A BIBLE STUDY OF THE 23rd PSALM
The 23rd Psalm. It is a very familiar passage, we generally hear it at funerals. Most of us can quote the first few verses by memory, some can quote the entire chapter. Let’s look into what it actually means. We will begin our study as I read the first verse
Palsm 23:1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. KJV
What is a shepherd? A Leader. Shepherd is a widely used metaphor for a king in ancient times. (He a leader, provides for their needs) One who tends sheep? Shepherds provided for every need of their flock, food, water, protection, and direction. This metaphor is used throughout the bible, JESUS as our shepherd and we as sheep. As a side note, JESUS was our sacrificial Lamb for our sins, He had to be perfect in every way, without sin or blemish. He laid down HIS life for us. As perfect as JESUS is, HIS flock (which is us) is full of blemished sheep, we are all blemished. In the first half of this verse, David declares the LORD as his shepherd. David is giving complete control of his life and kingship to GOD. He is allowing GOD to lead him in every aspect of his life. David knows without GOD as his shepherd, he is defenseless and helpless as a lamb. The wolves of this world will devour him. I don’t know what you know about sheep. I have a little experience with them and it was not pleasant. My son, as a project for 4-H, wanted to raise sheep. We bought a ewe (female sheep) she was pregnant and had 2 lambs. I was amazed at how much care it took to keep sheep. You had to watch them all the time. They are helpless and defenseless and dumb. They need a shepherd constantly! What my shepherd means to me is: JESUS came into this world as a baby, helpless and defenseless as a lamb. GOD gave HIM parents (shepherds) to raise and protect HIM. As an adult, HE went out into the world as a perfect lamb. Satan and wolves of this world sought to destroy HIM, as wolves go after defenseless lambs. JESUS’ sole purpose for coming was to do the will of the FATHER at the cross at Calvary. To be our perfect sacrificial Lamb for our sins. HE gave HIS life, shed his blood, and died on the cross. He was dead and buried. Satan thought he had defeated HIM. JESUS was three days in the grave, he defeated death and arose on the third day. To become our good shepherd! Remember, the LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want. Psalm 23 is not for everyone, but only for those who believe, have repented of their sins, and accepted JESUS as their savior. Then and only then can you say, The LORD is MY shepherd!!!
READ: JOHN 10:4, 11, 14, 15 KJV
A good shepherd provides for every need of his sheep and his sheep depend on him for every need. They know his voice.
READ MATTHEW 6:25-34 KJV
We all need to take these promises from JESUS and memorize them. It will keep you from worrying. JESUS has never broken a promise. What comfort this is to know our needs will always be provided by JESUS. Matthew 6: 26-34 gives us this guarantee. This does not guarantee your wants, only your needs. Be careful not to read more into this than what is said. Our needs, not our wants!
READ MATTHEW 6:34 KJV
The NKJV, I think, says this very clearly; therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. When you worry about tomorrow today, you bring tomorrow’s trouble to today. Plus, we get them a day ahead of time! When you lay down to sleep and you start worrying about tomorrow, then we have tomorrow’s problems today. Give your worries to GOD and go to sleep. He promised to supply your needs! Don’t worry about tomorrow today!
READ PSALM 23:2 KJV
When I read about the green pastures. I think about a valley between two hills covered by a carpet of dark green grass about 6 inches tall, with a small creek running through it. The sun is shining bright, it is around 70 to 75 degrees. WOW! I wish I was there. How beautiful it is. Sheep need a shepherd to lead them, without HIM they are lost, they don’t know where to go, and they wander aimlessly. The shepherd knows his sheep’s needs and leads them to new pastures. Sheep when they graze eat the grass down to the dirt, if allowed to stay there they will eat till they kill out the grass, and the pasture will be destroyed. The good shepherd knows when to move on and where to go next. The good shepherd knows the needs of his flock before they do. The sheep know HIS voice and they follow HIM where ever HE leads. The last part of this verse says: He leadeth me beside still water. Sheep will not drink from running water. They are afraid of it. They will run from it. They don’t know where to run, they will run off a cliff trying to escape the very thing they are afraid of, if one goes so shall all go. They will only drink from still water. Earlier, when I described the creek running through the valley, sheep would not drink from it. It would have ripples and be turbulent. The good shepherd knew this, He would find a pool of still water for his sheep to drink from. There in the lush green pasture next to the still water the sheep would rest and be content.
So what have we learned?
We all need a shepherd! We have two choices, “the good shepherd JESUS Christ”. Or “the bad shepherd Satan”. The choice is ours to make! To be able to call JESUS “MY SHEPHERD” You must repent of your sins and accept JESUS as your LORD and savior. Making JESUS, “the LORD of your life”. Then and only then does PSALM 23 apply to you. As a member of JESUS flock HE will supply all your needs. Remember the verse in Matthew 6: 25 and verse 33: Therefore I say unto you, take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not life more than meat, and the body than raiment? —- But seek ye first the kingdom of GOD, and HIS righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you. When you make JESUS the LORD of your life HE will give you both spiritual and physical rest and contentment.
READ PSALM 23:3 KJV
“He restores my soul”. How does HE restore my soul? He restores our souls through fellowship with HIM. (Prayer, reading the bible, worship, spending time with HIM). Why do we need restoration? Most likely, we have never made a conscious decision to turn our back on GOD. It happens slowly and a little bit at a time. So slowly, we may not realize it is happening. Satan is a master of deceit. You wake up in the morning you have a busy day ahead, and you think how will I ever get it all done, GOD I will pray later, I will read my bible later, HE will understand, HE is loving GOD, and so it goes! All this is innocent enough and happens all the time, life gets in the way, but it can and will be used by Satan to lead us astray. It happens to all of us. The next morning we wake up, tired from the busy day before. I will rest today after such a busy day, I deserve a break, and I will catch up with GOD tomorrow. So the wandering starts, it gets easier and easier, and we stray farther and farther away. Notice I, I need, I deserve, I will catch up, I-I-I! What is in the middle of sin? S ( I ) N. GOD is our GOOD SHEPHERD even though we wander off. Remember “The LORD is my Shepherd. Why do we need a shepherd? We are sheep and we go astray. Though we wander away, GOD lovingly receives us back into the flock, HE forgives us and restores our souls, back into fellowship with HIM. Luke 15 gives us an example of this, the lost sheep, the lost coin, the lost son.
READ LUKE 15: 1-32 KJV
A shepherd has a hundred sheep and loses one. The woman has ten coins and loses one. The prodigal son takes his inheritance and blows it. The son that stayed at home is upset with his father for restoring his brother.
The good shepherd leaves his flock to search for the one gone astray, JESUS as the good shepherd, restores us spiritually, physically, and emotionally, HE provides for our needs. GOD is more than a pardoning shepherd, HE is also a providing shepherd. He knows what we need before we know or even ask! He knows what we need physically, emotionally, and spiritually right now and in the future. He is already at work providing the things you need, even though you have not even thought of them yet.
The last half of this verse says; “He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for HIS name’s sake. Notice that the word “paths” is plural, meaning there is more than one path of righteousness. Don’t confuse this with the way to JESUS, HE is the only way. I am talking about the paths our life is on. So, how do we know what path is the right path? Verse one says “The LORD is my Shepherd”. What do shepherds do? They lead and guide. The Bible, our instruction manual is very clear,
READ LUKE 11:10 KJV
“For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened”.
READ MATTHEW 6:33
“But seek first the kingdom of GOD and HIS righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you”.
In the world there are many paths, leading to who knows where. Paths run together to form a main path. Paths are joining the main path, paths are branching off. How do we know which is the right path? When we are lost, we seek direction from someone. Do you realize we usually seek direction from a stranger, we don’t know anything about them, who they are, do they know the direction we seek?
WHO DO WE ASK WHEN LOST OR NEED DIRECTION?
Seek the good shepherd first. Start with GOD and end with GOD, no matter how simple or complicated the problem is, GOD is waiting for you to ask. He will never let you down, HE will guide us step by step. Make HIM, my LORD, and SHEPHERD.
GOD remains our GOOD SHEPHERD even though we wander off. Remember “THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD” Why do I need a shepherd? We are sheep and go astray. Though we wander away, GOD lovingly receives us back onto the fold, He forgives us and “RESTORES OUR SOUL”, back into fellowship with him
I CLOSE WITH THIS PRAYER FOUND IN HEBREWS 13:20-21:
“Now the GOD of peace, that brought again from the dead our LORD JESUS, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do HIS will, working in you that which is well pleasing in HIS sight, through JESUS CHRIST; to whom be glory forever and ever. AMEN
