Of the 150 psalms, none has been read, sung, quoted from and written about more than the pearl of the psalms - psalm 23. All through the ages the language of this psalm has been precious to the hearts of God’s children. Augustine called psalm 23, the "hymn of the Martyrs," because countless numbers of them have quoted this passage as they perished for Christ’s sake.
Why has psalm 23 been a favorite of God’s people for so many generations? Perhaps because it reminds us of a comforting truth, which, though profound, is often forgotten by too many of us. That truth is this: Our Savior is sufficient for our every need!
The theme of psalm 23 is the sufficiency of our Savior. This theme is stated in the first verse, "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want." In verse 1, David makes a declaration concerning the Savior’s sufficiency to meet the believer’s every need, then in verses 2-5, we find an amplification of this great truth, followed in verse 6 with a summation of all he has said before.
1. The Declaration - v. 1
In verse 1, it should be noted that David speaks of the Savior’s sufficiency in personal terms. Literally, this verse could be translated, "The Lord is my very own shepherd." If you are among His sheep, you can place your finger on this first verse and claim the Lord as your shepherd; and if the Lord is your shepherd, then you know that you shall lack nothing!
2. The Amplification - vs. 2-5
As one of His sheep, God will provide you with . . .
A. Restful Refreshment - vs. 2-3a
Phillip Kellar, in his book, A Shepherd Looks At Psalm 23. says that it is impossible to make sheep lie down unless they are free from all fear.
David paints a picture here of a flock that can be made to lie down because they are free from all fear. They know that their shepherd will watch over them and provide for their every need!
Don’t you love the description of where the shepherd makes His sheep to lie down? The pastures are green and the waters are quiet. The whole picture is one of restful refreshment. The sheep can lie down because they are totally free from fear.
In the same way, through a personal relationship with Christ, one can be at peace, no matter what may take place in life, because he knows that his Savior will anticipate his every need.
A missionary was teaching a converted Hindu woman the Lord’s Prayer. When he got to the end of the first line, “Our Father, which art in heaven,” she said, “What a wonderful thought! If God is my Father, there is nothing now to fear.”
You see, when one becomes a child of God through faith in Jesus Christ, he finds restful refreshment, inner tranquility, peace of mind. Why? Because when God is your Father, when He, the Lord, is your shepherd, you can relax, knowing that everything will be alright,
In this old world, where we are ever on the move, where we are constantly facing stress in one form or the other, and where we are always finding something new to worry about with every passing day, isn’t it good to know that as a child of God, I have a Savior who can lead me away from all that and bring restful refreshment to my heart? Jesus said, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest" - Matthew 11:28 (NIV).
I come to the garden alone, while the dew is still on the roses, And the voice I hear, falling on my ear, the Son of God discloses; And he walks with me and He talks with me, And He tells me I am His own; And the joy we share as we tarry there, None other has ever known.
Yes, we who know Christ as our personal Savior can rejoice because we know that with the Lord as our shepherd, we are provided with restful refreshment! When this old world is "getting us down," we can go to Him and He will "restore our soul."
B. Gracious Guidance - v. 3b
David tells us that "for His name’s sake," God guides His children in the "paths of righteousness." He says that because we belong to Him and bear His name, God will always be at work, seeking to lead us to that which is the highest and the best, to his good, acceptable, and perfect will for our lives (Romans 12:2b)!
Therefore, we ought to rejoice, knowing that since our God is a good God, He will always lead us in paths that are right! One need never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God!
On the day when God created the animals, all the newly-made creatures were walking around discovering what it was like to be alive. All except the birds. They were doing nothing but complaining because God had given them a heavy burden that He had given no other animal: awkward appendages on their shoulders. "God must be punishing us somehow," they thought. Why do we have to carry these things around on our shoulders?" "These things make it hard for us to wa1k!" After a while,
however, some of the more adventurous birds began to move their appendages. They began to flutter them, and soon, they discovered that the very thing they had regarded as a burden actually was a wonderful gift that enabled them to fly.
In the same way, God has given us the gift of His Word. Through use of His Word, we discover that the guidance He gives us is not intended to burden us, but to bless us; to lift us up and enable us to experience life at its best! Because He loves us, He has provided us with gracious guidance, that, if we will follow, leads us "in paths of righteousness."
C. Comforting Care - v. 4
Perhaps no other Bible image has made a more lasting or indelible impression upon the minds of believers than this one of the dark valley. David speaks here about a ravine overhung with high cliffs, surrounded with thick forest infested with wild beasts. Such surroundings would easily fill timid sheep with dread. But they have no fear, because their shepherd is alert and well able to protect them against their enemies!
David reminds us that God has a rod and a staff to protect us. The rod and the staff are basic tools for the shepherd. The rod is basically two feet long and has a knot at one end. Shepherds train to throw the rod like a missile at anything that would endanger the sheep. Shepherds use the rod to protect their flock.
The staff is a long stick with a crock at the end of it. The staff is used to draw sheep out of a ditch or to pull them closer to the shepherd’s side. But the truth is the shepherd is there to protect His sheep. God has promised us His protection.
David compares this ravine to the experience of God’s children, as they pass through the many dark valleys of life which eventually lead to the final dark valley of death itself. He says that the child of God has no need to fear. Why? Because he knows that his shepherd, his Savior, is with him and will protect him, therefore, he will fear NO evil!
There are some truths we need to be reminded of concerning our God. God’s desire is to P.R.O.T.E.C.T. you, and He is more than able to do so because . . .
1. God is Powerful.
2. God is Righteous.
3. God is Omnipresent.
4. God is Trustworthy.
5. God is Eternal.
6. God is Caring
7. God is Triumphant.
David tells us that the child of God need not fear the valley of the shadow of death, for even in life’s darkest hour, he knows that God is with him, and that God will protect him! For when life places a burden upon you, God puts His loving arms beneath you, and when life puts a tear in your eye, God can put a rainbow in your heart! The person who fears God has nothing to fear, for "He will never leave us nor forsake us.” - Hebrews 13:5 (NIV)
D. Bountiful Blessings - v. 5
David says that the bounty of God’s blessings is such that they can be found even in the presence of our enemies!
West Point chaplain told a story of a soldier who returned to the states after having been a prisoner of war to the Germans during World War II. The soldier testified that while he had spent an entire year in a German prison camp, he would have to say that he had been happy. In prison, he had read a little dog-eared book that had lost its cover. It had been passed around from man to man. It told a story about someone whop had met Jesus Christ and how their life had been changed. Through the message shared in that little book, that soldier also found Christ; and said, "I was set free even before the Germans set me free. I was made free in prison by the power of Jesus!"
Indeed, our Savior has the power to bless us, even in the presence of our enemies; and the blessing that He pours out upon us are overflowing (verse 5b)! The apostle Paul tells us that God "has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 1:3)!
In Christ we have:
A love that can never be fathomed;
A life that can never die;
A righteousness that can never be tarnished;
A peace that can never be understood;
A rest that can never be disturbed;
A joy that can never be diminished;
A hope that can never be disappointed:
A glory that can never be clouded;
A light that can never be darkened;
A happiness that can never be interrupted;
A strength that can never be enfeebled;
A purity that can never be defiled;
A beauty that can never be marred;
A wisdom that can never be baffled;
Blessings that can never be exhausted!
3. The Summation - v. 6
Literally, David tells us that “goodness and mercy,” or “goodness and love” pursue me all the days of my life. The translation “follow” however portrays the ways things often are. We usually do not see God’s goodness, mercy, or love until after we look back upon our life and then we can clearly see how they pursued us!
In fact, part of the joy of eternity is the fact that we will be able to look back upon all of our life and see how God’s goodness, mercy, and love pursued us through –out our entire life! The one who has the Lord as his shepherd can count not only on experiencing God’s goodness, mercy, and love in this life, but in the next life as well!
A little boy and his daddy were looking at a litter of puppies, planning to buy one. The daddy asked the boy which puppy he wanted. As he pointed at a puppy whose tail was wagging furiously and the boy replied, "I want the one with the happy ending!"
The life of one who knows Christ as his Savior will have a happy ending! Isn’t that the life you want? You can have that life today, if you would be willing to receive Christ as your personal Savior and Lord!
If He is your personal Savior, are you also allowing Him to be your shepherd? Let Him lead you and guide you and provide you with a Psalm 23 life!
