The Shepherd of the 23rd Psalm

Introduction

One of the most famous passages of Scripture. The beauty and majesty of this Psalm is unmatched.

We’ve been in the book of Galatians for some time - and it’s a heavy study. I thought it’d be nice to rest for a while in this wonderful psalm.

You know church, in the life of the Christian, we experience many things:

Garden Experiences

Giant (Valley) Experiences

Mountaintop Experiences

We read the Word of Christ in: Mark 6:31 “And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.”

Sometimes we need a ‘come apart’ experience and rest a while

Tonight I wanted to do that. Just rest and consider this wonderful Psalm and rejoice in the Shepherd

First, we see His Person

I. His Person

The Regent (v1a)

The psalm begins with those 2 words ‘The LORD’. Let’s examine that for a moment.

Regent (def) Governor; Ruler; one invested with authority

(Ill.) States have what we call ‘Governors’. They are the head of the state. However, when we speak of ‘the LORD’ we speak of not one who has authority over a state who must answer and work with other legislators - we’re talking about one who has SUPREME AUTHORITY OVER ALL CREATION!

(Read some of Psalm 104)

It’s important that we have the right frame of reference when we speak of the LORD. The gravity of those two words are far more than the mind can comprehend. He is:

The Alpha & Omega, beginning and end

The Creator of Heaven and Earth - who spoke the world into existence in 6 days.

It was easier for Him to speak the stars into existance than for me to cast a handful of sand.

THIS IS WHO DAVID IS TALKING ABOUT! THIS GREAT GOD! If you don’t get this, then you don’t fully comprehend what He’s saying here.

We see the Regent

The Relation (v1b)

‘is my Shepherd’

We see that David is claiming the God of Creation as His Own.

(Ill.) You know how as children, many of us would look up at our dad and think that he was the biggest, toughest, baddest man around? (This was only true for my son). We would be so proud to claim them as our own. Yet as we grow, we begin to see more faults than perfections…

But here’s the thing about God - Look as you will, try as you might, you’ll find no imperfections there!

David is claiming him as his own.

Secondly, we see that David is putting him in a position of leadership in his life

He doesn’t just enjoy a relationship with the LORD, but he states that the LORD is his Shepherd.

David (being the sheep) understands exactly how reliant the sheep are to the shepherd.

David told a story one time about how a shepherd protected the sheep:

1 Samuel 17:34–36 “And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him. Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.”

David knew that without the Shepherd, the sheep was easy pray for such a terrifying enemy.

But here David is equating himself, not as shepherd, but as the sheep - and he was dependent upon the Shepherd

We see the Relation

The Result (v1c)

‘I shall not want’

When you couple the first two points together:

The great God of Heaven and Earth

How He’s the Shepherd to David

The result of that is David’s declaration ‘I shall not want’.

In other words, he knows that every need that he has will be supplied.

His God is able

He is HIS Shepherd

Therefore, David rests in the fact that every needs that he has will be satisfied by such a Shepherd as that.

We see the Result - which leads us to His Providence

Next we see His Providence

II. His Providence

The remainder of the psalms details just how and what the Shepherd provides for his sheep - David being one.

Rest (v2)

One thing that you will notice as the Psalm progresses is the fact that David is pointing all goodness and glory unto God.

‘HE’ maketh; ‘HE’, leadeth, etc…

‘Green pastures’ & ‘still waters’ - these are pictures of peace.

Going back to the yoke that Christ provides: Matthew 11:28–30 “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Jesus told His disciples in the last hours of His ministry: John 16:32–33 “Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

This world and all the circumstances therein have a way of beating us down and bringing an uneasiness to life. It’s filled with angst and strife. However, when the LORD is our Shepherd - AND WE’RE FOLLOWING HIS LEAD - He will make us lay down in green pastures, and he’ll lead us beside still waters!

The LORD will give Rest

Restoration (v3a)

Restoreth (def) to turn back; to bring back or recover from lapse degeneracy

David says that the LORD restoreth his soul.

I think it a common thing to either fall into a place of degeneracy or despondency. Either we can fall back into a place of sin, or fall into a place of apathy.

While it’s easy to get there in this life, I’m thankful that the LORD is not satisfied with keeping you there.

God’s desire is to restore you to where you need to be.

Jesus told the story in: Luke 15:3–6 “And he spake this parable unto them, saying, What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.”

Many Christians when they fall into sin or fall away in apathy, they have a hard time getting back - NOT BECAUSE GOD DOESN’T WANT THEM BACK, but because they feel unworthy.

Church I have news for you - none of us are worthy! The shepherd doesn’t love the sheep because they have so much to offer - He loves the sheep BECAUSE THEY ARE HIS!

He offers Restoration

Righteousness (v3b)

We see that David is trusting that His Shepherd will leads him in Righteous paths.

Church, how many of us desire to live Righteously? Let me fill you in on something: It’s impossible to do in the flesh.

(This is the crux of the Liberty v. Bondage point that Paul is making in Galatians) However, when we’re Spirit led, we can our paths will be nothing less than Righteous.

Living Righteously brings a peace and satisfaction with life. Yet, the Good Shepherd will lead us there.

He offers Righteousness

Confidence (v4a)

‘Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me’.

I’ve heard people speak of a place that was called the ‘valley of death’ and believe that’s what David is referring to. I don’t know about that. I don’t think he’s speaking of a specific place, but rather a situation.

Situations in which we find ourselves throughout life. Dangerous, hazardous places. The Cancers, heartaches & turmoils of life. When we walk through those, EVEN THOUGH THEY BE TREACHEROUS, WE CAN FEAR NO EVIL!

Adam Clarke said this: The reference is still to the shepherd. Though I, as one of the flock, should walk through the most dismal valley, in the dead of the night, exposed to pitfalls, precipices, devouring beasts, etc., I should fear no evil under the guidance and protection of such a Shepherd.

This Shepherd inspires confidence

(Ill.) Back years ago, I had a good job making great money, freedom perks, etc. It was during the Obama recession. I quit my job to go and pastor that church in NC. Mind you, they hadn’t called me yet - hadn’t even told me that they were considering voting on me… yet that’s where the Shepherd was leading. I’ll never forget my boss. Norm Burgeson. He did not believe me when I told him what I was doing - he thought I was going to work at a competitor.

Church in hindsight, that wasn’t easy - but I had confidence in my Shepherd, and rightly so!

He offers Confidence

Comfort (v4b)

‘thy rod and thy staff they comfort me’

He offers comfort.

Not always in the manner in which we find pleasing, but comfort nonetheless.

The rod & staff were the tools of the Shepherd. They were tools of chastisement and correction.

I’m glad that when I get off the path I should be on, my Shepherd will at first attempt to pull me back in line.

BUT SOMETIMES SHEEP ARE HARD HEADED (anybody like this?) and they pull against that staff and continue in their stubborn ways. Then the Shepherd will take the rod upside it’s head - not to be cruel, but to teach and train the sheep to stay on the safe path.

There’s comfort in knowing that I have one that cares enough about me to chastise me if necessary.

(Ill.) I’ve witnessed many children grow up around me. In both ministry, through the lives of my children and also youth sports. I’ve seen parents who are strict disciplinarians and others who could care less. What I’ve seen is this: The children who had discipline didn’t appreciate it when they endured it, but were thankful for it later on. Many children who had parents that didn’t care enough to discipline them WISHED THEY DID - and many ended up in ruins because of it.

There’s comfort in the rod and staff

A Feast (v5a)

‘Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:’

A few things to note here:

The Shepherd provides a plenty.

As the Shepherd provides the sustenance, it’s a ‘table’, it’s not a snack or a morsel - but a feast.

Jesus said: John 6:53–56 “Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.”

As we consider how Jesus is ‘The Word’, we find that God has provided us a feast as well.

(Ill.) I’ll tell you - for over 25 years now I’ve been dining upon the Word of God - I’ve eaten my fill - and I’ve not gotten through the first course yet!

There’s Providence despite circumstance

I’m thankful that we can feast despite there be enemies of the Word of God all around!

He provides a feast

Favour (v5b)

The Psalmist said: Psalm 92:10 “But my horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of an unicorn: I shall be anointed with fresh oil.”

That ointment was both practical and a picture

In a practical sense, the Shepherd would anoint the heads of the sheep with oil for medicinal purposes.

The oil would keep the flies away and prevent maggot infestations.

The oil would soothe injuries and pains developed

As a picture, the anointing is a picture of the anointing of the Holy Ghost

We read in 1 John 2:20 “But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.” 1 John 2:27 “But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.”

David could rejoice in that he knew his Shepherd would anoint him in a special way, as he showed great favour unto him.

He demonstrates favour

Fulness (v5c)

David said that his ‘cup runneth over’ in other words, he was blessed beyond what he was capable of truly enjoying.

I thank God that I’ve experienced that. Sure we have trials and suffering throughout life, but if there’s a more blessed man than me, I don’t know them!

He provides a fulness

A Following (v6a)

We see that David is confident that throughout his life, some things will follow him - goodness and mercy.

THIS IS NOT TO SAY THAT DAVID HAD IT EASY - he surely didn’t.

David was a man of war.

David experienced rebellion within his household

David experienced the death of a child (attributed to him)

David experienced being a man living in caves, hunted by the king of the land

Yet through it all, David was confident that goodness and mercy would follow him - ALL THE DAYS OF HIS LIFE (Not SOME).

Church let me tell you something: We all experienced hard times, but we all experience the goodness and mercy of God on a daily basis. Where your joy lies will determine on what you choose to focus on.

He experienced a following

A Future (v6b)

David was confident that he had a future.

(Ill.) I’m 51 years old now. I don’t know how long I’ll live, but I know this: My future is far greater than my past.

(Ill.) Bro. Ancil - 90 years old. But guess what - in Christ Jesus, that sheep has a far greater future than what he has in the past!

Jesus said this: John 10:11 “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.”

Church, one day you and I will leave this world - but thanks be to our Shepherd - WHO GAVE HIS LIFE A RANSOM FOR US - we have a future still to look forward to!

Conclusion

I thank God for being my Shepherd. What about you?