Text: PSALM 23
By: Joshua Whiskey
INTRODUCTION:
Several years ago, David the son of Jesse was confronted with difficulties of life. Before his inauguration as king in Israel, King Saul has threatened to take his life again and again. The problem of David started after he defeated Goliath in a battle. This should have being a reason for happiness. But it did not turn out that way. In 1 Samuel 18.7 we are told that the women of the cities came to meet Saul and they sang, Saul has slain his thousands and David his ten thousand. In 1 Samuel 18.8-9 we have the following: Then Saul was very angry, and the saying displeased him; and he said, they have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed only thousands. Now what more can he have but the kingdom. So Saul eyed David from that day forward.
This thought put jealousy in the mind of Saul and so he thought of destroying David. In 1 Samuel 19:1. Saul spoke to Jonathan and to all of his servants that they should kill David. Because of the thought of killing him, David decided to be a wanderer in the wilderness. And so he remained in the wilderness.
As David wandered in the wilderness, frequently, he was having problems with the kings of the people. Many of the kings attempted to kill him. But in all, the LORD God was on his sides. The Lord kept on protecting him. Even though David was a mighty warrior, he did not attribute his security to himself. David understood that it was the Lord that was protecting him and giving him security. For that reason, Psalm 23 is beautifully penned. In this passage, David confidently says:
“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. 3 He restores my soul; He leads 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 You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. 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.
David who was a shepherd himself, acknowledges that the LORD is his shepherd. A shepherd is one who tends sheep. He takes out his sheep to pasture and protects his sheep from predators. Ezekiel 34.12 says, a shepherd seeks out his flock on the day he is among his scattered sheep. A shepherd is usually concerned about the flock (cf. Gen, 33.13-14). David understood that a shepherd does not leave his flock. So he says the LORD was his shepherd. Since the LORD was his shepherd, David says, He shall not lack anything. The Hebrew word translated by the King James version as want means, to lack, to be without, to be in need. The verse therefore reads, The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not lack. The New Living Translation puts it this way: The LORD is my shepherd; I have all that I need. In difficult times, the LORD will continue to supply the needs of his people. The apostle Paul writes in Philippians 4.19, But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. They that have the LORD as their shepherd shall not lack. While other flocks may lack food in times of famine, the flocks of the Lord shall not lack. The Lord shall supply their needs.
In 2 Corinthians 9.10 we have the following: Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness. He who supplies the seed is the LORD. He is the one that supplies bread for food. He will supply and multiply our seed and increase our fruits. While David acknowledges God to be his shepherd, today we also have God as our shepherd. In fact, in John 10. 11 Jesus says, I am the good shepherd. While the various English translations of the Bible use good shepherd, the adjective used here means noble, excellent, eminent. Our shepherd is a noble one and so we shall not lack.
There are several reasons why David says he shall not lack: First, the Lord makes him to lie down in green pastures and leads him beside the still waters. When sheep have green pastures and enough water, there is no way, they will not be fatted. This is a metaphor of the abundant supply of the Lord. The Lord shall always provide green pastures and living water for his sheep. Second, the Lord shall restore his soul and lead him in the paths of righteousness. Sheep usually get lost when they miss their paths. But as for David, he believes the Lord shall lead him in the path of righteousness for his name sake. The Lord does things for his name sake so as to take glory. Glory is not to be given to man but to God for everything.
He will fear no evil. While David did not deny the presence of evil, but he believes that with the Lord as his shepherd, he will fear no evil. For that reason he says, Yes! though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. David understood that there is a valley of shadow of death. He also understood that sometimes he may have to walk through it. But nothing will move him. This is because the LORD will take care of him. He is not alone whenever he moves through the valley of the shadow of death. David understood God’s deliverance for his people in difficult times. In Psalm 91.1-10 we have the following:
He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.” 3 Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler And from the perilous pestilence. 4 He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. 5 You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day, 6 Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. 7 A thousand may fall at your side, And ten thousand at your right hand; But it shall not come near you. 8 Only with your eyes shall you look, And see the reward of the wicked. 9 Because you have made the LORD, who is my refuge, Even the Most High, your dwelling place, 10 No evil shall befall you, Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;
Because David has made the Lord to be his shepherd, he shall fear no evil. This is because the Lord is there to protect him. The reason David will fear no evil is because, the Lord is with him and the support of the LORD is all around him Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Goodness and mercy shall follow him. A life in God is a meaningful and purposeful life. He says, surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever (Ps. 23.6). David understands very well the blessings of living a righteous life. A life in God has blessings in full. In Psalm 40.4 the psalmist says, “Blessed is that man who makes the LORD his trust. Because this man has made the LORD his trust, goodness and mercy shall follow him all the days of his life. Prophet Jeremiah has the following to say, “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is the LORD. 8 For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit (Jer 17:7-8 NKJ). Because the man trust in the Lord, goodness always follow him. In fact David says, All the days of my life.
Part of the goodness he enjoyed are: (1). A table is prepared before him in the presence of his enemies; this is an indication of promotion. The Lord Himself shall promote him. (2) His head is anointed with oil. In the Old Testament, it was the kings and the priests that were said to be anointed with oil. This is a rare privilege for a few. (3) His cup runs over. Literally this means his cup is overflowing. He has more than enough. When one has the LORD as his provider, he will have more than enough. Because the Lord is good to his own, the psalmist has this resolution, And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever (Ps. 23.6b). What is our resolution today? Have we seen the Lord as our greatest provider? Are we giving ourselves to Him?
Conclusion
David recognizes the gain of having the Lord as his shepherd. Today have we made the Lord our shepherd? Do we allow his direction in our lives? Do we allow him to direct us in everything we do? Or are we leading ourselves by ourselves? We enjoy great blessings when the Lord is our shepherd. Even in difficult times, we are secured. Not because of ourselves, but because of his holy name. May we submit ourselves to God and he will direct us in the path of righteousness. Those who have not made the Lord to be their shepherd yet, we urge you to do so. Believe in Jesus, repent of your sins and be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will enjoy the blessings of having the Lord as your shepherd. May God bless us and keep us in Jesus name. Amen.