Question
THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD
Psalm 23:1-6
Key 23:1
1. Memorize v. 1. The expression, "I shall not be in want", is in the future tense. What does this statement suggest to us about: 1) David’s present condition; 2) the prospects of his future; and 3) the basis of such a vision? In what respect is his vision of life different from that of many others? What can we learn here from David about the way we should see our life on this planet earth?
2. Read v. 2. What does the verb "makes" indicate to us about the nature of a sheep? What do "green pastures" refer to? What is it like to "lie down in green pastures"? What do "quiet waters" stand for (Isa 8:6-7; Lk 15:13; Rev 7:17)? What does this passage signify about the needs we have in the Lord?
3. Read v. 3a. David talks about "soul" instead of "body". What is a soul (Psa 42:1-11; Mat 10:28; 16:26; 1Th 5:23; Heb 4:12)? What does this passage teach us about the need we have as a human being?
4. Read v. 3b. David uses the word "guides" rather than "pushes" or "forces". What does this suggest to us about the way he helps his children? What do the following words tell us about the need(s) we have in life: 1) "paths of righteousness"; and 2) "for his name's sake"?
5. Read vs. 4-5a. What do the expressions, "the valley of the shadow of death" or "in the presence of my enemies", tell us about our life’s journey through this world? Yet what do the following statements teach us about the Lord as the shepherd: 1) "you are with me"; 2) "your rod and your staff, they comfort me"; and 3) "you prepare a table before me"?
6. Read vs. 5b-6. What does "You anoint my head with oil" mean? What does it mean to say, "my cup overflows"?
7. Memorize v. 6. David says, "Surely goodness and love will follow me" (instead of David following goodness and love). What does this suggest to us about the way to live a "fruitful" life? David distinguishes "all the days of my life" from the life that lives in the house of the Lord "forever". What does this distinction indicate about David's view of life?
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Message
THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD
Psalm 23:1-6
Key Verse 23:1
“{A psalm of David.} The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.”
Beginning this week, we would like to study and learn how to become a good shepherd by delving into the lives of prominent servants of the Lord God whom he used to tend to the needs of his flock in their respective generations. We regard this shepherding as an essential part of the Lord’s plan of redemption, for Jesus commanded Peter, the “top” disciple to "feed my sheep" (Jn 20:17). Then the Apostle Peter said in 1Pe 5:2, "Be shepherds of God's flock." Finally, the Apostle Paul said in Acts 20:28, "Be shepherds of the church of God."
Before one can become a shepherd, however, he must first be a good sheep to Jesus. What then does it mean to be a good sheep to Jesus? King David gives us a good example of this. In view of Psalm 23, we can say that he lived as a strong and graceful shepherd for his flock simply because he himself was a good sheep to the Lord. Thus today let us think about Psalm 23 so we too would come to know Jesus as our personal shepherd more and more. As we learn from Jesus the good shepherd, we can learn how to take care of the flock the Lord has put under our care.
In Psalm 23, King David describes how the Lord tends his flock. How does the Lord take care of his flock? How did the Lord help David grow up as a good shepherd after Jesus' image? With these questions in mind, let us think about the passage in two parts:
I. I shall not be in want (1)
Look at v. 1. "{A psalm of David.} The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want."
In this passage David calls the Lord his personal shepherd. The Lord is my shepherd. A scholar once made some research about all the different names of the Lord in the Bible. Thus he discovered in the Bible 700 different names and titles of the Lord. However, out of all the possible names and titles, David chooses to call the Lord his shepherd.
A shepherd is one who takes care of the flock. David saw the Lord as his own shepherd. This describes David's beautiful relationship with the Lord. Because he found the Lord as his shepherd, it is certain that he found himself as the Lord's sheep. In God’s dictionary, a shepherd is strong, powerful, and wise. But a sheep is weak, powerless, and foolish. This is indeed true. Although we are created to be the crown of creation, we are not perfect. We are merely God's creations. And as such, we are limited – limited in strength, power, wisdom, and in every other conceivable way.
But thank God. David found the Lord as his own personal shepherd. Then, thanks to his beautiful relationship with the Lord, he could say, "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want." Bible scholars say that David wrote this psalm as he was going through some of the toughest moments of his life. At this time, he was being hotly pursued by evil king Saul. Living as a fugitive, he went about desert lands, going hungry and thirsty. His enemies were lurking everywhere. They were ready to jump out of nowhere to destroy his life. Yet, because he maintained a beautiful relationship with the Lord as his personal shepherd, he could say, "I shall not be in want."
From David's statement, we learn that the Lord is our shepherd, too. He desires to take care of his flock so that his flock would lack nothing. This means that when we accept the Lord as our own personal shepherd, then, although we may be beset by one problem or another, we can still exclaim from the bottom of our hearts, "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall lack nothing."
When Jesus came, he revealed himself as the good shepherd. He then revealed his purpose of shepherding over his flock by saying in John 10:10, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." So, like David, let us make a firm confession of faith by saying, "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want!" In this way, following David's example, let us pray that we would deeply accept Jesus as our shepherd. Then because our Lord is the good shepherd, we must admit ourselves as his sheep. And then as his sheep, we must follow him all the way, so that Jesus could help us to have and to live life to the full.
II. My cup overflows (2-6)
When David followed the Lord as the Lord's faithful sheep, how did the Lord help him out? Let us read vs. 2-5. "He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, and he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 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. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows."
This passage is a beautiful poem. As such it depicts a poetic image of the blessedness of a life lived in the Lord. Upon further meditation, we can easily find revealed in this passage the Lord who fulfills all the needs we have in life, particularly the needs of our soul and spirit. After fulfilling our needs, the Lord then makes us become strong and sound. He then enables us to go out and meet the challenges of life, helping us to win one victory after another, and thus bearing good fruit. Let us think about the passage in the order it appears.
First, “He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul” (2-3a)
Look at v. 2. "He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters." This passage not only addresses physical needs but also spiritual needs. The expression "makes me lie down" alludes to the sheep's tendency to stand up and wander around nervously or perhaps out of natural desires like greed for more food. This tends to cause sheep to easily wear out and, eventually, burn out.
A shepherd knows his sheep's weaknesses. So he makes his sheep lie down in green pastures so that sheep would relax, take a deep rest, and then gain new strength.
The expression "leads me beside quiet waters" also suggests that sheep are afraid of noisy water like running water. This is particularly true because sheep are not good swimmers. So if a sheep sees running water, it is not going to go near the water, even though it is thirsty. Knowing this the shepherd leads sheep beside quiet waters. Then, as the sheep stays beside the quiet waters, it calms down. Then it approaches the water, and drinks the water.
By green pastures or quiet waters, however, King David talks about the Lord feeding the flock of God with the kind of food and drink they need for life, especially spiritual food and spiritual drink. Deuteronomy 8:3 describes our need for spiritual food and spiritual drinks eloquently: "He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD." We not only need physical bread or food (like New York steak) or physical drink (like orange juice), but we also need spiritual bread and spiritual drink, namely the word of God.
When we feed on God's word, what will happen to us? Look at v. 3a. "He restores my soul." The result is the restoration of one's soul. The soul (Heb: neshamah) is what makes us truly alive. The first time the word "soul" appears in the Bible is in Genesis 2:7. It represents our true being. Genesis 2:7 reads, "The LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being [or soul in the KJV]." Here, “living being” or “living soul” indicates that in order for us to truly live, all of our soul's needs must be fully met. And it is only when we feed on God's words that we can be truly happy and joyful.
But in our daily lives, it is so easy for us to be driven and then carried away by all kinds of worries and desires. Indeed worries and anxieties, and other undesirable elements – particularly the greed for money or sinful pleasures – prevent men from sitting down and securing quiet moments with the Lord and feeding on the word of God. But thank God. David found the Lord as his shepherd. And despite his weaknesses, like greediness or fearfulness, the Lord helped him to secure quiet moments of meditating on God's word. Then the Lord restored his soul. This is the first and most important secret in his remaining strong.
Second, “He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake”(3b)
While vs. 2-3a address the needs of one's inmost being, v. 3b deals with the needs of one's external being, particularly the need for righteousness, having a right relationship with others, and finding the right purpose in life.
Look at v. 3b again. "He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake." Like every poem, if you overanalyze it, you run the risk of destroying its flavor. So let us try not to overanalyze the passage, but, with the help of the Holy Spirit, pray to slowly chew on its meaning so the Lord would enrich our life through this passage.
Two expressions deserve special attention: "paths of righteousness" and "for his name's sake."
The word "paths" is plural but the word "righteousness" is singular. This suggests to us the multiplicity of the relationships the Lord granted us to live and thrive in. In the case of David, he had a relationship with his boss named Saul. He also had relationships with friends like Jonathan. Later, David got married, and children came out, so he was put into a relationship with his children. The same is true with us. As human beings, we are related to our parents, siblings, classmates, brothers and sisters in the church fellowship, and we also have relationships even with animals like dogs, birds, or hamsters.
Our experience says that it is not easy for us to relate ourselves with others in the ways we are supposed to. A brother I know remained single for a long time. Then he finally got married. But to him, the decision to get married was one of the hardest decisions, for he was not sure whether or not he would make it. But after much prayer he recognized that the Lord would help him to know how to relate himself to his wife. So he decided to marry. May the Lord bless his faith.
King David also had a hard time learning how to relate with others. But mostly thanks to the Lord he succeeded in relating with others, particularly with difficult people like Saul. Later, though, he blew up his relationship with one of the sisters, namely Bathsheba. He also blew up his relationship with one of his officials, namely, Uriah. But the Lord God shepherded over him, and helped him to come back to the right path.
The little expression "for his name's sake" then has to do with the right purpose of our life. Many people don't know what to do with their lives. So they end up abusing their lives. But when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, Jesus restores the right purpose of our life, that is, to live for the glory of his name. This is perhaps the most important factor for a truly victorious life.
Third, “you prepare a table before me” (4-5a)
How victorious then would one become in the Lord? Look at vs. 4-5a. "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. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies."
This passage describes a victorious life despite many enemies trying to defeat us. In the true sense of the word "victory," it is through overcoming many enemies that we can talk about a "victorious" life, for a victory without difficulty or difficulties, is no victory at all. What then are our enemies? In v. 4, David specified one enemy: death. Then in v. 5b, he refers to "enemies" in the plural. This indicates that our life is beset with so many different enemies. If you are interested, you may wish to read Romans 8:35-39 where the Apostle Paul lists up 16 different kinds of enemies. Included in the list is even "life" itself, indicating that life comes to us as a challenge as well. Indeed, many find life itself as too much of a challenge, and say, "I am sick and tired of my life," and then, God forbid, they commit suicide!
But not so with those who accept and follow the Lord as the good shepherd. To those who put their trust in the Lord, the Lord enables them to turn challenges and trials into reasons for absolute victories.
Nowadays young people face many challenges. Peer pressure at school, raging hormones, and the brokenness of their family environment are just the tip of the iceberg. But when one accepts Jesus in his heart as Lord and Savior and follows Jesus as the good shepherd, Jesus will help them to become more than conquerors!
Fourth, "You anoint my head with oil" (5b)
The Bible says that man is not only a physical being, but also a soul being, and man is not only a soul being, but also a spiritual being. This indicates that our needs exist on three levels: the material, human, and spiritual level.
Surprisingly, in v. 5b, David talks about the Lord filling our spiritual needs. And in v. 5b, David says, "You anoint my head with oil." In the Bible, oil refers to God's spirit. And the anointing of oil on a sheep’s head implies that this results in the fullness of life.
Later, when Jesus came he did the same thing. Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus healed many. Then he fed them with God's word so they would remain strong in their body, soul, and spirit.
What then will be the outcome of his shepherding? We can think about three outcomes: deep satisfaction, good fruit born, and the hope of eternal fellowship in the eternal kingdom of God becoming a reality.
Look at v. 5c. "My cup overflows!" This is a poetic expression of a life that is fully satisfied. Then v. 6a reads, "Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life." It is interesting to note here that instead of David chasing after goodness and love, goodness and love are chasing after David. How come? It is because, as David follows the Lord who is truly good and whose name is love, the Lord fills his life with his goodness and his love, so that God’s goodness and his love would follow David, no matter where God leads him to go! This is surely the right and only way to bear good fruit. In the first place, have you ever seen anyone bearing good and lovely fruit without taking deep root in the right soil? Likewise, when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior and follow him as our good shepherd, the Lord helps us to bear fruit which is altogether good and lovely.
Finally, fruit is the fruit of the hope of dwelling with God becoming a reality in us. Look at v. 6b, "[A]nd I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever." This hope includes the hope of the resurrection of the dead. And it talks about the eternal life that will only begin after our bodily life here on earth is over. What a glorious outlook of life we have in the Lord!
One word: the Lord is my shepherd.