The Lord is my Shephred

 Psalm (KJV23): 

1. LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

3.  He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

4.  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

5.  Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

6. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

 Message

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David likely wrote Psalm 23 during his kingship, which began over the tribe of Judah in 1000 BC.  King David lived approximately between 1040-970 B.C. and he was the king of Judah between 1010-970. So, it is likely that Psalm 23 was written during that time. There are two main Characters i.e. David and Lord in the Psalm. David, a shepherd boy, who wrote this Psalm and he was later known as the Shepherd King of Israel. He wrote this Psalm taking into account how the sheep would think and feel about his/her shepherd and brings about a profound yet practical working relationship between a person and the Creator and Saviour.

 

In Psalm 23, David expresses the God that He is worthy of Trust at all times. We can just divide the Psalm in the following was to explain it.

 

1.The Lord is Shepherd:

David addressed Lord as Shepherd in this Psalm.  I understand that the David might been influenced here by the earlier Old Testament passages in which the Jacob says that “May the God in whose presence my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, The God who has been my shepherd from my birth to this day (Genesis 48:15) and he is addressing the God as Shepherd here. More over the David himself was a shepherd and well aware about the carefulness of the shepherd towards his sheep.

David says in the First verse that the “Lord is my shepherd and I shall not want” Since He himself was shepherd and was knowing, how to take care of sheep, so he affirmed that he shall not lack anything and moreover the Lord the Shepherd is much higher than that of the shepherded who shepherd he sheep only.

 

2.The Shepherded Sustains:

In the second verse he says, the LORD as a shepherd he knew how to make David rest when he needed it, just as a literal shepherd would care for his sheep. The implication is that a sheep doesn’t always know what it needs and what is best for itself, and so needs help from the shepherd. The shepherd knows when the sheep needs green pastures, and knows when the sheep needs the still waters. This state of Lord the Shepherded explained by David has great sense of comfort, care, and rest which he claims in this verse.

 

3.The Shepherded Leads:

In third verse David says Lord the shepherd “Restores” and the same may picture the straying sheep brought back. “He leads me” The shepherd is explained as a guide and He leads also. The Lord also led in “the path of righteousness” in the way of holy obedience. He says that, we are strengthened to walk and run in the paths of God’s commandments “For His name’s sake” displays the glory of his grace which is not on account of any merit in us. He explains the God’s motives of conduct towards the children of men, is derived from the perfections and goodness of His own nature.

 

4.The Gift of presence of Shepherded:

In the fourth verse David brings the first dark note in this beautiful psalm although he previously wrote of green pastures and still waters and paths of righteousness. David recognized that under the shepherd’s leading, he may walk through the valley of the shadow of death but the same is not his destination or dwelling place. I understand that a shadow is not tangible but is cast by something that the shadow of death because Jesus took the full reality of death in our place.  David could resolutely say this because he was under the care of the LORD his shepherd. Even in a fearful place, the presence of the shepherd banished the fear of evil.

 

The rod and the staff seem to be two names for one instrument, which was used both to beat off predatory animals and to direct/protect the sheep/sheep getting strayed.” These instruments (or instrument) David explains bring a comfort and God’s guidance through correction. It is a great comfort to know that God will correct us when we need

 

 

5.The Lord as Host:

Without departing from the previous picture of the valley of the shadow of death, David envisioned the provision and goodness given by the LORD as a host, inviting David to

rich table prepared for him. David gives a beautiful picture, table suggests bounty, prepare suggests foresight and care, before me suggests the personal connection.

The goodness and care suggested by having prepared the table, set right in the midst of the presence of my enemies. The host’s (Lord the Shepherd) care and concern doesn’t eliminate the presence of enemies even but enables the experience of God’s goodness and bounty even in their midst. This is the condition of God’s servant, always conflict, but a table is spread before them always. Nothing is hurried, there is no confusion, no disturbance, the enemy is at the door and yet God prepares a table, and the Christian sits down and eats as if everything were in perfect peace.You anoint my head with oil, my cup runs over David say, despite the dangers and the presence of enemies, David enjoyed the richness of his host’s (Lord the shepherd) goodness. He felt as refreshed with the head anointed with oil as well as his cup was over-filled.

 

The Blessing for future:

The host’s (Lord the Shepherd) 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. And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever: The psalm ends with the calmest assurance that he would enjoy the presence of the LORD THE SHEPHERD forever – both in his days on this earth and beyond.