The Lord is my shepherd

Psalm 23:1-6

Key 23:1

In this passage David unfolds the secret of truly fulfilling life. The key is found in the key verse, Psalm 23:1 that is, opting for the Lord as his personal Lord and Shepherd.

Notice that life is too big for us to handle. To make  matter worse, our life is filled with challenge after challenge. And without following the Lord as our good shepherd, it is impossible for one to "successfully" and "fruitfully" live going through the journeys of   life in this mundane world. David found this to be the case. And in the Lord he earned deep conviction not to just barely survive or "make" it, but to live a life which is deeply satisfying!

1. Memorize v. 1. The expression "I shall not be in want" is described in future tense. What does this statement suggest to us about: 1) the present condition of David; 2) the prospect of his future; and 3) the basis of such a vision? In what respect is his vision of life different from that of many others? What can we learn here from David about the way we should see our life on this planet earth?

** Present condition: full of difficulties and hardships. In short, he found his life in want (or "less than satisfactory"). He was always thirsty and hungry, even as some Jewish rabbis opined that David wrote this psalm when he was being hunted down by King Saul. 

David under Saul's persecutions is symbolic of the members of the church (saints) undergoing constant harassment by the evil one, the devil. Jesus also said to his disciples that while we are in this world we will be in trouble. Jn 16:33. 

Aside from the above, life here in this world which is yet to itself be redeemed, has been rendered imperfect. 

 

** The prospect of future: shall not be in want, meaning "in full satisfaction". 

** The Lord is my shepherd. 

** They know that life is not easy. So they work hard to grasp something in this world, but eventually they go down the drain. So some adopt the philosophy that says, "Let us eat and drink for tomorrow we die." Some adopt a nihilist's view, doing nothing but going about in a sad and somber mood like a Buddhist monk. 

** We admit that our life here on earth is the life which is yet to be redeemed. It is incomplete, yet has a direction. It is the life with the plan of redemption. So we do not live at random nor cynically. 

2. Read v. 2. What does the verb "makes" indicate to us about the nature of a sheep? What do "green pastures" refer to? What is it like to "lie down in green pastures"? What do "quiet waters" stand for (Isa 8:6-7; Lk 15:13; Rev 7:17)? What does this passage signify about the need we have in the Lord? 

** We are busy-minded, losing our attention to attractive distractions, the things which do not give life to men.  Isaiah 53:6a expresses it well when he said, "We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way...

** It refers to deep satisfaction, enjoying moments of deep rest, recuperating from the toils and struggles in life, and thereby rejuvenating oneself to lead a new life. 

** It refers to the restful fellowship with the Lord who is the Spirit. 

** This passage teaches us about the need for spiritual food (namely the word of God) and spiritual drink (namely the Spirit of God). We can have all these needs met fully in the Lord, for Jesus himself is the Word and He himself gives us the spring of living water. Jer 2:13; Jn 4:10. 

3. Read v. 3a. David talks about "soul" instead of "body". What is a soul (Psa 42:1-11; Mat 10:28;16:26; 1Th 5:23; Heb 4:12)? What does this passage teach us about the need we have as a human being? 

** Soul is an incorporeal entity which survives [physical] death. It is the real "you" who feels happy if you are happy or unhappy if you are unhappy. Body is merely a shell which houses the soul. Paul also distinguishes soul from spirit, which is arguably a vessel to hold God in man, whereas the soul is arguably a vessel to hold man, called "self". 

** We are not just a chunk of meat. We are a soul being, rather than merely a fleshly being. So we need to feed our soul, and make sure that our soul is happy. 

4. Read v. 3b. David uses the word "guides" rather than "pushes" or "forces". What does this suggest to us about the way he helps his children? What do the following words tell us about the need(s) we have in life: 1) "paths of righteousness"; and 2) "for his name's sake"? 

** He "helps" his children to listen to him, figure out what is right and what is wrong, and then make a sensible choice.

** 1) The need for attaining to His righteousness, meaning that without getting this need met, one is bound to be terribly dissatisfied. This is true with even a serial killer, who after committing terrible crimes, still does not give up on the hope to overcome the sense of guilt, and live a righteous life. 

2) The need for the right purpose of life, that is, to live for God's glory, meaning that when this purpose is not known, or even after having been known, when one fails to live up to this purpose, one will remain totally unsatisfied. The bottom line is that embedded in everyone is the desire to live for the glory of his Creator!

 

5. Read vs. 4-5a. What do expressions like "the valley of the shadow of death" or "in the presence of my enemies" tell us about the journey of our life through this world? Yet what do the following statements teach us about the Lord as the shepherd: 1) "you are with me"; 2) "your rod and staff, they comfort me"; and 3) "you prepare a table before me"?

** It is a battle ground where tons of enemies are lurking around, particularly the enemy death. Romans 8:35-38 list 16 enemies. Figuratively speaking it is like a 100 meter track runner having to jump over a series of hurdles set up before him.

** 1) He is our ever present help; 2) to train (with the training of his rod) and to protect (with the protection of his staff) us; and 3) thereby prepare a table before our enemies (like the Lord leading the Israelites out of Egypt to the Promised Land, despite enemies attacking them from time to time every once in a while as they journeyed through the desert land. 

6. Read vs. 5b-6. What does "You anoint my head with oil" mean? What does it mean to say, "my cup overflows"? 

** Healing through the pouring of His Spirit.

** "Cup" refers to the "exact measure" of the needs you need to fill up, and "overflows" refers to the Lord meeting the need in abundance. 

7. Memorize v. 6. David says, "Surely goodness and love will follow me" (instead of David following goodness and love). What does this suggest to us about the way to live a "fruitful" life? David distinguishes "all the days of my life" from the life that lives in the house of the Lord "forever". What does this distinction indicate about David's view of life? 

** It is for us to look up to Jesus the Lord and follow him as our shepherd. Then very naturally we can bear good fruit like the fruit of being good (in character, or in action, like giving) or the fruit of being kind and gentle to even the unkind and cruel. 

** Our life is eternal, heading toward one destiny which is eternal fellowship with the eternal Father in the eternal Kingdom of God.

The end.