When You Have The Shepherd Psalm 23
Notes
Transcript
Subject: Provision
Theme: Complete Provision
Thesis: Because the LORD gives Himself to His people as their Shepherd, we have everything we truly need for life, death, and eternity.
Principle Statement: We can rest in the Shepherd, trusting that when we have Him, we have all we truly need.
Introduction
Introduction
One of the most well known verses of scripture -
Believers and non-believers alike.
Quoted in movies
often detached from explicit religious teaching and repurposed for themes of comfort, danger, doubt, resilience, or irony.
Music - The phrase "valley of the shadow of death" is frequently borrowed to evoke street dangers, struggle, and moral ambiguity.
There is a major problem with this though.
Although the Psalm has enduring appeal, it is misinterpreted as universal themes—guidance through danger, provision amid lack, and peace in chaos.
Themes at are easily translated easily beyond the relationship with God that it is intended to show.
Modern adaptations often emphasize individualism, skepticism, or social commentary rather than straightforward faith.
Unbelievers like the idea of God as a shepherd, they take this psalm to mean that this is God’s disposition towards all people.
Which is in now way what David is saying.
David is not even saying that this is God’s disposition towards Israel.
David is saying that this is God’s disposition towards him.
Not everyone could say that, not everyone Israel, perhaps not everyone in this room can say that this morning.
Only those who understand the redemption that we have in Christ can truly say that.
The sheperding described in this Psalm is not universal.
It is based on God’s unique disposition towards His people.
But when you are one of His people you can have hope.
Because the LORD gives Himself to His people as their Shepherd, we have everything we truly need for life, death, and eternity.
As followers of Jesus, we can rest in the Shepherd, trusting that when we have Him, we have all we truly need.
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.
What does the LORD provide for His people as their Shepherd?
I. The LORD As Shepherd.
I. The LORD As Shepherd.
Some people try to speculate how old or what stage of life David was in when he wrote this Psalm, but there is no clear evidence pointing one direction or another.
All we know for sure is that based upon the content, David had experienced some highs and lows in life and was at this point relying fully upon the Lord.
David is writing out of his own experience in this Psalm.
The structure of Psalm 23 is important.
This psalm has a distinct pattern.
This psalm is best understood in 3 movements with two perspectives.
The Lord as shepherd.
The valley of the shadow of death
The promise of mercy.
David begins this Psalm introducing this shepherd theme.
The Lord is my shepherd.
The idea of shepherding is presented throughout the Bible.
It is shown through multiple avenues that move form divine care to human leadership and culminates in Jesus redemptive mission.
The imagery is found in the Old and New testament as a way to depict God’s relationship with His people,
The Psalms celebrate God’s protective provision—making His people rest in abundance, leading them to refreshment, and guiding them toward righteousness. (Ps 23)
Isaiah envisions God gathering the vulnerable in His arms and gently leading those in need. (Isa 40:11)
However, this divine shepherding stands in sharp contrast to human failure.
Ezekiel condemns Israel’s leaders for exploiting their position rather than nourishing the flock, neglecting the weak, sick, injured, and lost. (Ezek 34)
Jeremiah pronounces judgment on shepherds who scatter and abandon God’s people. (Jer 23:1–4)
The New Testament applies this trajectory to Jesus and His followers.
Jesus claims the identity of “the good shepherd” who lays down his life for the sheep.
Beyond Christ, the early church understood its leaders as shepherds patterned after Jesus, using titles like elder and overseer to describe those responsible for tending God’s flock through faithful oversight.
Church leaders were called to shepherd willingly and humbly, serving as examples rather than dominating those entrusted to their care. (1 Pet 5:2–4)
With that understanding, we can take into account David’s words in the beginning of this Psalm.
“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.”
Because this psalm is so familiar, we have to be careful not to move too quickly through it.
Many of us have heard these words, even been comforted by them ourselves.
But Psalm 23 is not sentimental comfort.
Psalm 23 is a confession of faith in the LORD Himself.
David is not first rejoicing in peaceful circumstances. He is rejoicing in the LORD who shepherds him.
The center of the psalm is the Shepherd.
When we pull back a little further and see where God has placed this Psalm in the greater context of scripture it follows Paslm 22.
Psalm 22 begins with the words,
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
Where else do we hear those word?
Those are the very words Jesus cried from the cross. Psalm 22 is a psalm of deep suffering.
It describes mocking, rejection, pain, weakness, enemies, and the feeling of being forsaken.
And the New Testament shows us that Psalm 22 finds its fullest fulfillment in the suffering of Jesus Christ.
Before David announces the comfort of Psalm 23, he tells of the suffering of Psalm 22.
Psalm 23 is not comfort disconnected from the cross.
Psalm 23 is not peace without sacrifice.
Psalm 23 is not provision apart from redemption.
Notice first the name: “The LORD.”
This is the covenant name of God.
Not an unknown god, a distant power, or a vague spiritual force.
David uses God’s proper name Yahweh,
the God who revealed Himself to His people, the God who made and keeps promises, the God who rescues, sustains, and remains faithful.
David says Yahweh is MY shepherd.
This is personal trust, personal belonging.
This is David speaking as one who knows the LORD, depends on the LORD, and belongs to the LORD.
It is really about relationship.
David doesn’t just have a head knowledge about God as savior.
He has a relationship.
The shepherd-sheep relationship in biblical times was fundamentally characterized by intimate daily contact and personal investment.
This is something we often fail to understand today.
Shepherds spent entire days in the fields with their flocks, developing mutual familiarity where both shepherd and sheep came to know one another.
This closeness shaped how shepherds cared for their animals.
The relationship extended to individual recognition. Eastern shepherds called their sheep by name, distinguishing them through individual characteristics like coloring, demonstrating tender affection for each animal in the flock.
This personal connection made the shepherd’s protective role genuinely sacrificial.
Young David, protecting his father’s flock, fought off lions and bears to rescue lambs—a shepherd risked his life for his sheep
he metaphor’s power derives from this concrete reality: a shepherd’s commitment to individual sheep was absolute, making it the perfect image for divine and redemptive care.
It is through this belonging that David says I shall not want.
Verses 2 and 3 describe next in figurative language first what the Lord does and the effect that has on David spiritually.
The LORD provides rest:
“He makes me lie down in green pastures.”
Shepherd video - beginning at 40 sec - 4:16
The LORD provides peace:
“He leads me beside still waters.”
Quiet waters are necessary for "flighty" sheep to drink.
Shepherds usually watered their sheep at wells
This image emphasizes the concept of rest--the condition of having all our needs satisfied.
David is saying, “The LORD knows what I need, and He knows where to take me.”
Our shepherd knows the “green meadows” and “peaceful streams” that will restore us.
David describes that effect in verse 3.
The LORD provides restoration:
“He restores my soul.”
The LORD provides guidance:
“He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.”
Believers are not "energizer bunnies" that keep on running!
Yahweh revives me, refreshes my spirit and the daily restoration of the anxious, weary soul is a major human need.
Guidance is one of the principle tasks of the shepherd.
He leads his sheep to places of nourishment and rest, but he also leads them in the proper paths.
God knows every temptation you will face this year, and he will provide customized ways of escape for each one.
Be on the lookout for them.
He has rewarding work for you to do as well, for the betterment of his own reputation and for your sanctification.
The Shepherd gives His people what they need to continue walking with Him.
We often think provision means God giving us more of what we want.
Psalm 23 teaches us that true provision is God giving us what we need most: rest for our weary souls, restoration when we are weak, and righteous guidance when we do not know the way.
II. The LORD Provides Himself in the Valley
II. The LORD Provides Himself in the Valley
To understand verse 4 more it helps again to know the geography.
Sometimes the shepherd had to lead his sheep through difficult terrain to reach those places of provision.
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil,
The valley of the shadow of death represents a passage through danger and darkness.
But David says I will fear no evil.
The shepherd’s deliberate leading through this terrain carries profound theological significance.
Rather than protecting the sheep by avoiding perilous terrain entirely, the shepherd navigates through it—
a movement that acknowledges life’s inevitable suffering while asserting God’s presence within it.
for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
This should reframe how we view hardships in life.
Hardships are not divine abandonment or punishment, but purposeful accompaniment through necessary trials.
David’s confidence rests not on avoiding the valley but on the shepherd’s presence—“you are with me”—and the comfort provided by the rod and staff (Ps 23).
The rod (for protection and discipline) and staff (for guidance and rescue) become instruments of reassurance rather than instruments of harm.
This is a pattern echoed throughout scripture.
Isaiah assures that when passing through waters and fire, God’s presence ensures the believer will not be overwhelmed or consumed (Isa 43:2).
2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.
God promises not to fear or dread trials because the Lord goes with His people and will not leave or forsake them (Deut 31:6).
When Joshua succeeded Moses remember what was told to him -
6 Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”
The valley experience becomes a context for deepening trust rather than testing faith’s authenticity.
The shepherd’s leading through darkness also demonstrates that spiritual maturity develops through adversity, not avoidance of it.
The valley passage transforms the sheep—strengthening dependence on the shepherd, clarifying what truly matters, and producing the resilience necessary for abundant living.
Think of it as the contrast between information and presence.
We often think comfort would come if God gave us a map of the valley: why it is happening, how long it will last, what He is doing, and exactly how it will turn out.
But Psalm 23 does not say, “I will fear no evil, because You explained the valley.”
It says, “for you are with me.”
Think of a child waking up in the middle of the night during a storm.
What makes the storm frightening is not only the thunder.
It is the feeling of being alone with what he does not understand.
Every sound becomes larger in the dark.
Every shadow feels uncertain.
Fear grows when there is no one near enough to say, “You are safe.”
Then his father comes into the room, sits beside him, and says, “I am here.”
The storm has not changed, but the room has.
The child still does not know everything about the storm, but he knows he is not alone in it.
That is the comfort of Psalm 23.
David does not say, “I will fear no evil because I understand the valley.”
He says, “I will fear no evil, for you are with me.”
We want God to explain the whole valley.
But the greater gift is that He gives us Himself in the valley.
His presence is greater than our fear.
The psalm moves from the valley directly to the table prepared before enemies and the promise of dwelling in God’s house forever (Ps 23), suggesting that passage through darkness enables fuller communion with God.
The greatest comfort in the valley is not that we know everything about the valley, but that our Shepherd is with us in it.
We can rest in the Shepherd even when life is dark, because we are not walking alone. His presence is greater than our fear.
III. The LORD Provides Blessing, Security, and a Home
III. The LORD Provides Blessing, Security, and a Home
Psalm 23:5–6
David continues in verse 5:
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
At this point, the imagery shifts.
David has been speaking of the LORD as his Shepherd but now speaks of a table.
The picture moves from the field to the house, but the main truth has not changed.
The LORD provides for His people.
Only now we see that His provision is not merely enough to survive the journey.
His provision is generous, personal, secure, and full of welcome.
When David says,
“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.”
He is not saying enemies have disappeared.
The danger has not been removed.
But even in the presence of his enemies, David is seated at a table the LORD Himself has prepared.
There is something powerful about that image.
The table speaks of welcome, nourishment, fellowship, and peace.
Enemies speak of threat, hostility, conflict, and fear.
And David says that the LORD prepares the table right there.
The enemies are present, but they are not in charge.
The table has not removed the enemies, but it has revealed the Host - the one who is in control.
This again reveals the true comfort of this psalm.
Yahweh provides no matter the circumstances.
He does not wait for life to become safe before He cares for His people.
He spreads the table in the middle of the conflict.
A truth we must remember especially as our culture is appearing to unravel around us.
We think we could rest if only the right people were in power, if all the right legislation passed.
We think we could rest if the diagnosis changed. If the grief lifted.
If the uncertainty was resolved.
If every threat was removed.
David shows us though that The LORD is able to give His people peace before every enemy is gone.
No matter how hard we try, we cannot prepare our own table.
The LORD takes the initiative.
The LORD welcomes.
The LORD provides.
The LORD honors.
The LORD sustains.
That is grace.
This is the same grace that has been present through whole psalm.
The sheep did not create the green pastures.
The sheep did not find the still waters.
The sheep did not restore their own souls.
The sheep did not guide themselves through the righteous paths.
The sheep did not guard themselves through the valley.
The LORD does, and he does so abundantly!
David says further -
“You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.”
Oil signifies consecration, divine favor, and empowerment for sacred purpose.
When Samuel anointed David, the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon him from that day forward (1 Sam 16:13),
13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.
establishing anointing as the means through which God designated individuals for special roles.
This signifies that David is not a mere guest at this banquet, but that he is set apart by divine favor.
That he belongs all the more to God in a special way, marked for blessing and protection.
This anointing ultimately shows how believers themselves are set apart.
Paul writes that God “has anointed us” in Christ (2 Cor 1:21–22
21 And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, 22 and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.
Paul is that that in Christ God is extending the privilege of consecration to all who belong to God’s people.
Not filled a little, but overflowing.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Now that does not mean every believer will be wealthy, comfortable, healthy, or free from sorrow.
Psalm 23 has already taken us through the valley.
It has already told us enemies are present.
David is not denying hardship.
But he is saying that the LORD’s provision is never poor.
Even when life is hard, God is not giving Himself in small measure.
Even when the cup of circumstances feels bitter, the cup of His grace is not empty.
The LORD gives Himself generously to His people.
This is where we need to let Psalm 23 correct how we measure provision.
We often measure God’s provision by what is in our hands.
We measure it by money, health, comfort, success, control, and visible answers.
And those are not small things.
We should give thanks for every good gift.
But Psalm 23 teaches us to measure provision first by the One who is with us.
If the LORD is our Shepherd, we are not empty.
If the LORD is our Host, we are not forgotten.
If the LORD has welcomed us to His table, then even in the presence of enemies, we are secure.
Verse 6 draws everything together pointing ahead with confidence.
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.
That word “surely” is important.
Not, “Maybe goodness and mercy will follow me.”
He says, “Surely.”
Why can he say that?
David says that because he knows the character of his Shepherd.
The LORD’s goodness and mercy will follow him.
The word “mercy” carries the idea of the LORD’s steadfast covenant love.
His loyal love.
The love by which God binds Himself to His people and does not let them go.
All the days of his life.
A truly remarkable promise.
Many things may follow us through life.
Consequences, regrets the effects of living in a fallen world.
But for the one who belongs to the LORD, something greater follows.
Goodness and mercy.
“All the days of my life.”
They follow through ordinary days and painful days.
Through days of joy and days of grief.
No matter if we see them clearly, or when we can barely believe they are there.
God’s goodness is not always obvious in the moment.
But a believers confidence can rest in the LORD Himself.
The psalm ends with this promise:
“And I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”
Because ultimately the Shepherd leads His people home.
He brings His people into His own presence forever.
That is the final provision of Psalm 23.
The LORD gives Himself to His people as their Shepherd, and He brings them home to dwell with Him.
This is why Psalm 23 is a reminder about comfort in this life.
But it is also a psalm of hope.
Teaching us to look beyond present need, beyond present danger, beyond present enemies, beyond present suffering, and beyond death itself.
All the way into eternity.
We must read this in light of Jesus.
Psalm 22 just prior to this bring us to the cross, where Christ suffers for His people.
Psalm 23 shows us the Shepherd who provides for His people.
And Psalm 24 lifts our eyes to the King of glory.
Together, these psalms help us see the beauty of Christ.
Jesus is the suffering Savior.
Jesus is the Good Shepherd.
Jesus is the King of glory.
As Christians, -
We do not know every valley we will walk through.
We do not know every enemy we will face.
We do not know every sorrow that will come.
We do not know how many days we have in this life.
But we know where the Shepherd is taking us.
Conclusion
Conclusion
This Psalm is not about having peaceful circumstances.
It is about having the LORD Himself.
I close with this story -
There was a reception, and a famous actor was asked to give a recitation.
An old preacher suggested the Psalm 23.
The actor recited the Psalm with great skill and sat down to prolonged applause.
Then he turned to the old preacher and asked him to recite the psalm also.
In a weak and trembling voice, the kindly man uttered the same simple Psalm, but no one applauded this time.
People began quietly to wipe away their tears.
The actor rose again.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” he said, “I communicated with your ears and your eyes. I know the words. But my old friend here communicated with your hearts. He knows the Shepherd.”
Do you know Him?
Do you know the shepherd today?
If not, you can.
Maybe you are walking through a valley, you don’t have to walk alone.
If you know the shepherd, rest in his care, rest in the care He provides each day and the hope for eternity.
