This blog will seem exceptionally long but many have asked for the notes from the teaching last night a Encouragers Church bible study. I hope that you can glean from the following:
Psalms23
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 4 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.5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
THE LORD IS “MY” SHEPHERD
The YHVH – Jehovah – I AM
1. He is 2. He makes things happen 3. He leads 4. He restores 5. He protects 6. He comforts 7. He prepares 8. He anoints 9. He blesses abundantly 10. He follows (got your back) 11. He provides security forever.
I SHALL NOT BE IN LACK
THE SHEPHERD’S REPUTATION DEPENDED ON HIS CARE FOR HIS SHEEP That is why David would say, “I have not seen the righteous neglected, nor God’s own children out begging for food.”
There are seven times where the name "Jehovah" is linked with another word. Each time it reveals to us the reasons why "I shall not want."
1 Psalm 23:1, Jehovah Rohi - The Lord is my shepherd.
2 Gen. 22:13,14 - Jehovah Jireh - The Lord will provide.
3 Exodus 15:26, - Jehovah Rapha - The Lord that healeth.
4 Judges 6:24, - Jehovah Shalom - The Lord our Peace.
5 Jeremiah 23:6 - Jehovah Tsidkenu - The Lord our Righteousness.
6 Ezekiel 48:35 - Jehovah Shammah - The Lord ever present.
7 Exodus 17:8-15 - Jehovah Nissi - The Lord our banner.
The above names fit this Psalm perfectly. Note how each name is in this Psalm.
Jehovah-Rohi The Lord is my shepherd.
Jehovah-Jirah (The Lord will provide) I shall not want.
Jehovah-Rapha (The Lord that healeth) He restoreth my soul.
Jehovah-Shalom (The Lord our peace) He leadeth me beside still waters.
Jehovah-Tsidkenu (The Lord our Righteousness) He leadeth me in paths of righteousness.
Jehovah-Shammah (The Lord id present) I will fear no evil, Thou art with me.
Jehovah-Nissi (The Lord our banner) Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
Just think of all we have when we say, "The Lord is my shepherd."
1 Green pastures speaks of provision.
2 Still waters speaks of peace.
3 The restoring of my soul speaks of pardon.
4 Leading in the paths of righteousness speaks of providence.
5 His being with me in the dark valley speaks of presence.
6 His rod and staff speaks of preservation.
7 The table in the presence of my enemies speaks of protection.
8 The anointing of my head with oil and overflowing speaks of plenty.
9 Dwelling in the house of the Lord speaks of paradise.
HE MAKETH ME TO LIE DOWN IN GREEN PASTURES
1. Sheep do not lie down when they are hungry
2. 2. Sheep do not lie down when they are frightened
3. 3. Sheep are not high endurance animals – The green grass was generally up the hill side in a meadow.
4. 4. Sheep do not tolerate the heat real well. The tall green grass was cool in the heat of the day.
5. SO, “HE MAKETH”
6. Ephesians 2:6 He “makes” us sit in heavenly places with Christ Jesus. Jesus 1st did what no other priest had done and that is sit down. No chair in the tabernacle, because no other priest ever finished the job.
HE LEADETH ME BESIDE THE STILL WATERS
1. Sheep are so skittish that they will not drink from “moving waters”
2. The great Shepherd said, “Peace, be still.
HE RESTORETH MY SOUL
NOT IN THE PASTURE BUT IN THE PEN
The reasons I suggest that this restoring of soul is taking place in the sheep pen is because:
1) because the root for the Hebrew word for sheep pen is the same as the root for the Hebrew word for the Holy of Holies (dvr). The Holy of Holies was where the presence of God was in the tabernacle, so I think David is relating the restoration of our souls in the sheep pen to that of being in the presence of God.
2) When the sheep were stressed or frightened the Shepherd would take the sheep into the sheepfold to restore them. He would sleep with his body across the opening so that no harmful predator could enter to harm the sheep.
HE LEADETH ME IN THE PATHS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS FOR HIS NAMES SAKE.
1. Paths of righteousness for his Names sake - roundabout ways that end up in the right direction.
2. Because of the behavior of sheep and their preference for certain favored spots, these well-worn areas become quickly infested with parasites of all kinds. In a short time a whole flock can thus become infected with worms, nematodes, and scab. The final upshot is that both land and owner are ruined while the sheep become thin, wasted, and sickly.
The greatest single safeguard which a shepherd has in handling his flock is to keep them on the move... they dare not be left on the same ground too long. They must be shifted from pasture to pasture periodically. This prevents over-grazing of the forage. It forestalls the re-infestation of the sheep with internal parasites or disease, since the sheep move off the infested ground before these organisms complete their life cycles.
THIS CONCLUDES US TALKING ABOUT THE SHEPHERD - TODAY WE WILL COMMENCE TO TALK TO THE SHEPHERD - WHY? THE SCENE CHANGES – THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me;
It was a literal place of deep ravines, so deep the sun could not shine there. A place where robbers hid to prey on those passing there. David had been there many times with his sheep.
Don’t count sheep, talk to the Shepherd.
Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. In the Bible, by the way, there is only one mention of dogs being used to herd sheep. That is in the book of Job, and it is not complementary in regards to the dogs; it is very negative. Job said, "But now they mock me, men younger than I, whose fathers I would have disdained to put with my sheep dogs" (Job 30:1 NIV).
Ezekiel 20:37 And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant:
A sheep that passed "under the rod" was one which had been counted and looked over with great care to make sure all was well with it.
But the skilled judge will take his rod and part the sheep's wool to determine the condition of the skin, the cleanliness of the fleece and the conformation of the body. In plain language, "One just does not pull the wool over his [judge's] eyes."
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: In some of the finest sheep country of the world, especially in the Western United States and Southern Europe, the high plateaux of the sheep ranges were always referred to as "mesas" -- the Spanish word for "tables." Oddly enough, the African word for a table is also "mesa"
6. You anoint my head with oil
At the very first sign of flies among the flock, he will apply an antidote to their heads. I always preferred to use a homemade remedy composed of linseed oil, sulphur and tar which was smeared over the sheep's nose and head as a protection against nose flies.
MY CUP RUNNETH OVER
The Overflowing Cup - In Bible times, there were no motels and restaurants. It was the custom if a traveler stopped at ones house, they were to be given entrance and a meal prepared for them. However, no other obligation was expected from the host. Only a meal and then the traveler could be sent on his way. If the person dining with you were quite interesting, or you really wanted him to stay, you would tell him in so many words. You would fill his glass to overflowing. When he saw it he would look up and smile and thank you for the invitation. However, if you wanted him to leave, you would fill his glass half full.
