The Benefits of Being a Sheep

If you call someone a sheep today it would be considered an insult. It is in the same vein as calling them a lemming. You are accusing them of being a blind follower. Someone who never questions or doubts authority. We might even call them gullible. However, what I would like to propose to you is that being a sheep is not always a bad thing. In fact I would go so far as to say that following blindly may be a good thing, depending upon who you are following. What if the person you are blindly following is worthy of such trust? What if they are all-knowing, all-powerful and always with you? Would you, should you blindly follow this person? What if in addition to being all-knowing, all-powerful and always with you this person is perfectly loving, gracious and merciful? Would you, should you blindly follow this person? What if they are sinless and always does what is right? Would you, should you blindly follow them?

Psalm 23 Outline

Introduction v. 1 - The Psalmists Thesis

Yaweh is my Shepherd

Therefore I lack nothing

Provision in times of peace v. 2, 3

He makes, leads and restores - the source of our peace

Description of peace

Provision in times of trial v. 4, 5

The shadow of death

Presence of enemies

Conclusion v. 6

His goodness and mercy

His presence

Sheep Benefits

Contentment v. 1

Psalm 23:1 “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.”

As we have already discussed v. 1 is the thesis or foundation of the rest of the Psalm. Everything else in the chapter builds from this point.

“Because the Lord is my Shepherd, I lack nothing.”

Things to note about this phrase:

It is Personal - “The Lord is MY Shepherd...”

It is a Metaphor

We are not literally sheep and God is not in that sense literally a Shepherd.

This Psalm must have hit close to home for David. What was his boyhood occupation?

Why does God throughout Scripture use the Shepherd as a metaphor for Himself? Shepherding was not exactly glamorous. Why was David the Shepherd of his family?

This illustration is used because it fits. A shepherd would actually live with his sheep twenty-four hours a day with unwavering devotion, day and night, both in fair weather and bad, to nurture, guide, and protect his sheep. The shepherd would assume 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 (cp. Pss. 28:9; 74:1; 77:20; 78:52; 79:13; 80:1; 95:7; 100:3). He is their everything, their constant protector.

It doesn’t mean that your every desire will be granted nor does it mean that you have every material thing you believe you need. The Bible is full of verses that are frequently co-opted by health and wealth false teachers. Matthew 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

It does mean that we will find that we lack nothing we need to experience abundant life in and through Him.

2 Peter 1:3 “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,”

Psalm 84:11 “For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.”

When we say, “I shall not want,” we also acknowledge our satisfaction with God and what He has given us (Hebrews 13:5; 2 Corinthians 9:8). It means we have learned the secret of contentment, like the apostle Paul, who said, Philippians 4:11–13“Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”

Peace v. 2

Psalm 23:2 “He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.”

Our world is constantly looking for peace everywhere except where it can be found. The metaphor continues by picturing peace through green pastures and still waters.

How many of you feel like you could go for a nice quiet afternoon in a beautiful green pasture next to a quietly flowing stream?

That sense of peace is within our grasp every moment of every day as believers in Christ.

If we lack that peace it is not because God has withheld it from us, but because we have allowed something within us or without us to rob us of that peace.

My consistent prayer for anyone going through any difficulty but particularly a loss of a loved one is that they would have the peace that passes understanding. Philippians 4:7 “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

This serves two purposes

Even in the hardest of times we know and experience the peace of God

The world observes someone who in their estimation should be a basket case but for some reason is at peace. Hopefully that leads to some questions on their part that provides us with the opportunity to share the gospel. John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”

How do I regain the peace that I have lost?

Psalm 91:1 “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.”

Read, Pray, Fellowship, and Serve

Guidance v. 2, 3

Psalm 23:2–3 “He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.”

4 indications of guidance

He makes me

He leads me (x2)

He restores me (renews or refreshes) He is what keeps me going

Life v. 3

Psalm 23:3 “He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.”

How does this verse get us to “life” being a benefit?

First we should remember that we are talking about spiritual life.

Thus to have a soul restored by God is to have life.

There is also a connection between walking in paths of righteousness and having life.

Proverbs 12:28 “In the path of righteousness is life, and in its pathway there is no death.”

Righteousness v. 3b

Psalm 23:3 “He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.”

There is no righteousness outside of Christ.

There is no being a good person outside of Christ. You may win the worlds approval but you will never win Gods.

He is the one who leads you to and provides you with righteousness. If our souls are being restored it is because there is something wrong with them.

Comfort v. 4

Psalm 23:4 “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.”

What is the shadow of death?

There are two answers:

In this life we all constantly life under the shadow of death. None of us are guaranteed our next breath.

However, the bigger truth is that our physical death itself is but a shadow of death. The death of our physical bodies is simply symbolic of the spiritual death endured by those outside of Christ for all eternity.

The believer can walk in the shadow of death with both confidence and comfort.

Why? Because we have both the rod and staff of the Shepherd correcting and saving us. It saves us from danger and keeps us on the path we should go. Ultimately it is His presence that comforts us beyond understanding.

Protection v. 5a

Psalm 23:5 “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.”

The Shepherd prepares a table for us. That sounds nice. We often find peace and contentment around a meal with family and friends.

However, the table prepared by our Shepherd here is in the midst not of family and friends but in the presence of our enemies.

Why would He do that? Because that is where we are. Jesus became flesh and dwelt among us. He moved into our neighborhood. He doesn’t always remove us from circumstance that we hate, but He is always with us.

Fulfillment v. 5b

Psalm 23:5 “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.”

In Jesus’ day a host would anoint the heads of his guests with a drip of perfumed oil when they arrived to refresh them after their travels.

Here in the midst of our enemies our Good Shepherd prepares our table and protects us from outside threats but also brings refreshment.

He is an attentive host, never letting our cups run dry at His table.

Even in the midst of our enemies, which are really His enemies, our every need is fulfilled.

Loving-kindness v. 6

Psalm 23:6 “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

Because we need His goodness and mercy every day picking up in a sense the messes we made.

Mercy is that all important word “hesed”. His loyal, merciful lovingkindness.

Displayed: John 10:11–18 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.””