Psalm 23

Psalm 23 for Cana

Psalm 23 ESV

A Psalm of David. 1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. 3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 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. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 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.

Main thought-Main Idea: Whether we walk through green pastures or dark valleys, God, the divine King, rules as a good shepherd over his people, and he promises to be with us and to bless us for his name’s sake.

Exalting Jesus in Psalms 1–50 Portrait of Our Shepherd-King (Psalm 23)

Holy Scripture overflows with metaphors, pictures, and images of our great and awesome God. They help us understand his character and nature, his holiness and goodness, and his power and love. Herman Bavinck, in his work The Doctrine of God, lists the various ways God is described in the Bible. For example, he is compared to a lion, an eagle, a lamb, the sun, a light, a fire, a fountain, a rock, a hiding place, a tower, and a shield; the Bible also gives more personal and intimate images to help us comprehend the incomprehensible God. He is called a bridegroom, a husband, a judge, a king, a man of war, a builder and maker, a physician, and of course a father (Doctrine of God, 86–89).

Now we see Him as a Shepherd. .. Shepherd King. And yet another image appears in the Bible that portrays with wonderful clarity our Lord’s compassion and concern, his protection and guidance. It is the image of a shepherd—actually, the image is of a Shepherd-King. We discover this Shepherd-King imagery in the beautiful Twenty-third Psalm, a psalm that forms a glorious trilogy with Psalms 22 and 24. In Psalm 22 we meet our suffering King. In Psalm 24 we see our sovereign King. In Psalm 23 we witness our Shepherd-King.

Exalting Jesus in Psalms 1–50 (Portrait of Our Shepherd-King (Psalm 23))

Each of these psalms has the Lord Jesus Christ in view. The Bible describes the Lord Jesus as a shepherd three times. In John 10:11 he is the “good shepherd” who gives his life for his sheep. In Hebrews 13:20 he is the “great Shepherd of the sheep” who shed his blood to inaugurate and ratify the new and eternal covenant. In 1 Peter 5:4 he is the “chief Shepherd” who provides for his faithful servants the crown of glory that does not fade away.

So much on faith and assurance-

In Psalm 23 we find words of faith, confidence, and assurance. Jesus voiced Psalm 22 to his Father, and it would not be surprising if these words were on his lips too. These words should also be on the lips of every servant of God as we trust our good shepherd, the Lord Jesus, to lead us in the paths of righteousness and to walk with us through the valley of the shadow of death. Much of the imagery in the psalm also echoes the exodus, when Yahweh shepherded his people through the wilderness. This shepherd has a history. This shepherd has proven his faithfulness to his sheep in the past. Therefore, we can trust him in the present and the future.

I. Our Shepherd-King Provides for Us What We Need (23:1–3).

A. He gives us nourishment (23:1–2).

David affirms, “The Lord [Yahweh] is my shepherd; I have what I need” (NIV, “I lack nothing”; NLT, “I have all that I need”; The Message, “I don’t need a thing”). The personal pronoun is crucial. A total of seventeen personal pronouns appear in the six verses of this psalm. The one true and living Lord is our shepherd.

Exalting Jesus in Psalms 1–50 He Gives Us Nourishment (23:1–2)

In the exodus the Lord shepherded his people through the wilderness into the promised land, meeting every single need they had. Left to themselves, sheep lack everything, but cared for by a good shepherd, they lack nothing.

Exalting Jesus in Psalms 1–50 He Gives Us Nourishment (23:1–2)

Verse 2 describes the nourishment he gives as “he lets me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside quiet waters.” Unlike a hireling, he thinks first and foremost of his sheep’s welfare. He will see to it that they have what they need for life. This is what Jesus does for you and me. He will feed us and satisfy our hunger because he is the bread of life (John 6:35). He will quench our thirst because he is the living water (John 4:14; 7:38).

He protects us from physical limitation (He makes me lie down)

in our world of hustling and moving and go go go. . . left to ourselves, we would never lie down.

we chase after so much:

career

success

family

inheritance

status

This chasing will lead to anxiety and lack of rest. Some are successful in achieving this and others. . . however the quality of life is not what they thought.

In a book talking about Rockefeler. . . the question was asked how much is enough. Rockerfeller was one of the wealthiest individuals in American history. He had it all (status, wealth) and when asked how much wealth is enough; he replied “just a little bit more.”

If you read about his life, with all of this, he still suffered from depression.

As we are on our chase, the Lord offers us rest.

“Come to me all who are weary and heavy laden, I will give you rest.”

B. He gives us rest (23:3).

he restores my soul.

David says the Lord “renews my life.” The Hebrew word nephesh is often translated as “soul” or “life.” The Lord revives us when we need strength. The Lord “renews” us and puts us back on our feet and into the fight when we stumble and fall. The Lord puts life in proper perspective and helps us see things with a Godward, eternal perspective. The Lord restores us and refreshes us through his personal presence and his powerful Word

C. He gives us guidance (23:3).

Moral Frailty- He leads me in paths of righteousness

What protects us from the enemy is our trust in the living God.

R. C. Sproul

II. Our Shepherd-King Protects Us Where We Are (23:4–5).

A. He is with us when we face death (23:4).

Although we must still meet death, let us nevertheless be calm and serene in living and dying, when we have Christ going before us. If anyone cannot set his mind at rest by disregarding death, that man should know that he has not yet gone far enough in the faith of Christ.

John Calvin (French Reformer)

B. He is with us when we face the enemy (23:5).

III. Our Shepherd-King Promises Us What We Will Have (23:6).

A. We will always have his gracious love.

B. We will someday enjoy his gracious acceptance.