The Lord Is My Shepherd Series

Summer in the Psalms 2024

Psalm 23

Pastor Jefferson M. Williams

Chenoa Baptist Church?06-23-2024

Resume

I led a team to find a new Worship Arts pastor for our church a few years ago. We received over 200 resumes! I would take the resumes to a coffee shop and read each one slowly and prayerfully.

I then assigned each resume a number 1-5 and placed them in piles.

The first pile was the “no pile.” (1-2) These were resumes that didn’t fit what we were looking for. Several of these resumes were from African pastors who said they would work for free if we could get them a visa to come to the U.S. This pile was the biggest.

The second pile was the 3-4 resumes. These were people who had the necessary skills and experience.

The third pile (5) was by far the smallest. These were people who had the skills and experience but also had something else- a good fit with our present team.

Out of that pile came the person who would eventually become our worship-arts pastor - Andy.

He had everything we were looking for and more.

What if you asked for resumes for Someone to be the leader of your life? To guide you. To protect you. To save you?

What would that resume look like? It would look like Psalm 23!

Background

Psalm 23 may be the most well-known portion of the Old Testament. Believers memorize as children and even non-Christians know these words.

Augustine called it the “Martys Psalm” because so many people recited it as they died for their faith.

Abraham Lincoln was said to recite Psalm 23 during the darkest day of the Civil War.

George W. Bush reminded the nation that the Lord is our shepherd after 9-11.

Charles Spurgeon called this Psalm one of the seven wonders of the world.

Commentator Peter Craige writes:

“There are few Psalms in the Psalter so well loved and well known as Psalm 23. Its appeal lies partly in the simplicity and beauty of its poetry, strengthened by the serene confidence which it exudes.”

James Montgomery Voice wrote:

Millions of people have memorized this Psalm, even those who have learned a few other Scriptures. Ministers have used it to comfort people who are going through severe personal trials, suffering illness, or dying. For some, the words of this Psalm have been the last words they have uttered in life.”

This 3,000-year-old song has provided comfort and hope for countless believers.

But, I fear that it is so familiar that we don’t hear the words. We also misunderstand the message.

Psalm 23 is read when? At funerals. But it is more about life, abundant life than it is about death.

So what do we learn about God from this amazing Psalm?

Please turn in your copy of God’s Word to Psalm 23.

Prayer.

The Shepherd and Provider

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

David begins with the covenant name for God, Yahweh. This is a personal name for God. It means He is self-sufficient, never-changing, and keeps His promises.

Notice that this is in the present tense - is. This shepherd is always with us and will never abandon us. He knows us personally and will take care of us. He guides us.

A few years ago, I took a college-aged friend to the St. Louis zoo to see elephants. She loves elephants but has never seen elephants in person. I paid for a personal guide to accompany us. This person was very knowledgeable about elephants and guided Jamie as she experienced elephants for the first with tears streaming down her face.

Notice also that David doesn’t say, “the Shepherd” or “our Shepherd.” He writes “My Shepherd.”

David, as King, was known as the shepherd over Israel.

"He chose David his servant and took him from the sheep pens;  from tending the sheep he brought him to be the shepherd of his people Jacob, of Israel his inheritance. And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them.” (Psalm 78:70-72)

But he is declaring here that he is a sheep of the real Shepherd - God.

In the Psalms, David calls God a “rock, refuge, and strong tower” (see Psalm 18).

But here David has a more personal picture in mind.

This a common Old Testament theme:

David writes in Psalm 28:

“The Lord is the strength of his people, a fortress of salvation for his anointed one. Save your people and bless your inheritance; be their shepherd and carry them forever.” (Psalm 28:9)

The prophet Isaiah wrote:

He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young. (Isaiah 40:11)

Again and again, God is called a shepherd. This is an interesting picture of God. Shepherds were the lowest social class. The job usually fell to the youngest son, (like David), and the shepherd lived with the sheep to care for them.