THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD AND MY KING
Text: Psalm 23
A mom was concerned about her kindergarten son walking to school and he didn't want his mother to walk with him. She wanted to know that he was safe, yet give him the feeling that he had independence.
So she had an idea how to handle it. She asked a neighbor if she would please follow him to school in the mornings, staying at a distance so he wouldn't notice her. The neighbor said since she was up early with her toddler anyway, it would be a good way for them to exercise, so she agreed.
The next school day, the neighbor and her little girl set out following behind Timmy as he walked to school with another neighbor girl he knew. She did this the whole week.
As the two in front walked and chatted, Timmy's little friend noticed the same lady was following them as she seemed to do every day all week. Finally Timmy's friend said to him 'Have you noticed that lady following us to school all week? Do you know her?'
Timmy nonchalantly replied, 'Yeah, I know who she is.' So the little girl said, 'Well, who is she?' 'That's just Shirley Goodnest,' Timmy replied, 'and her daughter Marcy.'
Shirley Goodnest? Who is she and why is she following us?' 'Well,' Timmy explained, 'every night my Mom makes me say the 23rd Psalm with my prayers, 'cuz she worries about me so much. And in the Psalm, it says, 'Shirley Goodnest and Marcy shall follow me all the days of my life', so I guess I'll just have to get used to it!'
Psalm 23 is one of the most beloved Scriptures in all of God’s Word. Millions of people, some of them not even Christians, have memorized it, and use it when they need comfort and support. I have heard it read at funerals to help console those that are grieving. Preachers use it in the hospital to give peace to those that are suffering. The KJV of this scripture is so familiar to most people, that it almost seems like a crime to read it in any other version.
The problem with the Scripture being so familiar to us though, is that we often glaze over what it is actually saying to us. If we are not careful, we can become so familiar with what it says and completely miss what it means.
The title of this Psalm is merely, “A Psalm of David.” We know nothing about when it was composed, or what the circumstances were that inspired David to write it. We do know this however – David reveals some very intimate details about how God cares for us in this Psalm. David compares his Lord and Savior first with a shepherd, and then as a king.
Why would David compare his Lord with a shepherd? We know from scripture that David had been a shepherd himself in his youth, so he knew firsthand what it meant to be a shepherd. The first thing that David says about his Shepherd is “The Lord is MY shepherd; I shall not want.” (v. 1) David makes it personal. David was the king of Israel, and as their leader, he fulfilled the shepherd role for his people. But David was saying, “I may be your shepherd, but the Lord is MY shepherd.”
I know firsthand what David is saying here. As your pastor, I am to be a shepherd to this congregation. One of the problems that a pastor faces is that he has no pastor himself. Some pastors solve this problem by seeking out a friend or a mentor that is a pastor themselves. Sometimes, pastors need advice and support just like you all do from time to time. There are problems that pastors need to deal with that require a lot of wisdom and patience, and it is sometimes makes it easier if you have someone that you can go to for counseling. For me, I have some close friends that I sometimes talk to when I need help with something, but ultimately, the Lord is MY pastor. Just like David, He is my shepherd too. There have been times that I have gone to Him with things that I couldn’t tell anyone else, not even my wife or closest friends. I have asked Him for wisdom in dealing with things, and He has been there every time that I have gone to Him. The Lord is MY shepherd, and while I have been sent here to be a shepherd to this congregation, my job is to point you to the Shepherd of shepherds. I hope that He is your shepherd too.
David compares the Lord to a shepherd because of the way He cares for and provides for His people. He states that “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.” (v. 2) First of all, He calms us. I am told that sheep are easily scared and when they are panicked they will not lie down to rest. There have been times in my life that I was able to rest in the Lord even in the midst of a trial. I remember the death of my grandfather. I was probably closer to my grandfather than any other person in my family. The first day after Christmas break my senior year of college, Dawn and my two best friends appeared in my apartment in Athens to share some bad news with me. My grandfather had had a heart attack and had died. Looking back on it, I must have been in shock. I remember leaving the apartment and it wasn’t until we got to Jackson that it finally sank in about what had happened. I broke down and panicked. But somehow, the Lord came on the scene, and I was able to gather myself the rest of the way home. I got to my grandfather’s house, and the entire family was there. Because my shepherd had calmed me and given me peace, I was able to help my family deal with the loss. Sure, it was a very difficult time, and I really miss my grandfather, but through the Lord’s care and provision, I was able to rest.
David also points out that the Lord provides us with what we need to thrive. “He maketh me to lie down in GREEN PASTURES: he leadeth me beside the STILL WATERS.” (v. 2) Sheep are afraid of running water, so a shepherd must take rocks and dam up an area of a stream so that the water is still enough for the sheep to drink. Sometimes I think about all that MY shepherd has done for me over the years. He placed me in a loving home. He placed me in a Bible believing church so that I would hear the Gospel. He called me to salvation and forgave me for my sins. He placed a loving aunt in my life that was diligent about taking me to church so that I would grow as a Christian. Over the years, He has provided for my family over and over again. He has blessed us, and we have never needed something that He hasn’t provided. Do you know why? Because MY shepherd loves me, and He would do anything that would benefit me.
David also says “He restoreth my soul.” (v. 3) This can mean physical, mental, or spiritual restoration. My shepherd has been there to help me through two surgeries. I have struggled with OCD and depression most of my life, but I have not had any problems with either since last November. I credit the Lord for healing me of both of them. When I had my bleeding ulcer, I needed the Lord to do something about my arthritis, or I would be unable to walk. He took away the pain, and I have not had to take arthritis medications since. I can’t tell you how many times He has renewed me spiritually. My shepherd has done all this for me, and I know He can do it for you as well.
“He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” (v. 3) When I was in high school, we started a Bible study group that met at lunchtime in one of the classrooms. There was only a handful of us, but we were dedicated and wanted to learn more about God and His Word. On our first day back from Christmas break, we decided to pick out a verse of Scripture and to try to live it throughout the year. I picked Proverbs 3:6, “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” I don’t think that I realized the significance of that verse till much later, but it did get me to think about seeking the Lord’s will for my life. Sheep have a very poor sense of direction, and they are prone to wandering. The shepherd takes it upon himself to search for strays, and to lead them from one pasture to the next. Notice that twice David has used the word “lead.” Shepherds don’t drive their flocks like cowboys drive cattle; they lead them, and the job of the sheep is to follow. I have wandered away many times, but over the years I have found that if I take the time to listen to the Lord, He will always guide me in the way that is best for me. If you are wandering tonight, please listen for the shepherd’s voice. He will lead you in the way that you should go.
David continues by saying “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.’ The shepherd had the responsibility of moving the sheep to greener pastures, and sometimes they had to go through valleys to get there. The mountains would cast a shadow down into the valley, and it was a good place for predators to hide in an effort to attack the flock. The shepherd carried two items with him, his rod, and his staff. The rod was an oak club about two feet long and it was used to fight off wild animals like wolves, lions, and bears. The staff was the long hooked stick that you see in paintings of shepherds, and it was used to help pull sheep away from danger and to drive off snakes. My savior has lead me though some valleys that were so deep and dark that they were more like canyons. He has brought me through my OCD, my depression, the death of my family, and direct attacks by satan and his forces. Satan may be a “roaring lion, walking about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8) but he is no match for MY shepherd. I know that no matter what danger may threaten me, my shepherd will take care of me.
Notice also that David doesn’t say “the valley of death” but that he says “the valley of the shadow of death.” My shepherd has died in my place, and death is a defeated foe. I read a story recently about a preacher who lost his wife to cancer. He tried to help his young children understand what had happened to their mother, and to comfort them as best he could. On the way home after the funeral, a large semi truck passed them on the highway, and the car grew dark because the truck’s shadow passed over the car. The father had an idea. He asked his children, “Kids, would you rather be ran over by a truck or by the truck’s shadow?” Of course, the children replied, “The shadow,” and the father told the children that their mother hadn’t died, she had simply been covered by the shadow of death, and that she was now living on the other side, happy and waiting to see them again someday. I can tell you in all honesty that death is something I no longer fear. When I woke up in the ICU after my emergency surgery, I immediately had a peace about me, and to be honest, I was kind of disappointed that I wasn’t in Heaven. Now, don’t get me wrong; I enjoy my life, and I am not volunteering to leave my family and you all anytime soon, but I am saying that I don’t fear death because I know my shepherd will be there to guide me through when it is time. I pray that you can have that hope as well.
David leaves the shepherd illustration to point out that his Lord is also a gracious King. In verse 5 he writes, “Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.” Eastern kings had a custom of throwing a banquet for their honored guests. They would pour perfume and oil upon the head of their guest to show their love and respect, and they would pour wine in a cup until the cup ran over to show that while they were in the king’s company they would have an abundance of everything they needed. Let me tell you about MY king. My king has everything that I have ever needed, everything that I need right now, and everything that I will ever need. He is generous, and gives because He loves me. The Bible says that He is “able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.” (Ephesians 3:20) My king is all-powerful, and nothing is too difficult for Him to do.
A former pastor of mine used to tell a story about a little boy that kept getting beat up by a bunch of neighborhood bullies. But on Saturdays, the little boy would get to go to the store with his father and get an ice cream cone. As he passed by those bullies, he would put his little hand in his father’s big hand and stick his tongue out at those bullies. Satan may be camped out on my doorstep, but he can’t do anything to me unless my king says it is ok. My king knows what is best for me, and He knows that a temptation or a trial now and then will help me to grow stronger and to trust Him more. Sometimes we question God when He allows these times in our lives, but why don’t we ever question Him when He does good things for us? We are sinful, and we don’t deserve any of His blessings, but because He is a gracious and merciful king, we are showered by His kindness, and given His protection in times of trouble. One of my favorite scriptures is Romans 8:35 – 39, ”Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” My king provides for me, and protects me in times of trouble.
David closes his Psalm by stating, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.” Why wouldn’t you want to dwell in the Lord’s house after all that He does for you? I don’t understand people who enjoy the blessings that God has given them but say, “I don’t need to go to church.” Let me tell you something. Some of the things that I have needed the most were provided for me by the Lord while I was at church. I have prayed about things and needed an answer desperately, and at church, I have sensed God speaking directly to me through a sermon, a song, or a testimony. There have been times that those enemies that I was talking about earlier have zapped my strength, and I have felt like giving up, but I have come to church, and the Lord prompts someone to say exactly what I needed to hear to stand up and go and face them again. There have been times when I have been hurt deeply, and the Lord has ministered to me though the people that are in His house. I know that this church is just a building made of wood and stone, but it is more to me. It is a place where I can come and worship my shepherd and king. It is a place that makes me feel especially close to Him. It is a place where I can serve Him and the people that He loves. It is a place that I can come to to pray when I am unable to focus anywhere else. I enjoy coming here. I LOVE coming here. My prayer is that you do too.
I also pray that “Shirley Goodnest and Marcy” follow you all the days of your life. I follow my shepherd because I know that He knows best. I know that He will protect me no matter what I face. I know that when my time to leave this life comes, He will be there to usher me into His presence forever. My king loves me, protects me, and provides for me. I love Him because He first loved me. (1 John 4:19) Let Him be your shepherd and king as well.
