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. The gist of Psalm 23 is that God is our shepherd who always provides and protects. 3 He restores my soul. But we need to learn to lie down. They know that through all things, Jesus is a good shepherd. Psalm 23 is an explicit metaphor that displays the relationship between God and His people. Regardless of destitution, famine, storms, and other uncertainties, Gods flock is well-provided for in all seasons. 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. I shall not want can translate to I have no lack. 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. Topical Series; DVD Series; Bible Series; Flash Drives; Bundles . In Psalm 22 He is the foundation; in Psalm 23 He is the manifestation; in Psalm 24 He is the expectation. c. You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over: Despite the dangers about and the presence of enemies, David enjoyed the richness of his hosts goodness. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. Pastor John MacArthur | The MacArthur Commentaries Grace to You. One can rightly say that we face only the shadow of death because Jesus took the full reality of death in our place. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. The promises are for those who have been born again not those who simply like the sound of it for a funeral! Pests would crawl through the ear canal of an unoiled sheep and lay in its brain. Johannine Writings In the Old Testament world, to eat and drink at someones table created a bond of mutual loyalty, and could be the culminated token of a covenant. The shadow of a dog cannot bite; the shadow of a sword cannot kill; the shadow of death cannot destroy us. (Spurgeon), iii. I had good medical care. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. However, many scholars believed David wrote it during his kingship (around 1000 BC to 993 BC). Here the second allegory begins. You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. As you survey your life, what path has God led and guided you through? Believe with the same confidence David had. Jesus honors us by inviting us to his table, saying, This is my body that is for you. I think if we could just grasp this first verse alone our hearts could then rest. The primary responsibility of a shepherd is to ensure the well-being and safety of the flock. So though 3000 years old it is extremely relevant for our lives today! David envisioned God as a benevolent host who prepared a grand banquet. (Whew!) 'My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. He leads me. The New Testament speaks of Jesus as anointed (Luke 4:18; John 20:31; Acts 5:42; Hebrews 1:9, etc.). Entdecke The Macarthur Bible Commentary by John MacArthur (2005, Hardcover) in groer Auswahl Vergleichen Angebote und Preise Online kaufen bei eBay Kostenlose Lieferung fr viele Artikel! I'll close with this for is gives a great summary of the wonderful provision of God as outlined in this Psalm. God does not eliminate the risks and hazards but will illuminate His presence. Notably, David recognized that under the shepherds leading, he may walk through the valley of the shadow of death. conservative Christian faith, which includes a firm belief in the inerrancy He first spoke them for Israels sake, but he caused Isaiah to record them for our sake. PSALM 23:1-4. But if it is an honor to be invited to the Presidents home, it is an infinitely greater honor to be invited to the Lords house. Pauline Epistles Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website, refusing them will have impact how our site functions. Pastor John MacArthur | The MacArthur Commentaries Grace to You. GenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyJoshuaJudgesRuth1 Samuel2 Samuel1 Kings2 Kings1 Chronicles2 ChroniclesEzraNehemiahEstherJobPsalmsProverbsEcclesiastesSong of SongsIsaiahJeremiahLamentationsEzekielDanielHoseaJoelAmosObadiahJonahMicahNahumHabakkukZephaniahHaggaiZechariahMalachiMatthewMarkLukeJohnActsRomans1 Corinthians2 CorinthiansGalatiansEphesiansPhilippiansColossians1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians1 Timothy2 TimothyTitusPhilemonHebrewsJames1 Peter2 Peter1 John2 John3 JohnJudeRevelation. Pentateuch Share. It included the most highlighted passage in the Bible which turned out to be this passage: Philippians 4:6-7 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Now mine was a recent silly example. God saved (Israel) for his names sake, that he might make his mighty power known (Psalm 106:8). Psalm 23 commentary is a holy piece of work that exudes different kinds of emotions. Do this in remembrance of me. Paul affirms the importance of this table ministry when he says, For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lords death until he comes (1 Corinthians 11:24, 26). Shepherds feed the flock and herd them to good forage areas. God is like a shepherd to David. daq) is life lived in accord with ethical principleslife lived in accord with Gods law and Gods will. Blue Letter Bible study tools make reading, searching and studying the Bible easy and rewarding. 2He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. Jesus told the Samaritan woman, If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, Give me a drink, you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water (John 4:10). Many people succumb to their hopelessness and fear. 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. In 1969, after graduating from Talbot Theological Seminary, John came to Grace Community Church. Nothing is outside of His control. It is true that in extreme cases the shepherd would break the leg of the lamb. Psalm 23 is undoubtedly one of the most well-known passages in Scripture. can be seen as comforting for it is a sign that He loves us scripture says (Heb 12:6). Maybe this verse should have read 'though I close my eyes and sprint through the valley of the shadow of death' This verse speaks to us of the trying times in our lives where there is darkness, confusion and fear. There are few experiences in life that would be more satisfying. We might say that the shepherds presence did not eliminate the presence of evil, but certainly the fear of evil. (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1979-1988), Brown, Francis; Driver, S.R. David found him so, and so have we. We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. GenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyJoshuaJudgesRuth1 Samuel2 Samuel1 Kings2 Kings1 Chronicles2 ChroniclesEzraNehemiahEstherJobPsalmsProverbsEcclesiastesSong of SongsIsaiahJeremiahLamentationsEzekielDanielHoseaJoelAmosObadiahJonahMicahNahumHabakkukZephaniahHaggaiZechariahMalachiMatthewMarkLukeJohnActsRomans1 Corinthians2 CorinthiansGalatiansEphesiansPhilippiansColossians1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians1 Timothy2 TimothyTitusPhilemonHebrewsJames1 Peter2 Peter1 John2 John3 JohnJudeRevelation, Select a Beginning Point It is for 'His name's sake' that He does this. Gods shepherding care from the previous verse brought restoration to Davids soul. Gods motivations for treating His people rightly stem from the perfection and goodness of His nature. Pastor and teacher John MacArthur covers the complete Bibleevery passage of the Old and New . What He is leading, guiding and teaching us is firstly about the inward change to the circumstance even if outwardly things remain the same. John 3:16, Jesus faith love), The Whole Bible [1] It is a Psalm that encompasses our live here and even extends into eternity future. A shepherd would prepare a table for his sheep by scouting ahead to find good pastureland free from predators and poisonous plants. Sermon. Hundreds of additional study tools complement the commentary, such as. But he would then carry that lamb while its leg mended and apparently, once healed, that lamb would never wander off from the shepherd again. The instruments used by the shepherd comforted David. It has sung courage to the army of the disappointed. 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. i. In the United States, a signal honor would be an invitation to stay overnight in the Lincoln bedroom in the White House. But it is still the path that leads to righteousness. Yea, 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, they comfort me.. 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. In light of all these truths, we must respond promptly. They are still waters, for the Holy Ghost loves peace, and sounds no trumpet of ostentation in his operations. You prepare a table (Hebrew: sulhan) before me in the presence of my enemies (v. 5a). Recognizing the value of consistent reflection upon the Word of God in order to refocus one's mind and heart upon Christ and His Gospel of peace, we provide several reading plans designed to cover the entire Bible in a year. Historical Books It is great advice but more than likely it is the most highlighted passage because people are in desperate need to remember it! You will have much more pressing concerns. When I was serving in Vietnam as a chaplain, I visited soldiers in the A Shau Valley near Laos. 27:1). [12] You will only be able to say that if you have truly come to know the Lord Jesus as your Shepherd. This is the condition of Gods servant always conflict, but always a spread table. (Maclaren), ii. Anyway, we might have been being a tad naughty but the principle can be quite helpful and this is what I will do with this first verse. Priests were anointed (Exodus 40:13-15). In the presence of my enemies: This is a striking phrase. Still, David has decided to praise God no matter what happens. Everyone knows this psalm even non-Christians have heard it because it seems to be a favourite at their funerals. It is well to know, as certainly as David did, that we belong to the Lord. But he also knew, through many highs and lows, throughout his life, that he too was but a sheep with a far greater Shepherd. Psalms 25:4-5 Make me know Your ways, O LORD; Teach me Your paths. He leads me - Jesus our Shepherd is in the business of leading and bringing you to a place of rest. Psalm 23 Many of David's psalms are full of complaints, but this is full of comforts, and the expressions of delight in God's great goodness and dependence upon him. Do you? David wrote about this in Psalm 25. John MacArthur (b. He guides me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. What great confidence! 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 Shepherd, the Host, and the Highway Patrol Summer Psalms. Psalm 23:4 Your rod and your staff, they comfort me. With no one to turn to, we develop true and steadfast love and trust in the Lord. He served them bread, saying, Take, eat; this is my body. Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, saying, Drink from it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins (Matthew 26:26-28).