But the love for our Saviour is great, with us waiting patiently for a time all these woes will come to an end. Major Prophets The enemy was strongly entrenched there, and was determined to stay. A poor man may say this as well as those in higher circumstances, What, all this, and Jesus Christ too?[6]. GenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyJoshuaJudgesRuth1 Samuel2 Samuel1 Kings2 Kings1 Chronicles2 ChroniclesEzraNehemiahEstherJobPsalmsProverbsEcclesiastesSong of SongsIsaiahJeremiahLamentationsEzekielDanielHoseaJoelAmosObadiahJonahMicahNahumHabakkukZephaniahHaggaiZechariahMalachiMatthewMarkLukeJohnActsRomans1 Corinthians2 CorinthiansGalatiansEphesiansPhilippiansColossians1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians1 Timothy2 TimothyTitusPhilemonHebrewsJames1 Peter2 Peter1 John2 John3 JohnJudeRevelation, Select a Beginning Point He who turns the ebb into the flood can soon restore our soul. Psalm 22 Part 2 - It is finished, He has done it! The shepherd is also a guide who leads the flock on the right path. Though the majority of the occurrences of hesed are translated steadfast love, there are undeniable elements of mercy and kindness that underlie each of these occurrences (Renn, 633-634). a. Fortunately, I had insurance that would allow my family to weather the storm financially. It is well to know, as certainly as David did, that we belong to the Lord. Notice the following -. [12] You will only be able to say that if you have truly come to know the Lord Jesus as your Shepherd. But despite this I got on with her pretty well. When I was serving in Vietnam as a chaplain, I visited soldiers in the A Shau Valley near Laos. Below are some of his most touching and eloquent comments on each verse. [1], It is not only I do not want, but I shall not want. Come what may, if famine should devastate the land, or calamity destroy the city, I shall not want. Old age with its feebleness shall not bring me any lack, and even death with its gloom shall not find me destitute. Luke-Acts You will have much more pressing concerns. But he also knew something else. When things were hard for Joe Christian you would hear the pastor encourage him saying 'Jesus will never leave or forsake you - take heart!' Not to raging waves of strife, but to peaceful streams of holy love does the Spirit of God conduct the chosen sheep. Do you? Wisdom Literature You are mine. ISBN 10: 0785250662 ISBN 13: . It has remanded to their dungeon more felon thoughts, more black doubts, more thieving sorrows, than there are sands on the sea-shore. General Epistles GenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyJoshuaJudgesRuth1 Samuel2 Samuel1 Kings2 Kings1 Chronicles2 ChroniclesEzraNehemiahEstherJobPsalmsProverbsEcclesiastesSong of SongsIsaiahJeremiahLamentationsEzekielDanielHoseaJoelAmosObadiahJonahMicahNahumHabakkukZephaniahHaggaiZechariahMalachiMatthewMarkLukeJohnActsRomans1 Corinthians2 CorinthiansGalatiansEphesiansPhilippiansColossians1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians1 Timothy2 TimothyTitusPhilemonHebrewsJames1 Peter2 Peter1 John2 John3 JohnJudeRevelation, Select a Beginning Point 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. Rest -- for He makes me to lie down in green pastures. However, the oil does not just protect the sheep from nuisance. Everyone knows this psalm even non-Christians have heard it because it seems to be a favourite at their funerals. SCRIPTURE QUOTATIONS are from the World English Bible (WEB), a public domain (no copyright) modern English translation of the Holy Bible. In Psalm 22 He dies; in Psalm 23 He is living; in Psalm 24 He is coming. Not will be, like you look forward to something He will do but IS - present tense. Our website uses cookies to store user preferences. [9] These are the paths we should desire and actively seek. This is seen in the following table: [2]. The rest of the Psalm exhibits the shepherding care of God that is essential to life. Johannine Writings The sheep would experience excruciating pain that they would bash their heads against trees and rocks for relief. To walk indicates the steady advance of a soul which knows its road, knows its end, resolves to follow the path, feels quite safe, and is therefore perfectly calm and composed Observe that it is not walking in the valley, but through the valley. Comfort -- for your rod and Thy staff comfort me. The MacArthur Bible Commentary. This is a fact as indisputable as it is encouraging, and therefore a heavenly verily, or surely is set as a seal upon it. Oh! This is a great shame because it is not a psalm of death! To be invited to Gods table is the ultimate honor. Prophets And he awaits the day when the great shepherd will become the chief Shepherd and shall come in the skies. God's eternal desire is that He would have many sons and daughters who display His glory and light within them. Psalm 23 is written by David who grew up as a shepherd. Together with goodness it suggests the steady kindness and support that one can count on in the family or between firm friends. (Kidner), ii. Obviously it means that with the Lord protecting and providing for us then we shall not lack that which He knows we need. Otherwise you will be prompted again when opening a new browser window or new a tab. In the ancient Near East, the shepherd was a royal metaphor. The Analogy of God and the Shepherd in Psalm 23, The Lord As A Shepherd Who Provides (Verse 1), The Lord As A Shepherd Who Guides (Verses 2-3), The Protection And Comfort From Gods Presence (Verse 4), The Blessings of God Amidst Danger (Verse 5), Faith-Filled Content Delivered To Your Inbox, Best NASB Study Bibles Ranked & Reviewed, The Best Bible for Young Adults: Buyers Guide. Then from the pulpit you would hear the same person say that if you didn't do this, this, and this you could lose your salvation or the Holy Spirit would leave you etc. So for now, let us follow our Lord where He would lead. David had had the highs of defeating Goliath to the lows of running for his life and hiding in caves from Saul. (Whew!) Dying soldiers have died easier as it was read to them; ghastly hospitals have been illuminated; it has visited the prisoner, and broken his chains, and, like Peter's angel, led him forth in imagination, and sung him back to his home again. Wisdom Literature But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site. The shepherds rod was a sturdy club for use against wild animals that would otherwise prey on the sheep. Major Prophets Pastor John MacArthur. Lie down in green pastures quiet waters - But thank Jesus our great Shepherd that He does bring us to green pastures and quiet waters. There you have it. daq) is life lived in accord with ethical principleslife lived in accord with Gods law and Gods will. Now I want to break this first verse up into each little section so that we can get a better grasp as to what David was saying. The profound way of weaving Davids testimony to bring glory to God through this Psalm is utterly magnificent. God is. 'Blessed be the day on which that Psalm was born! In extreme cases where a lamb continually wandered off and wouldn't stick with the pack (causing the Shepherd to repeatedly have to go and bring the lamb back) the Shepherd would sometimes break the lamb's leg! The Hebrew word tob has a variety of meanings, such as good, moral, profitable, or plentiful. The rod and staff were comforting to the sheep, because both were intended for the sheeps benefit. The Hebrew word for staff (mishaynaw) seems to speak of a support in the sense of a walking stick. The Whole Bible The MacArthur Bible Commentary treats every passage of the Old and New Testaments phrase by phrase, with hundreds of word studies and sidebars throughout. Psalm 23 brings encouragement and a great reminder that God is our shepherd and He will never abandon us. His past death for His people As someone who worked as a shepherd before, David knew that shepherds live with their flock and are everything to it: guide, protector, and source of provision. But mostly, they were comforting because they were in the hands of a caring shepherd. When the sheep are hungry or are anxious about food, they cant lie down peacefully. The sense of this verse then is that, because God is loving and kind, his people can expect God to provide blessings throughout life. A servant abideth not in the house for ever, but the son abideth ever. 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 forever. God anoints His people with oil just like how shepherds anoint their sheep with oil. The Hebrew word for rod (shaybet) here seems to simply mean a stick with a variety of applications. c. I will fear no evil: Despite every dark association with the idea of the valley of the shadow of death, David could resolutely say this because he was under the care of the LORD his shepherd. The rod of Jesse shall still be over me as the sovereign succor of my soul.[5]. The light shines the brightest in the dark. And, then, it is not the valley of death, but the valley of the shadow of death, for death in its substance has been removed, and only the shadow of it remains Nobody is afraid of a shadow, for a shadow cannot stop a mans pathway even for a moment. Passwords should have at least 6 characters. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. Readers benefit from the coherence a single commentator provides, finding faithful, understandable, and . When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; There was no fear involved. Still, David has decided to praise God no matter what happens. Gods shepherding care from the previous verse brought restoration to Davids soul. I started off by saying that I wanted to have a look at what is probably the most popular chapter in the entire Old Testament. To call God a shepherd is to acknowledge His sovereignty over their lives and submit to His will. He had been chased and pursued as he ran from his enemies who sought to take his life. David wrote Psalm 23 based on his experiences with God. Let us not, therefore, be afraid. The comforts of a living saint. Thankfully I didn't go far down that track but it can plant this little seed of fear in your mind if you let it. (Jer 23:1-4, Ezek 34:1-10) Work to be a faithful shepherd realising that it is God's own sheep that He has placed in your care. It is a song of gratitude that resonates with the author's heart and trust in God. Kansas City, Missouri 64118, 2017 The Spurgeon Center and Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. How would it be with you if God had filled your cup in proportion to your faith? When God anoints us with His oil, He guards us against the parasites of this world that seek to destroy us. 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. He does not say there shall not be any evil; he had got beyond even that high assurance, and knew that Jesus had put all evil away; but I will fear no evil; not even the Evil One himself; I will not dread the last enemy, I will look upon him as a conquered foe, an enemy to be destroyed, For thou art with me. Companionship -- for you are with me. Sun Valley, CA 91352 The anointing of oil to the sheep isnt just a meaningless ritual. The image exudes a sense of rest, comfort, and care. (23) Seller Location . Usernames should only contain letters, numbers, dots, dashes, or underscores. It adorns walls in faithful churches and fills frames in Christian homes. David experienced the goodness and mercy of God from His tender care. They know that through all things, Jesus is a good shepherd. He had known famine. Do we not gain comfort from the fact that it is Almighty God who is our Shepherd? No, we are not talking here about genuine needs, not greed'! Luke-Acts Gods presence removed the fear in David and comforted him. [7] Do you have this same confidence that David had? Pray to him, then, for the blessingRestore thou me, thou Shepherd of my soul!, Some Christians overlook the blessing of sanctification, and yet to a thoroughly renewed heart this is one of the sweetest gifts of the covenant. The psalmist has been talking about God in the third person (he). I will sanctify my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst; and the nations shall know that I am Yahweh, says the Lord Yahweh, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes (Ezekiel 36:22-23). Psalm 40 - The Pit and the Pierced Ear in the Paths of God, Psalm 41: The pattern of betrayal - Past, present and future (P1), Psalm 55: The pattern of betrayal: Past, present and future (P2), Psalm 69 - The restoration and the zeal of the Lord, Psalm 102 - Change and the Unchangeable One, Psalm 110: Jesus the Messiah - Our Lord and King, Psalm 110: Jesus our priest in the order of Melchizedek. Almost 25 years ago, I was diagnosed with colon cancer. 6 Surely goodness and loving kindness shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in Yahwehs house forever. Not many people receive such an invitation, and even fewer receive more than one. Kidner notes: The rod (a cudgel worn at the belt) and staff (to walk with, and to round up the flock) were the shepherds weapon and implement: the former for defence (cf. The shepherds guidance not only comforted and restored David but also led His sheep to righteousness. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: The hosts care brought the goodness and mercy of God to David, and he lived in the faithful expectation of it continuing all the days of his life. The center point of this psalm is for you are with me. In the original Hebrew language, there are 26 words before this phrase, and 26 afterwards (Limburg, 74). GenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyJoshuaJudgesRuth1 Samuel2 Samuel1 Kings2 Kings1 Chronicles2 ChroniclesEzraNehemiahEstherJobPsalmsProverbsEcclesiastesSong of SongsIsaiahJeremiahLamentationsEzekielDanielHoseaJoelAmosObadiahJonahMicahNahumHabakkukZephaniahHaggaiZechariahMalachiMatthewMarkLukeJohnActsRomans1 Corinthians2 CorinthiansGalatiansEphesiansPhilippiansColossians1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians1 Timothy2 TimothyTitusPhilemonHebrewsJames1 Peter2 Peter1 John2 John3 JohnJudeRevelation, Use semicolons to separate groups: 'Gen;Jdg;Psa-Mal' or 'Rom 3-12;Mat 1:15;Mat 5:12-22', There are options set in 'Advanced Options', The Whole Bible The gist of Psalm 23 is that God is our shepherd who always provides and protects. Everything will be ok. 5Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. We need 2 cookies to store this setting. Mercy is the covenant-word rendered steadfast love elsewhere. GenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyJoshuaJudgesRuth1 Samuel2 Samuel1 Kings2 Kings1 Chronicles2 ChroniclesEzraNehemiahEstherJobPsalmsProverbsEcclesiastesSong of SongsIsaiahJeremiahLamentationsEzekielDanielHoseaJoelAmosObadiahJonahMicahNahumHabakkukZephaniahHaggaiZechariahMalachiMatthewMarkLukeJohnActsRomans1 Corinthians2 CorinthiansGalatiansEphesiansPhilippiansColossians1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians1 Timothy2 TimothyTitusPhilemonHebrewsJames1 Peter2 Peter1 John2 John3 JohnJudeRevelation, Select an Ending Point A verification email has been sent to the address you provided. The paths that the Shepherd takes us on are the righteous or 'right' paths. GenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyJoshuaJudgesRuth1 Samuel2 Samuel1 Kings2 Kings1 Chronicles2 ChroniclesEzraNehemiahEstherJobPsalmsProverbsEcclesiastesSong of SongsIsaiahJeremiahLamentationsEzekielDanielHoseaJoelAmosObadiahJonahMicahNahumHabakkukZephaniahHaggaiZechariahMalachiMatthewMarkLukeJohnActsRomans1 Corinthians2 CorinthiansGalatiansEphesiansPhilippiansColossians1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians1 Timothy2 TimothyTitusPhilemonHebrewsJames1 Peter2 Peter1 John2 John3 JohnJudeRevelation, Select an Ending Point It is great advice but more than likely it is the most highlighted passage because people are in desperate need to remember it! There is no if nor but, nor even I hope so; but he says, The Lord is my shepherd. (Charles Spurgeon). 3He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his names sake. 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! Major Prophets You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Sometimes those paths lead straight through the valley of the shadow of death. He had not only enough, a cup full, but more than enough, a cup which overflowed. But, it does entitle David to experience Gods provision and providence in their midst. Included in the "better" provisions are: a better hope . In the Old Testament, prophets were anointed (1 Kings 19:16). Anointing with oil was used for various purposes (healing, burial, expressing grief or joy). Countless experts also argued that David wrote it during the later years of his kingship because of its nostalgic and tranquil tone. If we could be saved from wrath, and yet remain unregenerate, impenitent sinners, we should not be saved as we desire, for we mainly and chiefly pant to be saved from sin and led in the way of holiness.[4]. You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. Blue Letter Bible study tools make reading, searching and studying the Bible easy and rewarding. GenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyJoshuaJudgesRuth1 Samuel2 Samuel1 Kings2 Kings1 Chronicles2 ChroniclesEzraNehemiahEstherJobPsalmsProverbsEcclesiastesSong of SongsIsaiahJeremiahLamentationsEzekielDanielHoseaJoelAmosObadiahJonahMicahNahumHabakkukZephaniahHaggaiZechariahMalachiMatthewMarkLukeJohnActsRomans1 Corinthians2 CorinthiansGalatiansEphesiansPhilippiansColossians1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians1 Timothy2 TimothyTitusPhilemonHebrewsJames1 Peter2 Peter1 John2 John3 JohnJudeRevelation, Select a Beginning Point If you are truly saved He will never leave you all the days of your life! The Believer's Confession of Sin. Prophets Please see Blue Letter Bible's Privacy Policy for cookie usage details. The good man has his enemies. b. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death: This line from the psalm and the psalm as a whole has proven itself precious to many a dying saint through the ages. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters., God as a shepherd knows where to lead His flock to rest. and I will dwell in Yahwehs (Hebrew: YHWH) house forever (v. 6b). The word hesed also has a variety of meanings kindness, lovingkindness, mercy, goodness, faithfulness, or love. God shines His light into our lives. There is no fear of biting the bare ground where the grass is long enough for the flock to lie down in it. The Old Testament Pauline Epistles Nothing is hurried, there is no confusion, no disturbance, the enemy is at the door and yet God prepares a table, and the Christian sits down and eats as if everything were in perfect peace. (Spurgeon). The concept dates back to the Book of Genesis when Jacob referred to the LORD as the Shepherd and the Rock of Israel (Genesis 49:24). David claimed that the same God who faithfully rescued the Israelites from Egypt and provided guidance and provision in the wilderness is the same faithful God he served. It is a song of gratitude that resonates with the authors heart and trust in God. God ultimately protects and provides for His flock and does everything in His power to care for them. Priests were anointed (Exodus 40:13-15). So life here for our sheep is one of continual green pastures. He guides me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Click to enable/disable Google reCaptcha. To experience the care and guidance of God as a shepherd, we must identify ourselves as His sheep. Title The entire collection of Psalms is entitled "Praises" in the Hebrew text. Poetical Books Check to enable permanent hiding of message bar and refuse all cookies if you do not opt in. Email / username or password was incorrect! The Middle Eastern shepherds in Israel didn't drive their sheep their sheep followed them. Anderson, A.A., The New Century Bible Commentary: Psalms 1-72 (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1972), Broyles, Craig C., New International Biblical Commentary: Psalms (Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, 1999, Brueggemann, Walter, The Message of the Psalms A Theological Commentary (Minneapolis: Augsburg Press, 1984), Clifford, Richard J., Abingdon Old Testament Commentaries: Psalms 1-72 (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2002), Craigie, Peter C., Word Biblical Commentary, Psalms 1-50, Vol. That seldom accomplishes His purposes and the rest of the Psalm show that these things do occur. He lived in the confident hope that it would continue for the rest of his life. nicotine test before plastic surgery, 2022 honda pilot vs 2021 honda pilot,
