Psalm 23 ("The Lord is My Shepherd") Summary. The position of this psalm is worthy of notice. Psalm 23 1 Commentary: What a Shepherd is Like A shepherd cares for his sheep. When we think of still waters we might picture in our minds a stagnant motionless pond. oil; my cup runneth over. The “shadow of death” or “valley” can be any troubles. He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Nothing is forgotten. So, you can take from this statement that our shepherd or Lord guides us, protects us. [⇑ See verse text ⇑] These words are some of the most-frequently quoted in the entire Old Testament. Application: This is stating that the Lord provides again. He directs us down paths that will honor His Lordship in our life. You anoint my head it oil, my cup runs over. Get ready for 150 of the most intense poems you'll ever read. In the same way, King David believes that if not for his God, he would not have food or drink. Psalm 23:1-4 New International Version (NIV) Psalm 23 A psalm of David. They would drown easily if the water was swift. With the Lord as our Shepherd, what more could we ask for? But for the first years of my walk with Christ I didn’t understand the journey of Psalm 23. “Still waters” can mean rest. Before we get to that, read the Psalm in its entirety: “The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want. II. Yea though I walk through the valley of shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me. He guided his people through hard times, was victorious in time of war, and was known as being “a man after God’s own heart”. Application: God leads our life to honor Him. 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. He took care of and protected flocks of sheep, and he wrote this psalm describing God as a shepherd and God’s people as His flock. What's your thoughts? He has no reason to fear because he knows that his God is in control of his life. Psalm 23 is known as one of the worlds most beloved Psalms, and Scripture verses, in the entire Bible. Psalm Summary 22. He leads me in paths of righteousness. This is why we shouldn’t fear any evil or darkness. I had not discovered it’s deepest meanings and most important applications. It made David feel very happy. Psalm 23 has been called the pearl of the Psalms. What does Psalm 23:1 mean? But, its comforting elements shouldn’t be limited to a … For this reason, King David of Israel has been named “A man after God’s own heart”. Thank you for your exposition. One of the greatest lessons we learn from Psalm 23 is that every person who belongs to God’s flock (by trusting in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior) is individually cared for as one of God’s sheep. “Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.”. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. This psalm of David is loved the world over for its calming and healing wisdom. Having finished that book […] It follows the twenty-second, which is peculiarly the Psalm of the Cross. Psalm 23 Summary Published: Jul 28,2011 Read Time: 1 min A Sunday school teacher asked her class if anyone could quote the entire 23rd Psalm. I. Psalm 23 Bible Study- The Character and Life of David Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Psalm 23 is the 23rd psalm of the Book of Psalms, generally known in English by its first verse, in the King James Version, " The Lord is my Shepherd ". Although King David has already established that he was been through hard times and that he has even faced death, he has no doubt that “goodness and mercy” will follow him wherever he goes. In fact, he claims that what he has been through has been “the valley of the shadow of death”. Psalm 23 is so much more than that Psalm that they read at funerals. Not brown, dead pastures. I found the key to the treasure store in Psalm 23 many years ago when I read Phillip Keller’s classic devotional book, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23. This is not entirely accurate. Our adult Sunday School class started considering the book of Psalms in January of 2015. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. It has sung courage to the army of the disappointed. ( Log Out / Also, note I will “fear no evil.” This means that not only will evil not hurt me, but I won’t even fear it. Psalm 23:5. I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. If you have never preached on Psalm 23 — or if you haven’t preached on it recently — this is the week. ‘Psalm 23’, found in the Christian Old Testament and in the Jewish sacred book, has been a source of comfort to millions through the generations. For this reason, the speaker in this Psalm is certain that he “shall not want”. W. Forsyth . Sheep have a natural tendency to wander off and get lost. 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. However, I personally feel this is a fallacy. But that’s not what’s in David’s mind. You are correct: “The symbolism of the 23rd Psalm has much more meaning to us today than we might Psalm 23 is the 23rd psalm of the Book of Psalms, generally known in English by its first verse, in the King James Version, "The Lord is my Shepherd". Psalms Summary. Psalm 23 EXEGESIS: CONTEXT: “A Psalm by David.” This is called the superscription. It has comforted the noble host of the poor. In those moments we look for comfort anywhere we can find it; a friend, a quote, anything that will reassure us These last lines of ‘Psalm 23 have spoken comfort into the lives of many. But Today, Brett Younker from Passion Music sums up this week's journey through Psalms 23. Again, without the shepherd, the sheep would die of thirst. [ See verse text ] These words are some of the most-frequently quoted in the entire Old Testament. He’s picturing a stream of water that is restful, comfortable, … Welcome to Passion Daily! The Lord (God) acts as a shepherd to the speaker. He poured oil, from plants, on David's head. The speaker then claims that God is the one who “anointest [his] head with oil” thereby giving him the position of King. God bless you! This was usual in those days. King David was not without his share of suffering. A Shepherd would often guide his sheep to new pastures, where the grass was green and soft and cool. It could also mean he keeps me safe. Followers of Christianity and Judaism have long turned to his poems as sources of comfort. Second, when I think of Psalm 23 and how it applies to my life today, I’m hit with a sudden realization. Psalms 23:1-6 . “Thy anoint my head with oil, my cup runs over.”. Today we continue our study of Psalms in chapter 23. They are used to protect, and direct sheep. It can be financial or health issues. Every "table" needs preparation. Subscribe to our mailing list to get the latest and greatest poetry updates. The Shepherd takes care of his sheep, protects them from wolves and other wild animals, and guides them. King David authored many Psalms that are found in the Old Testament of the Bible and the Jewish sacred book, such as ‘Psalm 23’. Diving deep into each line of Scripture, we see a picture of a loving father who cares for His children in precious ways. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. He anoints my head with oil is another custom of the times. He doesn’t need to be afraid of the dangers and perils of this earth, because he has an almighty eternal being by his side, and he knows that once his life on earth was over, he would go to be with the God that he spent his life serving. We respect your privacy and take protecting it seriously. First we may apply this saying to our daily bread. This detailed literature summary also contains Bibliography on Psalm 8 by King James Version of the Bible. Psalm Summary 24. Indeed, King David knew what it was like to face incredibly hard times. Before David became king of Israel, he was a shepherd. It is one of the best-known passages in the Bible. Days of my life: and I will dwell in the house Ask for says that the speaker stays on the shepherd, guiding and caring for his name 's sake responsible... Is commonly used in countless ways over the ages death and the service! 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