“The Lord Is My Shepherd”(Psalms 23:1-6)

Psalms 23:1-6 “The Lord Is My Shepherd”

 

Psalms 23 begins with the words “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want” and is a truly pure, beautiful song and a praise of the soul.  This psalm is good to be heard by everyone no matter when or where they may be or what circumstance they are in.  These are good words to be given to new mothers, these words are a great comfort to sick patients, they are good for a wedding ceremony, and also they are favorably great words for a funeral.  A person rising up in the morning and reading Psalm 23 before going to work will be happy and in the evening can meditate on these words and give thanks for the day, that person will sleep in peace.  A person who holds on to Psalm 23 will not be afraid even on their deathbed.  I believe whoever reads this psalm and assimilates it as his own will always be blessed with a fullness of energy.  Therefore today we will receive grace through a sermon titled “The Lord Is My Shepherd.”  I pray God’s grace over flows in your souls.

 

First of all, let us think about why human beings need a shepherd.  Men are weak vessels and the world is rough therefore we need a shepherd.  In one aspect, a sheep is a weak animal; it doesn’t have claws like a lion, it doesn’t have poison like a poisonous snake, doesn’t have horns like a goat, doesn’t kick back like a horse, and doesn’t have long legs to run fast like a deer.  They can not find their own way to or their way back from where they need to go.  They are foolish animals.  When they are lost in the valley they become the prey of fierce animals.  They never attack others.  This is how sheep are.  They only follow their shepherd and are only able live by his protection.  Beloved saints! How have we been living in this world so far?  Have your lives in the work place, business place, or home turned into ones of strife and have these places become battlefields?  If so, you may not need a shepherd.  If you are strong as a lion and diligent as an ox, why would you need the help of the shepherd?  Isn’t that right?  We all are young sheep of our Lord.  We don’t attack others and don’t have greater power than others nor ability.  Therefore I believe we need Jesus Christ Who is our Shepherd.  The Lord of the universe and God of creation is my Shepherd, I shall not want (Psalm 23:1, John 10:11).

 

Secondly, how does God the Shepherd protect us?  He protects us by: jKeeping us well.  We see in Psalms 121:4-5 it says, “Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.  The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade at your right hand.”  I believe God the Shepherd protects His sheep, you and me who are bought with His blood.  kGod the Shepherd protects us by supplying our needs.  Psalm 23:2 says, “He makes me to lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside the still waters.”  Why does the shepherd lead his sheep to the green pastures and lead them beside the still waters?  It is to give them grass to eat and clean water to drink.  Likewise God the Shepherd always leads us to green pastures and gives us abundantly according to all our needs.  Look here!  For example, in olden days the Israelites ate manna and quail in the wilderness.  What does this mean?  We too live life like we are in the wilderness; there is a time to be hungry and thirsty.  However, every time God miraculously supplies things to eat, things to wear, and things to drink.  From time to time He supplies us with spiritual food for life and sparkling, living waters by the work of the Holy Spirit for our thirstiness.  St. Paul says in Philippians 4:19, “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”  I firmly believe God the Shepherd (Jesus Christ) fills us with everything we need.  lGod protects us by leading us.  Verse 3 in today’s text says, “He restores my soul; he leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake.” 

In this, God the Shepherd restores my soul first then He leads me in the paths of righteousness and even takes responsibility for His name’s sake.  What are the paths of righteousness in this verse?  These are the right ways; the way of salvation, the way of life, in other words it is Jesus Christ.  God the Shepherd, Himself, came to this earth and showed the paths of righteousness which is the cross of Jesus Christ.  We must believe the only way is the cross of Jesus Christ which is the path of righteousness and the way of life and the way of salvation.  When we believe in the merit of the cross of Jesus, our soul can be restored.  I believe we are God’s sheep, whose souls are restored by the blood of our Lord.  It is for these kinds of people that God takes responsibility and promised them to be saved for His name’s sake and God’s honor.

 

Thirdly, how should the attitude of the sheep be for those who are lead by the Shepherd?  How should our attitude be as sheep when God the Shepherd protects us, supplies our need, and leads us for His name’s sake?  The attitude should be: jThat the sheep have to let the Shepherd know their condition.  What does this mean?  It means to pray.  When a sheep is wounded and crying in pain the Shepherd responds quickly by listening to the crying and finding out its condition and healing the wounds.  Then the sheep is comfortable.  In this, the sheep has nothing to do but cry out; the shepherd does the rest.  Do you believe this?  This is prayer.  If you are in pain then tell the Shepherd that you are in pain, if you are sad, then tell the Shepherd you are sad.  The Shepherd Jesus will take care of the rest.  kThe sheep must heed the voice of the Shepherd and obey.  This means that we give our ears to God’s word and obey it.  In 1 Samuel 15:22 we see a terrible scene in that King Saul loses his throne as a result of not obeying God’s word. 

The prophet Samuel said to King Saul, “To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams.”  Because of this I believe a saint becomes a blessed saint when they heed the word of God the Shepherd and obey His words.  If the Shepherd says to go to the pasture, then go and to go to the still waters, then go and rest then rest.  If the Bible says to do, then do and if it says don’t do, then don’t do.  lThe sheep must believe in the leading of the Shepherd and trust Him.  Let’s read verse 4 of today’s text together.  “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”  What does this mean?  In the spiritual aspect, the valley of the shadow of death is to see this as the moments of hard difficulty through which we are not able to endure.  Even though the valley of trial is hard as the valley of the shadow of death, we fear no evil; this is only possible when we trust the Shepherd.  The Shepherd will pull us from this difficult place with His staff. 

Beloved saints!  I will finish preaching.  Do you have difficulty that you are not able to endure, like the valley of the shadow of death?  If so, please don’t be afraid.  God the Shepherd protects us with eyes like a flame of fire.  He Who keeps us will not slumber nor sleep (Psalms 121:4).  The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night (Psalm 121:6).  We finish by reading Psalm 23:1-4 together.  “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.  He makes me to lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside the still waters.  He restores my soul; he leads 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 You are with me; your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”  May you have peace in all of your life as you follow the Shepherd Jesus Christ.

By: Rev. Samuel Choi