My Shepherd

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Hi, Good morning. I am Pastor CHINTUA OGBONNA CHRISTOPHER.

I quickly want to
share the word of God with you as

Please turn your Bible to Psalm 23, a poem written by David in one of his sober reflections, He
remembered God’s tender care, protection and provision upon his life, and thus, he translates the
same idea in this poem. In Psalm 23, David uses two metaphors to describe God. First, From
Psalm 23:1-4 he is described as a shepherd and his children as flocks; Psalm 23:1-4. This view is
generally accepted by Bible Scholars. Kyle Yates says, “God appears as the Personal Shepherd.”
The psalmist used his own background as a Shepherd to project the strong bond between the
shepherd and his flocks; (Explain with the Fulani Herdsmen) and to describe in a vivid manner
the unfailing love of God for his children, and what He does for His flock because of His love for
them.

Psalm 23:1-4: The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green
pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of
righteousness For His name's sake. 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.(NKJV)

Notice, in the original Hebrew, the word “LORD” (in caps) means JEHOVAH; a personal name
of God (Fausset's Bible Dictionary). Therefore, the interpretation should be, “The LORD
HIMSELF and none other is my shepherd.” And so, I shall not want. This statement is an
affirmation of absolute trust in God. Psalm 34:9: Oh, fear the LORD, you His saints! There is no
want to those who fear Him. Psalm 84:11: For the LORD God is a sun and shield; The LORD
will give grace and glory; No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly. Psalm
145:15-16: The eyes of all look expectantly to you, and You give them their food in due season.
You open Your hand And satisfy the desire of every living thing. Philippians 4:19: And my God
shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

NOTE: God is a shepherd only to those who willingly surrender themselves to be governed by
Him. Therefore, this promise is only meant for his flocks.

In the next verse, the psalmist explains what he meant by “I shall not want.” Or what he shall not
lack. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. (Psalms
23:2) Sheep will never lie down when they are hungry. Therefore, the scene portrayed here is
“The green pastures (fresh new grass—the best) where the sheep have eaten their fill and then lie
down because they are no longer hungry. He leads me beside the still water—literally waters of
resting places, that is, resting places with water. The literal Hebrew here reads "waters of rest.”
This entire verse speaks of the tranquillity that belongs to one in fellowship with God. As far as
the metaphor goes, "the still waters" would refer to any undisturbed watering place for the sheep;
but the human application to a life of tranquillity appears to be very much in mind. This is the
Old Testament equivalent of that "peace which passeth understanding."

Psalm 23:3: He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake.
(NKJV) Kidner pointed out, “The verb used here refers to `repentance,' or `conversion.” In this
context, the “restoring” or “bringing back” of the sheep, "Pictures God bringing back one of his
own who is lost.” This is the thought of the shepherd metaphor in Jesus' parable of the lost
sheep. God places a great value in the individual member of his flock. You are so precious to
God; your value in God’s sight is inestimable. He leads me in the path of righteousness for His
name sake---In this verse, God takes the responsibility of leading his own in the part of
righteousness for his name’s sake. This brings to mind God’s promise to Israel—Numbers 6:27:
So they shall put My name on the children of Israel, and I will bless them. This idea is: Because
the name of God is involved, his blessing is assured. What is it about the name of God? Psalm
148:13: Let them praise the name of the LORD, For His name alone is exalted; His glory is
above the earth and heaven. His name is glorious (Psalm 57:5; Heb. 1:4) Therefore, this means
God will restore His own to the path of righteousness because His name is involved. The Judean
road was rough those days, and so, it was very frustrating for a traveler to miss his way. He
would end up wasting much time in search of the right path. In the same vein, we would miss the
way except we allow God to lead.

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. (Psalm 23:4) The idea projected is this:
though the sheep walks through some dangerous, forested valley, where lions and other enemies
of the sheep are lurking around; the safety of the sheep was assured by the presence of the
shepherd, in other words, the consciousness of the presence of the shepherd emboldens the
sheep, and so, it shall not fear evil. In the human application of it, trusting in God does not
excuse us from going through many dark valleys. Even when God allows it, He will be there in
the valley with us. “Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me:” the Hebrew “shebet” translated
as rod was a short oaken club for defense used by Shepherd; the staff was a longer pole used for
climbing or leaning upon it. Eastern shepherds still carry both.” The rod is used for discipline (2
Samuel 7:14; Prov. 13:24); support (Zech. 8:4) weapon against predators. Matthew Henry's
comment that "the rod and the staff" here are, "The rod of correction and the staff of support." In
application, God is pictured as a shepherd with rod and staff to corrects, wield off human
predators and to support.

From Psalm 23:5-6— You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint
my head with oil; my cup runs over. 6Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of
my life; and I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever. In the second metaphor, God is
projected as a Generous Host and his children as the guest. David represents himself as a guest in
God’s banquet hall where Jehovah as a king lavishes upon his guests the bounties of His table.
This idea is very common in the Bible.

 Isaiah 25:6: And in this mountain The LORD of hosts will make for all people A feast of
choice pieces, A feast of wines on the lees, Of fat things full of marrow, Of well-refined
wines on the lees. 8He will swallow up death forever, and the Lord GOD will wipe away
tears from all faces; the rebuke of His people He will take away from all the earth; For
the LORD has spoken. (NKJV)
 Luke 12:37: Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find
watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat,
and will come and serve them. (cf., Matt 22:1-14; Luke 14:15; 22:29-30)

“In the Old Testament era, to eat and drink at someone’s table creates a bond of mutual loyalty,
so to be God’s guest is to be more than an acquaintance.” (Kidner) “Charles Spurgeon has this to
say, “How would it be with you if God had filled your cup in proportion to your faith? How
much would you have had in your cup?” (Spurgeon)

Note: This table is prepared in the presence of my enemies. Bible never teaches that we shall live
without enemies rather God’s blessings will be bestowed on us even in the presence of our
enemies, and they cannot stop it. More so, it was after “thou anoint my head with oil; that my
cup runs over.” In the Old Testament, it was a popular practice to anoint someone before he
takes a higher office or responsibility—High Priest, Kings and Prophets were anointed with oil
before they can officiate (Exod. 29:7; 1 Sam. 9:16; 1 Kings 19:15). Anointing signifies God’s
recognition, God empowerment. The message is simple, without God’s anointing,
empowerment, blessing upon you, there won’t be any increase.

Lastly, the Psalmist redirects the attention of his audience from the temporal to the eternal. In the
conclusion of the Shepherd’s Psalm, the Psalmist is assured of dwelling in the house of the Lord
as long as he lives. The poem ended in a mood of an unending gladness. Beyond the necessary
things of this life, God has made a provision for his children to dwell with Him forever.

SUMMARY: The LORD is your shepherd, out of love, He shepherds his flock, leads them to
rest and feed in green pastures (not just anyhow pasture); leads them beside the still water,
restores their soul. When they err, he disciplines them because His name is involve, when they
pass through the valley of shadow of death, He presence identifies with them, He prepares a table
for them in the presence of our enemies. The subject matter is about God’s leadership, provision,
protection, discipline, and exaltation over his children.

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