But, what makes it so compelling? Psalm 23 is written by David who grew up as a shepherd. You prepare a table before me: Without departing from the previous picture of the valley of the shadow of death, David envisioned the provision and goodness given by the LORD as a host, inviting David to a rich table prepared for him. This psalm is so personal, with the pronoun I or My, being used commonly. The Believer's Confession of Sin. God's Testimony to the Scriptures. He rammed it home so much that come lunch time we were saying 'I WILL eat my lunch', 'I will EAT my lunch.' When explaining why he was restoring Israel, God said, I dont do this for your sake, house of Israel, but for my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations, where you went. It has remanded to their dungeon more felon thoughts, more black doubts, more thieving sorrows, than there are sands on the sea-shore. Do we feel that our spirituality is at its lowest ebb? It is getting harder to live on this planet - from a health point of view, from a financial point of view, from a spiritual and moral point of view, from a fear and anxiety point of view - there is much that a person could be concerned about. But mostly, they were comforting because they were in the hands of a caring shepherd. There are stacks of deceptive shepherds around just as there always were. And he awaits the day when the great shepherd will become the chief Shepherd and shall come in the skies. range of evangelical traditions, all of the ideas and principles conveyed When a soldier is in the presence of his enemies, if he eats at all he snatches a hasty meal, and away he hastens to the fight. The MacArthur Study Bible: new King James version - John MacArthur. The New Testament Articles Messages Books Podcasts Filter Resources By Ask Pastor John. (Kidner). There are only 6 verses but these terms are used about 30 times! People need to know this beautiful Psalm of David to reorient and renew their thinking. . Nor is he saying that 'the LORD is my Shepherd, I get everything I want'. can be seen as comforting for it is a sign that He loves us scripture says (Heb 12:6). Nederlandstalige Bijbelstudies door Stan Marinussen, Copyright - Enduring Word | . Is it Messianic? They will lead us to places of rest and provision. GenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyJoshuaJudgesRuth1 Samuel2 Samuel1 Kings2 Kings1 Chronicles2 ChroniclesEzraNehemiahEstherJobPsalmsProverbsEcclesiastesSong of SongsIsaiahJeremiahLamentationsEzekielDanielHoseaJoelAmosObadiahJonahMicahNahumHabakkukZephaniahHaggaiZechariahMalachiMatthewMarkLukeJohnActsRomans1 Corinthians2 CorinthiansGalatiansEphesiansPhilippiansColossians1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians1 Timothy2 TimothyTitusPhilemonHebrewsJames1 Peter2 Peter1 John2 John3 JohnJudeRevelation, Select a Beginning Point No, we are not talking here about genuine needs, not greed'! [6]. We must surrender our desires and follow where He leads no matter the cost. Do you have the confidence to say that the almighty God IS your Shepherd right now? Death in its substance has been removed, and only the shadow of it remains. Readers benefit from the coherence a single commentator provides, finding faithful, understandable, and . Included in the "better" provisions are: a better hope . Provision -- for Thou prepare a table before me. A great promise indeed! MON 10/20/2014. Major Prophets i. Many people succumb to their hopelessness and fear. And when the days of this life are over, then we shall enter into that which we can only partly imagine, for, 'No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.'. He lived in the confident hope that it would continue for the rest of his life. Minor Prophets He is a great shepherd. In the end, in whatever it is that places you in fear or unease, you have to come back to this very thought we are speaking of here - 'The Lord is my shepherd' - He is in control of all things. As I said, it wasn't all easy and plain sailing being a sheep in Israel however. The anointing of oil to the sheep isnt just a meaningless ritual. His passion is to serve the global Church and bring people of diverse backgrounds together to learn & grow. There are no halfway measures when it comes to the Lords provision for our lives. He guides us and leads us along the right and true paths. Otherwise you will be prompted again when opening a new browser window or new a tab. Therefore, when the shepherd started heading off on another journey the sheep followed wherever he went! Due to security reasons we are not able to show or modify cookies from other domains. The writer of Psalm 23 makes an analogy between God and the shepherd. And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. You can check these in your browser security settings. It has an inexpressibly delightful application to the dying; but it is for the living, too. Almost everyone, whether religious or not, has heard Psalm 23 because it is quoted so frequently. David had extreme confidence in who God IS right now! That symmetric bracketing was a literary device intended to focus attention on the middle phrase, for you are with me. Gods saving presence is the focal point of this psalm. iv. We have to learn to sit back and thank Him once again. Historical Books Psalm 23:4 I will fear no evil, for you are with me, There is a switch here from 'He' to 'You'. David envisioned God as a benevolent host who prepared a grand banquet. Again, there is comfort in the fact that God directs us and even discipline from the Lord (pulling us back into line!) The Premiere One-Volume Commentary . It is 'The LORD' who is his shepherd! 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. With family of say, a mother, a father, 3 or four children, and only one in the family working and bringing in 3 dollars (a day), it would takes ages before one can afford to buy anything extra, even clothes or even a blanket. Psalm 22 Part 2 - It is finished, He has done it! In the Old Testament, prophets were anointed (1 Kings 19:16). In Psalm 23, God has answered this prayer God has led him in paths of righteousness. These twin guardian angels will always be with me at my back and my beck. Many people were praying for me. But despite this I got on with her pretty well. The word my cup runs over indicates that David not only had the necessities but also enjoyed abundance. The Gospels No, press on knowing that if there are shadows, there must be light around the corner causing them! The Kings crown, Psalm 23:1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want. Each chapter begins with several questions under the title "PREPARE TO MEET GOD." . Wisdom Literature We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. How would you describe sheep? (7) And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Please read and believe! They are times, as the Psalm says, when He restores your soul spiritually. Click to enable/disable Google reCaptcha. What He is leading, guiding and teaching us is firstly about the inward change to the circumstance even if outwardly things remain the same. God is the one who looks after our lives. Receive uplifting scriptures, inspiring articles & helpful guides to encourage your faith. But that is not how it is in the dry arid lands of the Middle East and we need to read this Psalm with that mindset. Usernames should only contain letters, numbers, dots, dashes, or underscores. He wrote: Unlike in the west where people get multiple jobs, here the jobs are very rare. [4] I read in a John Hunter book that as well as being able to say 'The Lord is my shepherd' we should be able to say 'The shepherd is my Lord.' He is in control. Obviously it means that with the Lord protecting and providing for us then we shall not lack that which He knows we need. As a deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants after you, God (Psalm 42:1). Yea, though I walk, as if the believer did not quicken his pace when he came to die, but still calmly walked with God. The book of Psalms is the most quoted book in the New Testament, and Jesus would refer a lot to the Book of Psalms even in His claims and teachings. But he would then carry that lamb while its leg mended and apparently, once healed, that lamb would never wander off from the shepherd again. The shepherd image appears not only as part of the Old Testament but as a vital part of the New Testament as well. The psalmist has been talking about God in the third person (he). '. He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Guidance -- for He leads me in the paths of righteousness. GenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyJoshuaJudgesRuth1 Samuel2 Samuel1 Kings2 Kings1 Chronicles2 ChroniclesEzraNehemiahEstherJobPsalmsProverbsEcclesiastesSong of SongsIsaiahJeremiahLamentationsEzekielDanielHoseaJoelAmosObadiahJonahMicahNahumHabakkukZephaniahHaggaiZechariahMalachiMatthewMarkLukeJohnActsRomans1 Corinthians2 CorinthiansGalatiansEphesiansPhilippiansColossians1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians1 Timothy2 TimothyTitusPhilemonHebrewsJames1 Peter2 Peter1 John2 John3 JohnJudeRevelation, Use semicolons to separate groups: 'Gen;Jdg;Psa-Mal' or 'Rom 3-12;Mat 1:15;Mat 5:12-22', There are options set in 'Advanced Options', The Whole Bible Shepherds feed the flock and herd them to good forage areas. The wonderful discovery is that the Lord is not just a shepherd who looks after the entire flock, but He is cares for me as well. We often try to work things out in our little minds and end up working ourselves into a place of nervous exhaustion! in the resource materials are not necessarily affirmed, in total, by this ministry. 'My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. Are any of us low in grace? We lie on our beds yet carry on the same thoughts inside. 8:29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 1939) is a Calvinist theologian, author, editor, and teacher. John MacArthur brings you a complete Bible commentary in one volume. He had a sidekick with him who spoke on 'I will build my church'. A number of our soldiers died there. 20:28 ) If this is you, then please don't starve God's flock and please don't feed them rubbish. He is no longer speaking about God, but is instead speaking to God. It is a song of gratitude that resonates with the author's heart and trust in God. If there is a ditch, they will fall in and need to be rescued. Our website uses cookies to store user preferences. Jesus honored his disciples by inviting them to a table where he served them bread, saying, I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I tell you, I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God (Luke 22:15-16). As you survey your life, what path has God led and guided you through? In Psalms 23:3, Psalms 23:4 the spiritual meaning shines through the figure, as in Psalms 23:5, Psalms 23:6 it is laid aside altogether; yet still the psalmist speaks of the "rod and staff." "Rod," the shepherd's crook, the received emblem of authority, guidance, and discipline. 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. There is a noble tone of confidence about this sentence. Taking the Lord's Supper in an Unworthy Manner. "Depth and strength underlie the simplicity of this psalm. [5], We need to remind ourselves of this all the time. But we have the testimony from the Shepherd also how he loved the sheep and would never let them go! There is no if nor but, nor even I hope so; but he says, The Lord is my shepherd. (Charles Spurgeon). Now mine was a recent silly example. This is the joy of the Christian! He is. Some of the most obvious are: 1) the wisdom type with instructions for right living; 2) lamentation patterns which deal with the pangs of life (usually arising from enemies without); 3) penitential psalms (mostly dealing with the "enemy" within, i.e., sin); 4) kingship emphases (universal or mediatorial; theocratic and/or messianic rule); and 5) daq) is life lived in accord with ethical principleslife lived in accord with Gods law and Gods will. What a wonderful picture we have of Christ in these three psalms! This word follow in the Hebrew does not just mean tag along at some distance behind. What humanity needs now is the restoration of hope and joy. conservative Christian faith, which includes a firm belief in the inerrancy In Psalm 22 Christ is the Saviour; in Psalm 23 He is the Satisfier; in Psalm 24 He is the Sovereign. To call God a shepherd is to acknowledge His sovereignty over their lives and submit to His will. David wrote about this in Psalm 25. So to be Gods guest is to be more than an acquaintance, invited for a day. Here the second allegory begins. Wisdom Literature So here is a man who has had to depend upon His Shepherd and is finding Him faithful even in trying times. Email / username or password was incorrect! But, God as our shepherd provides peace that transcends all understanding. Welcome to FaithGiant, where you can find everything you need to live a life of faith, hope, and love. I shall not want can translate to I have no lack. Psalm 23 mainly illustrates God as a caring shepherd. In the ancient Near East, the shepherd was a royal metaphor. i. Best known for his expository exegesis of the Bible . One where 'the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. In fact, he thought quite highly of it, as is evident by this especially generous compliment: Of this delightful song it may be affirmed that its piety and its poetry are equal, its sweetness and its spirituality are unsurpassed. Spurgeon once referred to Psalm 23 as the Pearl of the Psalms in his monthly magazine, The Sword and the Trowel. And I used to always think 'Well! Is it a terrible thing that even though God is sovereign and controls the entire universe, we don't want to let go of the reigns! They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. In 1969, after graduating from Talbot Theological Seminary, John came to Grace Community Church. The subsequent trips through the valley become progressively easier as trust increases. Psalm's 22, 23 and 24 give different glimpses of this wonderful Shepherd. In this article, well be talking about the commentary of Psalm 23 and explore more about its meaning. He would tend, protect and care for his sheep. God as our shepherd not only leads but restores as well. The comforts of a living saint. He had not only enough, a cup full, but more than enough, a cup which overflowed. c. I will fear no evil: Despite every dark association with the idea of the valley of the shadow of death, David could resolutely say this because he was under the care of the LORD his shepherd. He who turns the ebb into the flood can soon restore our soul. A lot of people are suffering mentally, emotionally, and financially. You anoint my head with oil; Your rod and your staff, they comfort me (v. 4c). Johannine Writings So many people place their trust and hope is all sorts of things. Near death, the saint still calmly walks he does not need to quicken his pace in alarm or panic. See the happiness of the saints as the sheep of God's pasture. Verse 1. Psalm 23:2-3 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters; he restores my soul. Comfort -- for your rod and Thy staff comfort me. The paths that the Shepherd takes us on are the righteous or 'right' paths. 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. Psalm 23 Bible Study - Jesus our Great Shepherd! He wanted to depict the marvelous work of God in his life and encourage many believers with his testimony.