Psalm 23

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.

restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name’s sake.

Even 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.

You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.

    A well-known passage, and rightly so.  This is a beautiful picture of God's care for and relationship with his people.  The analogy utilized here is one that would have been fresh and accessible to the audience, which was largely agricultural, and in which sheep played a large role economically and religiously.  Notice one thing before we begin exegesis.  Yahweh, the actor portrayed in this Psalm, is often seen as a slightly different God than is seen in the New Testament.  We dichotomize the Old Testament against the New.  One is love.  One is law.  One is love.  One is justice.  One is about obedience.  One is about grace.  One is about following the list of do's and dont's, and the one is about a personal relationship.  Psalm 23 shows that that dichotomy is entirely inaccurate.  Both Testaments portray the same God--Yahweh, the perfectly just, transcendent deity who is also perfectly loving and immanent.  David had a relationship with this Yahweh.

    Yahweh is my shepherd.  What a thought!  We can all claim this just as David did.  This is the product of Jesus Christ's death on the cross--access to the Father.  But what does it mean that Yahweh is our Father and Shepherd?  The passage goes on to state the benefits of such access to God.

    Because Yahweh is my Shepherd, I shall not want.  Want is an old English word meaning lack.  God's shepherding means that He will not allow us to go without.  This is true in more than one way.  David enumerates the provisions of God throughout the rest of the Psalm.

    Firstly, God provides for us mentally, emotionally, and psychologically.  "He makes me lie down in green pastures.  He leadeth me beside still waters (literally waters of rest).  He restores my soul."  God's presence provides the peace and security that transcends circumstances.  David often found himself hiding out in caves or in the wilderness, but here speaks only of rivers and green pastures.  God's presence transforms our worst days into days of perfect peace and joy.  It is our duty to reflect on God's power and sovereignty and love.  If we are without peace, it is our fault.  We must meditate on God's character and the joy in Heaven that awaits us.  It is when we understand this that we rise about the situations and fellowship with the timeless Yahweh.  Even in the depths of the valley of the shadow of death, we can stand firm without fear.  If a sheep were to wander off and find himself in a bind, he would certainly be comforted if he saw his shepherd coming to get him.  How fearless ought we to be knowing that our Shepherd is always present and always in control of every dark valley into which we stumble?

    Secondly, God provides for us spiritually.  "He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His own name's sake."  God gives us His spirit.  His transforms our hearts.  He gives us His Word.  All these things are spiritual benefits that no man deserves.  Romans 9 speaks of God's election and confirms as David does here that it is for God's glory alone.  We deserve no spiritual benefit at all.  Yahweh gives us guidance as our shepherd.  He guides us with his often painful rod, keeping us from the paths of evil.  Notice that David speaks of God's chastising rod and staff as a comfort.  Hebrews 12:8 tells us that every father chastens sons, and that if we are not chastened by God then we are not sons, but are bastards.  This spiritual guidance is God's greatest blessing.  Saving faith is God's gift to us through Jesus and is the ultimate fulfillment of David's words. 

    Thirdly, God provides for us physically.  While much of the Psalm could be said to follow under this heading (actually, most of the phrases could be taken in all three of these ways), the next few phrases describe God's physical blessings to us.  The paths of righteousness often result in physical blessing.  Holiness enables us to avoid many of the downfalls of wickedness.  Truly the Christian church can look around and proclaim, "Our cup overflows!"  Yahweh has prepared a table before us in the presence of our enemies.  The world looks at us and hates us, and yet we stand untouched.  While God cares for our physical needs, I must reinforce that David's language refers much more to the spiritual peace and prosperity than to physical prosperity.  Remember, God's presence enables us to transcend circumstances.

    In conclusion, let us look at the last verse.  "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever."  Being in a Shepherd/sheep relationship with Yahweh ensures that we will be forgiven of our sins and that we will live happy, joyful lives.  Will there be hardships?  Yes.  Will there be pain?  Yep.  Will there be loss?  Probably.  Will Yahweh still be present and all-powerful.  Definitely.  And lastly, David proclaims his joy and certainty in dwelling in God's house.  In the New Testament age, God's house in no longer a building.  It is His Church.  It is wherever two or three of His people are gathered.  Therein shall we dwell.  There is where we will find His presence and true joy.  Worshipping God and serving His people ought to be our greatest joy.  Therein shall we find true comfort in the unity of our flock as we seek our great Shepherd.