He maketh me to lie down in green pastures = That's Rest! What is sufficient? What Does the Bible Say About Eternal Life? It is no wonder that this Psalm has been a great source of comfort and hope to many in trying times, difficult seasons of life, and even in the face of death. "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life" -- That's the blessing and power of grace, through faith remembering "God is Love," not just words! Entirely and always reliant on our Shepherd, whether we realize it or not. David said I shall not want because God is my Shepherd and will always meet my needs. God anoints your head with oil speaks of being filled with his presence daily. Sheep need guidance to safe pastures, and we too need a Shepherd to guide us to safety and lead us to provision. . God was like a shepherd to David, and David was like a sheep to God. May Our Lord Jesus, The Good Shepherd give us more insight of the Word God so that we can share with others. oil--anointing oil, the symbol of gladness. Psalm 23 is a psalm of King David expressing confidence and trust in the Lord. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his names sake. Thats the ultimate blessing! He leads me in paths of righteousness for his names sake (vv. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord tor ever. The passage begins with this familiar reassurance: "The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.". He leads me in the paths of righteousness = Thats Guidance! It is memorized and repeated in all lands. And it is written: As often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till He come (1 Corinthians 11:26). Only a shepherd could write Psalm 23, and David was a shepherd. He could trust God in the stillness and calmness, and yet still trust him in the valley and chaos. If you pray for help, that could be like an "intervention": be ready for possible interference in your plans that either are or are not in His will. [That boast is like: "I am weak but He strengthens me!"] Under a metaphor borrowed from scenes of pastoral life, with which David was familiar, he describes God's providential care in providing refreshment, guidance, protection, and abundance, and so affording grounds of confidence in His perpetual favor. 5) Psalm 23: Conclusion. . As we embody Psalm 139, we inevitably grow in our self-assurance, God-confidence, and inner contentment. Throughout the chapter, he addresses God by name. David knew that God would restore his soul from a broken and weary state. It is a psalm of life, rest, and peace. All rights reserved. Isaiah 43- 19 For I am about to do something new. Thank God- thy rod and thy staff--are symbols of a shepherd's office. Verse 4. Psalm 23 begins with a powerful statement of declaration by David about who God is to him. I dont know the real author. To God be the Glory! He makes me to lie down in green pastures = That's Rest! And for the sake of His name and His glory, He guides our wills to line up with His. ", Jesus told his disciples to come on and "follow me" now. God knows how to give his children the rest they need to calm their fears and anxiety. "Forever." Heleads me inpaths of righteousness for hisnames sake. Fairchild, Mary. He makes me to lie down in green pastures = Thats Rest! John 10:14 ESV - I am the good shepherd. This is a beautiful picture to share with him. The heavenly shepherd does not always keep His sheep from sorrow, but He is with them in sorrow. The writer uses words like green pastures, still waters and I shall not want. (LogOut/ The picture of the divine Shepherd leading His flock fills the first four verses of Psalm 23. She is wife to an amazing man and mom to two children. If your world seems chaotic or unfulfilling, ask yourself, Am I allowing God to lead me?. Now if the Lord is our Shepherd, that makes us the sheep. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. Very well explained. i would just like to ask for permission to share it.. then ill just include that its from this site and Georgy (you?).. Can you trust him to shepherd you through life? 2He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. In one sense, this was not unusual. Why read it again? 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, Used with permission. God wants an intimate relationship with his children. Shepherds use tools (rod and staff) to lead and guide their sheep. Rest, strange to say, in the past; work in the present; and sorrow, the valley of the shadow, still to come. There will always be valley experience which can and will be restored. Psalm 23 is the most famous of the psalms, a sequence of ancient hymns that comprise a whole book of the Bible. Shepherds often risked their own lives to rescue their sheep. Choose a verse from 'Psalms 23' to begin your 'Verse-by-Verse' study of God's Word using the more than 100 commentaries available on StudyLight.org. Someone or something will lead us through life. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. I shall not want = That's Supply! David ends this rich Psalm with a picture of Gods grace, presence, and favor following him all the days of his life. And how does it relate to us as children of God today?". God bless you and grsnt you more insight into His word in Jesus name, amen. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. Under a metaphor borrowed from scenes of pastoral life, with which David was familiar, he describes God's providential care in providing refreshment, guidance, protection, and abundance, and so affording grounds of confidence in His perpetual favor. Additionally, because they are dumb, sheep wander off and get lost, putting themselves in great danger. John 10:11 ESV - I am the good shepherd. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. As the apostle Paul puts it, For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:10). For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.. But it is for us. We Are Carriers of God's Presence & Glory!! What Does it Mean That Jesus Was Gods Begotten Son? ", and Bible resources, we can enjoy it so much. Now notice the next sentence in the text, My cup runneth over. God's blessing here and hereafter is more than we can receive. I almost skipped it, but decided to read it again. But even there, the Shepherd is with us and we need fear no evil. Another figure expresses God's provided care. The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want . Psalm 23 is one of the most recognizable chapters in the entire Bible. In 2 Timothy 3:1617, Paul writes, All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.. The Power Of Confessing God's word on daily basis. Thou preparesta table before me in the presence of mine enemies = It is a calming assurance that comes with choosing to abide daily in Gods presence. The Lord is my Shepherd: Psalm 23 Explained, Jesus was the Shepherd who became a sheep, The 7 "I Am" Statements of Jesus Explained, 10 Bible Verses that Have Changed My Life. He restores my soul. A shepherd cares deeply not only for all his sheep as a whole but also for each and every single one. Listen to this beautiful song titled Psalm 23 by the Zoe Group. In spiritual communion with Him, the hungry heart finds food that satisfies. About Mary. It shows us how God is a sustainer, a guide, a leader, a provider, the ever-present one, and an amazing host who has prepared a table of abundance before us to feast on. Another ancient custom of a host was to anoint the heads of guests with oil as they prepared to eat. We often hear it recited at church or during times of mourning, yet its more than just a beautiful, poetic stanza. This speaks of blessings and abundance that are visible for all to see. This Psalm happens to be one of the most memorized and remains an all-time favorite chapter of the Bible. It is in Gods presence that we grow, change, and are transformed forever. He will never fail us, and Hell make sure that justice prevails. I shall not want because God, as a good shepherd, will ensure I have everything I need. It is a calming assurance that comes with choosing to abide daily in Gods presence. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. This verse also talks about rest and comfort. The Lords covenant with us will last for all eternity. It is memorized and repeated in all lands. 1The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. This is because he had come to understand that the Shepherd was everything to the sheep. "I shall not want" -- That's the source for your needs: your Shepherd supplies the way, truth and the life! As guests of the Lord, we can dine safely, even in the presence of our enemies. Even when faced with death, we dont need to be afraid. Praying will help you as well. God is right by your side walking you through life. I heard a pastor say that this verse clearly states that the valleys of life are to be walked through, but some people tend to put up a tent and camp there. We have need of nothing because our Shepherd provides everything. The meaning of Psalm 23 starts with a beautiful picture of joy, peace, rest, and abundance. So, too, the very sheep of the Lord's pasture are to be oil-anointed guests. The enemy cannot stop the blessings of God in your life because God has chosen to bless you abundantly right before their watching eyes. Submit your request and our prayer team will pray for you. Titus 1:7 ESV - For an overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach. Psalm 23 ends with these words And I shalldwellin the house of theLord forever. Thats right! For the more we know him, the more we become confident of his love, grace, and blessings. The devil wants you to feel guilty, but do not listen to him. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning (Psalm 30:5). He begins Psalm 23 with this sentence, The Lord is my Shepherd. This article has been viewed 191,942 times. God's goodness means that they have nothing to fear: whatever happens to them, God will be with them. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. The woman in the gospel story poured the box of precious ointment upon the head of our Lord, (Matthew 26:6-7) a custom which the host who had invited Him had shamefully neglected. The Lord is my Shepherd A Powerful Declaration of Faith, The Lord is my Shepherd An Assurance of My God-Given Identity, The Lord is my Shepherd Provider, Sustainer, and Guide, The Lord is my Shepherd Shield and Protector. He took care of and protected flocks of sheep, and he wrote this psalm describing God as a shepherd and Gods people as His flock. Enjoy! Sheep are pretty helpless animals, unable to defend themselves. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside still waters. 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 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Most account it to be a psalm of David's maturity, but with vivid remembrance of his youth as a shepherd. As you walk through life, will you trust God to lead and guide you into the fullness of his purpose for your life? (LogOut/ When the three young men of Babylon found themselves in the fire for conscience's sake, the form of the Fourth walked with them in the flames. 5 Lessons I Learned From Psalm 23 How To Rest Your Mind From Worrying | Day 1 God Wants To Restore You | Day 2 Feeling Lost And Confused? And I will dwell in the house of the Lord = Thats Security! Verses 4 and 5 confirm this as well. How can I share this on my Facebook page for all my friends to read? Does the Pandemic Still Affect Church Attendance? Are you a child of God? Then we shall dwell in the house of the Lord for ever., God Help Me: Find help in every time of need. Im passing them along in the hopes they will challenge you, too. Praise the Lord for his love for us.He is a good sherperd who always take care of his sheep.Thank you Lord for your mercy for us the sinners. 56). Beautiful explanation of psalm 23, thank you! Now it is more than rest or workit is conflict. He is, indeed, worthy of our worship and praise. "Lessons From Psalm 23: The Lord Is My Shepherd." Matthew 9:36 ESV - When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. In John 10:11, Jesus declared, I am the good shepherd. 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