Psalm 23

 

        Psalm 23

What comes to your mind when you think of Psalm 23? 

On our kitchen wall we have a rug type thing with the Psalm 23, and below the psalm there are two lambs beside a stream, and they are sitting in green grass. So when I think of Psalm 23, that's what I think of.  

When I read verse one when I was younger, I imagined the psalmist to be saying: The Lord is my Shepherd that I do not want. 

And I remember thinking: Why put that in there? 

But that is not what it means. It means: 

The Lord is my Shepherd, I do not want anything else. He is all I need.

Or it could mean: The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not lack anything.

What is a Shepherd? My definition would be someone who looks after sheep. 

Often in the bible we are referred to sheep. Our Lord is our Shepherd. He looks after us. 

A Shepherd's job is to look after his sheep. He tends to them when they are sick. When the sheep is wounded, he looks after the wound till it is healed. 

LUKE 15:3-7.

So Jesus is our Shepherd. He looks after us. He tends to us when we are sick, and looks after our wounds till they are healed. 

Verse 2. 

"He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside the still waters."

This takes my mind to those two lambs lying on the fresh green grass while a peaceful looking stream runs beside them. 

Have you ever felt like those two lambs? Not a care runs through their head. They know their Shepherd has everything under control. They don't sit there worrying that the stream might over flow onto them. No!! They are content to lie there, knowing their Shepherd is watching them with their saftey on his mind. 

Are you content to lay on the soft green grass Jesus has led you to? Are you content to lay beside a still stream, knowing that the Good Shepherd is watching over you with your saftey on his mind? Or are you worried that the stream will overflow? 

MATTHEW 6:27

Verse 3.

"He restores my soul. He leads me in the path of righteousness for his name's sake." 

I will give you my paraphrase of this verse. 

"He brings my soul back to a usable condition. He leads me in a way where I will do right for his name's sake." 

He brings my soul back to a usable condition for him!! He makes is usable for the things he wants me to do. He leads me in a way where I will do right for his name's sake. 

How often in a day do you do right for Christ's name? When you help your mum around the house, do you do it for your name's sake? Or your Shepherds? When you go to work, do you work hard for your name's sake? Or your Shepherds?

Verse 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."

Have you ever lost a loved one? Can you remember thinking 'why God?' 

Have you ever been close to dying? Have you ever hurt so much physically that you thought to yourself 'I must be close to death!!'

Here's good news for you, my friend. You don't have to fear ANY evil because Jesus, your Shepherd, is there. 

Why do you think that the Shepherd's staff and rod are a comfort to the Psalmist?

Maybe its because that he knows that Jesus uses his rod and staff to keep him on the right track? 

Maybe it gives him comfort knowing that when Jesus, his Shepherd, uses his rod to chasten him, It's because his Shepherd loves him. 

Verse 5.

"You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows." 

Wow!! The Shepherd prepares a table for his sheep in the presence of the sheep's enemies. That is the last place i'd think of eating!!! But even when our enemies surround us, we can still feast on what God has given us!! We can be thankful even when we think its impossible.

My cup is truly overflowing right now!! And it always is! God is sooo incredibly generous with his blessings!! Thank-you, Lord, for your amazing blessings!!

Verse 6. 

"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever."

Goodness and Mercy are our companions if we have Jesus as our Shepherd. I am so thankful for these companions. 

And guess what!!! I am gonna dwell in the house of my Shepherd!! What an incredible promise!!! I am looking foward to being with my Shepherd in his house forever!!! And i'm looking forward to seeing those of you who have Jesus as their Sheperd there too!!