MY SHEPHERD Part #1
Psalm 23
I. The Position of the Psalm
A. Psalm 22 is all about the Suffering Savior
1. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me. They pierced my hands and my feet.
2. Psalm 23 is the psalm of the Living Shepherd
3. The Lord is my Shepherd - Thou art with me.
B. Psalm 24 is the psalm of the Exalted King
1. In Psalm 22 the suffering One is our Savior
2. In Psalm 23 the living One is our Shepherd
3. In Psalm 24 the exalted One is our Sovereign.
II. There are three places in the New Testament that describe the Shepherd
A. John 10 - the Good Shepherd give his life for the Sheep
1. Heb. 13 - God brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus that Great Shepherd of the Sheep.
2. 1 Peter 5 - When the Chief Shepherd shall appear you shall receive a crown of glory.
B. Our Lord's work as Shepherd is described by the adjectives good - great - chief.
1. Each of the three corresponds to each of the three psalms
2. The word "Lord" is in capitals which indicates that it is the Hebrew word "Jehovah"
3. This name was only spoken once a year, even then only by the high Priest in the Holy of Holies.
4. Jehovah is distinctly the redemption name of Deity.
5. Reading through the Old Testament we find certain ideas attached to the name Jehovah.
C. There are seven such instances in the Word
1. Jehovah Jireh - the Lord will provide (Gen. 22:13 - 14)
2. Jehovah Rapha - the Lord that heals (Ex. 15:26)
3. Jehovah Shalom - the Lord our peace (Judges 6:24)
4. Jehovah Tsidkenu - the Lord our righteousness (Jer. 23:6)
5. Jehovah Shamniah - the Lord ever present (Ez. 48:35)
6. Jehovah Nissi - the Lord our banner (Ex. 17:8 - 15)
7. Jehovah-Ra-Ah - the Lord my Shepherd (Ps. 23:1)
D. Every need of the human heart is met in this seven fold revelation of Jehovah.
1. All seven of these titles are gathered up in the 23rd Psalm.
2. Let's take them in the order found in Scripture
3. Jehovah Jirah - the Lord shall provide (I shall not want)
4. Jehovah Shalom - the Lord our Peace (He leads me beside still waters)
5. Jehovah Tsidkenu - the Lord our Righteousness (He leads me in the paths of righteousness)
6. Jehovah Shamnrah - the Lord ever present (I will fear no evil for Thou are with me)
7. Jehovah Nissi - the Lord our banner (You prepare a table for me in the presence of my enemies)
8. Jehovah-Ra-Ah - the Lord my Shepherd
Ill. Happy are those who know this Shepherd.
A. He is our all sufficient Shepherd, guide, Savior and Friend.
1. If Jesus is my Shepherd, I can say without any presumption - "I shall not want"
2. Lacking nothing is the key to the whole psalm
B. "He makes me to lie down in green pastures" - I lack no provision.
1. "He leads me beside still waters" - I shall not lack peace
2. "He restores my soul" - I shall not lack for restoration if I fail or fall
3. "He leads me in paths of righteousness" - so I will not lack guidance in my life.
4. "I will fear no evil" - I will not lack courage in the dark hours
5. "For Thou ad with me" - I will not lack his presence.
6. "Thy rod and staff comfort me" - I will not lack for comfort
7. "You prepare a table in the presence of my enemies" - shall not lack protection, preservation and satisfaction.
8. "My cup runneth over( - I will never lack joy and fullness of His blessing.
9. "I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever" - I shall not lack a heavenly home when my journey is over.
10. Yes, the Lord is my Shepherd because He is, I shall not want.
C. The Lord is my Shepherd - that is the language of humble confession
1. In calling Jesus the Shepherd, we are acknowledging our proneness to wander, our need of protection and our utter dependence upon the Lord for His care.
2. The Lord is my Shepherd is the language of appropriating faith.
3. The pronoun "my" makes it personal and individual
4. It isn't enough for Jesus to be a Savior, He must become YOUR Savior
5. Can you take that personal pronoun and make it yours this morning?