THE PSALMS SERIES
The Divine Shepherd (pt 1 of 3)
Psalm 23:1-6
Introduction
Probably the most recognized passage is Psalm 23
Most times you hear it mainly at funerals – but it’s not a Psalm for the dead but for the living
David is writing this Psalm later in his life and he is writing it from a personal experience in his relationship with Yahweh
Many of David’s writings in the Psalms seem like ones of complaints but this one is full of comforts and the expressions of delight in God’s goodness
When you think about all the animals in the world you could be like, I promise there is no one who says “OH OH, I want to be a sheep”
Why? Because sheep are stupid; sheep have no offensive or defensive measures
They all group up together when afraid so it makes for easy pickings
They can’t survive in the wild…they must have someone to feed them and take care of them
They need a Shepherd…they rely on a Shepherd…without the Shepherd they will surely perish
There are several things that David tells us that we can look out in helping us to live the Christian life and have success
Let’s examine each of these verses and see what wisdom we can find from David
Read Psalm 23 / Pray
Trans: First, notice the intimacy of the very first verse where David says…
1. The Lord is MY Shepherd – THAT’S RELATIONSHIP
David doesn’t refer to God in the third person – The God way over there!
David knows Him as HIS Shepherd – “I’m a sheep and I need a shepherd”
Too many times we as sheep wonder off because we don’t know our Shepherd
Isa 53:6 “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all”
His voice; His direction; His desires; His love and compassion; His tending
Jesus said in John 10:14-16 “…I know my sheep and am known by my own…they hear my voice and know me”
John 10:27 “My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me”
Story: Little girl memorizing 23rd Psalm – not quite right but really fitting “The Lord is my Shepherd and THAT’S ALL I WANT”
Trans: I must KNOW Him as my Shepherd and then…
2. I Shall Not Want – THAT’S PROVISION!
The word “want” here is “lacking”…I shall not be lacking in WHATEVER I need
Sheep rely on the Shepherd for their daily supply of whatever they need
Phil 4:19 “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus”
Psa 37:25 “I have been young and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread”
When I know the Lord is my Shepherd then I know He will make provision for me and meet my deepest needs – physically and spiritually
In Him is everything I need! He is my Jehovah Jireh – My provider!
Trans: He is my Shepherd Who gives me what I need and…
3. He makes me to lie down in green pastures – THAT’S PEACE & REST!
He gives us the most plush place to rest – IN HIM!
Jesus said in John 10:9 “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find PASTURE!”
We can get so busy trying to do things for God instead of just being with God
When we get so busy, we forget to rest; we forget to know how to lie down in peace
Jesus said in Matt 11 “Take my yoke upon you…and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and My burden is light”
Trans: We can get so busy that this life seems so loud and cluttered and overtaxing but David said…
4. He leads me beside quiet waters – THAT’S REFRESHMENT!
In the chaos of life, if we will let Him, the Shepherd will lead us to the quiet, refreshing water
Not the roaring rapids but the flowing and peaceful stream…the brook that flows over the rocks and brings refreshing as we listen
The water is His word! It is His word in our lives that will bring refreshment
After you have been working hard; covered in the muck; one of the greatest feelings is taking a warm shower to wash off the grind
It brings such a physical refreshing – the Spirit is no different
It is the same as we bathe ourselves in His word
It is His word that will bring order to the chaos; understanding to the confusion
As I follow the Shepherd in His word he brings me to the refreshing of the water that refreshes my spirit
Eph 5:26 “That He might sanctify and cleanse her with the WASHING of water by the word”
Refreshing comes from the flowing streams of the word in my life…
Trans: Lastly David says…
5. He Restores My Soul – THAT’S HEALING!
The Shepherd cares for the sheep…he tends to the sheep…even restoring that which has been damaged in life
Anybody need a healing of their soul today? I know I need it everyday
Everyday my soul grows weary; everyday my soul gets wounded; Satan knows exactly where to target the fiery darts
I sometimes fall into the pit that Satan has laid for me and my soul gets broken
I’m thankful I have a Shepherd who searches me out when I stray and brings be back into the sheepfold (Matt 18)
He tends to my hurts; the deep hurts of my soul and he restores me;
To a right relationship with Him; with the Father; with my family; friends
His restores me back to a right relationship to me…CAN I GET A WITNESS?
He is able to bring healing where healing is needed! That’s Restoration!
Conclusion
David tells us of the intimate relationship he has with his Shepherd
That He is full of comforts and God’s goodness
We see from David that...
1. The Lord is my Shepherd – THAT’S RELATIONSHIP
2. I shall not want – THAT’S PROVISION
3. He makes me lie down in green pastures – THAT’S REST
4. He leads me beside quiet waters – THAT’S PEACE & REST
5. He restores my soul – THAT’S HEALING
STORY: There was a book reading rally going on at a book store and a great orator was invited to give a reading. He chose the 23rd Psalm and read it out loud with great eloquence and authority…afterwards everyone stood with thunderous applause. After it settled down, an older gentlemen who was a retired preacher stood up and also began to cite the 23rd Psalm. Afterwards the only thing that could be heard was the crying and sobbing of people. After the old preacher sat down someone ask the great orator why such different reactions. The orator wisely stated “I simply know the Psalm but that gentlemen knows the Shepherd!”
Do you and I have that same sense? Do we simply know the Psalm or can we say we know the Shepherd?
Pray
