A pastor I admire told this story of a Sunday School teacher who asked her class, “How many of you can quote Psalm 23?” Several students raised their hands, including a little girl who was only four years old. She stood up and declared loudly, “The Lord is my shepherd. I got all I want.” She had the words mixed up but understood the message perfectly.
Most everyone has heard of the 23rd Psalm even if they can’t quote it correctly. It’s a poem with no peer and has been called the sweetest psalm ever written. Abraham Lincoln read it to cure his blues, and President Bush read it publicly to calm our nation’s fears after 9-11. We could call it the psalm that calms the soul.
Since this psalm is so familiar, we’re in danger of missing the depth of its meaning. Because its setting is in the world of sheep and shepherds, many of us can slide right past its richness. Are you aware the Bible refers to us as sheep nearly two hundred times? This is not usually a compliment because sheep are smelly, stubborn, and prone to wander.
Let’s read what
Psalm 23 1-6 says:
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name’s sake.
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.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
forever. (Psalm 23:1–6)
One commentary explains that this passage is a hymn of resting confidently in the Lords care. It uses two images: the first is the Lord as a shepherd who cares for the sheep. We see this in verses 1 through four. The Lord is my shepherd - He makes me lie down in green pastures, do you know what green pastures in Israel looked like? They aren’t the image that may come to your mind of rolling meadows and hills of green with alfalfa waist high but they are rather more like this (picture que on screen) The regions in Israel where shepherds live are predominantly wilderness areas. They have two seasons: the rainy season from November through March (when even the desert becomes green), and the dry season from April through October when the landscape is brown.
Even during the rainy season, the wilderness grasses remain short. Blades of grass grow in the shade of rocks, where moisture is trapped. At first glance, the "green pastures" of Israel look like a barren, rocky wasteland. But each day, a few blades of grass grow and there is enough to nourish the flocks for another day
.The Lord providing and giving provision for the sheep (or for us) is not giving us more than we will ever need but rather providing for the moment. The shepherd will take care of his flock and the sheep are not worried about tomorrow, They are not worried about an hour from now and they are definitely not worried about the current circumstance for they are taken care of by the Shepherd. The truth is that the Good Shepherd will lead you in green pastures and by the still waters. This psalm paints the peaceful picture of the Lord’s care for his children. Ask the Lord to refresh your soul and guide you along righteous paths of healing and restoration Experiencing this rest requires submission to the shepherd
. Louie Giglio writes in his book, Don’t give the enemy a seat at your table, “You may be surrounded by pressures and troubles and uncertainties and misunderstandings, but God has set a table for you in the middle of all this. God’s got your back. He is the Lord of all creation. All strength and power and authority belong to Him. He’s king of the universe. When God is walking you through the valley, you can stop worrying about managing all the outcomes. You can stop looking over your shoulder.” Which leads us into the second image in verses 5 and six. Where we see the Lord as Host who cares for his guest. These two images are familiar experiences in David’s life but they also elicit and evoke other ideas that are common in the ancient Near East, with the deity as shepherd of his people and the deity as host of the meal. In worship, the faithful celebrate God’s greatness and majesty; and when they sing this psalm, they see his majesty in the way he personally attends to each of his covenant lambs. A single flock can have as few as 10 animals or as much as hundreds of them. A good Shepherd knows each and every sheep in the flock regardless of how big the numbers could be, (John 10:3-5). “To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.””
Likewise, David when he uses the metaphor of the Shepherd to describe God, talks not just about a designation or a name for the Lord, but the relationship between God and his covenant children.
He is the shepherd for Israel as a whole; and in being such, he is the shepherd for each faithful Israelite as well.
Verse 4 says, “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.”
The shadow of death itself may be the shadow that death casts or it may be what scholars say is “deep darkness”. In Job 10:21-22 it’s written, before I go--never to return--to a land of darkness and gloom,
to a land of utter darkness, of deep shadow and disorder, where even the light is like darkness."
It’s written in the ESV Study Bible that the shadow of death is perhaps the idea that in a valley in the desert in Judah one can encounter deep shadows, and cannot know for sure who (whether bandits) or what (animals, flash floods) lurks in them. Even in such periods of suspense and danger, the faithful find assurance that God is with them, and thus they need not fear.
Greg Morse from DesiringGod writes this, “We do not often consider who leads us into the valley. This path of deathly shadows was not self-chosen. The sheep, sheepish as they are, do not walk willingly into unlit places. They aren’t a lion to be so careless; dark paths are where sheep die. So how did David end up walking there of all places? His Shepherd led him. Christ, the good Shepherd, lays us down in green pastures, leads beside still waters, and guides us through dark valleys. How important to realize this. When life overwhelms us, we are tempted to believe that — if we were truly his — we would never travel into such places. But David thinks otherwise. When he writes, “I shall fear no evil for you are with me,” David does not see a Shepherd scratching his head wondering where they took a wrong turn. David trusts that his Shepherd meant for him to pass this way.
Even though there are challenges in life,
God goes before you.
God is with you
God is faithful and just
God is worth thanking in highs and lows.
This looks different for everyone, but we see in scripture that the Lord fulfills his promises and his faithfulness is certain.
We see that Even though Abraham and Sarah were far beyond childbearing age, God gave them a child to fulfill His promise. (Genesis 18:13-14, 21:1-2)
a. God declared his name Abraham, which means “Father of many nations” and yet at the age of 99 he had never had a child with his wife Sarah who was 90 years old at the time. They were visited by three men and one of them told Abraham that Sarah would bear a child in the next year. Sarah soon became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham, at the very moment which had been predicted. Abraham, then a hundred years old, named the child "Isaac." Issac would go on to become a crucial character in the biblical narrative, fathering Jacob the eventual Patriarch of the Israelites.
God used this to test Abraham and Sarah but used them mightily through their trust and His faithfulness. When you are tempted to give up while you wait, look at the examples in scripture of God’s faithfulness to deliver, even when the circumstance seems to point otherwise.
Or how about this? Even though building an ark seemed odd, it saved Noah’s family and God’s faithfulness was revealed. (Genesis 6:11-14; 7:22, 6-7)
Now the earth was corrupt in God's sight, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. 13 And God said to Noah, “I have determined to make an end of all flesh,[a] for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth. 14 Make yourself an ark of gopher wood.[b] Make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and out with pitch.
The Lord was bringing destruction to the Earth yet he was faithful in his promise to Noah.
Noah endured and in the end God was right about the flood He was bringing, and He saved Noah and his family just like He promised.
Even though all of Job’s possessions and health were taken, he stayed faithful to God. (Job 1:13-22)
13 One day when Job’s sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, 14 a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby, 15 and the Sabeans attacked and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”
16 While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “The fire of God fell from the heavens and burned up the sheep and the servants, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”
17 While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three raiding parties and swept down on your camels and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”
18 While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, “Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, 19 when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”
20 At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship 21 and said:
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
and naked I will depart.[a]
The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away;
may the name of the Lord be praised.”
22 In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.
Job was faithful to God and served Him. Even so, he suffered. Job knew though that his suffering was not worth comparing to the blessing of following God. What an example this is, to serve and stand firm in our faith in Jesus Christ no matter the circumstance or suffering.
Let’s look back at Psalm 23 verse 4 again,
5. “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.”(Psalm 23:4)
I appreciated the insight of another pastor who wrote, “Moses teaches us how to thank God for giving us a blessing” Let me say that again, “Moses teaches us how to thank God for giving us a blessing.”
Moses says this in Deuteronomy 8:1-10
8 Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase and may enter and possess the land the Lord promised on oath to your ancestors. 2 Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. 3 He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. 4 Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years. 5 Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you.
6 Observe the commands of the Lord your God, walking in obedience to him and revering him. 7 For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land—a land with brooks, streams, and deep springs gushing out into the valleys and hills; 8 a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey; 9 a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing; a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills.
10 When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you.
He then continues by saying, “David comes along and teaches us how to thank God not just for the blessing but also "even though….”
Psalm 23:4-5
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. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
This pastor writes, “This is a graduated form of gratitude. This is the remedial level. Again, Moses taught us to Thank God “ for the” blessing . But this is the place where you learn to praise God even though, even though. This is where you could have everything breaking loose in one area of your life, but say,
it is well with my soul when peace like a river attendeth my way, when sorrow like sea billows roll,
even though my heart is broken,
it is well
even though you are grieving the loss of loved ones,
it is well
even though I'm going through ____,
it is well and God is faithful
even though.
This is the table where you learn to thank God for what you can see.
This is the table where you learn to trust God with what you cannot.
Even though I walk through the darkest valley.
A personal story of my blank space is about a year ago, my wife (then fiance) and our family was on vacation in door county Wisconsin. The day we were supposed to be leaving she was rushed to the Hospital for an emergency appendectomy. We were praising God for his Faithfulness and all he was doing in providing for medical care and protection over her during this time but after two days, she took a downwards turn and had an infection creep in her body. They had to go back in and ensure that all of the stitches were proper and there were no leaks. She went under for another 3 hour procedure hopefully hearing the answer that she can just rest now and recover from the shock her body was in. She needed to be transferred to a different hospital for better care in case anything else came up. The recovery was long and painful and she still experiences times of pain but Even though our time together was cut short, the Lord used the time to grow us closer to him and each other. Even though Megan’s recovery was longer than expected, the recovery time led to deeper intimacy with the Lord. Even though her medical problems still flare up, it has taught her a sweet reliance on the Lord.
We see the “Even though ___, God is faithful theme” continue throughout scripture
6. John Chapter 6:1-14 gives the picture of how 5,000 men and their families ate and ate and ate until they were full with food leftover EVEN THOugh there were only five loaves of bread and two fish!
An author describes John chapter 6:1-14 like this, “When the disciples saw the crowds and their lack of resources, they were overwhelmed and knew there was an unsolvable problem. But when they looked to Jesus, the problem was solved and the Lord provided. There is never too large of a lack that God cannot provide.
But similar to before, God will be glorified whether that means He provides, or He doesn’t intervene. If He doesn’t intervene, it doesn’t mean that he can’t, but that it’s not in line with his will. Know that He is able. He is infinite in resources, while we are finite in ours.
7. Even though Jesus was put to death, He was raised from the dead. (Matthew 28:6)
God’s power is able to do the unthinkable—raise the Lord Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah from the dead to fulfill His ultimate plan from before the foundation of the world
8. Even though Paul was a persecutor of Jesus and the church, his heart was turned and God saved him. (Acts 9:1-19)
God can change any heart, even the hardest stone heart that you know of. The beauty of the Gospel is that Jesus is the only savior of sinners and He is all-powerful, not incapable to save because the coldness of one’s heart. His power is able to turn the greatest wretch into a radical lover of Jesus.
9. Even though Peter was in chains and bound by guards, he miraculously escaped from the prison. (Acts 12:5-19)
And possibly the biggest one,
10. Even though we are sinners, God came to save us. (Romans 5:8)
Many people miss the truth implied by the fact that Christ died for us while we were still sinners. The chronology is important. Christ did not wait for us to “clean up our act”; He sacrificed Himself while we were still actively opposed to Him. Salvation does not depend on our meeting God halfway, keeping the commandments, or trying to be as good as we can. No, God completed the work of our salvation when we were in a state of open rebellion against Him. That’s grace.
Even though Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were thrown into the fiery furnace, God delivered them from it,
You see this is the even though….God is faithful depth of faith that we want to have.
Let me give some context on this passage from Daniel 3, David peach summarizes it this way.
Three young men named Shadrach, Meschach and Abednego were taken from their homes in Israel when they were children. They, along with Daniel, became important men in Babylon.
The king of Babylon had created a huge statue as an idol. This was to be used for people to worship the king. He had made a law that said that all who did not bow down and worship the idol would be thrown into a furnace of fire.
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego had become governors in the kingdom. But they did not allow their position to keep them from obeying God. They refused to bow down to the idol. As a result they were put into the fiery furnace. However, they did not burn up and die. In fact, the Bible says they were walking around in the furnace. And, there was a fourth person in the fire with them. The king said that it appeared to be the Son of God!
They were brought out of the furnace and the king repented of his pride and worshiped God.
Their faith inflated and they said to the kind, “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” Whether or not they were rescued, the faith that they showed is the depth that we want. They stayed faithful to God regardless of the circumstances.
What is the commonality in all these things? The power of God. And, God works through our obedience: our obedience to trust him within the most impossible circumstances, the obedience to rely on him even in tough times, and the obedience to worship him even when the most unexplainable things happen to us. In all these things, we can trust in him and say that He is faithful.
Look at the book of Habakkuk, we see in chapter 3 verse 17 through 19 written,
Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls,
18
yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will be joyful in God my Savior.
19
The Sovereign Lord is my strength;
he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights.
The phrases we see in Habakkuk’s prayer lay out a strong cause and effect relationship for us as an example to follow. Even though bad things happen, I will still praise the Lord. Even though bad things happen, I will not let my mind be lost to the enemy and even though _______, God is faithful. A pastor tells a story from a couple who were facing medical challenges. They were told that new tests were needed to rule out some neurological challenges. They knew the outcome of these tests could change their lives. When they were praying before the scans were performed, this lady prayed and quoted Habakkuk 3:17-19 and said, I love the last verse, God the Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like those of a deer; he makes me walk upon the heights. I clung to those words when I was learning to walk again. Back in 2009, she personalized the passage for her situation.
Though I cannot walk, and I am confined to a wheelchair;
Though half my face is paralyzed, and I cannot even smile;
Though I am extremely impaired, and I cannot take care of my baby;
Yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will be joyful in God my savior!
He finishes by saying; This is not the faith of a Christian who believes in God only when the sun shines. This is not a faith that wilts under pressure. This faith flourishes even though the pressure is on. This faith says, Even though bad things are happening, I will praise the Lord. So how might we personalize Habakkuk’s prayer?
Even though I wam under intense financial pressure….
Even though my spouse is with another person right now….
Even though we are in a global crisis
Even though ______
Yet I will rejoice in the Lord
I will be joyful in God my Savior
Brothers and sisters, Fix your eyes on the good shepherd today. No matter what circumstances, tell yourself “Even though ... I will choose to obey God”
What is your blank space that you are dealing with that even in the midst of these circumstances, you are choosing to say yes to God and surrender your life to him.
What act of obedience is God calling you to do in regards to that circumstance?
Is he asking you to Trust or wait or go? Could he be asking you to worship or seek or give or how about even submitting? Seek God today through His Word and in prayer, and wait upon him for He. Is. Faithful.
Let’s pray
Thank You Father that You are the faithful, good and righteous God. You are the Lord who always
keeps Your promises. You are gracious and merciful in salvation.
We thank You for Your faithfulness throughout the centuries, throughout the millennia; You have always kept Your promises, Your plans for our salvation have been unwavering.
We thank You Father that You are the God who makes promises out of a character of love and grace, and keeps those promises
We thank you for all that you are doing in our lives, in our communities, in our church. God, we are abundantly blessed by your faithfulness and your goodness to us. We ask that this message be impactful for us as we inspect ourselves and find the blank space that we need to surrender to you. God, we seek after you in prayer and in your word and we now wait upon you.
We pray this in the matchless name of King Jesus.
Amen
