Psalm 23: Fearful Sheep

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil, for You are with me.
Psalm 23:4a

What an accurate picture of our current world madness! Many thousands of people are touched by the “shadow of death”. Fear has gripped the world and, for some, God may seem far away!

Isn’t it interesting that in our language the idea of “valley” is used as a metaphor for a bad season of a person’s life, because most valleys that I have seen, like the ones throughout America, are quite breathtaking. If I stand on top of a hill or hike on a mountain pass and look out, the valleys below are beautiful whether they are lush green or desert. The sure vastness of the scene is enough to take my breath away. I stand very still and am quiet. I want to hear the river rushing on its course below me. I want to imagine the wildlife hanging out in the valley and wonder what their day is like. I scan the sky for the eagles and hawks soaring high above the valley looking for their next meal. I simply want to take the whole valley in. In short, I am in awe of what lays out before me.

So why the negative in equating valleys with all things bad in our human experience?

A valley is a valley because hills and mountains surround it. Beautiful and majestic at first, these massive boundaries can become haunting like sentries of a prison as time goes by. The valley may be massive, but the claustrophobic feel of said “prison” if you are lost and it is very real when there seems to be no way out day after grueling day…after grueling day. This is especially true if you are in a valley you are not familiar with. Even the most lush valley will become tiresome if there is no obvious way of escape. The valley may seem like a fine place to hang out at first and even be pleasant, but as time passes, an exit to somewhere else is important to one’s sanity.

If there is no exit or the exit is not easily found or seems too hard to access, despair will ensue and fear can overwhelm even the most stout of heart.

In the valley you cannot see beyond the formidable mountains. You cannot see the whole picture of what is really around you and the truth of reality becomes blurred. All you know is the valley. There may be civilization just on the other side of the mountains, but you cannot see it. You may even know it is there, but like a dream, you cannot quite fathom your life there because you are “stuck” in the valley. The valley consumes you and consumes every minute of your day.

You can actually be in one of these massive valleys and not realize that there is anyone else there; that there is anyone looking for you or trying to help you. Often in rescue stories you read of hundreds of rescuers being sent out, even planes and helicopters being used and yet the lost parties believe they are all alone and have no one looking out for them, no one to bring them home.

These reasons and more are why our shepherd, King David, uses a valley to describe the shadow of death.

We all have experienced this shadow of death. If you are reading this you obviously have not died yourself. But the shadow of death has been your experience. Death of a parent or grandparent or a child. Death of a friend or even a coworker we barely know will bring death’s shadow to the door of our soul.

We cannot escape it. We cannot put it off. And we have no say in it. Death is the one thing we humans cannot control.

Some of us have experienced our own shadow of death; the confirmation of cancer or heart disease brings the shadow swiftly into our path. Even the prospect of these diagnoses and the ensuing tests bring us body and soul deep within this valley of the shadow of death.

And even in this, David boldly proclaims, that we do not have to fear!

…for You are with me!

Our God is just as much with us in our valleys as He is with us on our mountain tops! It is sometimes hard to accept and believe, but it is God, Himself, that put us in that valley, but He is with us through every minute of every day that we walk in the valley. Fear wants to overtake us, but in Jesus the Christ, we not only can conquer that fear, we can thrive in that valley! Not because of any special skills or attributes we may utilize, but because God’s compassions never fail and His faithfulness is GREAT!

For the LORD’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning. Great is Your faithfulness.
Lamentations 3:23

Psalm 23: Self-Willed Sheep

He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.
Psalm 23:3b

Funny how no one has to train even a young toddler on the fine art of disobedience! No matter what modern pundits would have us believe, sin and the propensity to commit sin is part of our very nature. And any honest parent can see this very early; take Amelia…

Mother says, “Please do not hit Rover with that, Amelia.”

Amelia lowers her arm and sits up from her crawl, plastic hammer in hand. She glances sweetly at Mother and then glances back at the dog sleeping quietly next to the cozy fireplace unaware of the danger inching toward him. Amelia returns to her crawling position and with careless ease crawls the few feet to close in on Rover. She’s mastered the ability to crawl and still carry her “weapon” in one hand. She is focused and determined. Rover is funny when wakened from his sleep.

“Amelia.” Mother’s voice is low but firm. “I said, No!”

Amelia thinks for just a moment about that word, “No.” She’s heard it many times already in her short life of just 14 months. It all started when she mastered the art of crawling. That word, “No” has really been a nuisance to her new-found freedom, though, and she’s learned she can ignore it for a little while before there are any real consequences. She realizes that Mother will be displeased if she continues on this short path to their dog. But, Rover is so funny!

There is no pause now. There is no glance back at Mother this time. There is only the innate desire to watch Rover jump up and run around the living room once bonked on the head. Rover is a big fury thing and the hammer is so small in comparison. He won’t be really hurt. No harm will really be done.

In a flash and before Mother can reach her, Amelia comes to her wobbly stance and her arm is raised. The hammer is lowered with all her toddler strength right on Rover’s nose!

You know how the rest of this story ends. Rover indeed jumps up and runs all over the living room. For an instant Amelia is entertained, but just for an instant. Her disobedience has a quick consequence of being knocked over by Rover and an unceremonious tumble to her backside. She is not hurt but cries out from the sheer force of Rover’s weight forcing her to the floor.

Mother finally arrives (Amelia cannot believe how slow parents can be sometimes) and scoops her up in soft yet strong arms. Amelia hears the familiar assurances from Mother that she will be alright, but she does not expect the admonitions of “Never do that again!” and “Why don’t you listen to Mommy” mingled in with the words of comfort. This toddler is confused. Mommy says it is wrong to hurt others. But Rover is such an easy target and can be so hilarious. She didn’t like the tumble, but that instant of fun…well…maybe it was worth it.

And this is why we all need King Jesus! This is why David, the shepherd king said, “He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.”

We do not naturally stay on the path of righteousness. Goodness! Sometimes we cannot even find the path let alone stay on it! We want our way and we want it now and any and all means of getting our way are acceptable. At this point, a righteous path is the farthest thing from our mind, just like our toddler, Amelia.

David knew this about himself and humbly acknowledges that it is only by The Shepherd guiding him that he can find the path of righteousness and then stay on it. And David also acknowledges that God does all this for His own name’s sake.

Does it help us when God guides us on the righteous path? Yes, of course! Does it often keep us out of trouble? Indeed, it does! Is God showing His love to us as He walks with us on the righteous path? Absolutely!

The Shepherd guides His sheep in righteousness for His own glory and honor. It is Who He is to guide His children in righteousness; not forced; not robots, but loving guidance. This brings God glory. There is no glory for a robot to do what it is programed to do. There is much glory when a stubborn, willful and stupid sheep willingly stays with The Shepherd on the path of righteousness.

We cannot do this on our own and it is an affront to the Creator when we try and take credit for any righteousness we may exhibit or keep in our minds and hearts once in awhile. And if we think it about, it is quite silly to harbor any pride in this. But we do! And so did David. That is why he wrote down the reminder that the truest restoration of our souls is when God leads us back to the path of righteousness. We shouldn’t struggle against God’s guidance and keep inching toward sin and trouble.

Stay on The Path with The Shepherd!

You will make known to me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.
Psalm 16:11

Your word is a lamp to my feet
And a light to my path.
Psalm 119:105

Psalm 23: Wayward Sheep

He restores my soul.
Psalm 23:3a

So far, David has given us a beautiful picture of God’s GRACE in Psalm 23. But if he ended his song here, I think there would be an incompleteness, an emptiness to David’s solution for bad days. (Actually, God’s solution for bad days, given to David. Just to keep God-breathed straight in our minds.)

God’s GRACE is beyond remarkable and I…we…don’t deserve an ounce of it. But, what earthly good is this GRACE if nothing is done about all the wounds we incur out on the battle field of life.

Think of a sheep, a wayward sheep. Said sheep probably has multiple cuts and bruises because it wandered into rocky areas or a briar patch. This wayward sheep may have a matted coat for lack of proper grooming from the shepherd, since it is a wayward sheep and hasn’t been in the shepherds care for some time. It’s probably hungry because sheep are actually really picky about what they eat and so it wouldn’t have eaten in a nasty muddy field or dried up marsh. And, maybe, it would be thirsty since most water sources are not quiet, but rather boisterous and loud and a haven for wild animals that would love to eat said wayward sheep. And, maybe, said wayward sheep has been hiding for days and doesn’t dare to sleep because a big ole’ bear got a whiff of it a few days ago and the dumb bear just won’t leave the water source!

Now think of a shepherd who goes out looking for this wayward sheep and finds it.

Yay! Wahoo! Such a lucky sheep!

Well, this sheep may feel lucky and even thankful at first. But what if the shepherd just plopped it down in the green pasture, sorta close to the water, but then just walked off without a word? What if the shepherd didn’t do anything about the cuts and bruises or the matted coat or the now “scardy cat” sheep who won’t go near any water? Just what kind of condition is this poor sheep in that is hungry, thirsty, tired, has open wounds oozing out puss and a matted coat, even in a green pasture by quiet water?

Said sheep is not doing very good and probably won’t do very good until the shepherd helps it because all of the self-effort of the sheep is just not enough to overcome all that has happened to it. Life has just been too hard in the world gone made and it is just a dumb sheep!

BUT, don’t worry! No self-respecting shepherd would ever allow any of his sheep to suffer with hunger or thirst or lack of rest or refuse to clean and bind all wounds or to wash and bathe and groom each and every one of his sheep, especially the wayward ones.

And neither will the God of the Universe, The Shepherd! That is why God doesn’t just leave me in the green pasture by the quiet water where His GRACE resides.

He “Restores My Soul”!

He gives me everlasting water and the bread of life! He gives me rest from all my burdens. He binds up my broken heart and pours His soothing healing oil over every open wound.

But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. John 4:14

Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst. John 6:35

Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. Luke 4:18-19

This song is far from over! He restores my soul!

Psalm 23: Stubborn Sheep

The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside quiet waters.
Psalm 23:1-2

If there is one biblical hero people turn to for comfort, it is King David! People may not even realize a particular verse was written by David, but if it is a passage about God’s comfort, guidance, strength and faithfulness, then there is a very good chance it was written by David.

Psalm 7, Psalm 18, Psalm 34, Psalm 52, Psalm 56, Psalm 59, Psalm 63, Psalm 142 and our Psalm in this series, Psalm 23, are just nine of the 76 Psalms attributed to King David.

Why do we value David’s Psalms? Why do we gravitate to these songs when we are in trouble and in trials and in pain?

Because David has been where we are and he was real when he wrote about his failings, his sin, his enemies, his family issues, and his personal doubts. At the same time he was very real about his total dependence on the God of the Bible, The Shepherd. The man after God’s own heart shared deeply about that intimate relationship and we want just a slice of what he enjoyed with his Creator! And we can! That is why God “breathed” the very words into David’s songs so we can come to them again and again for comfort; for teaching; for exhortation…for hope!

In Psalm 23, we learn, with David, what God’s GRACE looks like!

Wow! What great imagery! I cannot think of a more relaxing, refreshing, satisfying place to be than laying down on a grassy meadow (on a blanket of course since I am not a real sheep) beside a quiet body of water. I’ve actually done this a few times just hanging out in nature away from city chaos. I can say with sincerest honesty that it is a slice of heaven! Very often I am sound asleep within just a few minutes… until a fly buzzes over my head or the ants take over the blanket! (Oh the joys of nature at its best!)

I have also frequented various waterfalls and rapids, like my visit to Yellowstone National Park. Wow! Again, such amazing demonstrations of the world God has given us. I was so blessed to stand and be immersed into the heart of nature and all its power. But, I wouldn’t say it was restful. I haven’t found yet a waterfall/rapids area that I would fall sound asleep right next to it. For one, they are super high up and one false “rolling over in my sleep” and that would be the end of said sleep! And two, they aren’t very quiet; deafening is more like it, especially in the spring with snow melts and plentiful rain. You nearly have to shout to be heard by your companions.

It isn’t hard to imagine the difference these two similar (land and water) yet very different locations might affect sheep. Sheep in a grassy meadow and quiet water would be ten times more “at peace” than sheep coming upon a waterfall plummeting thousands of feet below them or the rapids that are at the bottom of that waterfall. Actually, good luck to the person trying to get the sheep near a waterfall. I think they would start bleating and cowering long before they ever got to the falls thanks to the thunderous noise!

And, yet, we as stubborn sheep-like people very often prefer the thrill and danger of waterfalls and rapids over the boring same old daily routine of a mere meadow and placid water reservoir. I think that is why David uses the terms of “makes me lie down” and “leads me beside”. We are so busy, so overwhelmed with our version of chaos, so burdened with a world gone mad (waterfalls and rapids) that we miss the GRACE, God’s GRACE (green pastures and quiet waters)!

And the very sad thing is, when we miss God’s GRACE we tend to also keep other’s from experiencing GRACE because we haven’t taken our fill of GRACE we cannot possibly extend it to others. So we keep others twirling round and round with us in chaos and burdens and fears and worry and…and…and…

All the while, God has green pastures and quiet waters just waiting for us! GRACE just waiting to embrace us! All the world is in unrest right now. As God’s sheep we should be leading the way to The Shepherd and His green pastures and still waters!

David, looked over the years of his life and realized that God, The Shepherd, had to “make” him lie down in green pastures and actually had to lead him to “quiet water”! David did not always willingly go to these most peaceful, refreshing and restful places. He didn’t always see the value in God’s amazing GRACE. He must have been a Type A personality, like me!

I think it is safe to surmise that God will use whatever method is needed to get us to stay in His pasture, near His refreshing water. It is only there that we can truly experience God’s GRACE! In green pastures and by still waters we are overwhelmed with God’s goodness, His faithfulness, His steadfastness, His mercy…His GRACE! And as others see us living in that GRACE, you know what happens? They want to know where that green pasture is! They want to know how to be refreshed by still waters! All because they see God’s GRACE in us and pouring out of us!

Jesus said…

Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28

If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water. John 4:10

For of His [Jesus] fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. John 1:16

Psalm 23:Needy Sheep

I shall not want. Psalm 23:1a

King David looked back over a life filled with the good, the bad and some pretty serious ugly and came to the conclusion of Psalm 23; a song from the shepherd boy to The Shepherd of his heart and life.

Psalm 23 is the culmination of David’s life. it is the God inspired battle plan for conquering bad days and experiencing fewer bad days even in the midst of great trial and loss. Even when the world goes mad!

If God is your Shepherd, if He is my Shepherd, then we can live by this battle plan and be victorious even in the bad days!

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want. Psalm 23:1

Too often, I don’t I really believe this, just like a dumb sheep.

When I see a good balance in the bank account and when I see the cupboards full and when I see healthy and satisfied family all around me then I am happy and full of praise and adoration. But in those times, if I am honest, I am confident in me; in what I can accomplish; in what I can produce. I don’t see God’s hand in all that provision and I am not trusting in Him as my Shepherd and I am not living in a spirit of thanksgiving to Him. The truth is, the good days are all about ME!

So, it is no surprise that when the bank balance gets low or the health fails or human relationships get dicey…that I have bad days, really really bad days. I even get mad at God and blame Him for not answering prayers which may or may not have even been said! If that is not a dumb sheep, I don’t know what is!

I shall not want.

King David was the last-born son in his family. He was given one of the worst jobs a Jewish boy could have, a shepherd of dumb sheep. Then he got the news that he was to be king of all Israel, but He had to wait several decades to finally be king. In the meantime, he was a fugitive on the run, slept in caves, was a leader of cast offs, experienced hunger and sleepless nights, and faced enemies on every side. And then when he finally was king, it was anything but a bed of roses.

Yet, God was David’s Shepherd and this earthly king, this shepherd boy, could in his deepest soul confess that in ALL of his life, he did not want…for anything!

If I am truly going to believe this and live this and rest in this, then I have to believe that David’s Shepherd is also My Shepherd! And I do!! Do you?

Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth and the life;
no one comes to the Father but through me.”
John 14:6

If you reject this about Jesus, then you cannot call God your Shepherd. He is still The Shepherd, but He is not your Shepherd. And you will be wanting; not just on Earth, but for the eternity that waits for all of us or I should say, the eternity that waits for no one.

If you can believe and can claim John 14:6 and John 3:16 and the host of Scripture pointing to Jesus as Savior, then God is your Shepherd, but you may not always act like it. I know I don’t.

The Bible tell us that Jesus…Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. Matthew 9:36. The majority of that crowd was mostly lost sheep, in other words, they didn’t believe John 14:6. But some in the crowd were Jesus’ sheep but they were acting like sheep without The Shepherd.

As a disciple of Jesus Christ, it isn’t that He is not my Shepherd on the bad days and therefore I feel wanting; it is that I am acting like a sheep without The Shepherd. Even in the middle of world madness, I have a choice. Live like a wandering sheep or live in the fold of The True Shepherd!

And still, The Shepherd, Jesus, has compassion for me and reaches down and picks up His wayward sheep (me), slings me over His shoulder until the bad day passes. Then He places me back among His fold nudging me with His staff and prodding me with His rod because I am one stubborn and stupid sheep!!

And He does this over and over and over; each time teaching and instructing me while providing in such abundance that I shall not want…for anything! In Jesus I lack nothing.

In Jesus I have all I need. God will not withhold any good thing from me. That is called GRACE!! Next we will see exactly what that wonderful and amazing GRACE looks like!!

Psalm 23: The Shepherd’s Shepherd

King David didn’t have just one bad day or several; he had a lifetime of bad days! Sounds like some of us, doesn’t it?! Sometimes these bad days were brought on by his own actions; Bathsheba watching brought on quite a few bad days. Sometimes bad days were brought on by work issues; javelin practice at his head by his employer, King Saul, or his family being carried off by marauders.

Sometimes bad days happened for King David because of family issues; Absolam plotting to take the throne or his own brothers mocking his motives for service or his wife Michael’s jealousy or…well there were a lot of family issues with David and too many to mention here. And then sometimes it was just nature rearing its ugly head that gave David a bad day like when bears and lions decided his sheep looked like a good lunch.

But the Song Writer could reflect back on his life, including the bad days, and compose a song so full of Truth that it has become the most quoted passage of the Bible of all time. Psalm 23 is Truth that bores deep into our sadness, our fears, our anxieties…our bad days and reminds us just Who God Is and ALL that He is for us.

Let’s break it down a bit starting with the very first phrase.

The LORD is my shepherd,

If this was all David wrote, it would be enough! Just think about what David was saying. The most powerful man of his time, maybe of all time, was admitting that he was a dumb sheep in need of a shepherd. And if anyone knew about dumb sheep David knew. Once a shepherd boy, always a shepherd boy at heart.

David knew all about vulnerable sheep; defenseless, easily frightened, prone to stray, lacking a sense of direction, cannot care for themselves and weak. He also knew they survive better together in flocks, that they will follow and be loyal to their shepherd, and that they thrive when in the comfort and protection of their shepherd.

David knew what it meant to be the shepherd. He knew how to use the staff to protect the sheep, he knew how to use the rod to discipline the sheep, and he knew how to find a wayward sheep, bring it back to the fold and then take measures to keep it from straying again. He knew about the hardships of keeping the sheep, of fighting off bears and lions and pestilence and thieves. David also knew that the only way, the absolute only way for a sheep to survive in this hard and dangerous world was willingly to place itself under the protection and obedience of the shepherd.

Knowing all this King David, the shepherd boy, called the King of Kings and Lord of Lords his Shepherd! Not just any shepherd, not some shepherd hired for a night or part-time in his duties. David claimed His Creator as The Shepherd.

It was personal. It was intimate. It was relational.

We, the sheep, can also have bad days and lots of them. But because we know The Shepherd we have all we need to not just survive these bad days but to overcome them and survive. More on that on later!

Know that the LORD Himself is God;
It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;

We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

Psalm 100:3