The Lord is My Shepherd

1
The Lord is My Shepherd

• Psalm 23
• - Part 1 -

2
Background

• Psalm 23 is one of the more popular psalms
• Read by soldiers going to battle
• Read by those who are suffering
• Read by those who grieve at funerals
• Read by families who lose loved-ones to sin
• Read by the guilty, the lonely, the depressed,
  the forsaken
• Read by Christians for daily living?

3
Background

• This psalm is attributed to David who himself was
  an experienced shepherd (1 Sam. 1611
  1734-37,40 Psa. 7870-72)
• He already experienced the Lords assistance
• He taught about Gods shepherding
  (Psa. 7913 801 1003)

4
Psalm 23

• The Shepherd Psalm
• The Lord our shepherd feeds us (vv. 1-2)
• The Lord our shepherd leads us (vv. 2-3)
• The Lord our shepherd protects us (v. 4)
• The Lord our shepherd blesses us (vv. 5-6)

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The Lord is my shepherd

• The Lord Jesus is a shepherd (Ezek. 341ff
  Mt. 2631 Zech. 137 Jn. 1011 Heb.
  1320 1 Pet. 225 54)
• He feeds, guides, protects, nurtures, shelters,
  comforts, keeps safe, seeks and finds, fights
• We must personally allow the Lord to be our
  shepherd - my shepherd

6
I will not want

• The Lord will provide for all our needs we will
  not want or lack any good thing (Phil. 419)
• Physical needs (Psa. 349-10 8411 Mt. 632-33)
• Spiritual needs (Eph. 13ff)
• The Lord will provide for our needs, not our
  selfish wants (Jas. 41ff) let what I will be
  what God wills
• Let us be content with what the Lord provides
  (Phil. 411 1 Tim. 66-8 Heb. 135)

7
He makes me to lie downin green pastures

• The Lord provides a place to lie down and rest
  (Mt. 1128-30 Heb. 411)
• The Lord provides green pastures
  Heb. tender grass for nourishment
  (Ezek. 3414 Jn. 109)

8
He leads me beside still waters

• The Lord takes his people to still waters that
  are quiet, at rest, calm, and peaceful (Phil.
  47 Col. 315 1 Tim. 22)
• The Lord takes his people to still waters that
  offer refreshment for the soul (Jn. 410ff 738
  Rev. 717 221,6,17)

9
He restores my soul

• The Lord restores (converts) his people to an
  upright position after they have been cast down
  (Psa. 197)
• Cast down due to ease the sheep fallen into
  soft grass (Amos 312 61)
• Cast down due to sin the sheep fallen into mud
  and mire (Mt. 1812-14 Lk. 154-7 Heb. 121-2)
• Cast down due to affluence the sheep fallen
  because it is fat with wool (Rev. 317)

10
He guides me in paths of righteousness for his
names sake

• The Lord shows his people the correct and right
  way
• The paths of righteousness are found in Gods
  word (Rom. 117 Heb. 513 2 Tim. 316)
• We must seek these paths (Mt. 56 633)
• We must preach these paths (Acts 2425)
• We must live in these paths (1 Cor. 1534)

11
He guides me in paths of righteousness for his
names sake

• The Lord shows his people the correct and right
  way
• We must use these paths for protection (Eph.
  614)
• We must not leave these paths like others do
  (Psa. 957-11 2 Pet. 221)

12
He guides me in paths of righteousness for his
names sake

• The Lord leads this way to bring honor to his own
  high and holy name on account of his own
  character (Ezek. 3622-38)
• The Lord only is to be glorified (Isa. 426-8)
• The Lord who saves in Christ is praised
  (Eph. 16)

13
The Lord is My Shepherd

• Many today are like sheep without a shepherd (Mt.
  936) they need guidance!
• Will you let the Lord lead you today?
• Lead the sinner out of sin
• Lead the erring back to him
• Lead the saint through life

14
The Lord is My Shepherd

• Where will you be standing when the Chief
  Shepherd comes at the end of time (Mt. 2532)?

15
The Lord is My Shepherd

• Psalm 23
• - Part 2 -

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Psalm 23

• The Shepherd Psalm
• The Lord our shepherd feeds us (vv. 1-2)
• The Lord our shepherd leads us (vv. 2-3)
• The Lord our shepherd protects us (v. 4)
• The Lord our shepherd blesses us (vv. 5-6)

17
Yeah, though, I walk throughthe valley of the
shadow of death

• The Lord is with us through the highs and lows of
  life - the valley of the shadow of death (Psa.
  10713-14 1387 Mt. 416 Lk. 179)
• The Lords followers fear no evil (Psa. 271
  1186 2 Tim. 17)
• The Lord is with his followers

18
Your rod and your staff,they comfort me

• The rod was a short club used for protection
  the staff was a long stick with a crook on the
  end used for support and control (Jn. 1011-12)
• The Lord stands ready to protect, to support, to
  control, and to offer comfort (Psa. 119 50
  Rom. 154 2 Cor. 13-6)

19
You prepare a table before me in the presence of
my enemies

• Just as a shepherd prepares a place to eat for
  his sheep, so the Lord prepares spiritual food
  for his followers (Jn. 653-56 109-10)
• The Lords followers are sustained in the midst
  of enemies (Rev. 1213-17)

20
You have anointed my headwith oil

• Just as the shepherd anoints the head of the
  sheep for soothing comfort, so the Lord anoints
  his followers
• The Lords word is like an anointing oil
  (1 Jn. 220,27-28)

21
My cup runs over

• My cup runs over speaks of complete provision
  and satisfaction
• The Lord provides an abundance of all that we
  need in Christ (Jn. 116 1010 Rom. 832 Eph.
  13 320-21 2 Pet. 13)

22
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the
daysof my life

• The good shepherd provides all that is good and
  merciful to his sheep
• The Lord is good and merciful to us through Jesus
  Christ (Psa. 1071 1181,29 1361
  Jn. 1011)
• The Lord provides all the days of my life

23
And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever

• Dwelling with the Lord is the goal and desire of
  all that has been said in Psalm 23
  (see Psa.268 274)
• Faithful Christians should desire to dwell in the
  house of the Lord now (1 Tim. 315) and in heaven
  (Jn. 1027-28 141-3 Phil. 123 2 Tim. 48,18
  Heb. 1110-16 Rev. 312 715 213)

24
The Lord is My Shepherd

• Many shepherds (elders) in the Lords church are
  not following the Chief Shepherd and are not
  leading properly (Ezek. 341ff Zech. 1117)

25
The Lord is My Shepherd

• Many today are like sheep without a shepherd (Mt.
  936) they need guidance!
• Will you let the Lord lead you today?
• Lead you out of sin
• Lead you back to him
• Lead you through life

26
The Lord is My Shepherd

• Where will you be standing when the Chief
  Shepherd comes at the end of time (Mt. 2532)?