A DISCUSSION ON PSALM 23 By PASTOR DAVID J. LEET

Nugget :-

Have you ever needed an inner peace, some words of comfort, from a close friend or family member?

When the pressures of life beat down on you, taking you to your breaking point, who do you talk to?

Where can you go for some respite? In other words, where can you go to find the peace and the time, to look after yourself ?

In this following study, we can find the answer to these questions together.

Are you looking for a Life Coach who is with you for ever ? God is mine, is He yours ?

Jesus Is Your Ultimate Life Coach!

INTRODUCTION

Today, we are reading through King David’s Psalm 23, so as to join him in his reflection of God’s goodness to him, and also to us who believe, in the midst of our troubles.

Traditionally speaking, Psalm 23 is always used ar funerals to celebrate the dead, and bring comfort to their families.

Yet Psalm 23 is a celebration of life for us to enjoy now, while we are living.

PSALM 23 - A PSALM OF KING DAVID. (KJV)

The Lord is my shepherd ; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he Leadeth me

beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul : he Leadeth me in the paths of righteousness

for his name's sake.

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.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies :

thou anointest my head with oil ; my cup runneth over.

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.

Let us pray before we go any further:

Dear heavenly Father, we pray for your guidance and wise understanding counsel, by your Holy Spirit,

as we enter into this time of studying your word.

We ask for revelation and your rhema word to us, as I pray for everyone's understanding to be opened to this study, in Jesus Christ's mighty name. Amen.

In verse 1: “The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want: - Which is to desire or need something.

So God supplies our needs and desires, and any good things that we lack, according to His Will for our good.

Wants can be food, shelter, safety, peace, rest , work etc…

A Shepherd guards, looks after, feeds, and protects his flock, a herd of sheep, for whom he provides for their needs.

John 10 V 1: Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.

Jesus tells us that he is the “Good Shepherd”, who gives his life for the sheep.

Therefore we are to trust in our Heavenly Father, for ALL of our needs and wants, and not in this physical world.

When Abraham offered up Isaac, his only son, God gave a ram ( a male sheep ) as an offering instead of the boy. 

( this was a shadow of what God would do for the entire human race, through His only begotten Son Jesus Christ, of Nazareth, some 2,086 years later for all of our sins and and diseases in life. )

So Abraham called that place “The Lord Will Provide”, in the Hebrew we see one of God’s names is JEHOVAH JIRAH - OR THE LORD PROVIDES.  To provide sufficiently or to stipulate in a will.

Here we see Abraham trusting in God for ALL his needs, even to the point of sacrificing his only begotten son, being a substitute for his son, whom he was willing to give, showing God his faith and belief for providing everything in life.

PSALM 23 V1-Q1: 

23 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

Often in life, we become lost in various aspects of our lives, often needing a guiding hand or direction.

How would you see this verse on a personal level?

PSALM 23 V 2a: “He makes me to lie down in green pastures" - This actually means that He will lead us through the Rocky paths of life, and just as on the mountains and hillsides of Jerusalem, He provides tufts of grass - Blessings, Spiritual and Physical food for His sheep.

Our Father in heaven will cause us to be at peace in life's trials and stresses.

Like a shepherd leads his flock.  Not the lush open meadows that have been traditionally portrayed in historical views.

As in Israel, it does not rain all the time like we have rain.  The rain is very sparse or little, and the morning dew is blown onto the mountains or hill sides, and there are small rocky tracks or trails, for the sheep to walk along, finding food as they go.  So too is our faith led by God’s Holy Spirit, in our daily lives giving us insight as we read the word, our spiritual food.

PSALM 23 V 2B: “He leads me beside the still waters”

Ezekiel 34 V 14:  I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel.

Lie down in good pasture on the hills.  In the midst is a gentle slightly babbling or still quiet brook or small stream.  These are the still waters spoken of here, and not a river or lake.  We need to remember that sheep are easily frightened or upset, and the good shepherd knows this about his flock.  He knows also the fears and pressures of modern day life, with all of it's effects on us. ALL of our obsessions, depressions, anxieties, fobias, personality disorders...etc.

Remember in John 14 V 16 - Jesus said “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, ( or Comforter ) that He may abide with you forever." ( this is the Holy Spirit, who will dwel ( live ) inside of you ).

John 14 V 17 - “The Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him or knows Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you”

In some versions, the word “Helper” is also called “Comforter” - “another comforter, as Jesus is in them.

PSALM 23 V 2 - Q1: How do you see this description in comparison to life, and how it relates to you?

PSALM 23 V 2 - Q2: Can this biblical account relate to our lives today, and how much we need a way of creating peace in our hearts, minds and spirits?

PSALM 23 V 3A: “He restores my soul - He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake" -

Which is to bring back, or to re-establish, to repair or bring back to original condition. We see that God is the God of restoration in our lives. Read Joel 2 vs 25, Jeremiah 30 vs 17, and 1Peter 5 vs 10.

Can we see this restoration act in our Saviour Jesus Chist's act of full submission to God, hundres of years later ?

PSALM 23 V 3B:  Righteousness - to walk closely with God, beside Him, committed to Him, being loyal and faithful to Him - Covenant Loyalty expressed by the covenant path with is the path of righteousness.  This is a loving walk with our hearts. And spirits walking with God.  This is His desire for us, to be committed to Him, Loyal and Faithful, in Covenant Relationship to and with Him for life.

PSALM 23 V 3: In this verse we see a close relationship is developing, along with our human and spiritual needs to trust.  How do you relate to this?

PSALM 23 V 4A: "Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death" -

The Hebrew meaning here is “Sal-Ma-Wet”, meaning darkness or dark shadow.  The root word is the same as death.  So while not ignoring our spiritual dark places in life, we need to understand that our Financial, Medical, Relational, Mental and other needs, are also the dark places we walk through, in uncertainly and confusion.  These are part of the dark valleys spoken of here.

“We have GOD’S SAVING GRACE  and FAITHFULNESS THROUGH JESUS CHRIST.  This is why our relationship with Jesus is so important to us.

PSALM 23 V 4 - Q1: Which areas can you personally relate to in this verse, and how can you appropriate God’s gift in them?

PSALM 23 V 4B: “I will fear no evil, for your are with me”.  Fear is a primitive emotion, and very real, it’s a warning of danger, real or imagined.  From this we fan develop a “Panic Disorder” or “Phobia” which brings us to mental health or distress such as “Post Traumatic Stress Disorder”.  Depression and Anxiety also, through excessive worrying, based on our fears.  This is why Jesus said to the people, to fear not. 

Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15 V 54-57:

54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

John 14 V 27:

“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give you - not as the world gives do I give to you.  Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid”.

Matthew 28 V 20B - “I am with you always, even to the end of the age” Amen.  Two things to note here, Amen mean “So Let It Be” or “It Is Done”.  This was not a promise of what will be, but it was a statement of fact as of that moment.

PSALM 23 V 4 Q2: As we can see, just as sheep are skittish and easily frightened, so we can be too.  Do we see and understand in light of these, the love and grace, and patience of God?

PSALM 23 V 4C: “Your rod and staff, they comfort me” -

The rod here in this context is a defensive weapon, used to fight off wolves and other predators after the flock. 

Deuteronomy 3 V 22 - You shall not fear them, for it is the Lord your God who fights for you.  He does this out of His great love for us.  

Here we can see a spiritual truth to hang on to in our walk with God, He protects us in the spiritual realm, though we cannot see it happening.

The staff represents long suffering and kindness, also the shepherd’s authority, guidance and protection for his sheep. The open hook on top of the staff is for pulling out his sheep from thickets and for gently nudging or guiding his sheep . The shepherds rod and staff are both used to guide and manage his flock, as well as being used to protect the sheep from predators.

It shows his care and concern for them.  This brings them, or us great comfort at all times, no matter what besets and troubles us.

PSALM 23 V4 Q3 - As we can see here, this is of great comfort in our lives, yet can we see how important His promise and statements of protection are in our spiritual lives?

PSALM 23 V 5A - “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies”.  In Hebrew the verb or action word is “ARAK” and means to arrange or order or prepare. 

Proverbs 9 V2 - “Wisdom” slaughtered meat, mixed wine, furnished her table.  Preparing a table has special meaning in this context, in the Hebrew culture.  It speaks of hospitality which leads to relationship commitments.  Think on our covenant with God through Jesus Christ.

Now the meal God its preparing is in the face of our circumstances, or in spite of our enemies, it is a sign of covenant commitment with us and God.  The guest at this table is guaranteed safety.  These two verses of scripture show us how God, if we truly seek Him, can engineer our lives so that even in the presence of our enemies, we find peace.  Our enemies can be spiritual, mental, physical, sickness etc.

The Hebrew word “Shalom” means peace, harmony, wholeness, completeness, prosperity, welfare and tranquility, nothing missing , wholeness. Therefore, “SHALOM ARAK” is all of this around God’s table.  It is also noteworthy that King David uses the Hebrew word meaning of “NEGED”, which is to set on high - conspicuously, on display.

Psalm 23 V 5:

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

David sets out how God Himself will provide all that we need for life, and invites us to his banquet table.  One of His names is “JEHOVAH JIRAH” which means THE LORD PROVIDES.  Also, called “YAHWEH YIREH”.  The place named by Abraham, where he took his son Isaac as a burnt offering to God, but God provided him a ram ( male goat ) instead of a boy for sacrifice.

PSALM 23 V 5 Q1: Sound familiar? Here is the greatest provision ever recorded in human history.  Discuss what this means to us.

PSALM 23 V 5B: “You anoint my head with oil, my cup runs over”.

PSALM 23 V 5 Q 2: Discuss how you can see and appropriate God’s provision in your life, both physically and spiritually.

What effect does this have for you?

Genesis 22 V 1-14:

1 And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.

2 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

3 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.

4 Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.

5 And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.

6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.

7 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?

8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.

9 And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.

10 And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.

11 And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.

12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.

13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.

14 And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen.

Psalm 92 V 10:

But my horn (Hebrew for Strength) you have exalted, (Raised Up, Elevated), like a wild ox.  I have been anointed with fresh oil.  Here we find David acknowledging that God has given him spiritual strength and the fresh presence of God’s spirit upon him.  Oil is used to represent the Holy Spirit, and is used to consecrate or to make sacred in a ceremony, it is to become dedicated in service to God.  This anointing is to remove the burden and the yolk in the power of God.  This causes us to function supernaturally.

Acts 2 V 1-5:

1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.

PENTECOST in the upper room where the believers were filled with the Holy Spirit - This is like a daily fresh anointing to us from God.  We can read on to see how they continued supernaturally and added to the church.

PSALM 23 V 6A:

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell I the house of the Lord forever”. King David acknowledges here the goodness of God to him.  GOODNESS - Kindness, goodness, wealth, property, peace, charity (Old English word for love), also graciousness.  The meaning here is holy, pure, and righteousness.  It is likened to Godliness.  Often seen in our actions and deeds, yet our hearts also have to be pure.

PSALM 23 V6 Q1: How are you travelling in your walk to be holy and pure of heart?

Keep trusting the Holy Spirit of God to direct you .

PSALM 23 V 6B: “To dwell in the house of the Lord forever”.  To dwell means to abide or live in, be a permanent resident in Heaven.

PSALM 23 V6 Q 2: How do you feel after going through this psalm of King David , and how much can you relate to his reflections?

Now as you go over our study again, should you desire to come closer to God, or perhaps you don't yet know Him as your heavenly Father.

I am going to ask you to repeat this prayer with me :

Dear heavenly Father, I come to you in the name of your son Jesus Christ,

I ask that my spiritual eyes be opened to your truth.

I thank you Lord that Jesus gave His life for me on Calvary's hill, on that cross, and that he gave himself as my personal Saviour, and I ask him into my life that he may take away my sins and make me clean in your eyes Father.

Thankyou Lord Jesus for saving me and coming into my life, in your name Lord. Amen.

Now you need to find a good gospel preaching church, and join a lifegroup to begin your journey with Jesus.

God bless you all in Jesus mighty name, Amen.

END - Or is this just your our our beginning?