Psalm 23

On this day that we set aside to honor our high school seniors, there are a few things I would like to charge them with. As we do so, there is a lot of truth we can all take from God’s Word this morning.

Chances are most of us present this morning know who the Old Testament man named David is. Whether you’ve grown up in church or this is your first time at church, chances are you know at least one thing about David.

David was a shepherd boy

David was the one who God used to defeat Goliath.

David was king of Israel

David, even he was an earthy king, knew the King.

David wrote the majority of the psalms in the book of Psalms.

David was the one that wrote the 23rd Psalm, which might be the most popular passage of Scripture. Many of us in this sanctuary most likely know parts of .

I believe there are many truths for our lives in . When we you think about David and his life, you know that he was a man that went through a lot in his life. He knew what it was like to be encouraged, discouraged, in the highs and in the lows. David was human and knew what it was like to journey through this life.

When we you think about David and his life, you know that he was a man that went through a lot in his life. He knew what it was like to be encouraged and discouraged. He knew what it was like to experience good days and bad days. He knew what it was like to be exalted and knew what it was like to be humbled. He knew what it was like to be last and he knew what it was like to be first.

In the midst of all the change in David’s life, he knew the constant in his life: God. David knew God personally. Because he knew God personally, it effected everything in his life. As David journeyed through life, God meant everything to him and that is definitely communicated in .

Let’s draw our attention there at read together:

God’s Word

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.

PRAY

There are three thing I want us to see under the umbrella of this truth: Our relationship with God is a relationship we are called to own. As seniors transition out of high school into adulthood, the need to own their faith is crucial. The need for all of us today to take ownership of our relationship with God is crucial. A Christian’s relationship with Christ is not a relationship someone else does for us. No one can walk with Jesus for you. You must own your faith in Jesus. You must take ownership of it. It must become true to you. It must become yours.

As we journey through together on this Lord’s Day, we will discover that David is our model of what it looks like to own our relationship with God.

When we own our faith, we know that,

I. God is Personal

David called God “shepherd.” This is important. We are going to bring the first statement of this chapter up a lot.

Psalm 23:1 ESV

1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

What’s interesting about this statement from David is that he knew what it was like to be a shepherd. David would spend countless days and countless hours in the fields in charge of many sheep. Don’t you think it’s interesting that when David went to describe God he used the word “shepherd.” When it came time to think about and describe what God meant to him, he said “shepherd.” To David, God was his shepherd. It’s in verse 1 that we see that David most certainly took ownership of his relationship with God. God being David’s shepherd communicates the reality that David knew God personally; knew God personally to the extent of all the benefits a shepherd provides.

Just as a shepherd provides food, water, and rest to his flock, God fills the needs of his children. This is what David is saying!

“When I think about my God, He is my SHEPHERD! I walk with Him daily! I know what it’s like for God to be enough for me so I never want. I know what it’s like for God to give me rest in the middle of chaos. I know what it’s like for God to restore my soul. I know what it’s like for God to lead me in the paths of righteousness.”

God was David’s shepherd, because God was personal. David spent his days close to God, walking as God lead him.

II. God is Present

The Bible communicates attributes of God; one of them is that God is all-knowing or omniscient. Another attribute of God is all-powerful or omnipotent. In the midst of God being beyond our finite comprehension, that same God calls us to know Him personally; and desires Himself to be known through general and special revelation.

Isn’t this reality mind-blowing? Do you know the God of the Bible?

David did. He knew that God was personal and knew God personally. David’s source of knowing what God was like did not just come from others, but He knew God and His ways from first-hand experience. David communed or abided with His God. Isn’t that what Jesus commanded His disciples in the night before He was crucified in ?

John 15:4 ESV

4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.

Not only did Jesus tell His disciples to abide in Him, but that if they did then He would abide in them.

“Abide” is this idea of being as close as possible to the life source as if you are “residing” in it. So Jesus said, “Reside in Me and I in you.” This is good news! God wants to know us and us to know Him.

Is your relationship with God on a first-hand basis or second-hand basis?

Have you taken ownership of your relationship with God?

One of the commentary’s I read preparing for this text said this:

“Walking ahead of his sheep and calling them to follow, the shepherd finds fresh pasture to graze and safe places to drink. Even when the flock has to squeeze through a narrow defile, the sheep have nothing to fear. The shepherd can haul them to safety with his staff, or beat on the rock wall with his rod to let them know he is near.

The shepherd tends his sheep in every way. He clears the pasture of stones and levels the potholes—then stands guard while they eat. He checks their heads for sunburn and treats their wounds with soothing oil. When they are thirsty, he fills the drinking trough to the brim. At night he takes them into his own home.”

*Take a minute and consider who God is to you.

David knew God as a Shepherd and because of it, He knew that God was present.

teaches us that when we own our faith, not only do we know that God is personal, we know that

II. God is Present

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.

The psalmist acknowledges that life will not always be characterized by green pastures and quiet waters. He will walk through darkness. What’s interesting is that David just got done talking about wonderful things that exists when you know that God desires to be known and when you personally know Him.

23:4 a dark valley The psalmist acknowledges that life will not always be characterized by green pastures and quiet waters (v. 2). He will walk through darkness or gloom (107:10; ).

When we read words like this from the Bible, we get the impression of what life is like. In the midst of uncertain, chaotic times, David knew the One that remained constant.

John D. Barry et al., Faithlife Study Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016), .When we read words like this from the Bible, we get the impression of what life is like. In the midst of uncertain, chaotic times, David knew the One that remained constant.

“Even though..” Wow. What a statement. Even though David walked through the worst situation ever, what did He say, what did He know to be true for him?

“I will fear no evil for You, God, are with me.”

Isn’t that what a shepherd does? Never forsake one of his sheep? I’m sure people in David’s life told him that God was always present, but David knew that to be true for himself. He experienced it. He honestly and personally knew the presence of God for himself.

Do you?

What teaches us is that when we own our faith, not only do we know that God is present, we know that

III. God Provides

III. God Provides/is Good

III. God Provides

Psalm 23:

Psalm 23:5–6 ESV

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.

The ESV Gospel Transformational Study Bible says this about verses 5 & 6,

Gospel Transformation Bible: English Standard Version Study Notes for the Psalms

God also does something that no ordinary shepherd can do: he shares a fellowship meal with his sheep (Ps. 23:5; Lev. 7:15–18; 1 Cor. 5:7–8). In the presence of enemies, these table guests are honored by anointing and overwhelmed by extravagance (Ps. 23:5; Eph. 2:7). They receive the “goodness and mercy” which form the core of God’s character (Ps. 23:6; Ex. 34:6–7). As the compassionate character of God is revealed in this precious psalm, we are prepared to see how the steadfast love of the final sacrificial Lamb enables wayward sheep to dwell with a holy God (Isa. 53:6). He was the scapegoat who carried away the sins of God’s people to provide goodness and mercy (Ps. 23:6; Ex. 34:6; Lev. 16:22).

Not only did David’s Shepherd provided essentials that he needed daily, but the most important thing our souls needed: salvation. This salvation was through the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, Jesus. Because of Jesus finished work on the cross, we can be justified with God by repenting from our sin & placing our faith completely in the name of Jesus and the work He accomplished in His death, burial, and resurrection.

Listen folks, you can know God today! It’s not through good works. It’s not through striving to be perfect. It’s not through working hard so that God will like you. You can know God only through Jesus.

John 14:6 ESV

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

What did Jesus do? I’m glad you asked!

Jesus, God the Son, left heaven and dwelt among us to live the perfect life we were supposed to live but never could. Jesus perfectly lived the life of obedience to God the Father. Why? So that Jesus could be the perfect, unblemished sacrifice for sin on the cross. On that cross Jesus became sin, even though He knew no sin so that we could become the righteousness of God in Him. And we know that on the third day God raised Him from the grave to demonstrate that sin & the death it provided was defeated. Therefore, we have the opportunity to be justified with God through the completed work of Jesus on the cross. We can receive His victory over sin & death and be in relationship with God by repenting from our sin and placing our complete trust/faith in Christ and Christ alone.

David knew it. The apostle Paul spoke of it in Romans when He said,

Romans 4:5–8 ESV

5 And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, 6 just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: 7 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; 8 blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”

Romans 5:8 ESV

8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 4:5-8

Romans 8:1 ESV

1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Romans

David knew this overwhelming goodness and mercy! He knew the salvation that only God provided. He knew that the rest of his days were to be filled with goodness & mercy and because of it there was no other place he’d rather be than in the presence of God and all that He provided. Why? Because David personally knew God; he knew what God meant to him and was able to communicate it, not only to himself, but to others.