Our Sufficient Shepherd Series

David writes the most poetic chapter to any book ever written. The imagery captures the imagination of every age, comforts the commotion of every heart and confirms the expectations of every believer.

David writes this memorable Psalm out of great distress and disillusion. Distress because of King Saul chasing David down and trying to kill him and disillusioned because this cruelty is not what David expected from his own family and nation!

It’s as if David is saying to us 3000 years later – God is ever present on the long and winding road called weariness, God is every bit powerful to remove the road blocks that intimidate us while traveling the torturous avenue called worry, and if we will follow Him, God has a place and a peace for each of us who are tired of wandering through the streets of life with no purpose in sight!

David knew how life could be at times, so confusing and cumbersome, so he wrote this honest Psalm for all who feel that…

• Life is a daring adventure.

• Life is like going through a car wash riding a bike.

• Life is like is like a box of chocolates – you never now what you’ll get.

• Life has its 7 stages: spills, drills thrills, bills, ills, pills and wills!

Oh how we need Psalm 23 so that we all keep dreaming while on life’s journey and conquering the life of the journey!

Verse 1

Let’s Look At How David Masterfully Relates a Shepherd to Sheep:

1. The Shepherd Is Permanently Responsible For His Sheep.

That’s why David could say, “The Lord is my Shepherd!”

He knew that there was a certain passion to possess His sheep!

Isaiah 40: 11 “He will feed His flock like a shepherd. He will gather the lambs with His arms and carry them in His bosom and gently lead them.”

Psalm 100:3 “We are His people and His sheep.”

As you know, throughout the Bible God compares us to sheep! And no wonder! The behavior of sheep and humans are similar in many ways – our mass mindset, our fears, our timidity, and our perverse habits!

Empires and nations throughout the centuries have adopted animals as there symbols. In Russia, it’s the bear, In Great Britain, it’s the lion and in America, it’s the eagle. All these animals represent power and might – but when God looks at us He doesn’t see a lion, a bear or an eagle, He sees sheep – so much for our self esteem!

Notice that there are no sports teams called “sheep” – the “Dallas Sheep”, the “Pittsburg Sheep” – the “San Francisco Sheep” – maybe!

But notice also that God compares himself to a shepherd! That’s a 24/7 job – if you didn’t know that! To my knowledge, only one time has God taken a break, Genesis 2:2 “And God rested” – since then He’s never gone on a vacation during your trials, never been late to work out your troubles, never taken sick leave during your crisis and never filled out a disability claim during your deepest hurt! Folks, if we let Him, God will take care of us!

See the word “LORD” = “Yahweh” – it’s used over 1000 times in the Bible and is the most sacred name of God.

Something fascinating about this name of God – it’s made up from the 3 tenses of the Hebrew verb “To be”: (are you ready for this?)

• 1st tense: “Yae” = to be

• 2nd tense: “Hove” = he is

• 3rd tense: “Hiwa” = he was

Literally God is revealing himself to David as, The God who was, who is and who will be forever the Shepherd of your soul! With God it’s hard to keep the tenses right with God because God is always and everywhere!

Folks - the work of the Shepherd is the welfare of His sheep! Sheep are not responsible to always meet their own needs. God is no ordinary Shepherd because He owns everything, can do everything, so when we have a need - He can meet it!

Notice in this first verse David uses “Lord” and “Shepherd” – Why? Because when we think of:

• “Lord” we think of deity

• “Shepherd” we think of humanity

• “Lord” we think of sovereignty

• “Shepherd” we think of humility

• “Lord” we think of majesty

Let me ask - does this sound like anyone? Let me help you…

John 10:11 “I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd gives His life for His sheep.”

Hebrews 13:20, 21 “May the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep…make you complete in every good work…”

1 Peter 5:4 “When the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.”