A MESSAGE OF HOPE THE LORD Is MY SHEPHERD
PSALMS 23
23 1 The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need.
2 He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams.
3 He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths,
bringing honor to his name.
4 Even when I walk through the darkest valley,
I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.
5 You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies.
You honor me by anointing my head with oil.
My cup overflows with blessings.
6 Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me
all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord
forever.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation
BACKGROUND
The 23 Psalms was written by KIng David. No one knows the exact date of this writing. Some say in the early years when he was anointed King.Other say in older years as king when he had to time to reflect on the goodness of God. Looking back and being truthful we can only find how good God has been to us, To me the 23rd Psalms is a reminder of what God does in my life on a moment by moment basis.
I will reflect from the New Living Translation
Verse 1. The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need.
I must start with the holy name Lord. There are many names for the Lord in scripture, depending on the context.
In this verse the Name for Lord is Yehovah, self Existent or Eternal God.
God does not need the help of anyone. He was not made, He exist. He has no beginning or ending. Revelation says He is Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending. The first thing I realize is I cannot comprehend Who He is. I know no human being that does not have a beginning. God does not have a beginning or end.
HOW DO YOU RELATE TO GOD?
Genesis 1:1 reads
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. His creative powers is beyond human comprehension. Look around you from the ground up as far as your eyes can see and beyond God created.
The next verse in Genesis is beyond my imagination. Gen 1:2
2 The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.
I have never been in a formless and empty situation. I have empty
Pockets in my pants but they are not formless. You can not look and not see something.
God’s creative process is so complete that there is nothing new that man can discover with all the technology that exists or ever will exist. We can only confirm what scripture reveals about God with our experience
Below is a partial list of names of God, we can review and identify with. Which name do you identify most with?
NAMES OF GOD IN THE OLD TESTAMENT / HEBREW BIBLE
THE TEXT
THE SHEPHERD’S JOB
The Lord is my Shepherd. David’s first job was that of a shepherd. He knew full well the analogy between his job and the Lord’s work. The job of a shepherd is the complete welfare of his flock. It is a 24/7 assignment caring for the survival of the flock. A shepherd is a good leader. We need good leaders who are about the welfare of the people rather than enriching themselves.
The shepherd walked ahead of the flock leading them to a place of safety and abundance,
GOD’S PROVISIONS
The second part of verse 1 of the 23rd Psalms David said I have all I need.
We first meet David as a shepherd boy tending his fathers flock. In 1 Sameul 16 David was anointed king by the prophet Sameul. It was another 15 to 20 years before David took the position of King over Israel. David had years when King Saul was tried to kill him. It was not an easy road to
The throne. David had to rely on God to protect and provide for him and
His men before King Saul was killed in battle.
David had a history with Lord because He had given him all he needed.
You and I have a history with the Lord’s provision and protection. We may
Not have all we want, but because we still exist, we have all we need.
THE SHEPHERD’S LEADERSHIP
Verse 2. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams.
The job of the shepherd was to lead the sheep to lush grazing land. Sheep have poor frontal vision and can easily get lost. They remember voices and will follow the shepherd as he leads.
You and I need to be able to know the voice of the Lord and the voice of the devil. We have to study the Bible and distinguish between the voice of God and the voice of the world. The good shepherd can be relied on to tell us what is good and right. We have a choice to obey the Word or the world.
The Good shepherd will lead us to a proper diet and water to refresh the soul. The world promotes junk foods, drinks that have no nourishing value.
The text says peaceful streams, not turbulent water. Sheep want drink from swift flowing waters. The Lord wants us to live in peace. We must find a way to avoid and exit turbulent situations. We should be the mediators of peace and not violence.
THE RENEWAL OF STRENGTH
Verse 3. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths,
bringing honor to his name.
After a day of grazing, the shepherd leads the sheep to a place of rest. God gives us 24 hours in a day . 12 for work and 12 at night for rest. The spiritual lesson is the Lord provides forgiveness and peace for those who follow Him.
The Word is a lamp for our feet. The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord. Constantly studying and meditating on the Word keeps us tuned to the Lord. Yielding to guidance and directions of the Holy Spirit keeps on the right path.
It is the work we do serving others that honors the Lord, God designed and equipped us for good works;
1 Tim 6:18 that they do good, that they be rich in good works, that they be ready to distribute, willing to communicate; 19 laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come.
THE SHEPHERD’S PROTECTION
Verse 4. Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.
According the Jamison Fausset and Brown commentary Psalms 23:4
Hebrew idiom for the blackest darkness; hence, a position surrounded by great perils and deaths (Ps 44:19; Job 24:17):
David understood the deep darkness that God designed and allowed for his life.
After King Saul learned he would no longer be king, he took every attempt to kill David;
1 Sam 15:26 And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee; for thou hast rejected the word of Jehovah, and Jehovah hath rejected thee from being king over Israel.
Saul became bitter and angry and David was targeted for death. This was God’s design to establish David as a warrior who relied on Him for survival.
We cannot control the conditions that God allows in our lives, but we can control our response. David said regardless of the conditions, I will fear no evil.
2 Tim 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
Because God loves us, He gives us the mental power and strength to face our fears with a sound mind. In troubling times, the Devil shows up with doubt that God will not protect us.
God is always in the midst of our troubles. He promised he would never leave us or forsake us. (Hebrews 13:5)
The rod and the staff are the shepherd's equipment to protect his sheep.
God is always on guard standing between us and danger. The battle is never ours, its the Lords (1 Samuel 17:47). We are comforted by our confidence in the promises of the Lord.
GOD’S BLESSING FOR THE FAITHFUL
Verse 5 You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies.
You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings.
David may have been reflecting on Israel history with the Lord
God set the example when Israel was released from slavery in Egypt. Ex 12: And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they asked of the Egyptians for jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment. 36 And Jehovah gave the people favor
The same example was set when Israel was released from 70 years of Babylonian captivity by the enemy.
2 Chron 36:23 Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth hath Jehovah, the God of heaven, given me; and he hath charged me to build him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whosoever there is among you of all his people, Jehovah his God be with him, and let him go up.
Because of our faithfulness and total reliance on the Lord in the midst of
Troubling times, He prepares a lavish banquet for us for our enemies to see. For the faithful, God provides a peace that is beyond our comprehension and certainly beyond our enemies.
According to the Bible knowledge Commentary on Psalms 23:5
The image of anointing the head with oil, which was refreshing and soothing, harmonizes with the concept of a gracious host welcoming someone into his home. In view of the table and the oil David knew that his lot in life (his cup) was an abundant blessing from the Lord.
God anoints each believer with oil welcoming as a guest in the kingdom of Heaven. No believer can deny the abundant blessing of the Lord in their lives. We Can do nothing to deserve God’s grace and mercy. Justice demand payment, but grace resolves payment in the death of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
OUR SPIRIT OF GRATEFULNESS
Verse 6 Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me
all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord
forever.
Every believer needs to conclude each day regardless of the circumstance faced that God' s royal love is present, real and active. We may not understand how God is working but we must live confidently that all things are working out for our good (Romans 8:28). We don’t need to know how, we must believe it's true.
Jesus our Lord and savior said this; John 15:7-8
7 But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! 8 When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.
We don’t need to know when our breakthrough is coming, but must wait with confidence that God is working things out for us. The greatest spiritual
Growth is in the waiting.
Gal 5:5 For we through the Spirit by faith wait for the hope of righteousness.
THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD
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