In the end, in whatever it is that places you in fear or unease, you have to come back to this very thought we are speaking of here - 'The Lord is my shepherd' - He is in control of all things. WebThe backdrop for the Psalms is twofold: 1) the acts of God in creation and history, and 2) the history of Israel. Play. But, even in the supposition of the distress, there are four words which lessen the terror:It is death indeed that is before us; but, [1.] The rod and staff were comforting to the sheep, because both were intended for the sheeps benefit. It is a Psalm of life, rest and peace. If you are truly saved He will never leave you all the days of your life! (Jer 23:1-4, Ezek 34:1-10) Work to be a faithful shepherd realising that it is God's own sheep that He has placed in your care. No matter his present environment, David could look to the fact of Gods shepherd-like presence and know, You are with me and I will fear no evil.. It talks about humanity, our experiences, and even our emotions. The World English Bible is based on the American Standard Version (ASV) of the Bible, the Biblia Hebraica Stutgartensa Old Testament, and the Greek Majority Text New Testament. Those that have this happiness must carry their cup upright, and see that it overflows into their poor brethrens emptier vessels. (Trapp). The constancy of it: All the days of my life, as duly as the day comes; it shall be new every morning (Lam 3 22, 23) like the manna that was given to the Israelites daily. The Hebrew word tob has a variety of meanings, such as good, moral, profitable, or plentiful. To be invited to the Kings table was a great honor. Guess I had put my eyes on the problem too much! God saved (Israel) for his names sake, that he might make his mighty power known (Psalm 106:8). All rights reserved. The analogy of a king as a shepherd is common in ancient times and is not unusual. WebLiberated for Life : Galatians - a Bible Commentary for Laymen by John F. MacArthur and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at AbeBooks.com. It is a necessary method to protect the sheep. God makes his saints to lie down; he gives them quiet and contentment in their own minds, what ever their lot is; their souls dwell at ease in him, and that makes every pasture green. In verse 1, David expresses his thoughts about God. Witamy, zaloguj si. I will believe that thou reignest still. He was refreshed by a head anointed with oil; his cup was over-filled. It is a psalm which has been sung by good Christians, and will be while the world stands, with a great deal of pleasure and satisfaction. Notice however that the Psalmist says he 'walks through' this valley. The psalmist has been talking about God in the third person (he). Psalm 23:4 Your rod and your staff, they comfort me. It included the most highlighted passage in the Bible which turned out to be this passage: Philippians 4:6-7 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. In Psalm 22 Christ is the Saviour; in Psalm 23 He is the Satisfier; in Psalm 24 He is the Sovereign. There are no halfway measures when it comes to the Lords provision for our lives. So some take the latter clause: "Goodness and mercy having followed me all the days of my life on this earth, when that is ended I shall remove to a better world, to dwell in the house of the Lord for ever, in our Father's house above, where there are many mansions. In Psalm 22 He gives His life for the sheep; in Psalm 23 He gives His love to the sheep; in Psalm 24 He gives us light when He shall appear. None of these things move me." Though not often recited in its entirety, few are unfamiliar with the famous valley of the shadow of death.. Sproul shared how the Lord used Psalm 23 to bring him daily comfort as he dealt with various health challenges. He is no longer speaking about God, but is instead speaking to God. Jesus told the Samaritan woman, If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, Give me a drink, you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water (John 4:10). A great promise indeed! By this therefore he illustrates God's care of his people; and to this our Saviour seems to refer when he says, I am the shepherd of the sheep; the good shepherd, John 10 11. For other references to the shadow of death, see Jeremiah 2:6 and Job 10:21-22. He recounts his experience of the kind things God had done for him as his shepherd, ver 2, 3, 5. In the Old Testament, prophets were anointed (1 Kings 19:16). Do you? It means to actively pursue, to chase, and normally in a negative sense as when Pharaoh chased Israel at the exodus. Witamy Wybierz adres dostawy Wszystkie kategorie Wyszukaj Amazon.pl. How would you describe sheep? Psalm's 22, 23 and 24 give different glimpses of this wonderful Shepherd. The first time through the dark valley is always scary. of There you have it. The green pastures and waters spoken of in this verse were often some distance apart and the shepherd would have to lead his flock to these places. It is a treasure chest filled with spiritual truths that encourage many. The shepherd of Israel guides Joseph like a flock; and every believer is under the same guidance: He leadeth me beside the still waters. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.' From the good gifts of God's bounty to him now he infers the constancy and perpetuity of his mercy, v. 5, 6. It has remanded to their dungeon more felon thoughts, more black doubts, more thieving Will He never leave me or will something I do cause Him to leave?' i. This is seen in the following table: [2]. [4] I read in a John Hunter book that as well as being able to say 'The Lord is my shepherd' we should be able to say 'The shepherd is my Lord.' Psalm 23 distinctively stands out compared to other chapters in the Book of Psalms and receives a larger magnitude of respect. The hosts care and concern doesnt eliminate the presence of my enemies but enables the experience of Gods goodness and bounty even in their midst. What he promises himselfgoodness and mercy, all the streams of mercy flowing from the fountain, pardoning mercy, protecting mercy, sustaining mercy, supplying mercy. He wants to genuinely bless His people and live in the abundance of His grace. (6.) The profound way of weaving Davids testimony to bring glory to God through this Psalm is utterly magnificent. The Shepherds Crook. We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. The intimate portrayal of God as a shepherd is what makes Psalm 23 unique and unforgettable. He is the Lord our God that heals us, Exod 15 26. That seldom accomplishes His purposes and the rest of the Psalm show that these things do occur. The sense of this verse then is that, because God is loving and kind, his people can expect God to provide blessings throughout life. In the ancient Near East, the shepherd was a royal metaphor. Plentiful provision is made for their bodies, for their souls, for the life that now is and for that which is to come. You anoint my head with oil. They are well helped when any thing ails them: He restoreth my soul. But he would then carry that lamb while its leg mended and apparently, once healed, that lamb would never wander off from the shepherd again. In this psalm, the way of the righteous and the way of the ungodly are contrasted. It is a valley of the shadow of death, facing what seemed to David as the ultimate defeat and evil. Thankfully I didn't go far down that track but it can plant this little seed of fear in your mind if you let it. God refuses to let the godly go hungry. Notice the following -. The word Psalms alludes to a Anointing with oil was used for various purposes (healing, burial, expressing grief or joy). [9] As Jesus Himself said, 'You are the light of the world. Guidance -- for He leads me in the paths of righteousness. Near death, the saint still calmly walks he does not need to quicken his pace in alarm or panic. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; David wrote Psalm 23 based on his experiences with God. This unspeakably delightful verse has been sung on many a dying bed, and has helped to make the dark valley bright times out of mind. They have been comforted, strengthened, and warmed by the thought that the LORD would shepherd them through the valley of the shadow of death. Otherwise you will be prompted again when opening a new browser window or new a tab. III. One where 'the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. When people die, we think of them as having entered the valley of the shadow of death, but the same is true for their loved ones. Now, if you let it and you tended to be a little superstitious, your mind could ponder, and wander, on that a bit. Sweet and full are the doctrines of the gospel; fit food for souls, as tender grass is natural nutriment for sheep. There is a noble tone of confidence about this sentence. The anointed writer of Psalm 23 was King David. In this article, well be talking about the commentary of Psalm 23 and explore more about its meaning. As someone who worked as a shepherd before, David knew that shepherds live with their flock and are everything to it: guide, protector, and source of provision. Why is Psalm 23 one of the most well-known Psalms and the favorite biblical passage of many? [10]. Taking the Lord's Supper in an Unworthy Manner. It is the valley of the shadow, deep indeed, and dark, and dirty; but the valleys are fruitful, and so is death itself fruitful of comforts to God's people. He was the son of Jesse and a direct descendant of Abraham. In the presence of my enemies: This is a striking phrase. 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. The wicked are chased out of the world, and their souls are required; but the saints take a walk to another world as cheerfully as they take their leave of this. 1. You prepare a table (Hebrew: sulhan) before me in the presence of my enemies (v. 5a). The subsequent trips through the valley become progressively easier as trust increases. Even conservative Christian pastor John MacArthur acknowledges that Psalm 23 uses common ancient Near Eastern images. Here we may observe. The primary responsibility of a shepherd is to ensure the well-being and safety of the flock. This also shows us our need of giving Him His rightful place as Lord over our life. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me (v. 4c). I live in New Zealand, and yes, I know, we have more sheep than people! 45 ratings The MacArthur study Bible - John MacArthur. I shall not want can translate to I have no lack. [2.] Ok, I'm being naughty. 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. May we live in the daily enjoyment of this blessing, receiving a fresh anointing for every days duties. We in turn should allow that light to shine forth towards others so that people may see our lives and praise God. He lived in the confident hope that it would continue for the rest of his life. II. i. Is it Messianic? In Psalm 22 He is the foundation; in Psalm 23 He is the manifestation; in Psalm 24 He is the expectation. ), Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2006), Renn, Stephen D., Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words: Word Studies for Key English Bible Words Based on the Hebrew and Greek Texts (Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 2005), Richards, Lawrence O., Encyclopedia of Bible Words (Zondervan, 1985, 1991), Sakenfeld, Katharine Doob (ed. Let not those fear starving that are at God's finding and have him for their feeder. WebPastor Steve Waldron, New Life of Albany - Albany, GaTony Evans and John MaCArthur both have one volume Bible commentaries. (1.) His presence shall comfort them: Thou art with me. In New Zealand (where I live) all of our farms and fields seem to be I. (2.) [6]. 'My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. This table represents all the blessings that are ours in Christ Jesus. And obviously, he would then leave the lamb to die in the wilderness, eaten by its predators! 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. This line is especially suggestive when we read this psalm with an eye toward Jesus, the Great Shepherd. He guides us and leads us along the right and true paths. He is currently Amazon, in the last couple of weeks (Nov 2014) released the most highlighted passages in their most popular books downloaded onto Kindle, their electronic book reader. The rod of Jesse shall still be over me as the sovereign succor of my soul.[5]. i. 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psalm 23 commentary john macarthur