I have recently been looking at Psalm 23. It had been a while since I read and studied through this beautiful poem in its entirety. Unfortunately, this chapter can become and often has become synonymous with a sad event, a death, a loss. And so we tend to revisit Psalm 23 only in those moments. But there is so much more here. In fact, I would suggest that it is in knowing, understanding, and embracing the truth of the early parts of this psalm that we can fully appreciate the middle section on the “valley of the shadow of death.”
Part 1: Calling the LORD my shepherd.
What categories of people need a shepherd God?
#1: Infants. Dependent. Lack knowledge. Lack experience. Unable to help themselves. Children. Need a God who will watch over them. Helpless. No sense of what life is about. Careless and foolish. No sense of danger.
#2: Youth. Investigating. Wandering. Asking. Seeking. Knowing. So much knowledge out there. But can be lead astray. Especially by the false teachers. These teachers are not true shepherds as described in Jn.10. Bring them back (Mt.18:12-14). Not His will that they perish. Commit your youth to the Shepherd’s care. Draw into what is good and lovely, not destructive relationships and friendships.
#3: Couples: Young families. Difficult to care for your kids properly. So much to do with them. So much care. Ask the Good Shepherd’s help. Seek Him. Stay close to the Shepherd. Take your children to God. Pray for them out loud so they know you want God’s help. Pray with them to God. Help them know you depend on God. Cast them on Him. Don’t feel like it all depends on you. Too much care. Show your children the Shepherd. Guide them and lead them to Jesus. Let them know what God is like.
#4: Men & Women: We like to lead. Get things done. We are to reflect the nature of God as Shepherd to our families, friends, and relatives. Especially for those who are married, to our spouses. We want our families to know what God is like as a caring, loving shepherd. Ask for God’s help. The family and friends will learn about God through you, but they need to know that they can additionally learn more from God’s word. Recognize your weaknesses. Seek the Shepherd. If you have children, let them hear about God from you.
#5: Church body: The Shepherd God/Jesus is head of his church and flock. He cares. He loved us and gave his life for the sheep. We need to follow Him. He gives elders and under-shepherds to lead the flock, while following Him (Acts 20:28). As we all strive to follow Him, we seek His face and leadership in His Spirit in us all. And by His Word, we are united in Him.
#6: Older saints: If you spend much time of your life following the Shepherd/God, you will love Him. You know Him. Rest in him. Trust Him as He has never failed you. Be content in his care in these latter years. Help the younger ones not to be distracted by anything in your latter years. Encourage others by example of following Jesus. He is still the Good Shepherd in your last years.
Think on this: What a fascinating statement: YAHWEH is my shepherd. Contemplate the combination of those names of God (added to what names we have in other the psalms). David is confident that the self-sustaining God who is independent of all things has committed to a shepherding relationship with his people. This is astounding and humbling that he would do so. And the concept communicates to us that the rest of the psalm is dependent on this truth. IN REALITY, the fact that the God who is above all things condescends to us and cares for us must communicate to us with such immense emotion that God involves Himself on our level. He is willing to shepherd. He loves us enough to shepherd us. He knows what it takes to be a shepherd to sheep who need HIM (Isaiah. 57:15)– “For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: ‘I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.'”
Closing question: Is the Lord my Shepherd? How would I know? Just because we may have memorized these words does not guarantee the relationship. It is about God’s knowing us as His sheep and our knowing Him internally as our shepherd no matter what. We follow Him (Jn.10:27). Truly being one of the sheep of His pasture, I obey Him and trust Him fully in every circumstance of life. Do you shepherd yourself, or does He shepherd you?
Next, Part 2: The Shepherd Cares for His Sheep. Part 3: The Shepherd Protects His Sheep. Part 4: The Host Provides for His Guests.
