“The Shepherd Psalm”
November 6, 2005
Intro: Today we are going to look at how God cares for his church as a shepherd cares for the flock. We are going to look at a very familiar passage and some simple insights into the loving care of God.
“The Lord is my shepherd; I have everything I need.
He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. Even when I walk through the dark valley of death, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.
You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You welcome me as a guest, anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. 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.” Psalm 23:1-6 (NLT)
David understood what it meant to be a shepherd. He understood that it meant great personal sacrifice of comfort and safety. There are many lonely times as a shepherd. WE know from 1 Samuel 17:34-36 that David had killed a lion and a bear as a shepherd. He also endured cold nights and wild animals to protect his flock.
Today we want to look at some aspects of this psalm to encourage us in the fact that Jesus, our Messiah is also our shepherd.
I. Who is the Shepherd?
David is making a declaration of who his shepherd is. He is voicing amazement to think that the God of the universe is the one overseeing his life.
Phillip Keller notes this:
“If we pause to reflect on the person of Christ—on His power and upon His achievements—suddenly like David we will be glad to state proudly, ‘The Lord—He is my Shepherd.’” Phillip Keller
A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23
A shepherd is totally responsible for the care and the protection of his sheep. It is a daily, non-stop job.
Jesus notes that when we allow him to be our shepherd, he takes on the role wholeheartedly.
"I assure you, I am the gate for the sheep," he said. "All others who came before me were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them. Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. Wherever they go, they will find green pastures. The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give life in all its fullness. "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” John 10:7-11 (NLT)
Jesus notes that he is the provider and protector of the flock.
We should be constantly amazed to think that the creator of all things, the messiah, the true God is so personal and intimate with us.
“To meditate on this I frequently go out at night to walk alone under the stars and remind myself of his majesty and might. Looking up at the star-studded sky I remember that at least 250,000,000 x 250,000,000 such bodies—each larger than our sun, one of the smallest stars have been scattered across the vast spaces of the universe by his hand. I re call that the planet earth, which is my temporary home for a few short years, is so minute a speck that if it were possible to transport our most powerful telescope to our nearest neighbor star, Alpha Centauri, and look back this way, the earth could not be seen, even with the aid of that powerful instrument.
All this is a bit humbling. It drains the “ego” from man and puts things in proper perspective. It makes me see myself as a mere mite of material in an enormous universe. Yet the staggering truth remains that Christ, the creator of such an enormous universe of overwhelming magnitude, deigns to call Himself my Shepherd and invites me to consider myself His sheep—His special object of affections and attention. Who could better care for me?” Phillip Keller
A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23
We should never fail to realize the vastness of who it is that watches over us.
II. The Care of the Shepherd
God is not only our shepherd, but he is our constant source of provision.
“He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.” Psalm 23:2-3 (NLT)
The shepherd provides rest and refreshment for his sheep.
“Green Meadows”= good food and comfortable rest
“Quiet Waters”= refreshment
An interesting fact about sheep is they can actually survive for months without drinking. They can get by on the dew on the ground. However, when they become thirsty, they will drink form anything if the shepherd does not watch over them. They will drink from polluted waters and running streams which can prove fatal.
How many people in life try to drink from polluted waters and running streams to satisfy their thirst and die in the process?
“Renews my Strength”= refreshment in the midst of the journey.
“Paths of Righteousness”= right direction
Sheep are easily lost. They stray off the path and find themselves in harms way. One of the biggest dangers of sheep is to stay in the same spot for too long. They overeat the land, wear out the paths, and bring poverty and devastation in the wake.
“The greatest single safeguard which a shepherd has in handling his flock is to keep them on the move. That is to say, they dare not be left on the same ground too long. They must be shifted from pasture to pasture periodically.” Phillip Keller
The problem with many Christians in the flock is that we settle in a comfortable spot and stay there. We must be moving forward in our walk with the shepherd or we will put ourselves in great danger.
What does it mean to move on with the shepherd?
“Calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, ‘Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat; I am. Don’t run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I’ll show you how.’” Mark 8:34 (The Message)
“Jesus never made light of the cost involved in following him. In fact, he made it painfully clear that it was a rugged life of rigid self-denial. It entailed a whole new set of attitudes. It was not the natural, normal way a person would ordinarily live and this is what made the price so prohibitive to most people.” Phillip Keller
We must put our selfish motives aside and embrace the life of Christ.
III. The Protection of the Shepherd
“He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. Even when I walk through the dark valley of death, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.” Psalm 23:4
As Christ’s sheep, we must realize there is very real danger in our lives.
“Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8 (NIV)
The enemy is out to get us and we must stay in constant contact with the shepherd to be protected.
God’s promise to us is that he will never leave us.
“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." Hebrews 13:5 (NIV)
Nothing can provide for our deepest needs like Jesus.
“As Christians we will sooner or later discover that it is in the valleys of our lives that we find refreshment from God Himself.” Phillip Keller
IV. The Peace of the Shepherd
“You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You welcome me as a guest, anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings.” Psalm 23:5 (NIV)
In the midst of life, the shepherd gives us contentment in the midst of the circumstances around us.
One translations of this verse says:
“You serve me a six-course dinner right in front of my enemies. You revive my drooping head; my cup brims with blessing.” Psalm 23:5 (The Message)
God delights in bringing blessing to those that follow Him.
God gives us our fill when we continually follow after him.
“I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.”
Psalm 81:10 (NIV)
“The poet’s enjoyment of his present prosperity would not be complete unless those horrid Jones’ (who used to look down their noses at him) were watching it all and hating it.” C.S. Lewis
V. The Hope of the Shepherd
“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.” Psalm 23:6 (NLT)
The promise for us is that although we encounter trials and struggles daily, we will overcome.
God’s promise is that we will be able to one day dwell with him and put aside the struggles and the trials of this life. Eventually, we will be at perfect rest in the household of God.
“What is referred to by “house” is the family or household or flock of the Good Shepherd. The sheep is so deeply satisfied with the flock to which it belongs, with the ownership of this particular shepherd that it has no wish to change whatsoever.”
Phillip Keller
Are you at a place of finding satisfaction from the Good Shepherd? Has your life been committed to the hand of the one who guides us to care, protection, peace and hope? Are you living a life of contentment with the Good Shepherd?
God’s call on your life is to follow him with all you have and all you are. And his promise to us is protection and peace to live out the life of struggle on earth and to enter into his rest in eternity when our life here is over?
