Focus: Psalm 23

Text: Ps.23:2,4

"HE maketh me… THOU art with me…"

David was the author of Psalm 23. While he was once a shepherd to a certain number of sheep and a shepherd-leader to all Israel, he was a sheep to the Shepherd-God of Israel. David had God as his personal Shepherd. He had a wonderful personal relationship with God. He knew God for himself.

This Psalm 23 is presented to us in three dimensions. From verse one to verse three, David is testifying about his Shepherd. He is telling whoever cares to know that the Covenant Yahweh of Israel is his personal Shepherd, and for having the Lord as his Shepherd, he has need of nothing. His Shepherd sees to it that he is provided for and ably protected. He is telling everyone, 'HE makes me to lie down in green pastures. HE leads me beside the still waters. HE restores my soul. HE guides me in the paths of righteousness for HIS name's sake.'

*He MAKES me…

*He LEADS me…

*He RESTORES my soul

*He GUIDES me…

The Shepherd of David is doing everything for him. His Shepherd feeds and leads him. He provides and protects him. David is enjoying the gracious largesse of the Great Shepherd.

The word 'he' is a third person singular, meaning that the first person is talking to the second person about the third person. So David as the first person is talking to someone else as the second person about his own personal Shepherd, who happens to be the third person. The point is that David as the Lord's sheep is boldly and confidently talking about his able and worthy Shepherd. In fact, he is singing about his God. He is testifying about the goodness and greatness of his God.

Beyond verse 3, we come to verse 4 and 5. Those two verses say, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for THOU art with me; THY rod and THY staff, they comfort me. THOU preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies. THOU anointedst my head with oil…" David, the psalmist, changes from 'he' to 'thou,' and from the third person to the second person. He is now talking directly to God. David not only talks about his God; he also talks to his God. He comes into the audience chamber of God and interacts with him freely and fondly. He expresses faith in his Shepherd. In the place of pain he appreciates the presence and company of his Shepherd. He says to God, 'You are with me. You have not left me on my own. Your rod and staff are comforting to me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil.'

David tells others about the goodness of his Shepherd. He evangelizes his Shepherd. He refuses to hide what God is doing in his life. He is not stopping there, but goes on to tell God how wonderful and worthy he is to him.

In verse one, he talks about the Lord, and in the last verse, he talks about the Lord's house. The covenant Lord has a covenant house for His people. Every shepherd has a sheepfold where he keeps his sheep. Also, the Lord our Shepherd has a house where He keeps His flocks. Our Shepherd not only feeds and leads us, but He also leads us home. He brings us safely into His house.

I pray that you do not only know Psalm 23 offhand, but also that you encounter and experience the Shepherd of Psalm 23. I pray that you come to know the Lord for yourself and enjoy His presence, peace, provision and protection. Amen!

by Bishop Moses E. Peter