep, to guard and guide us with His rod and staff.

Our Shepherd knows how to comfort us through difficult times, and how to protect us from the enemies of our souls. At night, the shepherd would even lie down and sleep in the single doorway to his sheepfold. Any enemy would have to get through him to attack his flock.

In the same way, since we are in Christ, the only door of salvation, nothing can get to us unless Christ allows it. And our future is secure in Him because He will never lose one sheep.

It could only happen over His dead body, and in Jesus’ case, He’s been there, done that, and arose from the dead. People forget that one of the great passages about eternal security is in the context of sheep and Christ the Shepherd.

Listen to John 10:27:

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. I and the Father are one.” (John 10:27-30)

Christ has us wrapped around His shoulders like a Shepherd that carries His sheep. He’s holding us, it’s not about our grip on Him. He keeps us safe and secure through His love and blood.

He has never and will never let any of His true sheep perish. Praise God. That is the protection and comfort we have from our Shepherd who holds us in His hands now and forever.

Nicholas and Kathryn

When we lived in the Rita Ranch area, a friend of ours from across the street was over and her little girl was upset when it was time to leave because it was dark outside. She was just really scared of the dark.

Well, her younger brother walks up to her and says “It’s okay. Don’t be scared. Jesus will protect you, and if He doesn’t, you go to heaven, so your basically good either way.”

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. (Psalm 23:4)[7]

He Sees the Pastures

What’s interesting is that in these ravines, these washes, the sheep couldn’t see where the next area was with green pasture, but the shepherd, being taller could. It’s dark, and uncomfortably rocky, with no grass or water in sight for the sheep.

But, it’s almost as if God is saying, “You can’t see it, but I, the all-knowing Shepherd can. Your eyes are on the rocky path, but I can see the green pastures and the cool water up ahead. I have the rod to keep you from danger and the staff to guide your way. Trust me. You may not be able to see where you’re going in the dark valley, but I know where I’m taking you and I’ll be with you every step of the way.”

So, in the midst of the valleys of life, keep your eyes on the faithful and all-powerful shepherd. Are you fearful about the future or going through a trial? Trust in this loving, faithful, powerful, and wise shepherd. Your God will guide, protect, and comfort you, even as He leads you through the valley of the shadow of death.

Barnhouse’s Shadow

There’s a touching story from Donald Grey Barnhouse’s life that has always reminded me of the shepherd and the “shadow of death.” Barnhouse was the pastor of a church in Philadelphia.

Sadly, his wife died of cancer. After the funeral service for his wife, Barnhouse was trying to think of a way to help his young children with the loss of their mother. As he tried to find some comforting words, the shadow of a large truck passed over their car as they were driving back from the funeral. Then, he felt like God gave him an idea.

As the children saw this big shadow over them, he said, “Children, would you rather be run over by a truck or by its shadow?” The children quickly answered, “Dad, of course by the shadow. The shadow can’t hurt us.”

Then Barnhouse said, “The truck of death ran over the Lord Jesus 2000 years ago so that only its shadow now passes over us. That is all that has happened to your mother. Only the shadow of death has passed over her. The shadow can’t hurt us! She is safe with Jesus our Shepherd now.” (Lawson, Psalms, p. 124).

The God who Provides Forever Friendship (v. 5-6)

Next, we see, God pictured as a gracious host – that’s how he cares for you and me.[8]As our shepherd, Jesus alone provides constant care. But, as our host, Jesus alone provides forever friendship. Forever friendship. Point #2: He is the God who provides forever friendship.

Now, I know that might sound like some cheesey 80s Christian song, but God created us to know Him, to walk with Him, and Jesus said that He calls us His friends in John 15. So, it is a great honor to be a friend of God, just as Abraham was called a friend of God in James 2. In fact, Abraham was called God’s friend forever in 2 Chronicles 20.

People talk about their BFF – best friend forever. With this imagery, God is saying He’s your BFF – and if anyone can promise forever, it’s our eternal God. So, let’s look at Christ who alone provides forever friendship. Verse 5:

You prepare a table [meaning a meal] before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows. (Psalm 23:5)

Gracious Host

The imagery changes here from God being our shepherd to God being our gracious host. It changes from us being pictured as sheep, to travelers.

There are some who think the sheep imagery continues here and stretch things to say shepherds anointed sheep with oil and gave them cups to drink wine, but I think there are some problems with that interpretation and there is much more evidence that points to this as a picture of us as God’s guests at a banquet He hosts.

We’re at God’s table, God’s feast, enjoying time with Him, enjoying His blessing and protection. He’s our gracious host. Meals created a bond of loyalty and friendship, so David is saying that at the Lord’s table, he’s a welcome companion, a lifelong friend.

Shepherd Host

And it’s possible that this is the shepherd who also acted as a host, especially since Bedouin shepherds provided hospitality for weary travelers, so of course, this just pictures the same God in different roles.

He’s our faithful and gracious shepherd host.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil… (Psalm 23:5)

Anointing Oil

As a host, when guests entered your house, it was customary to give them oil to refresh themselves after their long, hot, and dusty travels, as you can read about in Luke 7. Oil was like a moisturizer for them.

Kings in the Ancient Near East would “drench the foreheads” of their guests at a royal banquet with “choicest oils.” These oils had wonderful perfumes in them, and it was how you showed someone they were welcome and would be well taken care of.

And here, God anoints our head with oil. He says, “Come on in. You’re my honored guest. I planned this lavish banquet because I love you. I welcome you with the finest of oils.”

Oil was used as a symbol of consecration. We are set apart as God’s special people. Oil was also used as a symbol of joy and blessing as well. So, the picture here is that God blesses us like a generous host, bestowing favor and grace upon us. We’re his special guests in His house.

This imagery of God as our host at this feast is teaching that satisfaction, significance, and security are all abundantly supplied to us by Him. We need to go to God our host for these things. To seek satisfaction, significance, and security in anything else is futile.

Who Am I?

As I was thinking about this passage, I started asking God, “Who am I that you’d want me as your honored guest? I’m an unworthy sinner. And we’re here to glorify you, but it’s as if you want us to know that you want to treat us as your special, honored guests…

Shouldn’t we be waiting on you? Shouldn’t we be honored by Your holy presence and be honored and humbled that we’re at your banquet.” And yet, God treat us as His VIPs because we’re His children.

I mean, this is saying that the God of the universe who needs nothing, wants to dine with you, to have fellowship with you. Do you feel that God is distant? Go to Him by faith. His banqueting table is spread for you.

He has prepared a table for you as a gracious host and friend. Well, how generous is this God, this host? Does He have enough at this banquet for me?

Cup Overflows

Yes…Verse 5 says: My cup overflows. (Psalm 23:5). God is so generous. God not only gives me what I need – remember, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want or lack what I need.” But, here the Bible says, my cup overflows. God gives me more than I need.

God gives abundance (John 10), God can even provide for our wants. It’s not the false teaching of the prosperity gospel or the “name it, claim it idea,” but it’s a picture of the abundant, never-ending supply of God’s lavish grace in our lives.

The Lord is a gracious, generous host who makes our cup overflow with the best of His provisions. Is this how we view God? What a beautiful picture of the relationship God wants with us.

He’s anointed my head with oil to welcome me. He wants to spend time with you and me. He wants us to be at His feast where He makes our cup overflow. And we will be at the eternal feast, the marriage supper of the Lamb, to be with Christ face to face forever.

Hesed

So, He’s the God who makes us His honored guests, and gives abundant blessings and favor. Next, we’ll see another aspect of Christ’s forever friendship through His faithfulness. Look at verse 6: Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. (Ps. 23:6)

Will God really take care of us? Yes. His love and goodness will be with us everyday into eternity. The Hebrew word hesed, translated lovingkindness, is a rich word and is very hard to translate.

It has the idea of God’s steadfast and faithful love, His covenantal, loyal love, His sacrificial grace and faithfulness. And here we see that God’s inexhaustible supply of His goodness and love will be with us all the days of our lives.[9]

Even in our difficult times, as Romans 8:39 says, nothing will separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. God’s loving goodness and faithfulness, this verse says, will never end toward us. He will never leave us or forsake us. But notice something else. In this forever friendship with Christ, He pursues us.

Surely goodness and lovingkindness will followme all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. (Psalm 23:6)

The Chasing God

The word for “follow” here (from radaph) is not really the best translation. Over 100 times it’s translated “pursue” or “chase” and that’s how it should be translated here as well. It almost never means follow. Thankfully, a number of recent translations translate it as pursue (NET, HCSB).

Listen, God’s faithful love and goodness don’t follow me like a puppy, or a child walking leisurely behind me. This is a very active, aggressive word, having the idea of “chasing, hunting.” God’s love and goodness chase you.

It’s actually sort of ironic. This is a word that’s normally used to say, “my enemies hotly pursued me, they chased after me to persecute me.”

But David enjoys this meal in the presence of his enemies and says, “My foes may be chasing me, but God’s love and goodness is chasing me too, and He’s faster.” God will outrun my enemies, because He pursues me.

Isn’t that awesome? God’s love and goodness chase me all the days of my life. God’s purpose is to shower us with His faithfulness and goodness from now throughout eternity. Is that how you see God? Or do you think He’s always mad at you or you have to continually earn His love?

No. God is the most loving, the most generous, gracious, and sacrificial being in the universe, and if you look back over your life, you’ll see that He has lavished His grace upon you in countless ways and will do so for all eternity.

Surely God’s goodness and lovingkindness will pursue us all the days of our life and we will dwell in the Lord’s house forever. (v. 6)

I thought about calling this message “The Chasing God” because it’s such a striking picture. Jesus isn’t twiddling His thumbs in heaven. He pursues you; He runs after you to bless you with His goodness.

Because of the cross of Christ, His goodness and faithful love will pursue us, chase us, all the days of our lives. Amen? The Bible says that Satan prowls about like a roaring lion, but God chases us, and He’s faster than the devil.

John Pipersaid:

“God is like a police car pursuing us to do us good. We may think He’s trying to give us a ticket. But in reality, He is chasing us to tell us we won the lottery. And instead of the prize being a mere eight million dollars, it is an eternity of fellowship with Him, basking in His goodness and mercy forever. The heart of God…is brimming with kindness. He refuses to contain himself when it comes to doing good for His [people].”

Summary

This God is all you need. He provides satisfaction, security, and significance. He supplies provision, protection, and purpose. David describes the Lord’s loving care for His people as a shepherd’s tender devotion to His flock and a host’s plentiful provisions for His guests.

We’re pictured here as weak sheep and weary travelers, but Jesus Christ the Good Shepherd and the GraciousHost is sufficient to meet all of our needs (See the Preaching the Word commentary).

If I could summarize the Psalm in one sentence, if you take one thing away this morning, remember that, as our shepherd and host, Jesus alone provides constant care and forever friendship.

Have you ever thought about the fact that Jesus is such a good shepherd because He’s been a sheep?

Jesus – The Shepherd Who Became a Sheep

He’s the only shepherd who’s been a sheep and the only sheep who is a shepherd. He’s God who became man for our salvation and can sympathize with our weakness as Hebrews 4 says. The Lord our shepherd became the Lamb of God that was slain to take away the sin of the world.

And look at what heaven reveals about us and our shepherd and Lamb. Revelation 7:16:

7:16 “They will hunger no longer, nor thirst anymore; nor will the sun beat down on them, nor any heat; 17 for the Lamb [or sheep] in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes.” (Rev 7:16-17)

He’s a shepherd and sheep, the God-man. Jesus, the eternal one came down from heaven and became the lamb that was slain so that we could know Him as our Shepherd forever.

In John 10:11, Jesus is called the good shepherd which refers to His sacrifice to save us, laying His life down for His sheep, dying for us in order to give us eternal life.

In Hebrews 13:20, Jesus is called the great shepherd which refers to His resurrection from the dead and His ongoing work in our lives.

And in 1 Peter 5:4, Jesus is called the chief shepherd, which refers to His return and how He will raise us from the dead and give us eternal glory. What a shepherd!

Jesus Christ died for His sheep on the cross, arose from the dead, cares for His sheep, and will return for His sheep.

Do you know the Lord as your shepherd? Have you believed in this great and awesome God? You can’t experience Christ’s love and care and friendship, unless You’ve trusted in Him as Your Lord and Savior. Believe in the one who died for Your sins and arose from the dead.

He alone can give you the gift of eternal life by grace through faith in Him. He is the good shepherd who seeks and saves the lost – may today be the day that you know Him and follow Him, if you never have. And for we who know Christ the King:

Trust in the Lord your Shepherd, because He knows how to take care of you and your family.

Follow your Shepherd because He is your faithful provider, guide, and protector.

Dine with your gracious and generous host, because He is preparing an eternal home for you and is your forever friend.

Falling on the Lamb

A man was travelling through Europe and came across a strange site. About 75 feet up, on this ornate building, was a huge statue of a lamb. The man stopped one of the locals named John and said, “Is there any significance to that statue of the lamb?”

john said that it marked the place from which a worker lost his balance and fell while the building was being constructed. The traveler asked, “Was he killed?”

John said, “No. It was a miracle. His friends hurried down the building after he fell, expecting to find the worker’s mangled body on the pavement, but they found him without a bruise or a broken bone.” The traveler asked, “How is that possible from such a height?”

John said, “Around the time that the man fell, a herd of lambs were on the way to slaughter. As the worker fell, he landed on the back of one of the lambs. The lamb was killed but its soft body broke the fall and saved the man’s life. The man was so thankful for the lamb that he made the statue, and had it placed there as a lasting tribute to the one who saved his life.”

Thank God for the Lamb who gave His life for you so that you could live forever in His presence. And that Lamb is your Shepherd – He will provide for you, guide you, protect you, and pursue you with His love and faithfulness, now and forever.

As our shepherd and host, Jesus Christ alone provides constant care and forever friendship so let’s follow Him as faithful sheep and devoted friends.

[1] Bailey, Kenneth E.. The Good Shepherd: A Thousand-Year Journey from Psalm 23 to the New Testament (p. 21). InterVarsity Press. Kindle Edition. [2] Ibid, 22 [3]Joshua Dool, Reality Church Vancouver message, Encountering God as Shepherd [4]Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1983-c1985). The Bible knowledge commentary : An exposition of thescriptures (1:811-812). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. [5](Perowne, quoted in Walking with God, Richard Phillips, p. 33). [6] The shepherd would even use the rod to count the sheep, making sure they were all there. [7] You see, shepherds were companions of the sheep. They didn’t just guide, provide, and protect. They lived with the sheep 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and loved them as we love our pets. We too were made to have that 24-7 relationship with God. [8]The able protector is also our abundant provider, MacArthur Study Bible [9]See Ross, p. 569, “Faithful covenant love”