Who is your Shepherd?
PSALM 23
1 The Lord is my shepherd;
I have what I need.
2 He lets me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside quiet waters.
3 He renews my life;
he leads me along the right paths[a]
for his name’s sake.
4 Even when I go through the darkest valley,[b]
I fear no danger,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff—they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Only goodness and faithful love will pursue me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
as long as I live. —PSALM 23 CSB
1. The Lord Cares for His People (vv. 1-3)
6 We all went astray like sheep; we all have turned to our own way; and the LORD has punished him for the iniquity of us all. —Isaiah 53:6 CSB
“Psalm 23, Antithesis”
The clock is my dictator, I shall not rest.
It makes me lie down only when exhausted.
It leads me into deep depression.
It hounds my soul.
It leads me in circles of frenzy, for activities sake.
Even though I run frantically from task to task, I will never get it all done,
For my ideal is with me.
Deadlines and my need for approval, they drive me.
They demand performance from me, beyond the limits of my schedule.
They anoint my head with migraines,
My in-basket overflows.
Surely fatigue and time pressures shall follow me
All the days of my life.
And I will dwell in the bonds of frustration forever
—Marcia Hornok
2. The Lord Protects His People (v. 4)
“8I always let the Lord guide me.
Because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.” —PSALM 16:8 CSB“It is not that Christ is closer in the valley, but that we realize in the valley how close he has always been.” —Dale Ralph Davis
3. The Lord is a Generous Host (vv. 5-6)
“Goodness takes care of your steps; mercy takes care of my stumbles.”
—John Phillips