David had it right in placing his trust in the one true God who controls all things. So I started checking myself - heart was still pumping, ears were attached, nose still worked, yes, everything seemed to be in order. Pastor and teacher John MacArthur covers the complete Bibleevery passage of the Old and New . It isnt his destination or dwelling place. The word through is important. And finally we have the small matter of that which occurs after 'the days of my life'. Prophets Are any of us low in grace? He is not just a 'good shepherd'. The rod and staff were comforting to the sheep, because both were intended for the sheeps benefit. They are dumb, dirty, defenceless and dependant. They would travel from oasis to oasis. You prepare a table (Hebrew: sulhan) before me in the presence of my enemies (v. 5a). We in turn should allow that light to shine forth towards others so that people may see our lives and praise God. In that culture, people considered a persons name to be more than a simple label to identify that person. The Gospels Johannine Writings If you are truly saved He will never leave you all the days of your life! Do we feel that our spirituality is at its lowest ebb? Lie down in green pastures quiet waters - But thank Jesus our great Shepherd that He does bring us to green pastures and quiet waters. Anderson, A.A., The New Century Bible Commentary: Psalms 1-72 (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1972), Broyles, Craig C., New International Biblical Commentary: Psalms (Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, 1999, Brueggemann, Walter, The Message of the Psalms A Theological Commentary (Minneapolis: Augsburg Press, 1984), Clifford, Richard J., Abingdon Old Testament Commentaries: Psalms 1-72 (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2002), Craigie, Peter C., Word Biblical Commentary, Psalms 1-50, Vol. [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. Gods presence removed the fear in David and comforted him. God shines His light into our lives. Psalms 23 - The Pulpit Commentaries - StudyLight.org My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand.' When I was serving in Vietnam as a chaplain, I visited soldiers in the A Shau Valley near Laos. Almost everyone, whether religious or not, has heard Psalm 23 because it is quoted so frequently. For instance, we would emphasize 'I WILL build my church' or 'I will BUILD my church' etc. I started off by saying that I wanted to have a look at what is probably the most popular chapter in the entire Old Testament. He doesn't stop, and he doesn't give up hope. In the Old Testament world, to eat and drink at someones table created a bond of mutual loyalty, and could be the culminated token of a covenant. It has remanded to their dungeon more felon thoughts, more black doubts, more thieving sorrows, than there are sands on the sea-shore. We often try to work things out in our little minds and end up working ourselves into a place of nervous exhaustion! This word follow in the Hebrew does not just mean tag along at some distance behind. 'My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. Report an Issue Sermon Correction/Question . This table represents all the blessings that are ours in Christ Jesus. Maybe this verse should have read 'though I close my eyes and sprint through the valley of the shadow of death' This verse speaks to us of the trying times in our lives where there is darkness, confusion and fear. The World English Bible is based on the American Standard Version (ASV) of the Bible, the Biblia Hebraica Stutgartensa Old Testament, and the Greek Majority Text New Testament. It is a Psalm of life, rest and peace. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. PSALM 23:1-4. There is something about people who truly know their God. iii. (Kidner). The MacArthur Study Bible: new King James version - John MacArthur. In Psalm 22 He is the foundation; in Psalm 23 He is the manifestation; in Psalm 24 He is the expectation. They are times, as the Psalm says, when He restores your soul spiritually. To eat at the Kings table in the presence of your enemies would show your enemies that the king holds you in high regard, and would demonstrate their powerlessness to hurt you. They will lead us to places of rest and provision. Comfort -- for your rod and Thy staff comfort me. b. [4]. GenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyJoshuaJudgesRuth1 Samuel2 Samuel1 Kings2 Kings1 Chronicles2 ChroniclesEzraNehemiahEstherJobPsalmsProverbsEcclesiastesSong of SongsIsaiahJeremiahLamentationsEzekielDanielHoseaJoelAmosObadiahJonahMicahNahumHabakkukZephaniahHaggaiZechariahMalachiMatthewMarkLukeJohnActsRomans1 Corinthians2 CorinthiansGalatiansEphesiansPhilippiansColossians1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians1 Timothy2 TimothyTitusPhilemonHebrewsJames1 Peter2 Peter1 John2 John3 JohnJudeRevelation, Select an Ending Point Individual instructors or editors may still require the use of URLs. He is a great leader who leads people to righteous living. (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2007), Freedman, David Noel (Ed. (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2006-2009), VanGemeren, Willem A. Well, having said that I should say that you will be free from fear to the degree that you know He is with you - rain, hail and shine. Nederlandstalige Bijbelstudies door Stan Marinussen, Copyright - Enduring Word       |      . Excellent for: personal and family devotions pastoral study preparing Sunday-school lessons using with a small group simply readingeach volume draws you in It is a necessary method to protect the sheep. These twin guardian angels will always be with me at my back and my beck. Psalm 23 Commentary - Sermon Writer This is the condition of Gods servant always conflict, but always a spread table. (Maclaren), ii. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; I think if we could just grasp this first verse alone our hearts could then rest. All of John's 3,000 sermons, spanning more than four decades of ministry, are available for free on the Grace to You website. There was no fear involved. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. What are these still waters but the influences and graces of his blessed Spirit? It has comforted the noble host of the poor. The gist of Psalm 23 is that God is our shepherd who always provides and protects. Now this place of rest is, first and foremost spiritually speaking, right in the midst of the problem. 1 Samuel 17:35), and the latter for control since discipline is security., iii. Pests would crawl through the ear canal of an unoiled sheep and lay in its brain. God ultimately protects and provides for His flock and does everything in His power to care for them. These instruments (or instrument) of guidance were a comfort to David. ), The New Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible, 5 vol. 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). Now David wasn't saying here that 'the Lord is my Shepherd, whom I do not want'! Fortunately, I had insurance that would allow my family to weather the storm financially. Forgiveness -- for He restores my soul. Notice the following -. When the sheep are hungry or are anxious about food, they cant lie down peacefully. The shepherd recognizes when the sheep require green pastures and when they require still waters. 'What happened exactly to me in the dream?' Priests were anointed (Exodus 40:13-15). Learn More | Livestream | Bulletin Servicios en espaol. But the shepherds here use dogs and fences to drive and control the sheep. It has not made the dying Christian slave freer than his masterNor is its work done. Can you say that about your life? Please visit: https://www.bestbiblecommentaries.comPlease visit: www.bestbiblecommentaries.comBrowse John MacArthur's bible commentaries on Amazon:https://am. But, what makes it so compelling? And one day He will come in the clouds and troubles of this world will be over. You are mine. And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Poetical Books Some of the most obvious are: 1) the wisdom type with instructions for right living; 2) lamentation patterns which deal with the pangs of life (usually arising from enemies without); 3) penitential psalms (mostly dealing with the "enemy" within, i.e., sin); 4) kingship emphases (universal or mediatorial; theocratic and/or messianic rule); and 5) On still other days, she found herself walking through the middle of the valley. Psalm 23 Bible Commentary - Matthew Henry (complete) - Christianity Obviously this doesn't mean that the track that the shepherd takes is always an easy one. Wisdom Literature i. It is a song of gratitude that resonates with the authors heart and trust in God. Psalm 23 Commentary - Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible If we were without enemies, we might fear that we were not the friends of God, for the friendship of the world is enmity to GodThou preparest a table Nothing is hurried, there is no confusion, no disturbance, the enemy is at the door, and yet God prepares a table, and the Christian sits down and eats as if everything were in perfect peace. ), The Complete WordStudy Old Testament (Chattanooga; AMG Publishers, 1994), Baker, Warren and Carpenter, Eugene, The Complete WordStudy Dictionary: Old Testament (Chattanooga: AMG Publishers, 2003), Bromiley, Geoffrey (General Editor), The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Revised, 4 vols. 1.Jehovah is my shepherd. If we could be saved from wrath, and yet remain unregenerate, impenitent sinners, we should not be saved as we desire, for we mainly and chiefly pant to be saved from sin and led in the way of holiness.[4]. Anointing with oil was used for various purposes (healing, burial, expressing grief or joy). If God is our shepherd then we must obey Him wholeheartedly. Psalm 23:4 Your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Now I want to break this first verse up into each little section so that we can get a better grasp as to what David was saying. They are in need of a good shepherd who will provide, protect, and guide his sheep. MacArthur Commentaries - Grace to You I remember a woman who grieved every year on anniversary of the death of her infant child. He has also served as pastor-teacher of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California since 1969. Wisdom Literature Nothing is hurried, there is no confusion, no disturbance, the enemy is at the door and yet God prepares a table, and the Christian sits down and eats as if everything were in perfect peace. (Spurgeon). David wrote this while remembering his fearful experiences. As the shepherd led the sheep from oasis to oasis, this sometimes meant passing through narrow valleys that had steep cliff faces on each side. Johannine Writings Everything will be ok. My - This is probably the best thing about this psalm it is so personal! 19 (Dallas: Word Books, 1983), Hartley, J.E., in Bromiley, Geoffrey (General Editor), The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Volume Three: K-P Revised (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1986), Keller, W. Phillip, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1970, 2007, 2015), Kidner, Derek, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries: Psalms 1-72, Vol. Psalm 23:2-3 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters; he restores my soul. e. Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me: The rod and the staff were instruments used by a shepherd. ), Psalm 23:6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life. Later, rabbis often designated it "The Book of Praises." . 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. In verse 1, David expresses his thoughts about God. Psalm 23 Many of David's psalms are full of complaints, but this is full of comforts, and the expressions of delight in God's great goodness and dependence upon him. They also enjoy the enthusiastic company of their fifteen grandchildren. The Pearl of the Psalms: Spurgeon on Psalm 23 Most scholars account this Psalm to Davids maturity that contains vivid reminiscence of his youth as a shepherd. 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. ), which the WEB has updated. Whatever be the believers position, he is even now under the pastoral care of Jehovah. Regardless of destitution, famine, storms, and other uncertainties, Gods flock is well-provided for in all seasons. It is expressed in this verse - Rom Depression and other illnesses can enshroud us in darkness and threaten us with death. Instead of speaking about his Shepherd, David speaks to Him. Passwords should have at least 6 characters. The shepherds guidance not only comforted and restored David but also led His sheep to righteousness. They will not lie down if they are afraid. It will go singing to your children and my children, and to their children, through all the generations of time; nor will it fold its wings till the last pilgrim is safe, and time ended; and then it shall fly back to the bosom of God, whence it issued, and sound on, mingled with all those sounds of celestial joy which make heaven musical for ever. Included in the "better" provisions are: a better hope . Shepherd - This imagery of the shepherd and sheep spans the entire Bible but is most prominent in the New Testament where Jesus speaks about His relationship with His people, His sheep. Giving without a Whisper by C. H. Spurgeon, Know, Known, Knowledge, Unknown - Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, David Guzik :: Hechos 9 La Conversin de Saulo de Tarso, David Guzik :: Mateo 4 La Tentacin de Jess y Su Primer Ministerio en Galilea, David Guzik :: Hechos 2 El Espritu Santo Es Derramado Sobre la Iglesia, David Guzik :: Apocalipsis 20 Satans, el Pecado y la Muerte son Finalmente Eliminados, David Guzik :: 2 Timoteo 3 Los Tiempos Peligrosos y la Preciosa Verdad, David Guzik :: Apocalipsis 12 La Mujer, el Nio, y el Dragn, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jesus and the Holy Trinity (Walter Martin), Matthew 18-19 (1982-85 Audio) (Chuck Smith), Genesis 1:1-8 (1979-82 Audio) (Chuck Smith), John 12 - Sir, We Would See Jesus (Chuck Missler), Genesis 2-3 (1979-82 Audio) (Chuck Smith). But the confidence David had is that the great shepherd will always know what we need and when to provide it. John MacArthur: The Lord Is My Salvation - YouTube But he also knew, through many highs and lows, throughout his life, that he too was but a sheep with a far greater Shepherd. Notably, David recognized that under the shepherds leading, he may walk through the valley of the shadow of death. Luke-Acts He does not say there shall not be any evil; he had got beyond even that high assurance, and knew that Jesus had put all evil away; but I will fear no evil; not even the Evil One himself; I will not dread the last enemy, I will look upon him as a conquered foe, an enemy to be destroyed, For thou art with me. Believe with the same confidence David had. It was never used on the sheep. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; We need 2 cookies to store this setting. Though not often recited in its entirety, few are unfamiliar with the famous valley of the shadow of death.. This feeding is symbolic of being fed spiritually with the word of God. The Believer's Confession of Sin. In Psalm 23, however, the psalmist declares that the Sovereign of the universe, the Creator of all things, can be described using "my," that the Lord attends to me in a personal way. For I am Yahweh your God, Again, there is comfort in the fact that God directs us and even discipline from the Lord (pulling us back into line!) Oh! Not will be, like you look forward to something He will do but IS - present tense. Everything in eternity -- for I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever. 2He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. It's not for the goats. What would you say of a pilgrim commissioned of God to travel up and down the earth singing a strange melody, which, when one heard, caused him to forget whatever sorrow he had? There is some debate among commentators as to whether David had the idea of two separate instruments (the rod and the staff) or one instrument used two ways. The Whole Bible But it is still the path that leads to righteousness. 14a (Downers Grove, Illinois: Inter-Varsity Press, 1973), Limburg, James, Westminster Bible Companion: Psalms (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2000, Mays, James Luther, Interpretation: Psalms (Louisville: John Knox, 1994), McCann, J. Clinton, Jr., The New Interpreters Bible: The Book of Psalms, Vol. I will sanctify my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst; and the nations shall know that I am Yahweh, says the Lord Yahweh, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes (Ezekiel 36:22-23). David found him so, and so have we. If there was such a thing as animal school, they would be dropouts. We do not die, we do but sleep to wake in glory. Minor Prophets Psalm 23 commentary is a holy piece of work that exudes different kinds of emotions. 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. But the love for our Saviour is great, with us waiting patiently for a time all these woes will come to an end. Psalm 23 Bible Study - Jesus our Great Shepherd! Prophets ii. Founded in 1969, Grace to You is the nonprofit organization responsible for developing, producing, and distributing Johns books, audio resources, and the Grace to You radio and television programs. 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. [13] Boy it used to annoy me how church leaders and other Christians would create such confusion concerning this! What a wonderful picture we have of Christ in these three psalms!