Psalm 23: Funeral Message

Psalm 23 KJV 1900

A Psalm of David. 1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters. 3 He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: And I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

It’s great to hear from storys from Matilda’s life, to spend time reflecting on her legacy, and the impact that she had in your lives. I would encouage you to continue to share those memories latter over the afternoon tea.

One thing that was very apparent in Matilda’s life was the difficulty that she faced early on in life. Growning up in Yugoslavia during WWII, dealing with the Nazi occupation, were really formative experiences in Matilda’s life.

Early life was difficult.

Yet, through all the difficulty, as John and Kornelija can attest to, she knew the God who could sustain her through it all. He was with her through it all.

This psalm, psalm 23, may be the most-beloved, most-sung, most-prayed, and most-studied poem in the Psalter.

This Psalm tells us two important truths about God.

The psalm may be the most-beloved, most-sung, most-prayed, and most-studied poem in the Psalter

He is a shepherd

He is a host.

Shepherd.

The Book of Psalms Psalm 23: You Are with Me

within Israel and throughout the ancient Near East, the shepherd was a royal metaphor.11 Kings were portrayed as shepherds (cf. 1 Kgs. 22:17; Jer. 23:1–4; Ezek. 34:1–10), and to portray God as shepherd is to portray God as a royal figure

In ancient Israel and throughout the ancient Near East, the shepherd was a royal metaphor. Kings were portrayed as shepherds (cf. ; ; ), and to portray God as shepherd is to portray God as a royal figure.

He is the king.

But a king who cares, who guides who protects.

Matilda knew the King who guided her and protected her throughout her life.

He is the shepherd king who ;

Psalm 24:2–3 CSB

2 for he laid its foundation on the seas and established it on the rivers. 3 Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place?

Psalm 23:3 KJV 1900

3 He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

Psalm 23:2–3 KJV 1900

2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters. 3 He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

Even when life was at it hardest;

Psalm 23:4 KJV 1900

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

God is a God who walks right through that valley with us, guiding us, protecting us.

The second thing that we see in this Psalm is that God is the God who prepares a place for his people.

Psalm 23:5–6 NKJV

5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.

The Book of Psalms Psalm 23: You Are with Me

In the second half of the poem, the basic metaphor changes to that of banquet host.

In the second half of the poem, the basic metaphor changes to that of banquet host.

Not only does he lead us, and guide us throughout our life, he prepares a place for us.

We are reminded of Jesus words;

John 14:1–3 NKJV

1 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

Matilda has gone to be at the place Jesus has prepared for her, we can have confidence in that.

For us left here this psalm can serve as a reminder to us that God is with us.

The Book of Psalms 2. You Are with Me

2. You Are with Me

At the heart of Psalm 23 is an elegant and enduring statement of faith: “You are with me.” This simple word of trust is the faithful response to God’s most basic promise: “I am with you.” It is between those two dynamics—the divine promise, “I am with you,” and the response of faith, “You are with me”—that the currents of the life of faith ebb and flow. The first pastor I served with lost his oldest daughter to a sudden death when she was thirty-four. He told me, “You never get over it. And you don’t want to. And through it all, one promise was most important: God is with us.” The pastor’s words speak to the experience of millions of faithful throughout the millennia who have been comforted by the promise of God’s presence in the darkest moments of life. Psalm 23 gives us the words to speak that faith out loud. Even if I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil. For you are with me.

At the heart of is an elegant and enduring statement of faith: “You are with me.”

This simple word of trust is the faithful response to God’s most basic promise: “I am with you.” It is between those two dynamics—the divine promise, “I am with you,” and the response of faith, “You are with me”—that the currents of the life of faith ebb and flow.

The loss of a loved one is something that incredibly difficult to bare. But through it all, one promise was is the most important: God is with us.”

These words speak to the experience of millions of faithful throughout the millennia who have been comforted by the promise of God’s presence in the darkest moments of life. gives us the words to speak that faith out loud.

Even if I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil. For you are with me.

Pray.