Untitled Sermon

The Shepherd of the Sheep

The author is most likely David although we cannot know for sure.

Although it would make sense due to his early life as a shepherd.

It is conjecture to try and figure out when this Psalm was written.

Psalms, Volume 1 Psalm 23

The main subject is the watchful care which God had extended over the author, and the consequent assurance which he felt that God would still watch over him, and supply all his need

Psalms, Volume 1 Psalm 23

the essential idea—is, his full belief that God would provide for him, and that he would never be left to want.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

The Word for Lord here is YHWH, the most holy name for God.

One day Moses asked the Lord to show him Himself. The Lord revealed His name as YHWH and said, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness…”

That is the Lord that David is referring to. A personal God. A good God.

He is reffering in the personal when he says “My shepherd.”

The task of the shepherd was to care for the flock, to find grass and water, to protect it from wild animals (Am 3:12), to look for and restore those that strayed (Ez 34:8; Mt 18:12), to lead the flock out each day going before it and to return the flock at the close of the day to the fold (Jn 10:2–4). At times the shepherd led the flock far from home and sheltered the animals by night in a cave or sheepfold built of fieldstones; he would lie across the entrance. The shepherd was responsible to the owner for every sheep and was required to make restitution for losses (Gn 31:39; Ex 22:10–13). Shepherds and their flocks enjoyed a close relationship (2 Sm 12:3; Jn 10:3, 4) giving them constant care (Ez 34:4, 5; Mt 9:36; 26:31).

Psalms, Volume 1 Psalm 23

would embrace everything that could be a proper object of desire, whether temporal or spiritual; whether pertaining to the body or the soul; whether having reference to time or to eternity. There is no reason for supposing that David limited this to his temporal necessities, or to the present life, but the idea manifestly is that God would provide all that was needful for him always

The Lord is my protector, care provider, my leader.

The Merciful, gracious, loving God is my leader, savior, protector, provider.

With that being true I know that I need nothing else.

I shall not be lacking.

He shall not fail.

If the Lord is my shepherd then I have all that I need. I need not worry. He knows me. I know Him. He walks with me. He leads me. He feeds me.

Some versions say, “I will not lack for anything.”

This is the confidence we have in trusting the Lord.

He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.