Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me Psalm 23:6 And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. If things are tough, remember this verse. What He is leading, guiding and teaching us is firstly about the inward change to the circumstance even if outwardly things remain the same. Sheep are easy targets for parasites, lice, and flies. God as our shepherd not only leads but restores as well. The other thing to note on this point is that the entire psalm is only valid for those who truly have Jesus as their shepherd. But Jesus is the good Shepherd. Note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the services we are able to offer. What confidence for this life this should give us as we believe it in faith! Though not often recited in its entirety, few are unfamiliar with the famous valley of the shadow of death.. Right paths lead to life rather than death (see Matthew 7:13-14). Pastor John MacArthur | The MacArthur Commentaries Grace to You. Thank you for registering. The Believer's Confession of Sin. Location. It is well to know, as certainly as David did, that we belong to the Lord. Almost 25 years ago, I was diagnosed with colon cancer. Even in a fearful place, the presence of the shepherd banished the fear of evil. Hundreds of additional study tools complement the commentary, such as. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death (v. 4a). And yet through it all he could look back and write 'the Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want'. But it is there that you learn that though you may not be able to see the shepherd as well as normal, He can see you and is still protecting you! can be seen as comforting for it is a sign that He loves us scripture says (Heb 12:6). Minor Prophets Notice the following -. So I started checking myself - heart was still pumping, ears were attached, nose still worked, yes, everything seemed to be in order. Davids former occupation was a humble shepherd. 'My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. He has also served as pastor-teacher of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California since 1969. If you are truly one of His sheep (evidenced by hearing his voice and following His ways) then this verse is your verse as well! and flame will not scorch you. The shepherd image appears not only as part of the Old Testament but as a vital part of the New Testament as well. It works. [13] Boy it used to annoy me how church leaders and other Christians would create such confusion concerning this! The little child out at sea in the storm is not frightened like all the other passengers on board the vessel, it sleeps in its mothers bosom; it is enough for it that its mother is with it; and it should be enough for the believer to know that Christ is with him Thy rod and thy staff, by which you govern and rule your flock, the ensigns of your sovereignty and of your gracious carethey comfort me. Date: 1/31/2021. Do we not gain comfort from the fact that it is Almighty God who is our Shepherd? Error: Passwords should have at least 6 characters, Error: Usernames should only contain letters, numbers, dots, dashes, or underscores. Click to enable/disable _gid - Google Analytics Cookie. The psalmist doesnt speak of going into the valley, as if it were a box canyon or a final destination. Historical Books So though 3000 years old it is extremely relevant for our lives today! You are being chased (but don't fret - it's a good thing! So to be Gods guest is to be more than an acquaintance, invited for a day. 8:29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. But, God as our shepherd provides peace that transcends all understanding. In Psalm 23, we are compared to sheep who do not have a sense of direction, are hopeless, and are weak who need a Shepherd. They are quiet waters times when there are no waves and no troubles and you can feed and are restored. Pentateuch So out of the blue she emailed a few weeks back asking: 'All ok with you? ), Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2000), Mounce, William D., (ed. Pastor and teacher John MacArthur covers the complete Bibleevery passage of the Old and New . c. I will fear no evil: Despite every dark association with the idea of the valley of the shadow of death, David could resolutely say this because he was under the care of the LORD his shepherd. To experience the care and guidance of God as a shepherd, we must identify ourselves as His sheep. The word hesed also has a variety of meanings kindness, lovingkindness, mercy, goodness, faithfulness, or love. The Hebrew word tob has a variety of meanings, such as good, moral, profitable, or plentiful. Almost everyone, whether religious or not, has heard Psalm 23 because it is quoted so frequently. He wants to genuinely bless His people and live in the abundance of His grace. ii. Johannine Writings Wisdom Literature Changes will take effect once you reload the page. Oh! In the Old Testament world, to eat and drink at someones table created a bond of mutual loyalty, and could be the culminated token of a covenant. Report an Issue Sermon Correction/Question . The wonderful discovery is that the Lord is not just a shepherd who looks after the entire flock, but He is cares for me as well. As a deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants after you, God (Psalm 42:1). It leads to burn out, break downs and depression. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish ; no one can snatch them out of my hand. He had known feast. The shepherd would use his staff to guide sheep and to pull them back from dangerous places. It is a treasure chest filled with spiritual truths that encourage many. This is a psalm of trust and confidence in God's goodness in the present and in the future. He had not only enough, a cup full, but more than enough, a cup which overflowed. It is what the Apostle Paul knew when he wrote: Philippians 4:11-13 I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. [8] If you are someone that God has placed in a position of leadership or teaching then you should also remember that you are called shepherds and are called to feed the flock of God. To eat at the Kings table in the presence of your enemies would show your enemies that the king holds you in high regard, and would demonstrate their powerlessness to hurt you. Maybe this verse should have read 'though I close my eyes and sprint through the valley of the shadow of death' This verse speaks to us of the trying times in our lives where there is darkness, confusion and fear. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.. The Shepherds Crook. Note: MLA no longer requires the URL as part of their citation standard. GenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyJoshuaJudgesRuth1 Samuel2 Samuel1 Kings2 Kings1 Chronicles2 ChroniclesEzraNehemiahEstherJobPsalmsProverbsEcclesiastesSong of SongsIsaiahJeremiahLamentationsEzekielDanielHoseaJoelAmosObadiahJonahMicahNahumHabakkukZephaniahHaggaiZechariahMalachiMatthewMarkLukeJohnActsRomans1 Corinthians2 CorinthiansGalatiansEphesiansPhilippiansColossians1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians1 Timothy2 TimothyTitusPhilemonHebrewsJames1 Peter2 Peter1 John2 John3 JohnJudeRevelation, Use semicolons to separate groups: 'Gen;Jdg;Psa-Mal' or 'Rom 3-12;Mat 1:15;Mat 5:12-22', There are options set in 'Advanced Options', The Whole Bible However, many scholars believed David wrote it during his kingship (around 1000 BC to 993 BC). The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. We need to hear those words as if God intended them for usbecause he did. This is the joy of the Christian! Guess I had put my eyes on the problem too much! Each chapter begins with several questions under the title "PREPARE TO MEET GOD." . They are well placed, well laid: He maketh me to lie down in green pastures. You prepare a table before me: Without departing from the previous picture of the valley of the shadow of death, David envisioned the provision and goodness given by the LORD as a host, inviting David to a rich table prepared for him. John MacArthur. He is not just a 'good shepherd'. It is a Psalm of life, rest and peace. When things were hard for Joe Christian you would hear the pastor encourage him saying 'Jesus will never leave or forsake you - take heart!' Everyone loves this Psalm. Every Christian is a priest, but he cannot execute the priestly office without unction, and hence we must go day by day to God the Holy Ghost, that we may have our heads anointed with oil. Sometimes those paths lead straight through the valley of the shadow of death. Here the second allegory begins. David wrote about this in Psalm 25. (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2006-2009), VanGemeren, Willem A. The MacArthur Bible Commentary. Founded in 1969, Grace to You is the nonprofit organization responsible for developing, producing, and distributing Johns books, audio resources, and the Grace to You radio and television programs. This is a fact as indisputable as it is encouraging, and therefore a heavenly verily, or surely is set as a seal upon it. And let's not forget they are prone to wander. She is a lady that is unfortunately into the New Age and has spirit guides etc She doesn't agree with what I believe nor do I agree with her beliefs. 4 (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1996), Waltner, James H., Believers Church Bible Commentary: Psalms (Scottdale, Pennsylvania: Herald Press, 2006, Baker, Warren (ed. The epistle to the Hebrews is a study in contrast, between the imperfect and incomplete provisions of the Old Covenant, given under Moses, and the infinitely better provisions of the New Covenant offered by the perfect High-Priest, God's only Son and the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Now this place of rest is, first and foremost spiritually speaking, right in the midst of the problem. [5], We need to remind ourselves of this all the time. Historical Books April 17, 2011. They know that it will be ok. [12] You will only be able to say that if you have truly come to know the Lord Jesus as your Shepherd. The Saviours Cross. (13) I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. The Hebrew word for rod (shaybet) here seems to simply mean a stick with a variety of applications. Recognizing the value of consistent reflection upon the Word of God in order to refocus one's mind and heart upon Christ and His Gospel of peace, we provide several reading plans designed to cover the entire Bible in a year.
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