The writer of Psalm 23 makes an analogy between God and the shepherd. Psalm 23 symbolizes the human race as a flock and God as their Shepherd. The sheep knew that the shepherd was the one who protected them and cared for them. Commentaries; Sermons. Text: Psalm 23 Ministry: Anchored. So life here for our sheep is one of continual green pastures. As the shepherd led the sheep from oasis to oasis, this sometimes meant passing through narrow valleys that had steep cliff faces on each side. In New Zealand (where I live) all of our farms and fields seem to be 'green pastures' and the sheep tend to munch all day! i. Psalms 23 - Dr. Constable's Expository Notes - Bible Commentaries - Henry Ward Beecher, [2] J Vernon McGee writes 'to put it succinctly, in Psalm 22 we see the cross, in Psalm 23 the crook (the Shepherd's crook), and in Psalm 24 the crown (the King's crown). This word follow in the Hebrew does not just mean tag along at some distance behind. In Psalm 22 He dies; in Psalm 23 He is living; in Psalm 24 He is coming. They are well placed, well laid: He maketh me to lie down in green pastures. It is a song of gratitude that resonates with the authors heart and trust in God. When I asked the oncologist how serious it was, he said, Stage threemaybe Stage three and a half. My chances of survival were less than 50-50. With joy you will draw water out of the wells of salvation (Isaiah 12:3). It is a bit difficult to ascertain the exact time Psalm 23 was written. We do not die, we do but sleep to wake in glory. They probably are anxious about different things. Topical Series; DVD Series; Bible Series; Flash Drives; Bundles . He does not say there shall not be any evil; he had got beyond even that high assurance, and knew that Jesus had put all evil away; but I will fear no evil; not even the Evil One himself; I will not dread the last enemy, I will look upon him as a conquered foe, an enemy to be destroyed, For thou art with me. King David, who wrote this Psalm, obviously knew all about being a shepherd. This magazine often included an exposition of a psalm, and in the 1866 publication Spurgeon featured Psalm 23. I will fear no evil, for you are with me (v. 4b). The New Testament speaks of Jesus as anointed (Luke 4:18; John 20:31; Acts 5:42; Hebrews 1:9, etc.). Historical Books This psalm is taken completely from the sheep's (David) point of view, as he talks about his shepherd. What would you say of a pilgrim commissioned of God to travel up and down the earth singing a strange melody, which, when one heard, caused him to forget whatever sorrow he had? 'Do I need to be extra careful?' Verses 1-6. The Gospels The writer asserts their faith in God amidst trials and tribulations through this Psalm. It is 'The LORD' who is his shepherd! John MacArthur: The Lord Is My Salvation - YouTube Our God leads His people into the green pastures and still waters. And, then, it is not the valley of death, but the valley of the shadow of death, for death in its substance has been removed, and only the shadow of it remains Nobody is afraid of a shadow, for a shadow cannot stop a mans pathway even for a moment. type 23-6 in the address bar in place of 1-1 so that . These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features. God shines His light into our lives. No robber, predator or enemy ever takes Him by surprise! Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.. Do this in remembrance of me. Paul affirms the importance of this table ministry when he says, For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lords death until he comes (1 Corinthians 11:24, 26). and flame will not scorch you. It is expressed in this verse - Rom We can imagine various meanings for the valley of the shadow of death.. Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. This verse doesn't mean that there will not be times of drought, valleys, difficulties and need--- far from it God loves you too much to just make things always easy! Its interesting to note how David used the word shepherd in this psalm instead of a more distant term like a king or a deliverer. (23) Seller Location . (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2007), Freedman, David Noel (Ed. Thank God for such times! Taking the Lord's Supper in an Unworthy Manner. In extreme cases where a lamb continually wandered off and wouldn't stick with the pack (causing the Shepherd to repeatedly have to go and bring the lamb back) the Shepherd would sometimes break the lamb's leg! But it is alluded to such as in Revelation 7:17 For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water." Psalm 23 Commentary: The Lord Is My Shepherd Explained He had the honour of being King over all Israel, yet seen the lows of having his own son, Absalom, rise up against him and take the throne. Prophets Psalm 23 is a song of gratitude that tells Davids relationship with God as his shepherd. On some days, she was on one side of the valley. Are any of us low in grace? Lord's Day Services. He first spoke them for Israels sake, but he caused Isaiah to record them for our sake. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. Wow! Pauline Epistles The idea that the LORD is a shepherd to His people is also prevalent throughout the Bible. The Hebrew word tob has a variety of meanings, such as good, moral, profitable, or plentiful. He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. The Blue Letter Bible ministry and the BLB Institute hold to the historical, The epistle to the Hebrews is a study in contrast, between the imperfect and incomplete provisions of the Old Covenant, given under Moses, and the infinitely better provisions of the New Covenant offered by the perfect High-Priest, God's only Son and the Messiah, Jesus Christ. God is the one who looks after our lives. Messages on Psalm 23 | Desiring God Notice how in times of trials, we become more aware of Gods presence. That was a question that was once sent to me. He lived in the confident hope that it would continue for the rest of his life. But, God as our shepherd provides peace that transcends all understanding. We seek more of God and depend on Him further when we encounter problems. David had had the highs of defeating Goliath to the lows of running for his life and hiding in caves from Saul. John MacArthur is the pastor-teacher of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, as well as an author, conference speaker, president of The Master's University and Seminary, and featured teacher with the Grace to You media ministry. Anointing with oil was used for various purposes (healing, burial, expressing grief or joy). A great promise indeed! As someone who worked as a shepherd before, David knew that shepherds live with their flock and are everything to it: guide, protector, and source of provision. See the happiness of the saints as the sheep of God's pasture. In Psalm 22 Christ is the Saviour; in Psalm 23 He is the Satisfier; in Psalm 24 He is the Sovereign. Companionship -- for you are with me. Psalm 23 is an explicit metaphor that displays the relationship between God and His people. The concept dates back to the Book of Genesis when Jacob referred to the LORD as the Shepherd and the Rock of Israel (Genesis 49:24). The shadow of a dog cannot bite; the shadow of a sword cannot kill; the shadow of death cannot destroy us. (Spurgeon), iii. The Shepherd, the Host, and the Highway Patrol Summer Psalms. Its also of paramount importance to recognize that the shepherd in this psalm connotes more than someone who merely herds the flock. They will lead us to places of rest and provision. This feeding is symbolic of being fed spiritually with the word of God. 'Was it just a silly dream or something more spiritual?' April 17, 2011. The paths that the Shepherd takes us on are the righteous or 'right' paths. The MacArthur Commentaries Series | SermonAudio The MacArthur Bible Commentary. You may be in a dark place but you must keep walking. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; How would you describe sheep? He had known famine. When applied to Yahweh, hesed is fundamentally the expression of his loyalty and devotion to the solemn promises attached to the covenant. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven .' The gist of Psalm 23 is that God is our shepherd who always provides and protects. Obviously it means that with the Lord protecting and providing for us then we shall not lack that which He knows we need. The sheep would experience excruciating pain that they would bash their heads against trees and rocks for relief. The word PSALM literally means praise and it features works of various characters the majority of which were written by David. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand.' [3]I learnt this when I went to a John Macarthur seminar one time. In that culture, people considered a persons name to be more than a simple label to identify that person. '. This line is especially suggestive when we read this psalm with an eye toward Jesus, the Great Shepherd. "It [ Psalm 23] has charmed more griefs to rest than all the philosophy of the world. One can rightly say that we face only the shadow of death because Jesus took the full reality of death in our place. It doesn't mean that anything outwardly has to change. Please read and believe! In the United States, a signal honor would be an invitation to stay overnight in the Lincoln bedroom in the White House. His anointing set him apart for his unique role as prophet, priest, and king. The sheep didnt know where the green pastures and still waters were. Near death, the saint does not walk in the valley, but through the valley. Psalm 23 is a wonderful masterpiece of David that contains encouragement and awe-inspiring spiritual truths. And he awaits the day when the great shepherd will become the chief Shepherd and shall come in the skies. A sheep unoiled is an easy target for the infestations of such pests. He is no longer speaking about God, but is instead speaking to God. In the Old Testament, prophets were anointed (1 Kings 19:16). Is - Can you say that? When the sheep are hungry or are anxious about food, they cant lie down peacefully. It has charmed more griefs to rest than all the philosophy of the world. Maybe this verse should have read 'though I close my eyes and sprint through the valley of the shadow of death' This verse speaks to us of the trying times in our lives where there is darkness, confusion and fear. [12] You will only be able to say that if you have truly come to know the Lord Jesus as your Shepherd. 6Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of theLordforever. It talks about humanity, our experiences, and even our emotions. For other references to the shadow of death, see Jeremiah 2:6 and Job 10:21-22. I will sanctify my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst; and the nations shall know that I am Yahweh, says the Lord Yahweh, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes (Ezekiel 36:22-23). [9] As Jesus Himself said, 'You are the light of the world. However, he was confident that God is with him all the time. It was spoken by someone who had been through more than we probably ever will so he knew what he was talking about! Even in a fearful place, the presence of the shepherd banished the fear of evil. The Analogy of God and the Shepherd in Psalm 23, The Lord As A Shepherd Who Provides (Verse 1), The Lord As A Shepherd Who Guides (Verses 2-3), The Protection And Comfort From Gods Presence (Verse 4), The Blessings of God Amidst Danger (Verse 5), Faith-Filled Content Delivered To Your Inbox, Best NASB Study Bibles Ranked & Reviewed, The Best Bible for Young Adults: Buyers Guide. So for now, let us follow our Lord where He would lead. The Shepherd's staff: The staff was used by the Shepherd to direct the sheep in the way in which they should go, and, in the case of a wandering nosey sheep, to pull it back into line [11] . Wisdom Literature Psalms 23 - The Pulpit Commentaries - StudyLight.org When the end of the Babylonian Exile and Israels salvation was nigh, God told Israel: Dont be afraid, for I have redeemed you. daq) is life lived in accord with ethical principleslife lived in accord with Gods law and Gods will. What is characteristic of them? David had it right in placing his trust in the one true God who controls all things. David wrote about this in Psalm 25. But whether our fears are irrational or based on very real circumstances, our need to remember the Lord is the same. You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. i. ii. Nederlandstalige Bijbelstudies door Stan Marinussen, Copyright - Enduring Word | . And I will dwell in the house of the LORDforever: The psalm ends with the calmest assurance that he would enjoy the presence of the LORD forever both in his days on this earth and beyond. To walk indicates the steady advance of a soul which knows its road, knows its end, resolves to follow the path, feels quite safe, and is therefore perfectly calm and composed Observe that it is not walking in the valley, but through the valley. It is true that in extreme cases the shepherd would break the leg of the lamb. Our website uses cookies to store user preferences. We are well escorted, with a Shepherd in front and these twin angels behind! (Meyer), iii. It is a psalm which has been sung by good Christians, and will be while the world stands, with a great deal of pleasure and satisfaction. 20:28 ) If this is you, then please don't starve God's flock and please don't feed them rubbish.
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