In the Old Testament, prophets were anointed (1 Kings 19:16). The shepherd image appears not only as part of the Old Testament but as a vital part of the New Testament as well. In Psalm 22 He is the foundation; in Psalm 23 He is the manifestation; in Psalm 24 He is the expectation. Gods motivations for treating His people rightly stem from the perfection and goodness of His nature. Daily devotional with John Piper. He was faithful in caring for his flock and never complained about his responsibilities. What would you say of a pilgrim commissioned of God to travel up and down the earth singing a strange melody, which, when one heard, caused him to forget whatever sorrow he had? How marvellous it is that weak, fearful people can be given such confidence through a simple trust in the ability of their shepherd! Pastor and teacher John MacArthur covers the complete Bibleevery passage of the Old and New . But he also knew something else. His anointing set him apart for his unique role as prophet, priest, and king. It is well to know, as certainly as David did, that we belong to the Lord. This is a psalm of trust and confidence in God's goodness in the present and in the future. i. The sense of this verse then is that, because God is loving and kind, his people can expect God to provide blessings throughout life. I live in New Zealand, and yes, I know, we have more sheep than people! God is the one who looks after our lives. The green pastures and waters spoken of in this verse were often some distance apart and the shepherd would have to lead his flock to these places. Do we not gain comfort from the fact that it is Almighty God who is our Shepherd? The book of Psalms is the most quoted book in the New Testament, and Jesus would refer a lot to the Book of Psalms even in His claims and teachings. I had good medical care. John Piper Sep 8, 1980 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters. As I said, it wasn't all easy and plain sailing being a sheep in Israel however. (1 Pet 5:1-4, Acts Near death, the saint does not walk in the valley, but through the valley. John 3:16, Jesus faith love), The Whole Bible When faced with destitution, famine, pressures, financial difficulty, and depression, its hard to remain calm and tranquil. General Epistles Thank you for registering. If you are truly saved He will never leave you all the days of your life! 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.. To be invited to Gods table is the ultimate honor. Psalm 23 is a wonderful masterpiece of David that contains encouragement and awe-inspiring spiritual truths. So I started checking myself - heart was still pumping, ears were attached, nose still worked, yes, everything seemed to be in order. The sheep didnt know where the green pastures and still waters were. Do this in remembrance of me. Paul affirms the importance of this table ministry when he says, For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lords death until he comes (1 Corinthians 11:24, 26). This word follow in the Hebrew does not just mean tag along at some distance behind. The hosts care and concern doesnt eliminate the presence of my enemies but enables the experience of Gods goodness and bounty even in their midst. i. The MacArthur Bible Commentary treats every passage of the Old and New Testaments phrase by phrase, with hundreds of word studies and sidebars throughout. He lived in the confident hope that it would continue for the rest of his life. The word hesed also has a variety of meanings kindness, lovingkindness, mercy, goodness, faithfulness, or love. Oils and ointments can salve wounds and insect bites. Why is Psalm 23 one of the most well-known Psalms and the favorite biblical passage of many? But we need to learn to lie down. On the one hand it is not quoted in the New Testament directly concerning Jesus. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned, It is a treasure chest filled with spiritual truths that encourage many. It becomes more personal in this valley! And, then, it is not the valley of death, but the valley of the shadow of death, for death in its substance has been removed, and only the shadow of it remains Nobody is afraid of a shadow, for a shadow cannot stop a mans pathway even for a moment. Pauline Epistles He is a great leader who leads people to righteous living. They probably are anxious about different things. The rod and staff were comforting to the sheep, because both were intended for the sheeps benefit. in the resource materials are not necessarily affirmed, in total, by this ministry. They also enjoy the enthusiastic company of their fifteen grandchildren. (Kidner). It could also refer to a piece of furniture like the tables that we know today. In Psalm 22 He dies; in Psalm 23 He is living; in Psalm 24 He is coming. GenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyJoshuaJudgesRuth1 Samuel2 Samuel1 Kings2 Kings1 Chronicles2 ChroniclesEzraNehemiahEstherJobPsalmsProverbsEcclesiastesSong of SongsIsaiahJeremiahLamentationsEzekielDanielHoseaJoelAmosObadiahJonahMicahNahumHabakkukZephaniahHaggaiZechariahMalachiMatthewMarkLukeJohnActsRomans1 Corinthians2 CorinthiansGalatiansEphesiansPhilippiansColossians1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians1 Timothy2 TimothyTitusPhilemonHebrewsJames1 Peter2 Peter1 John2 John3 JohnJudeRevelation, Select a Beginning Point They are in need of a good shepherd who will provide, protect, and guide his sheep. The World English Bible is based on the American Standard Version (ASV) of the Bible, the Biblia Hebraica Stutgartensa Old Testament, and the Greek Majority Text New Testament. Psalm 23:4 Your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Check to enable permanent hiding of message bar and refuse all cookies if you do not opt in. Play. They are times, as the Psalm says, when He restores your soul spiritually. i. iv. ii. The shepherd certainly did not remove the presence of evil but removed the fear of evil. They know that through all things, Jesus is a good shepherd. In Psalm 22 Christ is the Saviour; in Psalm 23 He is the Satisfier; in Psalm 24 He is the Sovereign. It was never used on the sheep. He wants to genuinely bless His people and live in the abundance of His grace. Be assured! David knew all about this. Our God protects His people, and His presence brings comfort to eliminate the fear of evil. It has remanded to their dungeon more felon thoughts, more black doubts, more thieving sorrows, than there are sands on the sea-shore. John MacArthur. (1.) In extreme cases where a lamb continually wandered off and wouldn't stick with the pack (causing the Shepherd to repeatedly have to go and bring the lamb back) the Shepherd would sometimes break the lamb's leg! Click to enable/disable Google reCaptcha. Poetical Books If there was such a thing as animal school, they would be dropouts. He guides us and leads us along the right and true paths. General Epistles He is the source of life and a great provider. And David knew that this would carry on all the days of his life. [1] As I mentioned, this is one famous Psalm. 2He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. [9] These are the paths we should desire and actively seek. Usernames should only contain letters, numbers, dots, dashes, or underscores. 'Do I need to be extra careful?' But that is not how it is in the dry arid lands of the Middle East and we need to read this Psalm with that mindset. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish ; no one can snatch them out of my hand. Receive uplifting scriptures, inspiring articles & helpful guides to encourage your faith. Nor is he saying that 'the LORD is my Shepherd, I get everything I want'. These twin guardian angels will always be with me at my back and my beck. can be seen as comforting for it is a sign that He loves us scripture says (Heb 12:6). Anointing with oil was used for various purposes (healing, burial, expressing grief or joy). It is great advice but more than likely it is the most highlighted passage because people are in desperate need to remember it! John Piper Sep 1, 1980. A great promise indeed! The shepherds guidance not only comforted and restored David but also led His sheep to righteousness. Psalm 23:4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death. The Premiere One-Volume Commentary . He would tend, protect and care for his sheep. Instead of speaking about his Shepherd, David speaks to Him. It has remanded to their dungeon more felon thoughts, more black doubts, more thieving sorrows, than there are sands on the sea-shore. See the happiness of the saints as the sheep of God's pasture. Well, having said that I should say that you will be free from fear to the degree that you know He is with you - rain, hail and shine. We use cookies to let us know when you visit our websites, how you interact with us, to enrich your user experience, and to customize your relationship with our website. What confidence for this life this should give us as we believe it in faith! He is the shepherd that provides and His people will lack no good thing. Pauline Epistles He will wipe every tear from their eyes. Taking the Lord's Supper in an Unworthy Manner. The first time through the dark valley is always scary. Here the second allegory begins. And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. While I am here I will be a child at home with my God; the whole world shall be his house to me; and when I ascend into the upper chamber I shall not change my company, nor even change the house; I shall only go to dwell in the upper story of the house of the Lord for ever. (Spurgeon), (c) 2020 The Enduring Word Bible Commentary by David Guzik ewm@enduringword.com. the Holy One of Israel, your Savior (Isaiah 43:1-3). God is. No robber, predator or enemy ever takes Him by surprise! Not to raging waves of strife, but to peaceful streams of holy love does the Spirit of God conduct the chosen sheep. But observe: Thou preparest a table, just as a servant does when she unfolds the damask cloth and displays the ornaments of the feast on an ordinary peaceful occasion. Email / username or password was incorrect! David gives a beautiful picture: table suggests bounty; prepare suggests foresight and care; before me suggests the personal connection. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain. In 1969, after graduating from Talbot Theological Seminary, John came to Grace Community Church. The sheep would experience excruciating pain that they would bash their heads against trees and rocks for relief. But the confidence David had is that the great shepherd will always know what we need and when to provide it. [3], The LORD - The first thing to note is the source of David's comfort. Since the text and audio content provided by BLB represent a ), which the WEB has updated. (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1979-1988), Brown, Francis; Driver, S.R. But Jesus is the good Shepherd. If you are truly one of His sheep (evidenced by hearing his voice and following His ways) then this verse is your verse as well! Even in a fearful place, the presence of the shepherd banished the fear of evil. The anointing of oil to the sheep isnt just a meaningless ritual. In describing the Lord as a shepherd, David wrote out of his own experience because he had spent his early years caring for sheep. Recognizing the value of consistent reflection upon the Word of God in order to refocus one's mind and heart upon Christ and His Gospel of peace, we provide several reading plans designed to cover the entire Bible in a year. He is a popular conference speaker and the president of both The Master's College and The Master's Seminary. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Site by Mere. Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website, refusing them will have impact how our site functions. Now this place of rest is, first and foremost spiritually speaking, right in the midst of the problem. Not will be, like you look forward to something He will do but IS - present tense. So life here for our sheep is one of continual green pastures. Our God does not withhold anything good from His flock. In verse 1, David expresses his thoughts about God. That symmetric bracketing was a literary device intended to focus attention on the middle phrase, for you are with me. Gods saving presence is the focal point of this psalm. But, it does entitle David to experience Gods provision and providence in their midst. In my experience I have never seen a visible manifestation of God going before me at a fork in the road. The shadow of a dog cannot bite; the shadow of a sword cannot kill; the shadow of death cannot destroy us. Therefore, when the shepherd started heading off on another journey the sheep followed wherever he went! Which is it? GenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyJoshuaJudgesRuth1 Samuel2 Samuel1 Kings2 Kings1 Chronicles2 ChroniclesEzraNehemiahEstherJobPsalmsProverbsEcclesiastesSong of SongsIsaiahJeremiahLamentationsEzekielDanielHoseaJoelAmosObadiahJonahMicahNahumHabakkukZephaniahHaggaiZechariahMalachiMatthewMarkLukeJohnActsRomans1 Corinthians2 CorinthiansGalatiansEphesiansPhilippiansColossians1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians1 Timothy2 TimothyTitusPhilemonHebrewsJames1 Peter2 Peter1 John2 John3 JohnJudeRevelation, Use semicolons to separate groups: 'Gen;Jdg;Psa-Mal' or 'Rom 3-12;Mat 1:15;Mat 5:12-22', There are options set in 'Advanced Options', The Whole Bible Shepherd - This imagery of the shepherd and sheep spans the entire Bible but is most prominent in the New Testament where Jesus speaks about His relationship with His people, His sheep. It is 'The LORD' who is his shepherd! Wisdom Literature It leads to burn out, break downs and depression. The noteworthiness of Psalm 23 was not lost on Spurgeon. (Jer 23:1-4, Ezek 34:1-10) Work to be a faithful shepherd realising that it is God's own sheep that He has placed in your care. Minor Prophets Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. Historical Books David found him so, and so have we. I think if we could just grasp this first verse alone our hearts could then rest. A verification email has been sent to the address you provided. The word PSALM literally means praise and it features works of various characters the majority of which were written by David. And I will dwell in the house of the LORD He had known feast. A shepherd would prepare a table for his sheep by scouting ahead to find good pastureland free from predators and poisonous plants. It is a necessary method to protect the sheep. Most scholars account this Psalm to Davids maturity that contains vivid reminiscence of his youth as a shepherd. I remember a woman who grieved every year on anniversary of the death of her infant child. Click to enable/disable Google Analytics tracking. This magazine often included an exposition of a psalm, and in the 1866 publication Spurgeon featured Psalm 23. Right paths lead to life rather than death (see Matthew 7:13-14). ), Psalm 23:6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life. In New Zealand (where I live) all of our farms and fields seem to be 'green pastures' and the sheep tend to munch all day! He is a great shepherd. David had it right in placing his trust in the one true God who controls all things. The New Testament Nov. 10, 2012. The good man has his enemies. God (through the prophet Jeremiah) said, For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the spring of living waters, and cut them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water (Jeremiah 2:13). 'Is something bad going to happen to me?' The Gospels God anoints His people with oil just like how shepherds anoint their sheep with oil. Psalm 19. 'My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. Included in the "better" provisions are: a better hope . Minor Prophets He will never, ever, leave you! These cookies collect information that is used either in aggregate form to help us understand how our website is being used or how effective our marketing campaigns are, or to help us customize our website and application for you in order to enhance your experience. My cup runs over. It implies that the Lord is the only thing needed in life and that Gods shepherding care provides all of our necessities. You anoint my head with oil (v. 5b). When the psalmist says that God has anointed his head with oil, he means that God has marked him as specialhas set him apart for a significant role. He is that interested in each of His sheep! There you have it. The word my cup runs over indicates that David not only had the necessities but also enjoyed abundance. David wrote about this in Psalm 25. God longs to bless and prosper His people. We go through the dark tunnel of death and emerge into the light of immortality. The Gospels God is holy, and takes his holy name seriously: Since God is holy, we as Gods people need to insure that we do not tarnish his name by our wrongful words or actions. Johannine Writings The writer of Psalm 23 makes an analogy between God and the shepherd. All the days of my life; Notice the following -. In fact, he thought quite highly of it, as is evident by this especially generous compliment: Of this delightful song it may be affirmed that its piety and its poetry are equal, its sweetness and its spirituality are unsurpassed. Spurgeon once referred to Psalm 23 as the Pearl of the Psalms in his monthly magazine, The Sword and the Trowel. David wrote this while remembering his fearful experiences. Share. Prophets It is expressed in this verse - Rom Pastor John MacArthur | The MacArthur Commentaries Grace to You. (5) Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; For You I wait all the day. GenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyJoshuaJudgesRuth1 Samuel2 Samuel1 Kings2 Kings1 Chronicles2 ChroniclesEzraNehemiahEstherJobPsalmsProverbsEcclesiastesSong of SongsIsaiahJeremiahLamentationsEzekielDanielHoseaJoelAmosObadiahJonahMicahNahumHabakkukZephaniahHaggaiZechariahMalachiMatthewMarkLukeJohnActsRomans1 Corinthians2 CorinthiansGalatiansEphesiansPhilippiansColossians1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians1 Timothy2 TimothyTitusPhilemonHebrewsJames1 Peter2 Peter1 John2 John3 JohnJudeRevelation. It is what the Apostle Paul knew when he wrote: Philippians 4:11-13 I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. And when the days of this life are over, then we shall enter into that which we can only partly imagine, for, 'No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.'. The sheep knew that the shepherd was the one who protected them and cared for them. Basically fear tactics. He is not just a 'good shepherd'. You prepare a table (Hebrew: sulhan) before me in the presence of my enemies (v. 5a). 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. But mentally and spiritually we can get really tired trying to work out all our problems and we don't rest. But mostly, they were comforting because they were in the hands of a caring shepherd. [7], 5001 North Oak Trafficway iii. The Believer's Confession of Sin. Under Johns leadership, Grace Community Church's two morning worship services fill the 3,500-seat auditorium to capacity. e. Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me: The rod and the staff were instruments used by a shepherd. In New Zealand (where I live) all of our farms and fields seem to be 'green pastures' and the sheep tend to munch all day! These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features. Our website uses cookies to store user preferences. The Shepherds Crook. (wpe). [9] As Jesus Himself said, 'You are the light of the world. Psalm's 22, 23 and 24 give different glimpses of this wonderful Shepherd. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. [12] You will only be able to say that if you have truly come to know the Lord Jesus as your Shepherd. Otherwise you will be prompted again when opening a new browser window or new a tab. General Epistles Behold just such a one! A poor man may say this as well as those in higher circumstances, What, all this, and Jesus Christ too?[6]. He is in control. Sheep are easy targets for parasites, lice, and flies. But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site. In the end, in whatever it is that places you in fear or unease, you have to come back to this very thought we are speaking of here - 'The Lord is my shepherd' - He is in control of all things. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: The hosts care brought the goodness and mercy of God to David, and he lived in the faithful expectation of it continuing all the days of his life. When things were hard for Joe Christian you would hear the pastor encourage him saying 'Jesus will never leave or forsake you - take heart!' 27:1). You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. You will have much more pressing concerns. and Kahane, Ahuvia, The Oxford English-Hebrew Dictionary (Oxford University Press, 1998), Fohrer, Georg, Hebrew & Aramaic Dictionary of the Old Testament (SCM Press, 2012), Freedman, David Noel (ed. Psalm 107. People need to know this beautiful Psalm of David to reorient and renew their thinking. It is a Psalm of but 6 verses but countless sermons and entire books have been written on it. (General Editor), New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology & Exegesis, 5 vol., (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1997), All Rights Reserved | 1997-2023 Richard Niell Donovan. But if it is an honor to be invited to the Presidents home, it is an infinitely greater honor to be invited to the Lords house. and I will dwell in Yahwehs (Hebrew: YHWH) house forever (v. 6b). However, he was confident that God is with him all the time. Not many people receive such an invitation, and even fewer receive more than one. In the United States, a signal honor would be an invitation to stay overnight in the Lincoln bedroom in the White House. God is his shepherd and his Goda God all-sufficient to all intents and purposes. i. The shepherd would use his staff to guide sheep and to pull them back from dangerous places. But we have the testimony from the Shepherd also how he loved the sheep and would never let them go! Title: The MacArthur Bible Commentary By: John MacArthur Format: Hardcover Number of Pages: 2040 Vendor: Thomas Nelson Publication Date: 2005 Dimensions: 9.75 X 6.75 X 2.75 (inches) Weight: 3 pounds 11 ounces ISBN: 0785250662 ISBN-13: 9780785250661 Stock No: WW250662 Related Products The Jesus You Can't Ignore: Study $7.49 $9.99 Save 25% It's not for the goats. Hebrews 13:20-21 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, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him His present care and provision for His people Had a very strange dream last night and you were in it. Yea, though I walk, as if the believer did not quicken his pace when he came to die, but still calmly walked with God. He first spoke them for Israels sake, but he caused Isaiah to record them for our sake. We must surrender our desires and follow where He leads no matter the cost. Johannine Writings Whatever be the believers position, he is even now under the pastoral care of Jehovah. The Hebrew word, sulhan (table), could refer to an animal hide spread on the ground like a picnic blanket. It makes sense. - Henry Ward Beecher, [2] J Vernon McGee writes 'to put it succinctly, in Psalm 22 we see the cross, in Psalm 23 the crook (the Shepherd's crook), and in Psalm 24 the crown (the King's crown). When I asked the oncologist how serious it was, he said, Stage threemaybe Stage three and a half. My chances of survival were less than 50-50. It helped him even in the valley of the shadow of death to know that God guided him, even through correction. God's Testimony to the Scriptures. ), The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary, 6 vol. The following cookies are also needed - You can choose if you want to allow them: You can read about our cookies and privacy settings in detail on our Privacy Policy Page. Psalm 23 is written by David who grew up as a shepherd. In the ancient Near East, the shepherd was a royal metaphor. Psalm 23 commentary is a holy piece of work that exudes different kinds of emotions. In this context, it suggests blessings that will help the psalmist. And obviously, he would then leave the lamb to die in the wilderness, eaten by its predators! Psalm 23:3 He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. The psalmist doesnt speak of going into the valley, as if it were a box canyon or a final destination. Psalm 23 distinctively stands out compared to other chapters in the Book of Psalms and receives a larger magnitude of respect. This one-volume commentary on the entire Bible from one of America's foremost Bible expositors offers instead a minilibrary of understandable resources designed to convey the Bible's overarching message with historical and theological clarity. God's eternal desire is that He would have many sons and daughters who display His glory and light within them. The MacArthur New Testament Commentary is now completethirty-three volumes that take you through the whole New Testament, detail by detail, verse by verse. Likewise, we also need God to guide us to the right places and opportunities. My - This is probably the best thing about this psalm it is so personal! The Third Commandment says, You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name (Exodus 20:7). But, God as our shepherd provides peace that transcends all understanding. Text: Psalm 23 Ministry: Anchored. THE LORD AS SHEPHERD 1 Yahweh is my shepherd: I shall lack nothing. May God grant us grace to dwell in the serene atmosphere of this most blessed Psalm! You anoint my head with oil; Sure enough, someone guessed pretty quickly that it would be Psalm 23. John MacArthur is the pastor-teacher of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, as well as an author, conference speaker, president of The Masters University and Seminary, and featured teacher with the Grace to You media ministry. David reflected on God's many blessings to him and concluded that God would continue to be faithful to him and grant him fellowship in the future. There are few experiences in life that would be more satisfying. Pests would crawl through the ear canal of an unoiled sheep and lay in its brain.