Our Shepherd

Introduction

One of the most well-known Bible passages - for good reason.

There are entire books written about this one Psalm.

You likely heard it read or heard a sermon on it at a funeral.

Psalm 23:4 (ESV) 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.

Psalm 23:6 (ESV) 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.

Never preached on this passage before.

As we’ll see today, this psalm is not only for funerals. Though it is great psalm to bring comfort at the time of loss, it is actually a much broader psalm.

You may have heard many sermons on this passage before - not trying to necessarily give us something radically new, but remind us of the truths this passage gives.

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.

David had been a shepherd, and is now likely king as he writes this psalm. Kings in the ANE were often described as shepherds as they led their people and David may be thinking how he has gone from shepherding sheep to shepherding people.

In this Psalm, David is the sheep and God is the shepherd.

D.A. Carson described this psalm as “a sheep’s-eye view of God.”

Sheep are not the brightest crayon on the apple tree.

They are in many ways helpless.

Their self defense is “hope the other guy is caught first”

They are often times stubborn and do things against what is obviously good for them.

The Bible likens us to sheep in many ways.

Ezekiel 34

Isaiah 53:6 ESV

6 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.

Your relationship to the Shepherd is personal.

The Lord is my shepherd;

The LORD is my shepherd

This Shepherd is the Yahweh

it’s like having a shade-tree mechanic work on your car or the engineer who designed it

David didn’t simply say that he has a shepherd - that’s great - he’s not a wandering sheep - but he has YAHWEH as shepherd!!

The Lord is my SHEPHERD

Different ways God is described lead us to think of Him differently.

King

Rock

Creator

Judge

Father (NT)

Throughout the Psalms, the majority of the descriptions of God have been distant.

Here, David gives a very personal understanding of God based on his own experiences.

The Lord IS my shepherd

David wasn’t hoping Yahweh would take care of him

That maybe he could have some shepherding qualities

This statement was actually confirmed by God himself. And not just through a prophet, or in a vision, or some other distant way.

Rather, God himself, came and told us!

John 10:14 ESV

14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me,

The Lord is MY shepherd

personal 

It is not that the Lord is A shepherd, rather the Lord is MY shepherd

Claim of ownership

1. You belong to this Shepherd simply because he made you.

2. You belong to this Shepherd because he purchased you

Commitment to Care

Because of the rather helpless nature of sheep, a lot depended on on their owner and master.

If the master was harsh, demanding, inattentive, selfish, the sheep would suffer

If the master was kind, intelligent, selfless, the sheep would flourish

Surely David knew this. Being a shepherd, he had seen many shepherds. He had seen the condition of the flock of each type of shepherd.

David fought lions and bears for his flock.

As king, he had seen other kings. He knew how the people flourished or suffered under each type of king.

Be Worshipful Psalm 23

You can’t drive sheep, as you do cattle; they must be led. The eastern shepherds know their sheep by name and can call them and they will come (

John 10:1–5 ESV

1 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”

ILLUST - the BBC broadcast about the shepherd who knew each of his sheep.

introduced three sheep from another farm down the street to see if the shepherd could pick out which were not his - he did in a matter of minutes

2. Each sheep is marked on the ear. The shepherd could identify and “name” each sheep from a distance and tell you shich other sheep it was related to. S52, daughter of N8, also knew 257 was the winner of a show

*What kind of master do you follow? Who’s your shepherd?

Is he harsh? Demanding? Jesus said you can’t follow two masters.

John 10:14–15 ESV

14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.

Your Shepherd provides contentment.

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.

I shall not want.

Because of who the Shepherd is and his heart, the sheep have no needs

want is not about the desire of the sheep but about the need.

Sheep are mostly helpless

“Want” in this passage refers to needs and not earthly desires

Sometimes we switch the two, don’t we?

This does not stop them from crawling the fence looking for greener pastures

But these pastures are not cared for by the Good Shepherd. 

Don’t be a fence crawler

D. A. Carson Sermon Library The Psalm of the Sheep (Psalm 23)

We live in a most discontent society. We have so much and we are content with so little. We live in a generation that seeks some sense of fulfillment, of self-identity through travel or pleasure or bigger houses or more money.

Matthew 16:24–26 ESV

24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?

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

Sheep don’t lie down to eat. If they are lying down in green grass then they are already full.

They are satisfied with where their master has led them.

Sheep won’t lie down unless they are safe, fed, and free of pests.

no danger to look out for - external or internal

full of food

no flies, bugs or parasites

Makes me, Leads me.

Both words in imperfect, meaning they are done to the sheep. It is a shepherd-initiated action.

It is the goodness and grace of the shepherd that has them in the grass and not any ability of the sheep.

*Are you content to have Jesus lead you? Are you resisting settling down because it is not what you want?

Sheep that are content in their shepherd’s heart lie down, those that think their shepherd is holding out crawl the fence.

In following the Shepherd there is contentment.

You can be assured your Shepherd will pick you up and guide you.

3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

The Shepherd has refreshed with contentment and now he restores.

Sheep can be cast. Sorry sight. on their back, legs in the air, unable to right themselves and stand on there own

ILLUST - Julian in the pool

Can happen in several ways:

lose balance

too much weighing it down

too comfortable

The danger:

D. A. Carson Sermon Library The Psalm of the Sheep (Psalm 23)

What that does is simultaneously ensure that the sheep is top light when upside down. As well, the pressure begins to cut off the circulation to the legs. If the country is a hot country, such a sheep can die in a few hours. In a cool country where there is lots of rain to keep the sheep from becoming too bloated, it might last that way for several days

A shepherd will count their sheep to see if one is missing. Perhaps see the buzzards circling

A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23: Discovering God's Love for You 5. “He Restores My Soul”

It is not only the shepherd who keeps a sharp eye for cast sheep but also the predators. Buzzards, vultures, dogs, coyotes, and cougars all know that a cast sheep is easy prey and death is not far off.

Shepherd needs to pick up the sheep, allowing it to gan a solid footing and have circulation back in its legs.

Luke 15:3–5 ESV

3 So he told them this parable: 4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

*Is there something that keeps you cast down?

a sin that causes you to stumble, you fall and have a hard time getting up?

been knocked over?

is the junk of the world and what is going on in your life weighing you down?

The good shepherd doesn’t beat the sheep when it is down. It does no good.

The good shepherd isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty to shear the sheep of all the dirt and muck of the world

Matthew 9:36 ESV

36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

Call out, and he will run to you - he’s looking. He will pick you up, clean you off, and support you until you can walk again.

3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

paths of righteousness = right paths

For his name’s sake.

Here is the assurance

God takes care of his sheep because he is the Faithful Shepherd, not because we are faithful sheep.

It is not: He leads me in paths of righteousness so i might become religious

so i would be a good person

so I would do good things.

He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

God will never dishonor his name. His name is his character. His character is his name.

You have security as your Shepherd walks with you in dark places.

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.

Could be rendered: Walk through the valley of deep darkness

This broadens the idea not only to security in death but also security in all of the dark places in our lives.

David switches from talking about the Lord as Shepherd generally to specifically and personally

A valley in the desert can have deep shadows where dangers may lie (bandits, animals, flash floods)

This is probably because it is in the dark valley that the flock and the shepherd are the closest.

He is no longer leading ahead but walking with.

There are no other flocks or shepherds around. Just you and the shepherd.

Potential for fear - potential for intimacy.

Perhaps this is why David switches from speaking ABOUT the shepherd to speaking TO the shepherd

The closer you are to the Shepherd, the less fear you will have.

ILLUST - Caleigh walking with Kaden - he doesn’t seem to mind the dark alleys. Caleigh feels secure walking with him.

Difference between rod and staff?

Rod and staff bring the image of protection and guidance.

Rod = club for protection

Staff = shepherd’s crook for guidance to make sure the sheep don’t fall in the darkness

Shevet means rod. It indicates shepherds’ rods (Ezk 20:37), used for counting (Lv 27:32) or protection (Ps 23:4). Shevet is also associated with applying discipline (Pr 13:24). Used symbolically of fury’s power (Pr 22:8), shevet as scepter connotes discipline (Is 11:4) or punishment (Jb 37:13). Assyria was the rod of God’s anger against Israel (Is 10:5). Shevet can be a military weapon, a club (2Sm 23:21) or spear (2Sm 18:14). Shevet as a symbol of power meant scepter (Gn 49:10) or staff (Jdg 5:14) of rule. I

*Where is the darkness ahead of you? Lean into the Good Shepherd. When things go dark is when we feel alone. But it is in the dark valley that the shepherd is the closest.

Your Shepherd wants to satisfy you with joy

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

Image switches from shepherd to friend or host?

preparing the table or the pasture has the same idea - clearing the bad and giving the good

Shepherd = ownership, care, protection. Friend = close relationship

Oil could be oil of protection on the nose of the sheep to keep from bugs or the oil of anointment by a friend and host to show honor, kindness and joy

*The Good Shepherd wants to give you all for you to live life to the fullest - this psalm is not just for times of death, it’s for all of life!

Your Shepherd will always chase you with goodness and grace.

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.

Follow = pursue

of 142 times used in Hebrew, only translated in the ESV 8 times as “follow”

even then, it is usually understood to be “following to overtake” or pursue

Jesus never stops chasing you with goodness

Jesus never stops chasing you with grace.

The word ‘mercy’ is the word for the covenant faithfulness of God. He made a covenant with you and he is chasing after you - wherever you wander - to make sure you have every opportunity to experience his goodness.

When you look over your shoulder and see God chasing you (if you are his sheep), he is not chasing you to give judgment, he is chasing you to give goodness.

We are born expecting him to give us judgment - and rightly so - so when we see him coming, we expect it. When we give ourselves to the Good Shepherd Jesus, he exchanges the judgment for goodness. Same passion, different pursuit.

This exchange happens not when the sheep ultimately die in front of the shepherd, but when the Good Shepherd gives his life to his sheep!!!!

I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

David is not looking to somehow stay in a never-ending church service.

Instead, he is looking to be in God’s presence forever.

The only way this happens is by God’s goodness and promise - his covenant - his mercy.

John 10:14–15 ESV

14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.

Does he know your voice? Do you know his?

If Jesus is not your shepherd, then Psalm 23 is no comfort to you.

Jesus is also the door to the sheepfold

Follow the Shepherd.

He’s YOUR Shepherd.

Follow the Shepherd.

In Him you’ll find contentment.

Follow the Shepherd.

No matter if you have failed or fallen again.

Follow the Shepherd.

Stay close and you’ll have no reason to fear.

Follow the Shepherd.

He’s preparing joy for you.

Follow the Shepherd.

He’s running toward you with goodness.

Follow the Shepherd.

It’s Jesus.