PSALM 23 (FUNERAL/SUICIDE)

Psalm 23:1–6 (ESV)

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 leads 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 shall follow me

all the days of my life,

and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord

forever.

Growing up, some of my favorite movies were the Christopher Reeve “Superman” movies. In one of the movies, Superman saves a man from a burning building. He rescues him from the top floor and is carrying him to safety by flying through the skies. The man looks at Superman and then looks down to the ground. “I’m scared, Superman. Look how far down that is.”

Superman gives him a great answer. “Now if I delivered you from the burning fire, what makes you think I am going to drop you when I’m carrying you to safety?”

For many of us, we allow the fallenness of this world and momentary seasons of affliction dictate our faith.

One of the most well known and most read passages of scripture at funeral services is Psalm 23. It’s such a beautiful psalm and it’s one that brings comfort, assurance, and hope to Christians.

But, in order to see the full and robust beauty of Psalm 23, we’ve got to understand where it’s coming from.

As much beauty and peace and comfort as Psalm 23 brings us it immediately follows a Psalm of complete opposite emotion…a Psalm from David’s troubled heart that describes the “valley of deep darkness” where David was. Listen to the opening words...

Psalm 22:1–2 (ESV)

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?

O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer,

and by night, but I find no rest.

And then...

Psalm 22:11–18 (ESV)

Be not far from me,

for trouble is near,

and there is none to help.

Many bulls encompass me;

strong bulls of Bashan surround me;

they open wide their mouths at me,

like a ravening and roaring lion.

I am poured out like water,

and all my bones are out of joint;

my heart is like wax;

it is melted within my breast;

my strength is dried up like a potsherd,

and my tongue sticks to my jaws;

you lay me in the dust of death.

For dogs encompass me;

a company of evildoers encircles me;

they have pierced my hands and feet—

I can count all my bones—

they stare and gloat over me;

they divide my garments among them,

and for my clothing they cast lots.

It’s interesting that Psalm 22 is categorized as a song - a song of worship (for the choirmaster). We tend to think of worship music as joyful, happy, upbeat, etc. But what happens when life isn’t like that…when our relationship with God isn’t like that?

Here is David who feels abandoned, forsaken, overtaken by his enemies and consumed yet is rooted in something deeper than his circumstances. David was fighting mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. David had moments of intense weakness.

This is what he knows...

HE KNOWS HE HAS A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD

Look carefully at the opening words of chapter 23. The Lord is “my” “shepherd.”

“My” — it’s personal. Even the God who he “feels” has abandoned him, David knows he has a personal relationship with His Lord.

“Shepherd” - it’s intimate. Up to this point, David has used impersonal metaphors for God like “rock” or “shield” and “king” and “deliverer.”

A shepherd is intimate. There is a difference between a hired hand and a shepherd. A hired hand has no personal interest in the sheep. The hired hand has no love for the sheep. The shepherd lives with his flock and is everything to it.

A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP OF PROVISION

Vs. 1b - 3a - the shepherd is intimately familiar with the needs of his sheep. He knows when and from what they need rest. He knows when they are hurt and tired and weary. He doesn’t just know their need…he knows how and where to satisfy their need.

The imagery here of green meadows, still waters, the restoration of a soul. Are you beat up this morning? Are you tired? Are you hurt? The Shepherd has made provision for you. He offers you grace and love and healing that are only available in a personal relationship.

A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP OF PRESENCE

Look at vs. 3b - 4. David says that his shepherd LEADS him he is directing him in paths of righteousness. He is leading him down the path of blessing (last week).

Then, he says that he is walking through the valley of the shadow of death (Hebrew - darkness).

Sometimes the path of righteousness takes us through valleys of darkness. Mental darkness. Spiritual darkness. Emotional darkness.

“I will fear no evil.” Why? Look at what David says next.

Again, it’s subtle, but notice the change, here. Look at the change of pronouns. David goes from referring to God as “he” to now “you.” This is powerful. In the valley of darkness the Shepherd doesn’t simply LEAD us. He escorts us. He walks beside us. His presence draws next to us. What does the shepherd’s presence do? Again… “I will fear no evil.” His presence drives out our fear.

God does not flee from us in the valley of darkness. He actually draws closer and more personal.

A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP OF VICTORY

Look at the victory, the grace, the blessing that is ours in Christ!

Vs. 5 - David gives us the imagery of a victory feast…celebrating a triumph we did not achieve! A table - nothing more intimate in the Ancient world than sharing a meal together. The same enemies that David says are overwhelming him in chapter 22 are now in captivity and watching the celebration in humiliation. The oil of anointing - favor and honor. An overflowing cup - prosperity and victory.

Think about Landon today. He is in the presence of God experiencing full and complete freedom!

You see, our shepherd wins for us the victory over our enemies that we, ourselves, cannot achieve. It’s not a victory that we have - or could have - won but one that we get to claim and relish in.

A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP OF PERMANENCE

Surely goodness and mercy…steadfast love and kindness (hesed)…shall follow me. What does that word “follow” mean? It means “to pursue.” To be relentless. The shepherd’s lovingkindness never gives up. It’s agape. It never fails. It loves and pursues even though the sheep doesn’t want it to or thinks it can outrun it.

I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever…wow. What assurance. This is the same guy who, in ch. 22, wrote that he felt that God had abandoned him and forsaken him. Now, he’s sure that he will sit at the table of God, that he will live in God’s house!

As we look at this chapter and we know what we came from in ch. 22, we have to ask ourselves, how is this possible? How is it possible to go from doubt to assurance and hope?

The personal relationship with the Shepherd we are invited into by grace through faith in Him and what he has done on our behalf.

The passages we read from Ps. 22 probably sounded familiar to most of you. That’s because, ultimately, they point us to the greater David - the Shepherd who has suffered on behalf of his sheep.

Isaiah 53:6 (ESV)

All we like sheep have gone astray;

we have turned—every one—to his own way;

and the Lord has laid on him

the iniquity of us all.

The one who was forsaken by God on the cross because of OUR sin. Jesus, our Shepherd, is the One whose hands and feet were pierced, whose body was broken, who was surrounded by enemies and laid in the dust of death - for us and in our place. That’s what WE deserve! We deserve to be forsaken by God because of our sin but Jesus was forsaken in our place.

Take some time this afternoon — read John 10. Listen to what Jesus says:

John 10:11 ESV

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

He lays down his life FOR the sheep — on behalf of/in the place of. He’s the good shepherd who didn’t stay dead nor was he defeated but he rose again in power from the dead and, as Paul says, triumphs over Satan and the kingdom of darkness and invites US to participate in his victory.

Do you have a personal relationship with the good shepherd, Jesus? How can Jesus be your good shepherd? How can you receive the personal relationship he offers us? It’s his free gift (grace) to you if you will turn to him in faith.