How to Study the Bible: Psalm 23 Study

WHO?

Who wrote it? King David.

To whom was it written (address on the envelope) - Everyone

About whom was it written? - All of us!

Who are the main characters? - The LORD (Jehovah God) (the shepherd), "me", my enemies

Does it apply to us? Yes

How? We too are His sheep.

WHAT?

Summary: God's loving care for David, and for us, is portrayed under the figures of a shepherd for the flock and as a guest at the dinner table.

Key Words: shepherd, LORD, rest, leads, renews guides, protect, comfort, prepare, welcome, anoint, pursue

Key Phrase: I will live in the house of the LORD forever.

WHEN?

When was it written? We know something of the circumstances of its composition. In the fifteenth chapter of Second Samuel there is recorded the instance in David's life when his own son rebelled against him and toppled him from the throne. David was forced to flee into the Judean wilderness with his family and servants, and for a period of time he was unable to reclaim his throne. His life was in jeopardy and he was hunted and hounded for a number of months. Perhaps, because so much of his early life had been spent as a shepherd in that same wilderness, the circumstances recalled his shepherd life. The images in this psalm are drawn right out of his experience as a young shepherd.

WHERE?

To where written?

From where written?

WHY?

Purpose? This is a psalm for people who, like David, are experiencing a major upheaval in their life. Perhaps you too have children who are rebelling, or your home is in turmoil, or some long-standing relationship in your life is breaking up. This psalm is written for you. It is a psalm for people who are shaken and in turmoil.

PERSONAL APPLICATION:

Does this impact me in any way? Yes!

Are there any changes in my life needed after reading this?

Can I help anyone after reading this?

Any other thoughts?

Psalm 23 - New Living Translation

A psalm of David.

¹ The Lord is my shepherd*; I have all that I need.

There are really only two options in life. If the Lord is my shepherd, then I shall not want; but if I am in want, then it is obvious that the Lord is not my shepherd. It is that simple. If there is emptiness and loneliness and despair and frustration in our lives, then the Lord is not our shepherd. Or, if anyone or anything else is shepherding us, we are never satisfied. If our vocation shepherds us, then there is restlessness and feverish activity and frustration. If education is our shepherd, then we are constantly being disillusioned. If another person is our shepherd, we are always disappointed and ultimately we are left empty. If dope is our shepherd, as one rock artist said recently, then "we are wasted". But if the Lord is our shepherd, David says, we shall not want. - The Shepherd Psalm by David H. Roper www.pbc.org/library/files/html/0399.html

*shepherd: God as good shepherd is common in both the Old Testament and the New Testament (Ezekiel 34:11-16; John 10:11-18). Jehovah-Roi, one of God's titles.

Ezekiel 34:11-16: “For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will search and find my sheep. I will be like a shepherd looking for his scattered flock. I will find my sheep and rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on that dark and cloudy day. I will bring them back home to their own land of Israel from among the peoples and nations. I will feed them on the mountains of Israel and by the rivers and in all the places where people live. Yes, I will give them good pastureland on the high hills of Israel. There they will lie down in pleasant places and feed in the lush pastures of the hills. I myself will tend my sheep and give them a place to lie down in peace, says the Sovereign Lord. I will search for my lost ones who strayed away, and I will bring them safely home again. I will bandage the injured and strengthen the weak. But I will destroy those who are fat and powerful. I will feed them, yes—feed them justice!

John 10:1-14: “I tell you the truth, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather than going through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber! But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice. They won't follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don't know his voice.” Those who heard Jesus use this illustration didn't understand what he meant, so he explained it to them: “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them. Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep. A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will abandon the sheep because they don't belong to him and he isn't their shepherd. And so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock. The hired hand runs away because he's working only for the money and doesn't really care about the sheep. “I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep. I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd.

1 Peter 2:25: Once you were like sheep who wandered away. But now you have turned to your Shepherd, the Guardian of your souls.

Revelation 7:17: For the Lamb on the throne will be their Shepherd. He will lead them to springs of life-giving water. And God will wipe every tear from their eyes.”

² He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams.

The basic needs of a flock of sheep are grass and water. Here is the very picturesque scene of sheep bedded down in grassy meadows, having eaten their fill and now totally satisfied, and then being led by still waters. Sheep are afraid of running water; they will drink only from a quiet pool. The picture is one of calm and tranquility, because the basic needs of the sheep are met. The counterpart in our lives is obvious. It is God who restores the inner man through his word. As we feed upon the word of God we see the Lord Jesus there.

³ He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths*, bringing honor to his name.

*right paths: the "right way" or the "way of righteousness." The Hebrew word translated "paths" means "a well-defined, well-worn trail." That indicates how stupid sheep are, because even when the trail is well laid out, they still need a shepherd. They are still inclined to wander away, no matter how obvious the path may be. The shepherd knows the trails. He has been there before, and the sheep trust him.

⁴ Even when I walk through* the darkest valley**, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me***. Your rod and your staff**** protect and comfort***** me.

*through: through and out of, not into!

**darkest valley: Or the dark valley of death. Hebrew - "valley of deep shadows".

***close beside me: Heb 13:5-6: I will never fail (leave) you. I will never abandon (forsake) you. So we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?”

****rod and staff: club and crook, the only two things carried by the shepard. The rod was a club which was used to drive off wild animals. It was never used on the sheep but was a heavy instrument used to protect the sheep from marauding predators. The staff was a slender pole with a little crook on the end. It was used to aid the sheep. The crook could be hooked around the leg of a sheep to pull him from harm. Or it could be used as an instrument to direct, and occasionally to discipline the sheep, with taps on the side of the body.

*****comfort: = gently lead. Refers to the way in which a shepherd uses his implements to assure the sheep of his presence and calm their nerves. The underlying reality is the emotional stability God provides the psalmist during life threatening situations.

Psalm 27:1: The Lord is my light and my salvation -
so why should I be afraid?
The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger,
so why should I tremble?

⁵ You prepare a feast* for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil**. My cup*** overflows with blessings.

*feast: In verse 5, the metaphor switches.The background for the imagery is probably the royal banquet.

**anointing my head with oil: It was customary in hot climates to anoint the body with oil to protect it from excessive perspiration.

Matthew 26:7: While he was eating, a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume and poured it over his head

***cup: the shepherd's cup of water for the sheep.

⁶ Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue* me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord** forever.

*pursue: The Hebrew verb radaf is often used to describe the hostile actions of enemies. One might expect his enemies to chase him, but God’s “goodness and unfailing love” pursue him instead. God “chases down” the one whom he loves to keep him safe and to bless him, often in spite of himself. David says that God's goodness and mercy shall pursue him, in contrast to the pursuit of his enemies who are out to dethrone and destroy him.

**house of the Lord: For David, this referred to the earthly tabernacle. But, for us, it looks beyond that to heaven itself where we can be with Him forever.

Psalm 27:4-6: The one thing I ask of the Lord - the thing I seek most - is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord’s perfections and meditating in his Temple. For he will conceal me there when troubles come; he will hide me in his sanctuary. He will place me out of reach on a high rock. Then I will hold my head high above my enemies who surround me. At his sanctuary I will offer sacrifices with shouts of joy, singing and praising the Lord with music.

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