23 and Me (Psalm 23)

Pastor John:
“The first couple times I read Psalm 23, I just read it to read it. I read it in between meetings, while preparing to do something else, and when my mind was focused on other things. But since my life was so cluttered for a couple days, it didn’t resonate with me like it should have.

Then I took the time to declutter my mind and be present with God.

I prayed and spent some time reflecting on my life and read it again. That time I let the Psalm sink in and it read differently. It read differently because I had to declutter my life so that I could read it with my eyes and my heart.””

If your life is as cluttered as your junk email this Psalm won’t sink in like it should.

Read Psalm 23 three times in a row.
When you do, it will sink in and help you to connect your heart to the heart of God.

Psalm 23 is one of the most read and quoted section of scripture in the entire Bible.

We can look at Psalm 23 from three different perspectives. Each perspective will give us a deeper understanding of the Psalm and why it connects our heart with the very heart of God.

Psalm 23 from three points of view

The first perspective is through David’s eyes.

The second perspective is through God’s eyes.

The third perspective is through our eyes.

David wrote Psalm 23.

He was a shepherd long before he was anointed as king. As a young man he was responsible to lead the sheep out to graze. He was also responsible to protect the sheep from predators and from themselves.

Shepherd’s Staff

• A good walking aid, it’s good for leaning on
• You can poke a sheep to get it to move forward
• Bump a sheep on the side to get it to turn
• The hook on the top is to pull a sheep out of danger or stop it from walking
• You can also use it to whack predators
  

Sheep need to be provided for, protected, and corrected. That is the shepherds’ job.

• At times there is ample grass for the sheep to eat but in other times David would have had to lead them to greener pastures.
  

• The shepherd goes before his flock, he would have led them. The sheep would have known David’s voice and followed him.
  

• David would not have been behind the sheep hitting them with his staff, he would have been out front leading them to where they needed to go.
  

• If the flock knows where to go, they will often walk ahead of the shepherd, but only if they know where they are going
  

• They also know the shepherd is close at hand to protect them from any danger so the sheep are very trusting of their shepherds.
  

Psalm 23
“The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.”
Psalm 23

David’s Eyes

David sees God as his protector, provider, and corrector.

David views the Lord as his shepherd, the one who leads him like a shepherd his sheep. He is willing to follow his shepherd because he understands that his shepherd is there to help him because he is loved and wanted.

David knows that the Lord will provide for him even in the hardest of times because God is still with him.

God’s Eyes

From God’s eyes, he is the good shepherd who provides, protects, and corrects his children.

He makes sure his children lack nothing. He corrects his kids when they need correcting and leads them where they need to go, be, or rest. God refreshes a believer’s soul, the very essence of who one is. He will never abandon his sheep.

God provides, protects, and corrects His children, those who believe and trust Him. Those who trust Him have nothing to fear because God is greater than any danger they could possibly encounter.

Our Eyes

Viewing this Psalm through our eyes brings comfort because we know that God is our provider, protector, and corrector.

Our shepherd is none other than the Lord Jesus himself, the Good Shepherd.

Jesus himself tells us that he is the Good Shepherd.

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”
John 10:11

The authors of Hebrews also affirm this

“Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep,..”
Hebrews 13:20

So does Peter

“And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.”
1 Peter 5:4

Jesus is your protector, provider, and corrector.

“The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.”
Psalm 23:1-3

Because Jesus is your shepherd, you lack for nothing. He will make you rest when you need it. He will lead you wherever he sees best for you. And when things get dark, God is still with you and is still leading you.

Sheep on a hot day:

• Know the road they are on is taking them to a new place to graze and rest.
• Don’t complain that the road is hard and hot and question why they are walking on the roads that they are.
• Follow the shepherds, they trusted that the shepherd knew what was best for them.
  

“Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.”
Psalm 23:4

God’s rod and staff are symbolic of God correcting and protecting His children. Sometimes when God disciplines us, it’s not pleasant but it is necessary.

For example, if you are going the wrong direction, he may bring someone into your life to correct you. If you have some bad thoughts, he may convict you so that you repent.

It’s like strength or endurance training. You work hard, you sweat, you pant, your muscles hurt, but all of that pain helps you to gain strength or endurance.

When God corrects us, it may sting, but it’s always for our good.

“You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.”
Psalm 23:5-6

God is preparing a place for you in heaven.
For all that you have endured, all that you have gone through, all the people who were against you because you had faith in Christ, everything will be made right as you are welcomed into the presence of God.

Psalm 23 is your Psalm.

God used David to write it under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and gives it to you to strengthen your faith and give you peace. God is your provider, protector, and corrector. He is the Good Shepherd, so trust Him.

“We are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.
Psalm 100:3

Will you surrender your situation to the Good Shepherd today?
Your struggles, your addiction, your pain from the past or even current situations?

Will you trust God to provide for you?
To provide the finances you need, the friends you desire, and the peace you long for?

Will you trust God to protect you?
Your heart, your emotions, and your physical body?

Will you be open to God’s correction?
When you sense God correcting you don’t fight it, lean into it. God is leading you where you need to go and helping you to be the person He wants you to be. Don’t fight against correction, embrace it even if it stings.

We do not naturally belong to the Lord’s flock.
We are orphans and need to be brought into the fold of the True Shepherd.

If you are a believer, you know you are loved and wanted by God.

If you want the Lord God to be your shepherd, he wants to, just invite him into your life.