Psalms 23

This is the psalm of the Great Shepherd who cares for His sheep and equips them for ministry (Heb. 13:20–21), the “great high priest” (Heb. 4:14) who “ever lives to make intercession for us” (Heb. 7:25). Certainly this psalm has a message for the sorrowing, but it’s unfortunate that it’s used primarily at funerals, because Psalm 23 focuses on what Jesus does for us “all the days of [our] life” and not just at death (v. 6). It’s also unfortunate that people tend to spiritualize the psalm and fail to see it in its true setting. They see David, a “young shepherd boy,” lying on his back in the pasture and pondering the things of God, when he probably wrote this psalm late in his life, possibly during the rebellion of Absalom (2 Sam. 13—19). In it, David deals with some of the difficult things he experienced during his long walk with the Lord. While people of all ages love and quote this psalm, its message is for mature Christians who have fought battles and carried burdens.

Abel, the first martyr, was a shepherd (Gen. 4:2), and so were the patriarchs of Israel. Moses spent forty years caring for his father-in-law’s sheep, and David, Israel’s greatest king, served his father as a shepherd. The image of God as Israel’s shepherd begins in Genesis 48: (niv) and 49: and continues throughout Scripture (28:9; 80:1; 95:7; 100:3; Isa. 40:11; 49:10; Jer. 31:10; Ezek. 34:11–15; Matt. 10:6; 15:24; Mark 6:34). The promised Messiah was seen as a shepherd (Ezek. 34:16, 23; Mic. 5:4; Zech. 13:7; Matt. 2:6; 26:3; Mark 14:27; John 10). In Psalm 22, David compared the enemy to animals that are clever and strong (22:12–16, 21), but in this psalm, he pictured God’s people as lowly sheep. Why? So we would learn about the Shepherd and see how tenderly He cares for us. Sheep are defenseless animals that are prone to get lost, and they need almost constant care. You can’t drive sheep as you do cattle; they must be led. The Eastern shepherds know their sheep by name and can call them and they will come (John 10:1–5). The sheep were kept, not for food but for wool, milk, and reproduction. In this psalm, David explains that if we follow the Lord and trust Him, He will meet our every need, no matter what the circumstances may be.

“The Lord” is Jehovah God, the covenantmaking God of Israel. The compound names of Jehovah in the Old Testament reflect the contents of this psalm. “I shall not want”—Jehovah-Jireh, the Lord will provide” (Gen. 22:14) “still waters”—Jehovah-Shalom, “the

Lord our peace” (Judg. 6:24) “restores my soul”—Jehovah-Rophe, “the Lord who heals” (Ex. 15:26) “paths of righteousness”—Jehovah- Tsidkenu, “the Lord our righteousness”

(Jer. 33:16) “you are with me”—Jehovah- Shammah, “the Lord is there” (Ezek. 48:35) “presence of my enemies”— “Jehovah-Nissi, “the Lord our banner” (Ex. 17:15) “anoint my head”—Jehovah- M’Kaddesh, “the Lord who sanctifies”

(Lev. 20:8)

The verb is a participle and means “is shepherding me.” Eastern shepherds guarded their sheep; led them; provided food and water for them; took care of them when they were weary, bruised, cut or sick; rescued them when they strayed; knew their names; assisted in delivering the lambs; and in every way simply loved them. What does this say to pastors today? In the Holy Land, pastures were lush and green following the rainy season, but this didn’t last all year. There were no fences, the land was rough and dangerous, abounding with wild animals and snakes, and the helpless flock needed constant oversight. Even if he didn’t own the sheep, the shepherd treated them as if they were his and had to give an accounting for any that were missing. Our Lord called believers “my sheep” because He died for them (1 Peter 1:18–19) and because the Father gave them to Him (John 17:12). The emphasis in verses 1–3 is that Jesus is adequate for every need the sheep may have as they are in the pasture. Primarily, they need food (grass), water, rest, and a shepherd who knows where to lead them. When God’s people follow their Shepherd, they have all that they need and will not lack the necessities of life (37:25; Matt. 6:33; Phil. 4:19). Sheep will not lie down when they are hungry, nor will they drink from fast-flowing streams. Sometimes the shepherd will temporarily dam up a stream so the sheep can quench their thirst. You can read verse 2 “beside the stilled water.” In heaven, our Shepherd will lead us to fountains of living water (Rev. 7:17).

The word translated “lead” in verse 2 means “to lead gently.” You cannot drive sheep. The sheep hear the shepherd’s voice and follow him, just as we listen to Christ in His Word and obey Him (John 10:3–5, 16, 27). If a sheep goes astray, the shepherd leaves the flock in charge of his helpers and goes to find the lost animal. (See Matt. 9:36; 18:12–14; Luke 15:3–7.) The word paths in verse 3 means “well-worn paths, ruts.” When sheep start to explore an exciting new path, it will lead them into trouble. “Do not be carried about by varied and strange teachings” (Heb. 13: nasb). God cares for us because He loves us and wants us to glorify Him (“for his name’s sake”). The shepherd cares for the sheep because he loves them and wants to maintain his own good reputation as a faithful shepherd.

This is the central verse of the psalm, and the personal pronoun changes from he to you. David is not speaking about the shepherd but speaking to the shepherd. In the dark valley, He is not before us but beside us, leading the way and calming our fears. The “vale of deep darkness” represents any difficult experience of life that makes us afraid, and that includes death. Sheep lack good vision and are easily frightened in new circumstances, especially where it’s dark; and the presence of the shepherd calms them. The rod was a heavy cudgel with which the shepherd could stun or kill an attacking beast, and the staff was the shepherd’s crook, which he used to assist the individual sheep. At evening, he would have the sheep pass under the crook one by one so he could count them and examine them (Lev. 27:32). It gave the flock peace knowing that the shepherd was there and was equipped for any emergency. He is “immanuel … God with us” (Matt. 1:23). Jesus is not a hireling who runs away at the sight of danger; He is a true Shepherd who laid down his life for his sheep (John 10:11–15). God’s sheep have “peace with God” (Rom. 5:1) and may enjoy “the peace of God” (Phil. 4:4–7) as they trust Him. Through life, as we follow the Shepherd, we will have many and varied experiences, some of which will be very trying, but none of them can take the Lord by surprise. We may trust Him and have peace. The closer we are to our Shepherd, the safer we are and the more His peace will fill our hearts. (See Isa. 40:9–11; 43:1–3; Rev. 1:17–18.)

Some students believe there is a change of metaphor here, from the shepherd and his sheep to the host and his guest, but this is not necessarily the case. “Table” doesn’t necessarily refer to a piece of furniture used by humans, for the word simply means “something spread out.” Flat places in the hilly country were called “tables,” and sometimes the shepherd stopped the flock at these “tables” and allowed them to eat and rest as they headed for the fold (see 78:19). After each difficult day’s work, the aim of the shepherd was to bring the flock safely back to the fold, where the weary sheep could safely rest for the night. Sometimes at the fold, the shepherd would spread out food in a trough, because sheep lie down and rest after they have eaten. As they slept, they would be protected by a stone wall that surrounded them, and the shepherd himself would sleep across the opening and be the door (John 10:7–9). During the night, thieves and dangerous animals might approach the fold, but there was no way they could reach the sheep. The Lord doesn’t always remove the dangers from our lives, but He does help us to overcome them and not be paralyzed by fear. This is what it means to be “more than conquerors” and have peace in the midst of danger (Rom. 8:31–39).

The shepherd would examine the sheep as they entered the fold to be sure none of them was bruised, injured, or sick from eating a poisonous plant. To the hurts, he applied the soothing oil, and for the thirsty, he had his large two-handled cup filled with water. He would also apply the oil to the heads and horns of the sheep to help keep the flies and other insects away. The sheep knew they were safe, and they could sleep without fear.

As the shepherd lay each night at the door of the sheepfold, he looked back over the day and gave thanks that the Lord had blessed them with goodness and mercy. As an old man, David looked back over his long life and came to the same conclusion. In spite of his sins and failures, he had been followed by goodness and mercy, which is the Old Testament equivalent of Romans 8:28. “Surely” means “only.” As David looked ahead, he knew he would be in heaven—the Father’s house—forever. This isn’t a reference to the temple, because the king didn’t live in the temple. Furthermore, nobody could live there or anywhere else forever. Jesus used this vocabulary to speak about heaven (John 14:1–6). The things that perplex and disturb us today will all be clear when we get to heaven. We will look back and see “only goodness and mercy.” Under the old covenant, the sheep died for the shepherd, but under the new covenant, the Shepherd died for the sheep—and we shall meet our Shepherd in heaven! “For the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes” (Rev. 7: nkjv).