PSALMS 23
Psalms 23 The Lord is My Shepherd, I Shall Not Want
David a shepherd. He was known as the "Shepherd King" of Israel.
He saw Jehovah, the Lord God of Israel, as his Shepherd.
He speaks in this Psalm as if he was one of the flock.
And it is as though he literally boasted aloud, -"Look who my Shepherd is -- my owner --! The Lord is!
He knew from firsthand experience - that the lot of any particular sheep depends on the type of man who owns it.
Under one man, sheep might struggle, starve and suffer endless hardships.
Under another shepherd, they might flourish and thrive contentedly.
David says, "The Lord is my shepherd."
He chose us, He bought us, He calls us by name, He makes us his own and He delights in taking care of us.
David continues by saying, "I shall not want."
The idea here is that the Lord supplies our every need.
The NIV says, "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not lack anything."
The One who sustained the children of Israel.
The One who fed Elijah by the brook.
The One who provided the needs of the disciples sent out without staff or shoes.
HE has promised to provide our needs both physical and spiritual.
Let me tell you what a good Shepherd is like = He loves his sheep.
For Him there is no greater reward, no deeper satisfaction, than that of seeing his sheep contented, well fed, safe and flourishing in His care.
That's the kind of Shepherd we have.
Jesus said, "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep." (John 10:11). Truly, "the Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want."
He Maketh Me to Lie Down in Green Pastures: He Leadeth Me Beside Still Waters
It's not easy to get a sheep to lie down. A strange thing about sheep is that they will refuse to lie down unless four requirements are met.
(1) They must be free from all fear.
(2) There must be no tension between the flock.
(3) They must not be aggravated with flies or parasites.
(4) And they must be free from hunger.
It is the shepherd who must see to it that his flock is free from any disturbances. Sheep are very easily frightened. A stray jackrabbit jumping out from behind a bush can stampede a whole flock. When one startled sheep runs in fright, all of the others will follow behind it in blind fear, not waiting to see what frightened them. But nothing quiets a flock of sheep like seeing their shepherd in the field with them.
We live in an uncertain life.
Any hour can bring disaster... it is the unknown, the unexpected, that frightens us most.
Nothing quiets our souls like knowing that our Shepherd is near.
Things are not half as dark nor nearly as terrifying when we know that Our Lord is with us. "God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." II Timothy1:7.
Our Shepherd provides us with the spiritual food we need.
If we hunger and thirst after righteousness, HE has promised to fill us.
All of our needs are met in Christ.
That's why "he maketh me to lie down in green pastures."
He also "leads us beside the still waters".
Sheep also need water to survive.
They will not drink from noisy, turbulent water.
They require a well or a slow-flowing stream, "still waters"
Jesus made it clear that the thirsty souls of men and women can only be fully satisfied by coming to him.
In John 7:37, he stated, "If any man thirsts, let him come to me and drink." Our Shepherd leads us beside the still waters.
He Restoreth My Soul
The Old English shepherd's term called a "cast" sheep.
This is a sheep that has turned over on its back and can't get back up again.
It happens frequently.
When it happens, all the sheep can do is lie on its back, with its feet flaying frantically in the air.
Sometimes it will bleat, but usually it will just kick.
If the Shepherd doesn't arrive within a short time, the sheep will die.
That's why a Shepherd is always looking over His flock, counting them to see if they are all on their feet.
If one is missing, he thinks, "One of my sheep is cast and I've got to find it."
Talked about the parable of the 99 sheep and the one that went astray.
What David had in mind when he said, "He restoreth my soul" because that's how our Lord treats us.
We stumble and fall, we become so helpless.
Yet our shepherd is patient and tender and helpful in getting us back on our feet.
In the gospels we see the tenderness that Jesus showed toward sinners.
He restored Peter's heart after his denial.
We understand that Jesus also restores our soul.
He Leadeth Me in the Paths of Righteousness For His Name's Sake
If sheep are left to themselves =
They will continue to graze the same hills until they turn it into a desert wasteland.
They will gnaw the grass to the very ground until even the roots are damaged.
They need a shepherd who will lead them to good grazing area.
We are a lot like sheep.
As humans, we prefer to follow our own desires and turn to our own ways. "All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned every one to his own way." (Isaiah 53:6).
We need a Shepherd who can lead us in paths of righteousness.
Our Shepherd is not a driver but a leader.
He doesn't stand behind us with a stick, saying, "Go on, and do that."
He goes ahead and leads the way for us.
"For to this you were called, because Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow his steps." (I Peter 2:21).
Our Lord leads and HE always leads us in the paths of righteousness.
He said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6).
Yea, Though I Walk Through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, I will Fear no Evil: For Thou Art With Me
There are going to be valleys in life for all of us.
Some of us have many valleys, some few.
Some of us have deep valleys, some not so deep.
We must walk in it alone sometimes - Christ and I alone.
We cannot walk it always with our husband or wife.
We cannot walk it always with our business partner.
We cannot walk it always with friends or relatives.
We must encourage OURSELVES in the Lord as David.
Today You are at the Place of BREAKTHROUGH
"Do not Run and Hide or retreat"
Remember how when you were a kid, we think we're so big YET...
Whenever a thunderstorm came up............Today you want to RUN and HIDE...I tell YOU,
YOU are at the Place of BREAKTHROUGH
Thy Rod and Thy Staff They Comfort Me
When a shepherd is out in the fields with his flock, he carries very little with him.
Today's shepherds will carry a rifle, a staff and a small knapsack.
In the Middle East the shepherd carried only a rod and a staff.
The rod = was like a club.
The shepherd learns from childhood how to throw it with amazing speed and accuracy.
It becomes his main weapon of defense for himself and his sheep.
He uses it to drive off predators like coyotes, wolves, cougars or stray dogs.
In the brush it is used to beat away snakes.
But it is also used for discipline.
If a sheep wanders away or approaches poisonous weeds, or gets too close to some danger, the rod is thrown to send it back to the flock.
The staff, = is a long, slender stick, often with a crook or hook on one end.
The shepherd will use the staff to guide sheep along a new path or through a gate.
He doesn't beat the sheep. He just nudges them along.
At times, the staff gets sheep out of trouble, to pull it from the water or to free it from thorns.
To those of us who are God's sheep, the authority, power, might and guidance of the Lord are indeed a comfort. "Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me."
Thou Preparest a Table Before Me in the Presence of Mine Enemies:
In much of the world, the high plateaus of sheep pasture are called "mesas" which is Spanish for "tables".
David probably means the pastureland has been prepared.
*In the spring, after the snows melt, the shepherd will take his sheep up the mountain to finer pastures.
First he will go up into the rough country to check it out.
He will take along a supply of salt and minerals to distribute over the range.
He will decide where his camps will be located. He will make sure the vegetation is sturdy enough. He will check for poisonous weeds and uncover any snakes.
Our Lord takes care of us in the presence of our enemies.
In effect, he has gone ahead and checked things out. He has already been "tempted in all points like as we are." (Hebrews 4:15).
He has known our sorrows and endured our struggles in order to help us through.
"Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies".
"YOU" are at "The Place of BREAKTHROUGH" with your enemy!!
Thou Anointest My Head With Oil; My Cup Runneth
Over
A particular problem sheep have is insects -- flies, mosquitoes, gnats.
At the beginning of fly season, shepherds will mix up an oil concoction.
In Palestine, they used a mixture of olive oil, sulphur and spices. It would then be applied to the heads of the sheep.
Oil is also used to cure scab, which is a highly contagious disease among sheep.
We can say today... "Our Lord takes care of us."
YOU here today are an ANOINTED Child of God
Our Lord gives us everything we could need and more...
"Now to him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to power that works within us." (Ephesians 3:20).
It is true today that "my cup runneth over."
Surely Goodness and Mercy Shall Follow Me All the Days of my Life: And I Will Dwell in the House of the Lord Together."
The sheep with a Shepherd like this knows that he is in a privileged position.
Our Lord truly cares for us as a good Shepherd.
We know that goodness and mercy will follow us.
You are at the Place of BREAKTHROUGH
We are so content in our flock and in our Shepherd that there is no desire for a change.
"I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever."
You are at "The Place of BREAKTHROUGH"
But we can only confidently state this last verse if we can state the first one --- "The Lord is my shepherd".
STAY in the House of the Lord, God's train (VICTORIES) Fills this Temple...
Stay in the House of the Lord FOREVER...
David a shepherd. He was known as the "Shepherd King" of Israel.
He saw Jehovah, the Lord God of Israel, as his Shepherd.
He speaks in this Psalm as if he was one of the flock.
And it is as though he literally boasted aloud, -"Look who my Shepherd is -- my owner --! The Lord is!
He knew from firsthand experience - that the lot of any particular sheep depends on the type of man who owns it.
Under one man, sheep might struggle, starve and suffer endless hardships.
Under another shepherd, they might flourish and thrive contentedly.
David says, "The Lord is my shepherd."
He chose us, He bought us, He calls us by name, He makes us his own and He delights in taking care of us.
David continues by saying, "I shall not want."
The idea here is that the Lord supplies our every need.
The NIV says, "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not lack anything."
The One who sustained the children of Israel.
The One who fed Elijah by the brook.
The One who provided the needs of the disciples sent out without staff or shoes.
HE has promised to provide our needs both physical and spiritual.
Let me tell you what a good Shepherd is like = He loves his sheep.
For Him there is no greater reward, no deeper satisfaction, than that of seeing his sheep contented, well fed, safe and flourishing in His care.
That's the kind of Shepherd we have.
Jesus said, "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep." (John 10:11). Truly, "the Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want."
He Maketh Me to Lie Down in Green Pastures: He Leadeth Me Beside Still Waters
It's not easy to get a sheep to lie down. A strange thing about sheep is that they will refuse to lie down unless four requirements are met.
(1) They must be free from all fear.
(2) There must be no tension between the flock.
(3) They must not be aggravated with flies or parasites.
(4) And they must be free from hunger.
It is the shepherd who must see to it that his flock is free from any disturbances. Sheep are very easily frightened. A stray jackrabbit jumping out from behind a bush can stampede a whole flock. When one startled sheep runs in fright, all of the others will follow behind it in blind fear, not waiting to see what frightened them. But nothing quiets a flock of sheep like seeing their shepherd in the field with them.
We live in an uncertain life.
Any hour can bring disaster... it is the unknown, the unexpected, that frightens us most.
Nothing quiets our souls like knowing that our Shepherd is near.
Things are not half as dark nor nearly as terrifying when we know that Our Lord is with us. "God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." II Timothy1:7.
Our Shepherd provides us with the spiritual food we need.
If we hunger and thirst after righteousness, HE has promised to fill us.
All of our needs are met in Christ.
That's why "he maketh me to lie down in green pastures."
He also "leads us beside the still waters".
Sheep also need water to survive.
They will not drink from noisy, turbulent water.
They require a well or a slow-flowing stream, "still waters"
Jesus made it clear that the thirsty souls of men and women can only be fully satisfied by coming to him.
In John 7:37, he stated, "If any man thirsts, let him come to me and drink." Our Shepherd leads us beside the still waters.
He Restoreth My Soul
The Old English shepherd's term called a "cast" sheep.
This is a sheep that has turned over on its back and can't get back up again.
It happens frequently.
When it happens, all the sheep can do is lie on its back, with its feet flaying frantically in the air.
Sometimes it will bleat, but usually it will just kick.
If the Shepherd doesn't arrive within a short time, the sheep will die.
That's why a Shepherd is always looking over His flock, counting them to see if they are all on their feet.
If one is missing, he thinks, "One of my sheep is cast and I've got to find it."
Talked about the parable of the 99 sheep and the one that went astray.
What David had in mind when he said, "He restoreth my soul" because that's how our Lord treats us.
We stumble and fall, we become so helpless.
Yet our shepherd is patient and tender and helpful in getting us back on our feet.
In the gospels we see the tenderness that Jesus showed toward sinners.
He restored Peter's heart after his denial.
We understand that Jesus also restores our soul.
He Leadeth Me in the Paths of Righteousness For His Name's Sake
If sheep are left to themselves =
They will continue to graze the same hills until they turn it into a desert wasteland.
They will gnaw the grass to the very ground until even the roots are damaged.
They need a shepherd who will lead them to good grazing area.
We are a lot like sheep.
As humans, we prefer to follow our own desires and turn to our own ways. "All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned every one to his own way." (Isaiah 53:6).
We need a Shepherd who can lead us in paths of righteousness.
Our Shepherd is not a driver but a leader.
He doesn't stand behind us with a stick, saying, "Go on, and do that."
He goes ahead and leads the way for us.
"For to this you were called, because Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow his steps." (I Peter 2:21).
Our Lord leads and HE always leads us in the paths of righteousness.
He said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6).
Yea, Though I Walk Through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, I will Fear no Evil: For Thou Art With Me
There are going to be valleys in life for all of us.
Some of us have many valleys, some few.
Some of us have deep valleys, some not so deep.
We must walk in it alone sometimes - Christ and I alone.
We cannot walk it always with our husband or wife.
We cannot walk it always with our business partner.
We cannot walk it always with friends or relatives.
We must encourage OURSELVES in the Lord as David.
Today You are at the Place of BREAKTHROUGH
"Do not Run and Hide or retreat"
Remember how when you were a kid, we think we're so big YET...
Whenever a thunderstorm came up............Today you want to RUN and HIDE...I tell YOU,
YOU are at the Place of BREAKTHROUGH
Thy Rod and Thy Staff They Comfort Me
When a shepherd is out in the fields with his flock, he carries very little with him.
Today's shepherds will carry a rifle, a staff and a small knapsack.
In the Middle East the shepherd carried only a rod and a staff.
The rod = was like a club.
The shepherd learns from childhood how to throw it with amazing speed and accuracy.
It becomes his main weapon of defense for himself and his sheep.
He uses it to drive off predators like coyotes, wolves, cougars or stray dogs.
In the brush it is used to beat away snakes.
But it is also used for discipline.
If a sheep wanders away or approaches poisonous weeds, or gets too close to some danger, the rod is thrown to send it back to the flock.
The staff, = is a long, slender stick, often with a crook or hook on one end.
The shepherd will use the staff to guide sheep along a new path or through a gate.
He doesn't beat the sheep. He just nudges them along.
At times, the staff gets sheep out of trouble, to pull it from the water or to free it from thorns.
To those of us who are God's sheep, the authority, power, might and guidance of the Lord are indeed a comfort. "Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me."
Thou Preparest a Table Before Me in the Presence of Mine Enemies:
In much of the world, the high plateaus of sheep pasture are called "mesas" which is Spanish for "tables".
David probably means the pastureland has been prepared.
*In the spring, after the snows melt, the shepherd will take his sheep up the mountain to finer pastures.
First he will go up into the rough country to check it out.
He will take along a supply of salt and minerals to distribute over the range.
He will decide where his camps will be located. He will make sure the vegetation is sturdy enough. He will check for poisonous weeds and uncover any snakes.
Our Lord takes care of us in the presence of our enemies.
In effect, he has gone ahead and checked things out. He has already been "tempted in all points like as we are." (Hebrews 4:15).
He has known our sorrows and endured our struggles in order to help us through.
"Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies".
"YOU" are at "The Place of BREAKTHROUGH" with your enemy!!
Thou Anointest My Head With Oil; My Cup Runneth
Over
A particular problem sheep have is insects -- flies, mosquitoes, gnats.
At the beginning of fly season, shepherds will mix up an oil concoction.
In Palestine, they used a mixture of olive oil, sulphur and spices. It would then be applied to the heads of the sheep.
Oil is also used to cure scab, which is a highly contagious disease among sheep.
We can say today... "Our Lord takes care of us."
YOU here today are an ANOINTED Child of God
Our Lord gives us everything we could need and more...
"Now to him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to power that works within us." (Ephesians 3:20).
It is true today that "my cup runneth over."
Surely Goodness and Mercy Shall Follow Me All the Days of my Life: And I Will Dwell in the House of the Lord Together."
The sheep with a Shepherd like this knows that he is in a privileged position.
Our Lord truly cares for us as a good Shepherd.
We know that goodness and mercy will follow us.
You are at the Place of BREAKTHROUGH
We are so content in our flock and in our Shepherd that there is no desire for a change.
"I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever."
You are at "The Place of BREAKTHROUGH"
But we can only confidently state this last verse if we can state the first one --- "The Lord is my shepherd".
STAY in the House of the Lord, God's train (VICTORIES) Fills this Temple...
Stay in the House of the Lord FOREVER...
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