The Shepherd is My LORD

Psalms 23:1-6
A Psalm of David.

1 The LORD is my shepherd;
I shall not want.

2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.

3 He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name's sake.

4 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.

5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the LORD
Forever.

The Lord is my Shepherd as much as He was king David’s.  The Shepherd is my Lord.  The nails driven in my Shepherd’s hands and though His words prove this (Ecclesiastes 12:11, John 20:25, 1 Kings 22:17, Matthew 9:36, 1 Peter 2:25, John 20:27).  Because He shepherds me, I will lack nothing good that is needed, including times of rest and refreshing.  The Shepherd and Overseer of my soul brings restoration of both body and soul; the soul being forgiveness from my repentance and conforming me to Christ, and the body when weary to the point of not being able to go on.  The Lord did these things with His servant David as an example of His leading and guiding all His people, including those of the nations in Christ made as one people in Him.  When the Lord restores, He then guides into ongoing sanctification, leading us in the footsteps of righteousness according to His word by His Spirit (Isaiah 30:21, 2 Corinthians 3:18).  This is for the sake of His name, which is for His honor and glory.  Even when the psalmist went through dark times as everyone was allied against him, he trusted Him for comfort and protection.  He did not fear the evil set against him because God was with him, on his side and working all for good through these times, just as He does for us (Romans 8:28).  None can stand against the Lord, and if He is in us, then we who are in Him have that assurance as well.  As a good Shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ guides and disciplines with the rod and staff of His word and circumstances for our good and for His glory.  This is providence, not happenstance.  In and through it all, God gives us comfort in the inner man by faith (Ephesians 3:16) by these acts of love in guidance and discipline according to His word (2 Timothy 3:16-17).  He also gives us a banquet in the face of our enemies to demonstrate His rule and goodness for us, that they may know we are His and He is for us and against them because we are His.  The blessings He bestows are like precious oil poured over our heads as anointing us as chosen and precious to Himself, and this goodness overflows our lives with peace and rest in our Lord and Savior!  We know because of our calling that His mercy and goodness will be given throughout life and all we face, for it is not the circumstances or lack of problems which prove His love, but His continued working (Philippians 1:6) in us.  He will never leave or give up on His children (Psalm 27:9, Hebrews 13:5-6).  We will live forever with our Lord and God in eternity, in His very presence!  That is where His goodness and mercy lead us from the cross through the grave and into the resurrection of the justified in our Great God and Savior, our Shepherd and Lord Jesus Christ.  Amen and amen.