Series: The Lord of Psalm 23
Text: Psalm 23:4
Message: Jesus, Our Guide
“Psalm 23 has become a funeral psalm. But, in fact, it is really a Psalm about life. only one verse out of six speaks about death. The imagery of the psalm is dominated with food, water, rest, security; it’s about going to a banquet where you have perfumed oil poured on your head and you have a cup of wine in your hand where you have to say to the host, ‘No, stop, it’s overflowing!’” — David Gibson
“We discover this Shepherd-King imagery in the beautiful Twenty-third Psalm, a psalm that forms a glorious trilogy with Psalms 22 and 24. In Psalm 22 we meet our suffering King. In Psalm 24 we see our sovereign King. In Psalm 23 we witness our Shepherd-King.” — Josh Smith
Q: How do we see Jesus as our guide? By asking three questions from the text…(1. Where? 2. Why? 3. How?)
- Where? — v. 4a “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…”
“Lord, high and holy, meek and lowly,
Thou has brought me to the valley of vision,
where I live in the depths but see thee in the heights;
hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold
Thy glory.
Let me learn by paradox
that the way down is the way up,
that to be low is to be high,
that the broken heart is the healed heart,
that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,
that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,
that to have nothing is to possess all,
that to bear the cross is to wear the crown,
that to give is to receive,
that the valley is the place of vision.
Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from deepest wells,
deepest wells,
and the deeper the wells the brighter
Thy stars shine;
Let me find Thy light in my darkness,
Thy life in my death,
Thy joy in my sorrow,
Thy grace in my sin,
Thy riches in my poverty
Thy glory in my valley.” — The Valley of Vision (Puritan Prayer)
- Why? v. 4b “I will fear no evil, for you are with me…”
“Green pastures or restful waters do not exist here. Here it is unclear and uncertain. Life can often be like this. Yet David can say, “I fear no danger” (ESV, “evil”). When we move through the deep and dark valleys of life, when death itself peeks over the horizon and stares us in the face, we do not need to be afraid. How can we say this? The next line gives us the answer. “For you [God] are with me…” — Josh Smith
“The important thing was for me to be there on time, to find the frozen, chilled sheep before it was too late. I had to be in the storm with them, alert to every one that was in distress. Some of the most vivid memories of my sheep ranching days are wrapped around the awful storms my flock and I went through together. I can see again the gray-black banks of storm clouds sweeping in off the sea; I can see the sleet and hail and snow sweeping across the hills; I can see the sheep racing for shelter in the tall timber; I can see them standing there soaked, chilled, and dejected. Especially the young lambs went through appalling misery without the benefit of a full, heavy fleece to protect them. Some would succumb and lie down in distress only to become more cramped and chilled.” — Philip Keller
- How? — v. 4c “…your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
“When I became embittered and my innermost being was wounded, I was stupid and didn’t understand; I was an unthinking animal toward you. Yet I am always with you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me up in glory.“ — Psalm 73:21-24
“Shadow of death is really ‘deepest darkness’ which includes, of course, the darkness of death. But in these experiences the he of vs 1–3 becomes the you, significant of closer personal touch, and the leader (2) comes alongside (with me). The darker the shadow, the closer the Lord! And he brings every strength, rod and staff. The duplication denotes completeness.” — J. A. Motyer
“In looking back over my own life, in the light of my love and care for my sheep, I can see again and again a similar compassion and concern for me in my Master’s management of my affairs. There were events, which at the time seemed like utter calamities; there were paths down which He led me that appeared like blind alleys; there were days He took me through which were well-nigh black as night itself. But all in the end turned out for my benefit and my well-being. With my limited understanding as a finite human being I could not always comprehend His management executed in infinite wisdom. With my natural tendencies to fear, worry, and ask “why,” it was not always simple to assume that He really did know what He was doing with me. There were times I was tempted to panic, to bolt, and to leave His care. Somehow I had the strange, stupid notion I could survive better on my own. Most men and women do.” — Philip Keller
Takeaways: How can we see God’s guidance in our lives? We can…
- Identify the “even thoughs”
Even though ___________
- Remember Jesus is with us
Even though ___________, Jesus is with me
- See Jesus’s hand over us
Even though ____________, Jesus is with me and He is protecting me and shaping me
- Remember Jesus is with us
“Jesus, the good shepherd, will not travel at such a rate as to overdrive the lambs. He has tender consideration for the poor and needy. Kings usually look to the interests of the great and the rich, but in the kingdom of our Great Shepherd He cares most for the poor…The weaklings and the sickly of the flock are the special objects of the Savior’s care…You think, dear heart, that you are forgotten, because of your nothingness and weakness and poverty. This is the very reason you are remembered.” — Charles Spurgeon
Gospel: How do we know Jesus will guide us through the valleys of life?
Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written: “‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ — Matthew 26:31