THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD (part two)-Psalm 23:4-6
Last week I talked about some of the dynamics of shepherding sheep. If they wander off they can't find their way home. They need a shepherd who cares about and looks out for them. David knew all about that because he was once a shepherd. He takes the experiences he had as a shepherd and thinks about how he is a sheep and God is a shepherd.
He saw his great dependence on the Lord and how he can't make it on his own. David was a warrior and leader of the whole nation yet he was wise and humble enough to know that without God he would be nothing.
David starts this psalm by stating the Lord is his shepherd. He is not his own shepherd and no one else is his shepherd. Then he says, 'I shall not be in want'. David declares with the Lord watching over him no need will go unmet.
He highlights how the Lord makes it so he can lie down in green pastures and leads him beside still waters. David thanks God for doing this so his soul could be refreshed.
David is thankful for the Lord leading him down paths of righteousness. David knows a good shepherd will never lead his sheep down a wrong path. So he is confident that God will never steer him in a wrong direction.
David recognizes that everything he accomplishes is for God's glory, not his. We might get compliments and even rewards but we don't accomplish anything by our own power. So when we get thanked for what we do we need to be thankful and give the credit, praise and the glory to the one who truly deserves it.
Today we'll look at vs. 4-6.
1) In the valley I am comforted (4). “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
Notice it says David walked through the valley; he didn't run. This means he wasn't worried or fearful, but sure. With the Lord we can face the valleys with confidence. Not that we're nonchalant about it but we're not anxious or panicked either.
And notice we don't walk around the valley but through it. God leads us beside quiet waters and green pastures but he also allows us to enter the valley of the shadow of death. We would like to be able to walk around all the valleys but the Lord makes it so we need to walk through them. There may be some valleys the Lord graciously allows us to avoid but others will not be avoidable.
We might say, “why do I have to deal with this? This isn’t fair; I don’t deserve this". Although it might seem mean or uncaring that the Lord would make us go through the valley, we need to remember that we're not going through them alone; he is there with us.
Being in a valley leaves me vulnerable. If you were a predator or in battle, you would want to have the high position. You have the better vantage point and you have the upper hand when it comes to attacking your enemy. So going through the valley would normally put you at a great disadvantage, but not when the Lord is with you. Evil never has the upper hand when the Lord is your traveling companion.
It's interesting that David calls it the valley of the shadow of death. ‘Shadow of death’ means thick darkness or deepest gloom. Walking through the valley of the shadow of death is no picnic. The shadow of death is the place where evil lurks. Have you ever been in a spiritually dark place where you could practically feel the evil around you?
In the valley of the shadow of death it can seem as if God isn't there because of the looming darkness all around me. But he is. If you're sitting in a dark room does that mean the sun stopped shining? No, it means you're in a place where the sun is blocked from entering. So what do we do? Open the curtains to let the light in.
Even though I find myself in this gloomy dungeon of demonic terror I will not be afraid, because God is with me. I will fear no evil because I know you love me. 1 John 4:18 says that perfect love drives out fear. God's perfect love sent Jesus to us and Jesus' perfect love made the sacrifice for our sin. Love and salvation drives away the fear of sin's punishment and power.
We fear no evil because we know that God is greater than evil and this God who is greater than any display of evil loves me and watches over me and he has given me the power to resist evil and be victorious. There is power in his presence and there is peace and comfort in his presence while we're going through the valley.
What do you need in order to have a shadow? Light. I may be in the valley of death but the light is there too. Isa. 9:2, “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” This prophetic verse is reiterated in Matthew 4:16 and ascribed to Jesus.
Jesus is the great light that pierces the darkness. His salvation eliminates the fear of the shadow of death. Psalm 27:1, "The Lord is my light and my salvation-whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life-of whom shall I be afraid?"
I don't have to fear the shadow of death because I rest in the shadow of the Almighty! Psalm 91:1-2, "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” In the valley of the shadow of death I will not be afraid.
“Your rod and your staff, they comfort me”. Often times when we think of the rod we think of the rod of discipline. That's fitting, but in this case the rod means more than correction. Sheep are defenseless animals; they're easy prey. But the shepherd carries a rod. David probably remembered his own need for this rod. In Samuel 1:17 David tells us of how he killed a lion and a bear in protecting his sheep.
The rod had a hook on the end to rescue the sheep if it was stuck on a ledge. The rod and the staff take a lot of dread and fear out of our hearts! It is the comfort of knowing that the shepherd will be able to meet any emergency! Adam Clarke's commentary, "With the rod or crook the shepherd could defend his sheep, and with it lay hold of their horns or legs to pull them out of thickets, pits, or waters. The staff offers the shepherd some sort of rest or support, similar to our camp stool, which the shepherds might carry with them as an occasional seat."
So the picture of the rod is not just a rod of correction but a rod used to defend the sheep and to rescue the sheep. And the staff signifies a tool of support as well as a tool used to get the sheep back in line. David said he was comforted by these. Knowing that we have a shepherd who will protect us from the ravenous wolves and rescue us from getting tangled up is very comforting.
However, we have to be sure we don't fight against the shepherd. We don't purposely go into the bear's den. And when we're entangled in sin we don't struggle against the shepherd's crook but we allow it to pull us out. And when we are given the rod of discipline and correction we don't rebel against it we accept it and learn from it. We come to value it because we know it's meant to get us back on the right track.
Heb. 12 says that God disciplines those he loves. Therefore, part of knowing that God loves us is seen in him disciplining us when we do wrong. And if we accept it we'll benefit from it.
Heb. 12:9-11, "Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it."
The rod and staff bring comfort because they are extensions of God's love. He wants us to be safe and at peace. He wants us to be holy and righteous. If we will see it for the value it brings, we will be trained by God's rod and staff and therefore, find great comfort in them.
2) The Lord nourishes, anoints and overflows (5). "You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows."
Treasury of David commentary mentions that 'when a soldier knows his enemy is there, if he eats at all he eats in haste; he grabs and goes. But not in this case. Even though the enemy is present, a table is prepared for David. Nothing is hurried; there is no disturbance. The Christian sits down and eats as if everything were in perfect peace. This is the peace that God gives us even in the midst of trying circumstances'.
When the shepherd is present the sheep can graze in peace even though the enemy is nearby. When we are close to the Lord the enemy will not be successful when he attacks us. It's only when we stray from the shepherd is the enemy able to be successful. The devil is always on the prowl. But we don't need to worry about being devoured. Why? Because the Lord is with us.
He enables us to be strong and courageous; he enables us to be relaxed in the spirit. We still need to be vigilant and keenly aware of our surroundings. Our armor is on and our guard is up in case there's a surprise attack. The Lord has taught us how to recognize the devil's tactics and what to do to win the battle. But we can take comfort in having the power, provision and presence of the Lord. He has set a bountiful table before us in our enemy's presence.
"You anoint my head with oil". Sometimes when sheep grazed its head would get cut by the sharp edge of a stone buried in the grass. The shepherd would apply oil to their wounds to prevent infection so they would heal properly.
In the summertime, bugs would get into the sheep's nose and lay eggs. The larvae would drive the sheep insane. The shepherd covers the sheep with an oily repellent that keeps the insects away.
Sometimes sheep had to walk steep paths under the hot sun. At the end of the day it would be tired. After he gave them some water, the shepherd would apply oil to sooth the tired sheep.
We get tired too-physically, emotionally and spiritually. We can have bugs that make their way into us and we get discouraged and frustrated. Our hearts can get wounded. But there is a shepherd that understands the hurts of his children and is always there to minister to that hurt. As I deal with issues in life, it’s good to know the Lord is there to anoint and heal me.
There's also the oil of joy. Ps. 45:7, “You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.” The Lord's oil sooths, heals and brings joy. The Lord wants to pour over us the oil of gladness, refreshment and spiritual luxury.
Adam Clarke's commentary, "Perfumed oil was poured on the heads of distinguished guests, when at the feasts of great personages. The woman in the Gospel, who poured the box of ointment of spikenard on the head of our Lord acted according to the custom of her own country, which the host who invited Jesus had neglected".
The Lord symbolically anointing us with oil is an honorable act. He's identifying how important we are to him.
Anointing with oil was also performed on the priests of God in preparation for their duties. We, as Christians are among the priesthood and therefore, we need the special anointing to carry out our duties.
The Treasury of David commentary: "Every Christian is a priest, but he cannot execute the priestly office without unction, and hence we must go day by day to God, that we may have our heads anointed with oil. A priest without oil misses the chief qualification for his office, and the Christian lacks his chief fitness for service when he is devoid of new grace from on high".
In the Lord anointing us with oil, he is preparing and gifting us for his service, he is recognizing us as special, he's giving us perfume to be a sweet fragrance to those around us and he is dressing our wounds and soothing us.
"My cup overflows". Sam Burder: "In the East people frequently anoint their visitors with some very fragrant perfume; and give them a cup or glass of some choice wine, which they are careful to fill till it runs over. The first was designed to show their love and respect; the latter to imply that while they remained there they should have an abundance of everything."
The cup of blessing is not only full, it overflows. God not only fills us, he gives us more than we can handle. And not just one time, but continually. David said his cup overflows (continual) not has overflowed (one time). John Trapp, “David had not only a fullness of abundance but of redundance.” Our spiritual cup receives a never-ending flow, like living water.
While it may be true that our cup overflows with material blessings, this is really talking about the spiritual blessings. When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, the fruit of the spirit should spill over into the laps of others.
If my cup is full you may not be able to tell what's inside. But if it was spilling over you'd know what was inside. People need to see what's in our cup. And they will when our contents spill into their laps. When we overflow with things like love, joy, goodness, generosity and wisdom, people will benefit from it.
But in order to overflow I must first be full. A cup cannot overflow if it has cracks and leaks. David was an appropriate vessel that the Lord could fill and overflow. Jer. 2:13, “My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water."
When we move away from the Lord and take in sin and worldly things our cups will crack and cause the spirit to drain out. We need to repair the cracks so our cups can be full and overflow and bless others.
3) Goodness, mercy and eternal life (6). “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.”
"Surely". David displays faith and trust in God's goodness and mercy. When the Lord is our shepherd we can be sure of these things too. It's interesting that as we follow Christ, goodness and mercy follow us.
Even though the enemy presence is there, David doesn’t dwell on that. He doesn’t say, “evil and hatred will follow me”. Although evil is a reality, David's eyes are fixed on the Lord. This allows us to put things in perspective. Many people think themselves into disaster. They approach their day with dread, thinking something bad is going to happen to them. They look at tomorrow with fear and trembling. We need to quit predicting disaster for ourselves.
“This is the day the lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it”. Begin your morning with hope. Plant this firmly in your mind. This isn't pretending everything is okay; it's focusing on the Lord even though everything is not okay. And that's not saying the Lord will automatically protect us from everything; it's knowing the Lord will be with us through everything.
We might be looking at the looming threat of the Corona virus as the current valley of the shadow of death. Okay, but how are we going to deal with that threat? Fear, worry, dread? Or will we be like David and say I will fear no evil because the Lord is with me? Yes, we need to take situations seriously, we don't pretend the shadow of death isn't real, but in order to respond to these things with the right perspective we concentrate on the Lord and his love, goodness and mercy.
All the days of my life. It’s easy to see how goodness, mercy and love follow us when we are having a good day, but to be confident of these things being there when we're having a stressful or depressing day is not so easy. Paul said, 'be joyful always'. Whenever we're having to walk through the valley, knowing goodness and mercy are there will help.
“And I will dwell in the house of the lord forever.” David closes the 23rd Psalm with this mighty statement of faith. Were it not for assurance many experiences of life would fill us with dread. We have assurance through the words of Jesus in
John 11:25-26: “I am the resurrection, and the life: he who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die.” If we continue to follow Jesus all the days of our life then we can be sure that we will be with Jesus forever.
But the idea of dwelling in the Lord’s house is not just futuristic. We dwell in the Lord's house through our church connections. We understand how important it is to continue our involvement in the church and to build relationships with our church family. In the valley, God's goodness and mercy are with us.
What if David only focused on the valley? What if he only focused on the shadow of death? David knew he was in the valley, he knew the shadow of death was present, he knew his enemy was lurking about, but he also knew the Lord was there. Therefore, he had no fear.
The Lord was with him and David was protected, comforted and provided for. He was given peace and power that not only filled him but flowed out of him. And he had God's mercy and goodness with him. And David would display that mercy and goodness toward others, serving as a legacy that would follow him. And he was given assurance that his eternity would be spent with the Lord.
If we only focus on the valley we won't recognize the Lord's presence. If we only focus on the shadow of death we won't see the anointing; we won't see that our cup overflows. When our eyes are only on the problems we will not see God's mercy and goodness. We won't have peace, we won't have assurance.
God wants us to find rest in him. We can get through the difficult times because the Lord leads us to still, quiet places in the Spirit. There might be chaos around me but with the Lord as my shepherd I can be at peace because I know there is nothing to fear.
God wants to free us from worry, stress, fear, doubt, and anxiety through trusting in him and allowing ourselves to be guided by his rod and staff. I will make wise decisions when I follow his lead and submit to his guidance. I will be content when I understand that my cup runneth over. If we follow Jesus we can be sure that mercy, goodness and love will follow us every day. And I can be assured that when my life is over I will be in his presence for all eternity.
The Lord is my shepherd.
