Psalm 23
By Bro David Petersen
The Book of Psalms
Introduction |
Psalm 1 |
Psalm 9 |
Psalm 23 |
Psalm 30 |
Psalm 33 |
Psalm 34 |
Psalm 46 |
Psalm 96 |
Psalm 103 |
Psalm 119
The Good Shepherd
John 10:1-30
10:1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.
6 This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.
7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.
9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.
13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.
14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.
16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.
17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
19 There was a division therefore again among the Jews for these sayings.
20 And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him?
21 Others said, These are not the words of him that hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind?
22 And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter.
23 And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch.
24 Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.
25 Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me.
26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.
30 I and my Father are one.
Psalm 23
23:1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
Commentary on Psalm 23
By Bro. David Petersen
23:1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
Is The Lord Your Shepherd?
The psalm expresses great confidence in the Lord and the provisions that he makes for his people. But the first step toward having that kind of assurance is to receive the Lord as your savior.
This verse shows a personal relationship between David and the Lord. Unless you have that personal relationship, none of the rest of the psalm applies to your life. You must know the Lord as your personal savior in order to have the blessings of the psalm.
"3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice." John 10:3-4.
" I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine." John 10:14.
Do you hear the voice of Jesus? Do you know him? Is he leading you out?
I Shall Not Want
David said “I shall not want”. He did not say, “I shall have everything that I want.” The Lord provides for our spiritual and material needs:
Ps 37:23-24
23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. 24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.
“I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.” Ps 37:25
Now I Am Old
David declared that he was now old. Our culture worships youth so much that older people often don’t even want to tell their age. But old people have an important role in the Lord’s work. We need old people to tell us that the Lord has never let them down. The Lord’s people should wear their age like a badge of honor.
Heb 13:5
5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
Materialism Fosters Covetousness
The "conversation" mentioned here means "way of life". The more we get, the more we want. We are constantly enticed to keep up with the Joneses. The purpose of advertising is to make us discontent with what we have. Television commercials teach us to covet from a very early age.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
The Lord leads his sheep to a place of rest and peace.
He Maketh Me To Lie Down
Two things to observe here: there is rest and nourishment. If you have ever seen a deer eating in the forest, you will notice that they do not lie down to eat. That is because they are constantly on guard for predators while they munch. Prey animals are highly vulnerable to attack when the put their heads down to eat. If you want to see the epitome of nervousness, watch a deer or a rabbit eat. Sheep who can lie down to eat feel safe. They are at peace indeed because their Great Shepard watches over them. He "maketh me" to lie down
"I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture." John 10:9.
He Leadeth Me
Sometimes sheep are lying down and at others times they walk and are active. Through the work of the Holy Spirit leads God's people. He uses the word, preaching and the godly example of my brothers and sisters to lead me in the paths of righteousness.
Jesus leads by example. "he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him" John 10:4.
Beside the Still Waters
The still waters speak of peace and refreshment. This is not a raging torrent of water, but a peaceful body of water.
3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Restoration Of The Soul
It is no accident that the phrase "he restoreth my soul" immediately follows the still waters. In the Bible, water often represents a source of refreshment. We need to be spiritually well-hydrated.
Definition of Restoreth
The term restoreth comes from a Hebrew word that literally means "to turn back or turn around". The basic idea is to return, implying movement back to a place which had previously been departed from. The word is used in the scriptures to speak of restoring from sorrow (Ruth 4:15), to restore from darkness to light ( Rom 2:19), to restore from ruin to salvation( Ps 80:19), and to return to the Lord (Ps 22:27).
David bore great shame in his life. He committed adultery and murder. His soul was so devastated that bones ached within him as if they were broken. Members of his own family gave him great grief and sorrow. His own son tried to kill him.
He cried unto the Lord to have mercy on him, to wash him, to purge him with hysssop, to create a clean heart within him and to RESTORE the joy of the Lord's salvation (Ps 51).
"Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit." Ps 51:12.
"All we like sheep have gone astray." Isaiah 53:6. When the Good Shepherd leaves the 99 sheep and restores the sheep that went astray, there is cause for great joy.
Paths of Righteousness
The use of the plural form of the word “paths” does not mean that there are many ways to heaven. Jesus said “I am THE way”, not “I am a way”. This is not talking about the way of salvation. Instead it is talking about the paths we walk after we are saved.
There are paths of holiness, obedience and service. Once we are saved we do not want to be conformed to this world, but we want to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. We want to be acceptable to God, sanctifed, having crucified the old man and his lusts and putting on the new man who is created in the image of Christ, displaying the fruit of the spirit and losing our lives that we might gain them.
For His Name’s Sake
If you have trusted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you should know that the Lord did not just save you for your own personal benefit. The Lord saved you to bring glory to himself. He deserves all the glory and it is right that he receive it. So he leads me in the paths of righteousness for his own name’s sake. If instead I’m walking in the paths of unrighteousness, I bring shame to his name.
I wear the label “made in heaven” but the material of my life is cheap polyester, then no one will want to try on what I’m wearing. The world needs to see the difference between my life and how the rest of the world lives then I bring glory to his name.
God Is My Salvation
My salvation is not about me. It is about Him. My salvation is His salvation. It’s all about Jesus. Notice in psalm 51 which we cited earlier David said "Restore unto me the joy of THY salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit." Ps 51:12. Salvation belongs to the Lord. He provides it and it is for HIS glory.
America today is very narcissistic. It is the “me generation”. Individualism is so engrained into this culture that it is even hard to get new Christians to see this. We are conditioned by our society to be self-directed. We tend to see our lives as being all about what I want. “I am the architect of my life.”
Sometimes the Lord’s people see their Christianity as just like any other interest they have in their life. Let me check my personal digital assistant: Ok, I have golf on Monday, Friends reruns are on Wednesday, Friday is my night out, Sunday morning is church and Sunday evening football is on TV.
User Requirements
People often require a Christianity that has no requirements for them. Jesus did not call anyone to a life of mediocrity. He calls us to a life of dedicated service.
How To Get Your Needs Met
Last Wednesday night we authorized brother Gilchrist to organize a New Testament church in western Colorado. The Lord had been at work in people’s lives out in Delta. Before that I had never been in a church service where such an action had been taken. I would not have traded that night for anything in the world; not even a million dollars. You see I could spend a million dollars relatively quickly. But what we did last Wednesday night will reap eternal dividends that will never fade. By the time we left Wednesday I was tired. It had already been a long day when I arrived at the assembly. But I left with a profound sense of satisfaction that watching no television program could match.
Yes, he leads us in paths of righteousness for HIS name’s sake.
If we are willing to serve him God's grace will enable us to fulfill our calling. Each Christian has a calling from God to serve. My calling may not be the same as yours, but we all have one. Do not think that this life of service is going to be grievous. Jesus said “Take my yoke upon you.” And, “My yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matt 11:30). You know what a yoke is. A yoke is something that you hitch oxen to in order to do work. In Bible times oxen were often yoked in pairs on a double yoke. So if you want true rest unto your soul, then get yoked up with Jesus.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Throughout the Psalms and New Testament the term "to walk" serves as a metaphor for our spiritual walk through this life. I have yet to find a passage where the process of dying and going to be with the Lord is described as a walk. The deceased Christian is not responsible to get himself over yonder to the Lord.
On the contrary, in describing the death of Lazarus, Jesus said
" that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom" Luke 16:22. So nobody just walks into heaven.
What then does David mean by "the valley of the shadow of death".
This verse is more about Christian life than it is about Christian death.
God protects us as we go through life and face perils. Notice that it does not say "I walk through death". Instead it says "I walk through the valley of the shadow of death." When you see the shadow of death it means that death is near. Let's say you are walking along a road and you see the shadow of a car coming up behind you. What does that tell you? It tells you that a car is near. Likewise when you see the shadow of death you know that death or the possibility of death is not far away.
When you walk through the valley of the shadow of death, there is but a step between you and death. It is just llike when Saul was trying to kill David. David told his friend Jonathan "There is but a step betwen me and death". (1 Sam 20:3).
David spoke this psalm when the Lord delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies and out of the hand of Saul:
3 I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.
4 The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.
5 The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me.
6 In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears. Ps 18:3-6.
David believed that he was very near death when Saul was chasing him and trying to kill him. But David called upon the Lord who saved him from his enemies. That is what "walking through the valley of the shadow of death" is all about.
Why A Valley?
What did a valley represent to David? To him a valley was a battleground. It was the place where you were most exposed to danger; the place where you encountered the enemy. Across the valley stretched the shadow of death. It was the place where you were most likely to get killed.
Observe the mentions of the valley when David fought the giant Goliath:
1 Sam 17:1-3
17:1 Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle, and were gathered together at Shochoh, which belongeth to Judah, and pitched between Shochoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim.
2 And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and pitched by the valley of Elah, and set the battle in array against the Philistines.
3 And the Philistines stood on a mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side: and there was a valley between them.
You are relatively safe on a mountain side. From the heights you would see any agressor as the approached from afar. The agresssors would have to climb the mountain to attack you. Even if they made it through your barrage of ballistics, then by the time they got to you they would be worn out and you would easily defeat them. So armies that were ready to fight usually met each other in the valleys. That was the case with Israel and the Philistines when David defeated Goliath.
Megiddo: The Mother Of All Valleys Of The Shadow Of Death
Of course the valley of Megiddo is the mother of all examples of the valley of the shadow of death.
Rev 16:13-16:
13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.
The word "Armageddon" refers to the valley of Megiddo as a place that is surrounded by mountains. Many famous battles had be fought there and it became a proverb for decisive battles. So it is appropriate that it becomes the location of the ultimate battle between good and evil.
The valley is where you face the enemy. It is not "where the sweet waters flow".
We even have a song about this topic called "There'll Be No Dark Valley".
There’ll be no dark valley when Jesus comes,
There’ll be no dark valley when Jesus comes;
There’ll be no dark valley when Jesus comes
To gather His loved ones home.
Refrain
To gather His loved ones home (safe home),
To gather His loved ones home (safe home);
There’ll be no dark valley when Jesus comes
To gather His loved ones home.
Being down in the valley is the opposite of being up in the stronghold.
1 Sam 23:14
14 And David abode in the wilderness in strong holds, and remained in a mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his hand.
All this brings us to the phrase:
I Will Fear No Evil
" The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" Ps 27:1
This word strength in verse 1 could also be translated stronghold. The Lord is my stronghold.
Men can only do to me what the Lord allows them to do to me. Jesus said "Do not fear those who can kill the body, but who cannot kill the soul." (Matt 10:28).
If we take a stand for the Lord Jesus Christ, then Jesus says that men will hate us as they hated him. So we should have enemies for doing what is right. We should not have enemies because we mis-treated anyone. " It is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil." 1 Peter 3:17.
Persecution American Style
We do have persectuion in America today. It is just of a different style than what you might find in China or The Sudan. You just need to go out and get your fair share of persecution. Just start telling people about Jesus wherever you go. American persecution comes bountifully in the form of rejection, exclusion, ridicule, verbal resistance and hatred.
On The Job Training: Persecution On The Job
Start telling people about Jesus at work and soon you'll find that you are no longer invited to those after office parties. You might even lose your job. Now there is a right way and a wrong way to witness at work. You don't want to be obnoxious with your captive audience there. What I like to do is to weave the witness into the normal conversation. For example if somebody says "How was your weekend?", then I reply "Oh, it was wonderful. We had a missionary fund raising lunch and many people from our sister churches attended." The first thing is to come out of the closet and let people know that you are a Christian. Then observe and see who might be open to the message. Some people will get real quiet when the figure out that you are the resident Jesus Freak, others will be curious.
A Kingdom Of Priests
If you go to lunch with someone, present the blessing as an opportunity for them. "I'm going to give thanks in a minute. Is there anything that you would like me to ask the Lord or give thanks for?" Everybody has problems. You will be surprised how many people will take such an opportunity to share. So then you are not an obnoxious religious fanatic, instead you have become a mediator of God, part of a royal priesthood, reconciling people to God.
The Rod and Staff Are Weapons
The sheperd's rod and staff have many different uses. They can be used as a walking stick or can be leaned upon. They are symbols of authority and instruments of punishment . They can be used as measuring tools and as threshing implements. The comfort that David refers to comes from their use as defensive weapons. The Lord uses his rod and staf to protect us from the enemy.
As a young shepherd boy, David himself was skilled in the use of the rod and staff as weapons to protect the sheep. When David went out to fight Goliath the giant he took his staff with him.
1 Sam 17:40-43
40 And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine.
41 And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David; and the man that bare the shield went before him.
42 And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance.
43 And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves <sticks>? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.
Here Goliath has one of the funniest lines in the Bible: "Am I a dog that you come out to me wth sticks". And so I can see how David wrote "Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me."
The Lord has a rod and a staff and he knows how to use them. Do you have giants to face? Do you formidable challenges to face? God can use his rod to protect you.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Peace In The Midst of Peril
David's life is all about peace in the midst of peril. There is his fight with the giant Goliath. King Saul hunting him to kill him. His battles with the Philistines. And trouble from his own family. The Lord does not promise to keep trouble away from us. He does promise to bring us through it. As we have seen he uses his rod and staff to beat back the enemies.
The Fellowship Of The Table
Throughout the Bible, eating meals is something that was done in a moment of peace and joy. It was one of the most intimate forms of fellowship. Having a table prepared in the midst of his enemies represented peace and security in the midst of peril to David.
When David wanted to express to his royal court that he was going to take in Saul's son Mephibosheth and care for him, he described the relationship by saying "he shall eat at my table, as one of the king's sons." 2 Sam 9:11.
The Lord Prepares The Table
David declares that it is the Lord who prepares the table in the presence of his enemies. David is not preparing his own table. It is the Lord who is subduing his enemies. The Lord is providing peace and security in the midst of of trouble.
The Lord taught this same spiritual lesson of the fellowship of the table in the New Testament:
Luke 22:29-30
29 And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me;
30 That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Rev 3:20
20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
The Lord's Table
It is no coincidence that we have the Lord's Supper. Because the Lord's table represents intimate fellowship with the Lord, not just anyone can walk in here and partake of the Lord's table. There are qualifications. First you have to submit to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and receive his free gift of salvation. Then you need to confess him publicly and identfy with his death, burial and resurrection by going under the waters of baptism. The you need to faithfully serve him in a local, scriptural New Testament church.
The Oil Of Joy
It was a Jewish custom to anoint the heads of guests at a feast with oil. A guest who has his or her head anointed with oil is well taken cared for. On the other hand , the dry look was associated with mourning and want. Remember how the Lord said to Simon the Pharisee "You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume." Luke 7:46.
Oil often represents 3 different things in the Bible. Many times it represents the Holy Spirit, but in other passages it represents abundance or joy as it does here in the 23rd psalm..
Psalm 45:6-7
6 Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre.
7 Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness <joy> above thy fellows.
So oil is often a symbol of joy in the scriptures.
Do Not Damage The Oil
Often the lack of oil is associated with want. For example, in Revelation when the first 3 seals are broken war is followed by famine and death. The rider on the black horse carried a pair of scales and something like a voice said " A quart of wheat for a denarius <a day's wages>, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not damage the oil and the wine."Rev 6:6
Life Abundant
A cup that runneth over represents abundance.
“The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” John 10:10.
John 10:10 does not support the idea of a "prosperity gospel". Jesus did not mean that that he will make his followers rich in a worldly sense. The abundant life is a spiritual life overflowing with peace and joy, faith, hope and love.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
Knowing the Lord has benefits both in this life and in the life to come. So in this life goodness and mercy shall follow him. In the next life, he will dwell in the house of the Lord.
Goodness and Mercy
The Lord is in front of the sheep leading them. The sheep follow him. Then goodness and mercy bring up the rear. They follow the sheep. When goodness and mercy are watching your back, nothing can sneak up and get you. Goodness takes care of the sheep as they walk day to day. Mercy takes care of the sheep when they stumble.
Assurance John 10:27-29
Dwelling in the house of the Lord represented safety to David as much as it did eternal life. Look again at Psalm 27:
Ps 27:2-6
2 When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.
3 Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.
4 One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple.
5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion <dwelling>: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.
6 And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD.
David is safe from trouble in the house of the Lord. The tabernacle or house of the Lord is his refuge or fortress. For more on the Biblical concept of spiritual fortress see Psalm 46.
Security Of The Believer
Notice that David does NOT say “I hope I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” David is confident that he will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. He knows that his salvation cannot be lost. He has assurance of eternal life.
In John chapter 10 Jesus explained that our salvation is not dependent on our own human ability to do good and keep ourselves saved. Instead our eternal security is dependent on the ability of the Savior to hold on to us.
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.
For more information on assurance, please see our article titled: "Assurance: A Christian Exclusive".
The Book of Psalms
Introduction |
Psalm 1 |
Psalm 9 |
Psalm 23 |
Psalm 30 |
Psalm 33 |
Psalm 34 |
Psalm 46 |
Psalm 96 |
Psalm 103 |
Psalm 119