The LORD is my Shepherd
For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; He will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Rev. 7:17 NIV Jesus taught us in John chapter 10 about the Good Shepherd. If fact, in verse 11, He declared, "I am the good Shepherd." He is my Protector, Defender, Provider, Guide and all that I need. Jesus commanded Peter to "feed My sheep". Then, when writing the 1st Epistle of Peter, he reminded the elders to feed the flock as examples to the flock so that "When the chief Shepherd shall appear, you shall receive a crown of glory that fades not away." I Peter 5:4
I shall not want
"O fear the LORD, ye His saints: for there is no want to them that fear Him." Psalm 34:9 Just as the birds of the air need not plant a garden or sow a field, neither reap a harvest, because our Heavenly Father feeds them, even so, we are provided for by the Shepherd. "The eyes of all look to you and you give them their food at the proper time. You open Your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing." Psalm 145:15-16 NIV
He makes me to lie down in green pastures
I recently saw a teaching on green pastures and it completely revolutionized my understanding of this phrase "green pastures". We often picture these green pastures as something we would see in an English countryside. However, David did not live in Europe. He lived in the Middle East. And there in the Middle East, shepherds have to be familiar with the land, because grass is scarce. It usually pops up around the rocks after a heavy dew. The sheep must be dependent on the shepherd to know where this grass can be found.
He leads me beside the still waters (Contentment)
This word, "Still" in Hebrew is M'nu'chot. The root of this word is the same as the root for the name of Noah or No'ach. It means rest or may favorite translation would be CONTENTED. I can't help but think of the old slogan for Carnation milk - "The milk that comes from contented cows." After Jesus had sent out His disciples two by two to preach the gospel, heal the sick and cast out devils, when they returned, He told them, "'Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest
for a while,' because so many people were coming and going that they
didn't even have time to eat." Mark 6:31 ISV. Jesus promised us, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28 NIV
He restores my soul
The word in Hebrew used here for "Restore" is Sho'vav which comes from the root word, "Shuv" which means to turn around or more commonly known "To Repent". To paraphrase: He turns my soul around or He causes my soul to repent. When one is driving down the road and realize they missed the location, if they continue on, they will never arrive at their destination. They must turn around. This is what it means to repent.
He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His Name's sake
There are a number of words in Hebrew that is used for path or way. The word used here is Ma'agol and the word is linked to the root word used for wagon or chariot. It has to do with the turning of the wheels. If you travel out west in the USA, there are places in the mountains and prairies that you can see the wagon trails permanently carved into the ground. This is the same for our journey as believers. If we walk on the righteous way it is made plain for us by those who have gone before us.
Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil
An old song says,"He never promised us a rose garden." In fact, Jesus said the opposite: These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. John 16:33 If our faith stands in Him, we are more than conquerors. "For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." I John 5:4
You are with me;
In our darkest of hours, we need not fear for the great Shepherd is with us and is leading us in in the hour of darkness when we cannot see. "Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as you have: for He has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake.' So that we may boldly say, 'The LORD is my helper,' and 'I will not fear what man shall do unto me.'" Hebrews 13:5-6
Your rod and your staff they comfort me
The Shepherd's rod was more like a club that was used to defend the sheep against predators. The staff was not only a walking stick, but often held a crook at the top end which could be used to pull a sheep by leg when it was attempting to stray from the flock. David was declaring that not only was God's protection a comfort, but also His correction. Psalm 119:67 declares: "Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now I have kept Thy Word."
After David had went astray and sinned with Bathsheba and sent her husband to be killed, God sent His prophet Nathan to the king to bring a rebuke. David penned the a plea for forgiveness in Psalm 51. In verse 8, he declared: Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which You have broken may rejoice." As a shepherd, David remembered how often times when a sheep was rebellious and continued to stray he would have to brake the leg of the sheep so that it would humble itself. How often have we as sheep strayed from God's righteous path and when He would attempt to bring us back gently, we would only stray again and again? Then He would use more drastic measures to get our attention back to Him!
You prepare a table before me in the presence of mine enemies.
I can remember, as I've read this in the past, picturing myself with a full Thanksgiving feast in front of me, while my adversaries had to sit watching me with slobbering jaws. Oh what a haughty spirit! This verse is actually about reconciliation.
If you are familiar with Middle Eastern customs, you will learn that when two parties are at odds with one another, a mediator will come and sit down with the two to mediate a truce. When a truce has been reached, they will share a meal signifying that there will be no further squabbles.
During the Last Supper, Jesus shared a meal with His betrayer sitting right next to Him. It was signifying that His divine love.
You anoint my head with oil
In ancient times, oil was carried in a hollowed out ram's horn that had be corked on both ends. When God sent Samuel to anoint Saul; and then later to anoint David, he uncorked the small end and poured oil/anointed the head of David. The Hebrew word for anointing is Ma'shi'ach or its anglicized rendering: Messiah. When the priest were anointed, they were messiah, just as with the kings. David declared in Psalm 133: Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like precious ointment (anointing oil) upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; as the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.
You can read in Leviticus chapter 8 of the anointing of Aaron and his sons as priests of the LORD. They were brought before the congregation and stripped of there regular clothes, washed and placed in holy garments, then anointed or consecrated for service to the LORD in the tabernacle. They were not to leave the tabernacle for seven days while they were anointed. During this time, two of Aaron's sons disobeyed the commandment of the LORD and brought strange fire to put on the altar. The Fire from the LORD came down and killed them. Aaron and his other two sons were commanded not to mourn for them: "And you shall not go out from the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, lest you die: for the anointing oil of the LORD is upon you." Lev. 10:7
My cup runs over
"I will raise the cup of salvation, and call upon the Name of the LORD." Psalm 116:13 In John the 4th chapter, we find Jesus having need to pass through Samaria. It wasn't that that was a faster route to Jerusalem, but the Father was sending Him on a mission. About 12 o'clock, Jesus sat down on the well when a woman of the town came out to draw water. He asked her for a drink. She replied that he was a Jew and she a Samaritan and it wasn't customary for this to occur as there were segregation and racial differences between the two classes of people. Jesus told her, "If you knew the gift of God, Who it is that said to you, 'Give Me a drink'; you would have asked of Him, and He would have given you living water." She responded: "You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from where then do You have this living water? Are you greater than our father, Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?" Jesus responded to her: "Whosoever drinks of this water shall thirst again: But whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
I believe Jesus was referring to Isaiah's song: 'Therefore with joy shall you draw water out of the wells of salvation." Isaiah 12:3 The Hebrew word for Salvation is YESHUA which is also the Name JESUS. When the angel came to Joseph and told him that Mary was with child from the Holy Ghost, he told him: "And she call bring forth a son, and you shall call His name Jesus (YESHUA): for He shall save (YOSHIA) His people from their sins." Matthew 1:21
During the Passover Seder meal, the Jewish people will fill their cups 4 times, but the second one (the cup of praise) is filled to overflowing. And as the plagues are read aloud, each person will dip there finger into the cup and drop it onto the plate indicating that although they are thankful for deliverance, their hearts are saddened by the suffering of their enemies.
Concerning Isaiah 12:3, the Jewish people recite this verse during the Havdalah service. This ceremony is the conclusion of the Sabbath day when at least 3 stars are visible in the night sky. The prayers used in Havdalah are full of references to Yeshua (Jesus the Messiah). Here is the first paragraph:
Behold, God is my salvation (Yeshu'ati); I will trust and not be fear. For my might and my praise is the LORD GOD and He was for me salvation (Yeshua). You will draw water in joy from the springs of salavation (Yeshua). Isaiah 12:2-3 To the LORD is salvation (Yeshua), upon Your people is Your blessing, Selah. Psalm 3:9 The LORD of Hosts is with us, a stronghold for us is the God of Jacob, Selah. Psalm 46:12 The LORD of Hosts, happy is the man who trusts in you. Psalm 84:13 Oh LORD, save! May the King answer us on the day we call. Psalm 20:10 For the Jews, there was light, gladness, joy and honor. Esther 8:16 So may it be for us! The cup of salvations (Yeshu'ot) I will raise, and the Name of the LORD I will invoke. Psalm 116:13
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
The word for goodness in Hebrew that means GOOD is "TOV". When God looked on all His creation, He saw that it was TOV. In other words, it was functioning properly, just as He had designed it to function. Another way of saying this is, His creation was successful.
The word translated here as MERCY is not actually the usual word for Mercy, rather the Hebrew word is CHESED. There is no English equivalent to this Hebrew word. It is translated as many different things throughout the Old Testament: lovingkindness, compassion, love, devotion, devoted, righteousness, etc. My personal opinion is that this is the word Paul is referring to in I Corinthians 13 when he gives the definition of love:
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.
I Corinthians 13:4-8 NIV
This is not the love a mother has for her child or a husband for his wife. This word in Greek is agape love and it is the love God has for us.
* For other resources on Psalm 23, see A Shepherd's Look at Psalm 23 by Phillip Keller
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