2He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. The Gospels It is for 'His name's sake' that He does this. (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2007), Freedman, David Noel (Ed. 19 (Dallas: Word Books, 1983), Hartley, J.E., in Bromiley, Geoffrey (General Editor), The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Volume Three: K-P Revised (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1986), Keller, W. Phillip, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1970, 2007, 2015), Kidner, Derek, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries: Psalms 1-72, Vol. In 1969, after graduating from Talbot Theological Seminary, John came to Grace Community Church. You anoint my head with oil; Oh! King David, who wrote this Psalm, obviously knew all about being a shepherd. We might say that the shepherds presence did not eliminate the presence of evil, but certainly the fear of evil. This line is especially suggestive when we read this psalm with an eye toward Jesus, the Great Shepherd. I have called you by your name. e. Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me: The rod and the staff were instruments used by a shepherd. Shepherds use the rod and staff to guide the sheep and protect them from potential predators. We seek more of God and depend on Him further when we encounter problems. Psalm 23 - Sermon On the Lord is My Shepherd - Study and Obey Psalm 23 Bible Study - Jesus our Great Shepherd! The writer asserts their faith in God amidst trials and tribulations through this Psalm. They will not lie down when there is conflict among the sheep. 'Blessed be the day on which that Psalm was born! 1 Samuel 17:35), and the latter for control since discipline is security., iii. Lord's Day Services. This psalm is taken completely from the sheep's (David) point of view, as he talks about his shepherd. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; [1] As I mentioned, this is one famous Psalm. [13] And His goodness and kindness will always follow you. Now David wasn't saying here that 'the Lord is my Shepherd, whom I do not want'! a. of Scripture. Sometimes it goes through the dark valley as the next verse indicates. Why is Psalm 23 one of the most well-known Psalms and the favorite biblical passage of many? To call God a shepherd is to acknowledge His sovereignty over their lives and submit to His will. [8] If you are someone that God has placed in a position of leadership or teaching then you should also remember that you are called shepherds and are called to feed the flock of God. We can imagine various meanings for the valley of the shadow of death.. In New Zealand (where I live) all of our farms and fields seem to be 'green pastures' and the sheep tend to munch all day! Major Prophets The Old Testament This unspeakably delightful verse has been sung on many a dying bed, and has helped to make the dark valley bright times out of mind. My cup runs over. These twin guardian angels will always be with me at my back and my beck. There is something about people who truly know their God. Note: MLA no longer requires the URL as part of their citation standard. That symmetric bracketing was a literary device intended to focus attention on the middle phrase, for you are with me. Gods saving presence is the focal point of this psalm. [10]. ii. He is the source of life and a great provider. Nor is he saying that 'the LORD is my Shepherd, I get everything I want'. Do we feel that our spirituality is at its lowest ebb? My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand.' David could say God is my shepherd because of his personal experience. We need to hear those words as if God intended them for usbecause he did. You may be in a dark place but you must keep walking. Minor Prophets Johannine Writings A shepherd would prepare a table for his sheep by scouting ahead to find good pastureland free from predators and poisonous plants. The anointing of oil to the sheep isnt just a meaningless ritual. Everything in eternity -- for I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever. Excellent for: personal and family devotions pastoral study preparing Sunday-school lessons using with a small group simply readingeach volume draws you in It doesn't mean that anything outwardly has to change. John Piper Sep 1, 1980. GenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyJoshuaJudgesRuth1 Samuel2 Samuel1 Kings2 Kings1 Chronicles2 ChroniclesEzraNehemiahEstherJobPsalmsProverbsEcclesiastesSong of SongsIsaiahJeremiahLamentationsEzekielDanielHoseaJoelAmosObadiahJonahMicahNahumHabakkukZephaniahHaggaiZechariahMalachiMatthewMarkLukeJohnActsRomans1 Corinthians2 CorinthiansGalatiansEphesiansPhilippiansColossians1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians1 Timothy2 TimothyTitusPhilemonHebrewsJames1 Peter2 Peter1 John2 John3 JohnJudeRevelation. The paths that the Shepherd takes us on are the righteous or 'right' paths. ii. There you have it. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. Wisdom Literature '. The words are not in the future tense, and therefore are not reserved for a distant moment. (Spurgeon). That was his role growing up. [1] It is a Psalm that encompasses our live here and even extends into eternity future. They are times, as the Psalm says, when He restores your soul spiritually. Since the text and audio content provided by BLB represent a The word my cup runs over indicates that David not only had the necessities but also enjoyed abundance. It talks about humanity, our experiences, and even our emotions. And I will dwell in the house of the LORDforever: The psalm ends with the calmest assurance that he would enjoy the presence of the LORD forever both in his days on this earth and beyond. Amazon, in the last couple of weeks (Nov 2014) released the most highlighted passages in their most popular books downloaded onto Kindle, their electronic book reader. Jesus took this name for Himself when He said 'Before Abraham was born, I AM!' (13) I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. Goodness supplies our needs, and mercy blots out our sins. Forgiveness -- for He restores my soul. Let us stick close to Him and thank Him for His wonderful grace. The Hebrew word tob has a variety of meanings, such as good, moral, profitable, or plentiful. Still, David has decided to praise God no matter what happens. There is a noble tone of confidence about this sentence. It was spoken by someone who had been through more than we probably ever will so he knew what he was talking about! Thank God for such times! The Hebrew word for rod (shaybet) here seems to simply mean a stick with a variety of applications. [9] These are the paths we should desire and actively seek. But observe: Thou preparest a table, just as a servant does when she unfolds the damask cloth and displays the ornaments of the feast on an ordinary peaceful occasion. It works. But the shepherds here use dogs and fences to drive and control the sheep. So to be Gods guest is to be more than an acquaintance, invited for a day. He wants to genuinely bless His people and live in the abundance of His grace. The Blue Letter Bible ministry and the BLB Institute hold to the historical, The mercy here comes from the Hebrew word Hesed which depicts Gods covenant faithfulness. Near death, the saint still calmly walks he does not need to quicken his pace in alarm or panic. Heb 12:2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, Psalm 2 Bible Study The Current Rebellion & The Coming King, Psalm 8 Bible Study The wonder of God and the second man, Psalm 16 Part 1: Testing's in the journey through life and death, Psalm 16 Part 2 - Hope in the journey through life and death, Psalm 22 Part 1 - Prophecy of the crucifixion and the wrath of man. "Depth and strength underlie the simplicity of this psalm. Wisdom Literature This verse doesn't mean that there will not be times of drought, valleys, difficulties and need--- far from it God loves you too much to just make things always easy! You prepare a table before me: Without departing from the previous picture of the valley of the shadow of death, David envisioned the provision and goodness given by the LORD as a host, inviting David to a rich table prepared for him. What is characteristic of them? He has also served as pastor-teacher of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California since 1969. On some days, she was on one side of the valley. Pastor John MacArthur | The MacArthur Commentaries Grace to You. My cup runs over (Hebrew: rewayah) (v. 5c). So out of the blue she emailed a few weeks back asking: 'All ok with you? Pests would crawl through the ear canal of an unoiled sheep and lay in its brain. Error: Passwords should have at least 6 characters, Error: Usernames should only contain letters, numbers, dots, dashes, or underscores. Basically fear tactics. Believe with the same confidence David had. Pastor John MacArthur. By proceeding, you consent to our cookie usage. and through the rivers, they will not overflow you. It helped him even in the valley of the shadow of death to know that God guided him, even through correction. 'What happened exactly to me in the dream?' Our God protects His people, and His presence brings comfort to eliminate the fear of evil. In Psalms 23:3, Psalms 23:4 the spiritual meaning shines through the figure, as in Psalms 23:5, Psalms 23:6 it is laid aside altogether; yet still the psalmist speaks of the "rod and staff." "Rod," the shepherd's crook, the received emblem of authority, guidance, and discipline. Daily devotional with John Piper. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.. The Old Testament There is no fear of biting the bare ground where the grass is long enough for the flock to lie down in it. (Philip Keller). When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned, The shepherd would use his staff to guide sheep and to pull them back from dangerous places. He had been chased and pursued as he ran from his enemies who sought to take his life. Are any of us low in grace? This sentence may be read, only goodness and mercy, for there shall be unmingled mercy in our history. How marvellous it is that weak, fearful people can be given such confidence through a simple trust in the ability of their shepherd! But how does God do this? Psalm 23:6 And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. Click to enable/disable Google reCaptcha. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.. For a shepherd, the healing purpose would be significant. Click to enable/disable _gat_* - Google Analytics Cookie. Everything will be ok. No matter his present environment, David could look to the fact of Gods shepherd-like presence and know, You are with me and I will fear no evil.. Pastor John MacArthur | The MacArthur Commentaries Grace to You. The psalmist doesnt speak of going into the valley, as if it were a box canyon or a final destination. David had had the highs of defeating Goliath to the lows of running for his life and hiding in caves from Saul. It is true that in extreme cases the shepherd would break the leg of the lamb. Priests were anointed (Exodus 40:13-15). The following cookies are also needed - You can choose if you want to allow them: You can read about our cookies and privacy settings in detail on our Privacy Policy Page. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His names sake.. He had a sidekick with him who spoke on 'I will build my church'. He had not only enough, a cup full, but more than enough, a cup which overflowed. David wrote Psalm 23 based on his experiences with God. To be invited to a persons table was an honor. I have a lady at my work who, after saying something that she felt may tempt fate, said 'touch wood'. Was it where you thought you would go? But there is a greater provision and far greater blessing still to come. and flame will not scorch you. Davids song is portrayed in non-religious circles too, making appearances in many secular movies and other entertainment mediums. Guidance -- for He leads me in the paths of righteousness. Prophets God refuses to let the godly go hungry. 1.Jehovah is my shepherd. Even in a fearful place, the presence of the shepherd banished the fear of evil. As you survey your life, what path has God led and guided you through? Lie down in green pastures quiet waters - But thank Jesus our great Shepherd that He does bring us to green pastures and quiet waters. The rod of Jesse shall still be over me as the sovereign succor of my soul.[5]. To be invited to the Kings table was a great honor. The word restore implies the notion of a rescued one. Jesus honored his disciples by inviting them to a table where he served them bread, saying, I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I tell you, I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God (Luke 22:15-16). Although God, by his benefits, gently allures us to himself, as it were by a taste of his fatherly sweetness, yet there is nothing into which we more easily fall than into a forgetfulness of him, when we are in the enjoyment of peace and comfort. The comforts of a living saint. A poor man may say this as well as those in higher circumstances, What, all this, and Jesus Christ too?[6]. His future return for His people as the King of Glory! Surely goodness (Hebrew: tob) and loving kindness (Hebrew: hesed) shall follow me all the days of my life (v. 6a). Our website uses cookies to store user preferences. But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site. d. For You are with me: This emphasizes that it is the presence of the shepherd that eliminated the fear of evil for the sheep. Passwords should have at least 6 characters. However, he was confident that God is with him all the time. He is a great leader who leads people to righteous living. It is a great comfort to know that God will correct us when we need it. While I am here I will be a child at home with my God; the whole world shall be his house to me; and when I ascend into the upper chamber I shall not change my company, nor even change the house; I shall only go to dwell in the upper story of the house of the Lord for ever. (Spurgeon), (c) 2020 The Enduring Word Bible Commentary by David Guzik ewm@enduringword.com. Please visit: https://www.bestbiblecommentaries.comPlease visit: www.bestbiblecommentaries.comBrowse John MacArthur's bible commentaries on Amazon:https://am. You can check these in your browser security settings. John MacArthur is the pastor-teacher of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, as well as an author, conference speaker, president of The Master's University and Seminary, and featured teacher with the Grace to You media ministry. 1939) is a Calvinist theologian, author, editor, and teacher. Sure enough, someone guessed pretty quickly that it would be Psalm 23. But it is alluded to such as in Revelation 7:17 For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water." We do not die, we do but sleep to wake in glory. A verification email has been sent to the address you provided. Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. Report an Issue Sermon Correction/Question . The Shepherd's staff: The staff was used by the Shepherd to direct the sheep in the way in which they should go, and, in the case of a wandering nosey sheep, to pull it back into line [11] . I live in New Zealand, and yes, I know, we have more sheep than people! And obviously, he would then leave the lamb to die in the wilderness, eaten by its predators! (Whew!) The goodness and care suggested by the prepared table is set right in the midst of the presence of my enemies. In New Zealand (where I live) all of our farms and fields seem to be 'green pastures' and the sheep tend to munch all day! Prophets But that is not how it is in the dry arid lands of the Middle East and we need to read this Psalm with that mindset. 27:1). That seldom accomplishes His purposes and the rest of the Psalm show that these things do occur. His passion is to serve the global Church and bring people of diverse backgrounds together to learn & grow. Major Prophets Peace -- for He leads me beside the still waters. When the sheep are hungry or are anxious about food, they cant lie down peacefully. They believed that something of the persons identity was tied up in the namethat the name expressed something of the persons essential character. So our great Shepherd protects and provides for His sheep during their life on this earth. The hosts care and concern doesnt eliminate the presence of my enemies but enables the experience of Gods goodness and bounty even in their midst. If there was such a thing as animal school, they would be dropouts. 1 Peter 5:4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away. Because the sheep have this tendency to wander and get lost, a shepherd must always guide them in the right direction. This psalm is so personal, with the pronoun I or My, being used commonly. There are stacks of deceptive shepherds around just as there always were. The shepherd is also a guide who leads the flock on the right path. God was the one providing for him, God was the one anointing his head with oil (which was what gracious hosts did for their guests in Israel) so he knew that he would have more than enough! The psalmist genuinely expressed his understanding and experience with God as his shepherd. b) John MacArthur; MacArthur New Testament Commentary, Ephesians 5:18 - "Be filled" translates the present passive imperative of "pleroo", and is more literally rendered as "be being kept filled." We are "indwelt" by the Holy Spirit at the moment of justification (professing our faith in Christ). 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. Title The entire collection of Psalms is entitled "Praises" in the Hebrew text. In Psalm 23, however, the psalmist declares that the Sovereign of the universe, the Creator of all things, can be described using "my," that the Lord attends to me in a personal way. Sun Valley, CA 91352 Our children were still quite young. In Psalm 22 Christ is the Saviour; in Psalm 23 He is the Satisfier; in Psalm 24 He is the Sovereign. The shepherd recognizes when the sheep require green pastures and when they require still waters. and Kahane, Ahuvia, The Oxford English-Hebrew Dictionary (Oxford University Press, 1998), Fohrer, Georg, Hebrew & Aramaic Dictionary of the Old Testament (SCM Press, 2012), Freedman, David Noel (ed. That's the animal God choose which best represents you! Click to enable/disable essential site cookies. In fact, he thought quite highly of it, as is evident by this especially generous compliment: Of this delightful song it may be affirmed that its piety and its poetry are equal, its sweetness and its spirituality are unsurpassed. Spurgeon once referred to Psalm 23 as the Pearl of the Psalms in his monthly magazine, The Sword and the Trowel. John MacArthur brings you a complete Bible commentary in one volume. It is a treasure chest filled with spiritual truths that encourage many. God longs to bless and prosper His people. [6] As a silly example, a few weeks back I got an email from a past work colleague that I hadn't heard from for some time. We fully respect if you want to refuse cookies but to avoid asking you again and again kindly allow us to store a cookie for that.

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