Psalm 23

(part one)
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He
leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for
His names sake. (1-3)
David, a man after Gods own heart, begins this psalm not by addressing God directly, but
reminding himself that the Lord is a shepherd and significantly his shepherd
It is one thing to affirm the existence of God, the mighty power of God, the creativity of God
but yet another to declare that this awesome God is your personal protector and provider
He continues referring to God in the third person by reminding himself that because the Lord
is his shepherd he shall not be in want David will not be lacking for God meets every need
The apostle Paul taught this same truth: And my God will supply all your needs according to
His riches in glory in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19)
As a shepherd himself, David draws on this analogy of caring for sheep by stating that his
Shepherd enables him to lie down in green pastures sheep tend to rest only if their hunger
and thirst are satisfied, they are free from pestilence, and they have no fear of predators
He compares his life with God to that of a flock of sheep who are satisfied, unafraid, and led
beside quite waters sheep are not discerning in choosing their paths and need a caring and
wise shepherd to lead them to green pastures for grazing and to lead them to safe water to
drink
David states that the Lord restores his soul a sheep is restored when rescued by a
shepherd after being found in a cast position (a helpless situation in which the sheep is not
able to stand)
After grazing to contentment and resting in a pasture, some vulnerable sheep find themselves
in a shallow depression in the field and unable to get up; if not rescued from this cast
position, the sheep will eventually die (hence Psalm 42:5 and 43:5: Why are you cast down,
O my soul)
Finally, still referring the great Shepherd in the third person, David reminds himself that he is
led in paths of righteousness for His names sake sheep are followers and will go down
paths that are unsafe due to terrain and the presence of predators, but the shepherd leads them
in safety
We can choose paths of righteousness or paths of self-centeredness, rebellion, and iniquity
Yet only in surrendering our will to God and discovering His paths of righteousness do we find
joy and fulfillment as Jesus taught:
o Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added
to youl (Matthew 6:33)
o Whoever tries to save his own life will lose it, but he who loses his life for My sake
will find it (Matthew 16:25)
o You will know the truth and the truth will set you free (John 8:32)
David speaks of the paradox that true freedom comes only from living under Gods authority:
I run in the paths of your commands, for you have set my heart free (Psalm 119:32)
Paul teaches the same truth when he says he is constrained by the love of Christ (II Cor
5:14)

 It is significant that the Bible compares us to sheep, for in our fallen state we are undiscerning,
stubborn, and rebellious yet Christ died for us: For we like sheep have gone astray, each of
us has turned to his own way, yet the Lord laid upon Him the iniquity of us all (Isaiah 53:6)
When we experience new life in Christ by grace through faith (Eph 2:8), we become the
sheep of the Good Shepherd who said, I know My sheep and My sheep know Me (John
10:14)