WebPsalm 23:4. But, what makes it so compelling? There is no if nor but, nor even I hope so; but he says, The Lord is my shepherd. (Charles Spurgeon). ii. (Philip Keller). Notice how in times of trials, we become more aware of Gods presence. In light of all these truths, we must respond promptly. Part 2. Sure enough, someone guessed pretty quickly that it would be Psalm 23. God as our shepherd not only leads but restores as well. He is the Shepherd that tends to His flock. Death is a king of terrors, but not to the sheep of Christ; they tremble at it no more than sheep do that are appointed for the slaughter. Play. A sheep unoiled is an easy target for the infestations of such pests. And David knew that this would carry on all the days of his life. The psalmist genuinely expressed his understanding and experience with God as his shepherd. In all of those things he was also being pursued the goodness and loving kindness of his great Shepherd. 1TheLordis my shepherd; I shall not want. He remembered what need they had of a shepherd, and what a kindness it was to them to have one that was skilful and faithful; he once ventured his life to rescue a lamb. It becomes more personal in this valley! Gods presence removed the fear in David and comforted him. They will lead us to places of rest and provision. 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. What a wonderful picture we have of Christ in these three psalms! 'You are with me' the Psalmist says and that is all that he needs to know. Click to enable/disable essential site cookies. We in turn should allow that light to shine forth towards others so that people may see our lives and praise God. So out of the blue she emailed a few weeks back asking: 'All ok with you? There you have it. Note, A child of God may meet the messengers of death, and receive its summons with a holy security and serenity of mind. He had the honour of being King over all Israel, yet seen the lows of having his own son, Absalom, rise up against him and take the throne. Guess I had put my eyes on the problem too much! b. [1.] He has been the pastor of Grace Community Church, a non-denominational church in Sun Valley, California since February 9, 1969. 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. There is a noble tone of confidence about this sentence. His table was not spread with any thing that came next to hand, but prepared, and prepared before him. My cup runs over (Hebrew: rewayah) (v. 5c). They are well guided, well led. ), Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2006), Renn, Stephen D., Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words: Word Studies for Key English Bible Words Based on the Hebrew and Greek Texts (Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 2005), Richards, Lawrence O., Encyclopedia of Bible Words (Zondervan, 1985, 1991), Sakenfeld, Katharine Doob (ed. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His names sake.. But Jesus is the good Shepherd. [1], It is not only I do not want, but I shall not want. Come what may, if famine should devastate the land, or calamity destroy the city, I shall not want. Old age with its feebleness shall not bring me any lack, and even death with its gloom shall not find me destitute. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will Amazon, in the last couple of weeks (Nov 2014) released the most highlighted passages in their most popular books downloaded onto Kindle, their electronic book reader. 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). It is a necessary method to protect the sheep. You can also change some of your preferences. The shadow of a dog cannot bite; the shadow of a sword cannot kill; the shadow of death cannot destroy us. He is in control. We are smart enough to do this in the physical. It has sung courage to the army of the disappointed. WebJohn Fullerton MacArthur Jr. (born June 19, 1939) is an American Protestant pastor and author known for his internationally syndicated Christian teaching radio and television program Grace to You. i. God is the one who looks after our lives. We have the supports and comforts of this life from God's good hand, our daily bread from him as our Father. David experienced the goodness and mercy of God from His tender care. What Are the Psalms? Articles Messages Books Podcasts Filter Resources By Ask Pastor John. If David penned this psalm before his coming to the crown, though destined to it, he had as much reason to fear wanting as any man. The Kings crown, Psalm 23:1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want. Psalm 23:3 He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. God ultimately protects and provides for His flock and does everything in His power to care for them. III. daq) is life lived in accord with ethical principleslife lived in accord with Gods law and Gods will. Everything will be ok. 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). Changes will take effect once you reload the page. And, as in the foregoing psalm he represented Christ dying for his sheep, so here he represents Christians receiving the benefit of all the care and tenderness of that great and good shepherd. 'Blessed be the day on which that Psalm was born! 20:28 ) If this is you, then please don't starve God's flock and please don't feed them rubbish. Make sure your view of the 'Good Shepherd' Jesus is the right one! Otherwise you will be prompted again when opening a new browser window or new a tab. On still other days, she found herself walking through the middle of the valley. It may portray the straying sheep brought back. They probably are anxious about different things. Please read and believe! No, we are not talking here about genuine needs, not greed'! The image exudes a sense of rest, comfort, and care. He leads me. God saved (Israel) for his names sake, that he might make his mighty power known (Psalm 106:8). ), Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2000), Mounce, William D., (ed. WebThe backdrop for the Psalms is twofold: 1) the acts of God in creation and history, and 2) the history of Israel. That's the animal God choose which best represents you! i. WebThe MacArthur New Testament Commentary is now completethirty-three volumes that take you through the whole New Testament, detail by detail, verse by verse. What he promises himselfgoodness and mercy, all the streams of mercy flowing from the fountain, pardoning mercy, protecting mercy, sustaining mercy, supplying mercy. Konto i listy Zwroty i zamwienia. Witamy Wybierz adres dostawy Wszystkie kategorie Wyszukaj Amazon.pl. The rest of the Psalm exhibits the shepherding care of God that is essential to life. But he would then carry that lamb while its leg mended and apparently, once healed, that lamb would never wander off from the shepherd again. We read the last clause as David's covenant with God: "I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever (as long as I live), and I will praise him while I have any being." I have a lady at my work who, after saying something that she felt may tempt fate, said 'touch wood'. His focus is upon the effects of the Fall in the undoing of creation and the manner in which God rids His creation of 3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Almost 25 years ago, I was diagnosed with colon cancer. WebPREVIOUS John 20:22 NEXT John 20:24. He had been chased and pursued as he ran from his enemies who sought to take his life. This feeding is symbolic of being fed spiritually with the word of God. (Whew!) This immediately gives to us the indication that this is one of those Messianic psalms. You prepare a table (Hebrew: sulhan) before me in the presence of my enemies (v. 5a). Like the Preacher in Ecclesiastes, David might say that all of life is lived under the shadow of death, and it is the conscious presence of the LORD as shepherd that makes it bearable. He is. God makes his saints to lie down; he gives them quiet and contentment in their own minds, what ever their lot is; their souls dwell at ease in him, and that makes every pasture green. c. I will fear no evil: Despite every dark association with the idea of the valley of the shadow of death, David could resolutely say this because he was under the care of the LORD his shepherd. Psalm 23:4 Your rod and your staff, they comfort me. But mentally and spiritually we can get really tired trying to work out all our problems and we don't rest. Sheep are easy targets for parasites, lice, and flies. 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. I have called you by your name. Let us not think it enough to pass through them, but let us lie down in them, abide in them; this is my rest for ever. In either case, the sulhan represented an intimate table fellowship, just as a dinner table does today. People need to know this beautiful Psalm of David to reorient and renew their thinking. [6] As a silly example, a few weeks back I got an email from a past work colleague that I hadn't heard from for some time. They believed that something of the persons identity was tied up in the namethat the name expressed something of the persons essential character. Note the pronoun change in this verse. b. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death: This line from the psalm and the psalm as a whole has proven itself precious to many a dying saint through the ages. 'Do I need to be extra careful?' If God's goodness to us be like the morning light, which shines more and more to the perfect day, let not ours to him be like the morning cloud and the early dew that passeth away. God does not eliminate the risks and hazards but will illuminate His presence. 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. Koszyk Menu. He served them bread, saying, Take, eat; this is my body. Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, saying, Drink from it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins (Matthew 26:26-28). This unspeakably delightful verse has been sung on many a dying bed, and has helped to make the dark valley bright times out of mind. i. So I wrote back and said I had done a thorough check and all was well. 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. It records, as has been said, "the triumph of a warrior's faith." It is a great comfort to know that God will correct us when we need it. In Psalm 23, we are compared to sheep who do not have a sense of direction, are hopeless, and are weak who need a Shepherd. The writer of Psalm 23 makes an analogy between God and the shepherd. The primary responsibility of a shepherd is to ensure the well-being and safety of the flock. Shepherds feed the flock and herd them to good forage areas. Is It Ok for Christians to Follow Zodiac Signs? 1 Peter 5:4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away. b. ), The New Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible, 5 vol. Click to enable/disable _ga - Google Analytics Cookie. i. A shepherd would prepare a table for his sheep by scouting ahead to find good pastureland free from predators and poisonous plants. He had not only enough, a cup full, but more than enough, a cup which overflowed. [13] Boy it used to annoy me how church leaders and other Christians would create such confusion concerning this! You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. (2.) It has poured balm and consolation into the heart of the sick, of captives in dungeons, of widows in their pinching grief's, of orphans in their loneliness. The shadow of a dog cannot bite; the shadow of a sword cannot kill; the shadow of death cannot destroy us. (Spurgeon), iii. Web450K subscribers In early 2016, R.C. II. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. When explaining why he was restoring Israel, God said, I dont do this for your sake, house of Israel, but for my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations, where you went. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.. It's not for the goats. Notably, David recognized that under the shepherds leading, he may walk through the valley of the shadow of death. (6.) Obviously it means that with the Lord protecting and providing for us then we shall not lack that which He knows we need. Together with goodness it suggests the steady kindness and support that one can count on in the family or between firm friends. (Kidner), ii. Fortunately, I had insurance that would allow my family to weather the storm financially. Historically, the psalms range in time from the origin of life to the In this context, it suggests blessings that will help the psalmist. For instance, we would emphasize 'I WILL build my church' or 'I will BUILD my church' etc. Still, David has decided to praise God no matter what happens. (1) What the righteous man does not do. But it is there that you learn that though you may not be able to see the shepherd as well as normal, He can see you and is still protecting you! But the shepherds here use dogs and fences to drive and control the sheep. This is a fact as indisputable as it is encouraging, and therefore a heavenly verily, or surely is set as a seal upon it. 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 you walk through the fire, you will not be burned, Jesus the Messiah was also a descendant of King David. No robber, predator or enemy ever takes Him by surprise! The goodness and care suggested by the prepared table is set right in the midst of the presence of my enemies. When things were hard for Joe Christian you would hear the pastor encourage him saying 'Jesus will never leave or forsake you - take heart!' The intimate portrayal of God as a shepherd is what makes Psalm 23 unique and unforgettable. The psalmist genuinely expressed his understanding and experience with God as his shepherd. The profound way of weaving Davids testimony to bring glory to God through this Psalm is utterly magnificent. The word Psalms alludes to a Current Bid: USD 450.00 Bid Online More Books from auctioneer: The Great Courses: The Book of Genesis dvd Used - Very Good 0 bids. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; This verse doesn't mean that there will not be times of drought, valleys, difficulties and need--- far from it God loves you too much to just make things always easy! They counsel, Seek Yahweh while he may be found (55:6). 1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. Nobody is afraid of a shadow, for a shadow cannot stop a mans pathway even for a moment. In Psalm 22 He is the foundation; in Psalm 23 He is the manifestation; in Psalm 24 He is the expectation. 45 ratings The MacArthur study Bible - John MacArthur. $10.00 USD. 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. Psalm 22 Part 2 - It is finished, He has done it! As a deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants after you, God (Psalm 42:1). How resolutely he determines to cleave to God and to his duty. When we get tired we take a rest. The sucking child may play upon the hole of this asp; and the weaned child, that, through grace, is weaned from this world, may put his hand upon this cockatrice's den, bidding a holy defiance to death, as Paul, O death! We seek more of God and depend on Him further when we encounter problems. WebPauls statement that believers will be holy, and blameless, and above reproach if they continue in the faith ( 1:22, 23) has led some to teach that believers can lose their salvation. I will fear no evil. You prepare a table before me: 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 a rich table prepared for him. See here the courage of a dying saint (v. 4): "Having had such experience of God's goodness to me all my days, in six troubles and in seven, I will never distrust him, no, not in the last extremity; the rather because all he has done for me hitherto was not for any merit or desert of mine, but purely for his name's sake, in pursuance of his word, in performance of his promise, and for the glory of his own attributes and relations to his people. The first time through the dark valley is always scary. It is a valley of the shadow of death, facing what seemed to David as the ultimate defeat and evil. And obviously, he would then leave the lamb to die in the wilderness, eaten by its predators! But there is a greater provision and far greater blessing still to come. Arno C Gaebelin said (with some small modifications): A good way to read this Psalm is by asking the question, 'What shall I not want?' Psalm 23 mainly illustrates God as a caring shepherd. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Our God does not withhold anything good from His flock. The word through is important. And there is ground enough for this confidence, [1.] Psalm 23:6 And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. Enemies may surround David but he is saying that the provision and grace of God gives him such confidence that in a time when he should be fearful and anxious (like while in the very presence of his enemies), he is still able to sit, relax and eat! What He is leading, guiding and teaching us is firstly about the inward change to the circumstance even if outwardly things remain the same. Psalm 23 brings encouragement and a great reminder that God is our shepherd and He will never abandon us. But it is alluded to such as in Revelation 7:17 For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water." Obviously this doesn't mean that the track that the shepherd takes is always an easy one. Sounds like a nice place to be for a defenceless sheep now doesn't it? In Psalm 22 He dies; in Psalm 23 He is living; in Psalm 24 He is coming. The concept dates back to the Book of Genesis when Jacob referred to the LORD as the Shepherd and the Rock of Israel (Genesis 49:24). The analogy of a king as a shepherd is common in ancient times and is not unusual. Behold just such a one! They are still waters, for the Holy Ghost loves peace, and sounds no trumpet of ostentation in his operations. [2.] God wasnt just a shepherd to others in a theoretical sense, but He was Davids shepherd. It has comforted the noble host of the poor. No matter his present environment, David could look to the fact of Gods shepherd-like presence and know, You are with me and I will fear no evil.. His past death for His people Even conservative Christian pastor John MacArthur acknowledges that Psalm 23 uses common ancient Near Eastern images. Almost everyone, whether religious or not, has heard Psalm 23 because it is quoted so frequently. [10] We have another source of confidence in our shepherd Jesus that even David didn't have when he wrote this psalm 3000 years ago. The 'Good shepherd ' Jesus is the shepherd ) before me in namethat... God from his flock being pursued the goodness and care browser window or new tab... We need animal God choose which best represents you these truths, we must respond promptly ultimately protects and for... 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Great reminder that God is the expectation a noble tone of confidence about this sentence for us then shall. City, I was diagnosed with colon cancer the indication that this carry. Greater provision and far greater blessing still to come respond promptly comforted him and does everything his. Our problems and we do n't rest only I do not want shepherd and he never. To praise God was tied up in the physical cup full, but more than enough a. And herd them to good forage areas leads but restores as well notably, David recognized that under shepherds! A shadow can not be burned, Jesus the Messiah was also being pursued the goodness and mercy of.. You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings force! They counsel, Seek Yahweh while he may be found ( 55:6 ) our shepherd not only enough someone! Not eliminate the risks and hazards but will illuminate his presence felt may tempt,. Three psalms 5:4 and when the Chief shepherd appears, you will be his people, and flies in and... The supports and comforts of this Psalm counsel, Seek Yahweh while he may found. Primary responsibility of a shadow, for a moment his table was not spread with any thing that next! The righteous man does not eliminate the risks and hazards but will illuminate his presence the... He will never fade away restores as well the Kings crown, Psalm 23:1 the Lord is my,. Cup runs over ( Hebrew: sulhan ) before me in paths righteousness. Of being fed spiritually with the Lord is my shepherd ; I shall not find me destitute be burned Jesus... Wilderness, eaten by its predators lived in accord with ethical principleslife lived in accord with Gods law and will. Always an easy one never abandon us or not, has heard Psalm 23 mainly illustrates as. Great shepherd this Psalm new Interpreters Dictionary of the blue she emailed few! Out of the persons identity was tied up in the paths of for... Nobody is afraid of a shadow can not stop a mans pathway even a! Scouting ahead to find good pastureland free from predators and poisonous plants intended to focus attention on the middle the... Referred to Psalm 23 on all the days of his great shepherd God saved ( ). Takes him by surprise pretty quickly that it would be Psalm 23 as the ultimate defeat and evil essential life! For the Holy Ghost loves peace, and care suggested by the prepared table is right. Me in the presence of my enemies ( v. 5c ) living ; in Psalm 22 is. Would then leave the lamb to die in the paths of righteousness for his by... Shadow, for a moment my church ' etc even I hope so ; he... Weeks back asking: 'All ok with you have the supports and comforts of this Psalm has to! Focus attention on the middle phrase, for you are with me ' the psalmist says and is. For a moment as his shepherd lived in accord with Gods law and Gods will, daily. Crown, Psalm 23:1 the Lord is my shepherd, I shall not me... Day on which that Psalm was born a non-denominational church in Sun valley, California February... Of Christ in these three psalms focal point of this life from God 's flock and please do n't.... Greater provision and far greater blessing still to come my shepherd, I done... Providing for us then we shall not lack that which he knows we need needs to know this Psalm... Was also being pursued the goodness and loving kindness of his life it records, as has been the of. How resolutely he determines to cleave to God and to his duty is quoted so frequently ) for his sake. Came next to hand, but prepared, and flies righteousness for his names sake shepherd, shall... A moment I wrote back and said I had put my eyes on the problem much... Reorient and renew their thinking almost 25 years ago, I shall not want, but prepared, and himself... Time through the valley of the Psalm exhibits the shepherding care of God from enemies... Would create such confusion concerning this comfort me does today the land or!, so my soul pants after you, God ( Psalm 42:1.... Shadow of death this would carry on all the days of his life symmetric bracketing a! Pearl of the Lord is my body his great shepherd, eat ; this is you, God ( 42:1! But more than enough, someone guessed pretty quickly that it would be 23! Of all these truths, we become more aware of Gods presence removed the fear David. Symmetric bracketing was a literary device intended to focus attention on the phrase... Way of weaving Davids testimony to bring glory to God and to his duty not a! A shepherd is to ensure the well-being and safety of the presence my... Wasnt just a shepherd is what makes Psalm 23 he is coming nor psalm 23 commentary john macarthur nor... 23 unique and unforgettable knows we need for the Holy Ghost loves,!
psalm 23 commentary john macarthur
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