When The Lord Is Your Shepherd …
(Is The Lord Your Shepherd? (Part III))
1The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 3He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4Yea, 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. 5Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. (Psalms 23 KJV)
The Lord is my shepherd … Five important words every person should consider. Because these five words beg the most important question you could possibly consider in your life: Is the Lord Your Shepherd?
I shall not want … But only when The Lord is your shepherd. IF The Lord Is Your Shepherd you will lack nothing because The Shepherd tends to the flock. The Shepherd knows what the sheep need and He provides for them. The Shepherd cares for the sheep. Not by fulfilling desires, whims, or dreams; but by meeting the real needs the sheep have so they lack nothing.
If you have followed my last two posts, you may be aware that I have suggested that King David was speaking prophetically of Jesus Christ as The Shepherd. The Hebrew word, used for Lord in Psalms 23, YHWH has perhaps lost its original pronunciation given the practice of writing it without vowels. Modern scholars believe that the most likely pronunciation (or form) of the word for the period would be YAHWEH. While later English translators combined it with the word ADONAI (the Hebrew word for Lord) which later became the translation JEHOVAH. This latter change in the English was ostensibly made in order to save people from pronouncing the “proper” name of God. Which is somewhat ironic given the modern-day arguments over the “proper” name of God (even prevalent in modern worship music). At one point in the history of humanity, those who believed on the name of The Lord would go to great lengths to not speak it or even write it out of the great reverence they held for whom it represented.
What is not lost on the myriads of translations and interpretations, is who is identified here. If our modern-day music and teachings were to be painstakingly accurate, they would simply say The Self-Existent Eternal One. In other words, I AM. Which we would then (properly) say HE IS. That is who God is. The Self-Existent Eternal One. Who is the great I AM. HE IS. And to be clear (to ensure no confusion as to who The Self-Existent Eternal One is referred to), many (myself included) will qualify the description with The God of Jacob, Abraham, and Issac. The God of the Bible. The God of Israel.
King David says plainly that The Self-Existent Eternal One is his shepherd. And that is exactly who Jesus Christ (another anglicized translation which Rabbi Klutstein has pointed out to me was never used while he was here on Earth), or (properly) Yeshua, said that He was. More than a claim to be tested or proved, Yeshua made Himself to be The Self-Existent Eternal One and He did so in terms of The Shepherd:
24Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. 25Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me. 26But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. 27My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. 30I and my Father are one. 31Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. 32Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? 33The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God. (John 10:24-33 KJV)
The Apostle Peter then reaffirms this message saying this is exactly who King David was talking about:
29Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. 30Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; 31He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. 32This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. (Acts 2:29-32 KJV)
It is the person of Yeshua, The Messiah, Jesus Christ of the King James Bible, who is The Self-Existent Eternal One. HE IS the Great I AM whom King David said was his shepherd. And HE IS who I pray is your shepherd today as well. Because when HE IS is your shepherd, and you are His sheep, then a relationship ensues that brings meaning and understanding to your life which allows the comfort, the solace, the reassurance, portrayed in Psalms 23 to become a reality. Let’s continue now following the diagram of Psalms 23 we have been using in the last two posts is:
|1The Lord
| |is my shepherd;
| | |I shall not want. (2He)
| |maketh me to lie down in green pastures: (He)
| |leadeth me beside the still waters. (3He)
| |restoreth my soul: (He)
| |leadeth me in the paths of righteousness
| |for his name's sake.
|4Yea, 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. (5Thou)
| |preparest a table before me
| |in the presence of mine enemies: (Thou)
| |anointest my head with oil;
| |my cup runneth over.
| |6Surely goodness and mercy
| |shall follow me
| |all the days of my life:
| |and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
Which makes it easy for us to understand what transpires in our lives When The Lord Is Our Shepherd.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: … When The Lord Is Your Shepherd, He will make you to lie down in green pastures. Because sheep do not know when to take a moment and lie down. Sheep just want to run around doing sheep things, playing sheep games, building great big sheep structures, studying sheep books, going sheep exploring, all while ignoring the fact that there is a Lion roaming around looking for sheep to devour. And The Shepherd desires the sheep to take a moment and be still. Just lie down and rest.
I have some missionary friends. Lance & Laura. I have known Lance & Laura since sometime around Junior High. Lance & Laura have dreams and desires just like the rest of us. They also have wants [needs]. Yet, as Missionaries, Lance & Laura must raise their own support. Which comes from an ever-changing network of contributors. There have been many times over the years when Lance & Laura have shared that some need existed and it was beyond their support (income or means). And there have been times when I have told Lance & Laura that I had a desire to help with the need, but not the ability or resources. And every single time I have been told “Don’t worry about it. God will provide.” Lance & Laura, like many Missionaries I have known or met over the years, live in God’s meadow in the green pastures.
I am not saying that Lance & Laura (or others) do not feel anxiety in times of want [need] (although I have never seen them show it). But when you place your Faith in Yeshua (Jesus Christ) you have access to God the Father through the Blood of the Lamb who makes intercession for us, and God the Holy Spirit is free to act on your behalf. Comfort is found in the green pastures where the Shepherd makes you lie down.
Neither am I saying that we abandon all Earthly ambitions and join some private society spending our days closed off from the rest of the world. Every single missionary I know would completely reject that concept. The very idea of preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ is to take it to a lost, dying, weary world. And most missionaries I know embrace Earthly technologies, scientific learning where it supports Holy Scriptures, and medicines and comforts that keep them safe, and well, and able to complete their work.
What King David is telling us here is that when we truly understand the Shepherd then we understand that He cares for His sheep. And the Shepherd that cares for His sheep will meet their wants [needs] and they shall not lack. The phrase ‘green pastures‘ King David used in the Hebrew literally means the newest, most tender, fresh grass and herbs. It is the greenest grass human eyes have ever seen on the hills of this Earth and a thousand times more. It is a picture that might only be painted in the Heavens. I personally believe our pastures here on Earth are our prayer closets, our Churches, Temples, and Synagogs. Our pastures are where the rest of the flock of sheep are found. Our pastures are our local bodies of the Church. These are the places of solitude where we meditate in peace of mind. These are the places where we seek the face of God. These are the places where we strive for understanding from God’s Word. These are the places where we worship and God inhabits the praise of His people. These are the places where God imparts wisdom and understanding.
When you place your Faith in the shepherd and are obedient as His sheep, He will make you lie down in green pastures and give you rest. And that is not just for missionaries or martyrs. It is for all the sheep that hear His voice. When The Shepherd calms all your fears and gives you rest in His green pastures, your Faith grows to the point of “I shall not want” and like my missionary friends you come to understand that you need not worry about it for God will provide.
He leadeth me beside the still waters … When The Lord Is Your Shepherd, he will lead you. And if you are His sheep you will follow. Sheep are flock animals with herd instincts. Flock animals are simply groups of animals, typically of like kind, that band together in numbers. And herd instincts just refers to their predisposition to play ‘follow the leader‘:
There are many (many, many) thoughts, theories, philosophies, analogies, and euphemisms concerning sheep. One more common one is that there are two types of people in this world, lions and sheep. The analogy paints the lion as the fierce predator that takes what they want when they want it. And the sheep are the meek. timid prey of the lion who do not succeed in life (here is an example of this philosophy).
Here are a few points when considering these philosophies:
- Lions are pack animals. And as such they adhere to s strict social order. Do you like your freedom? Well, you can give it up to become a lion. In the lion pride only the strongest are at the top. And that position is only held by one lion. Who is always challenged by the younger lions. Satan is the lion seeking whom he may devour. He was once the covering Angel who sat on the high mountain of God with Him. And unless we are under the protection of The Shepherd, Satan would gladly enslave us for all of eternity.
- The shepherd wins against the lion. Shepherds have resources the lion does not have. And when the shepherd is watching over the sheep, even the lion and the wolf know not to come around. The Shepherd, unlike earthly shepherds, never grows tired and never lets His guard down. The Shepherd (also unlike earthly shepherds) never loses a lamb and always wins against the lion.
- Why sheep when herd animals abound? We refer to them as “schools” of fish, yet many fish exhibit flock like behavior and herd mentalities. And many birds are also flock animals as well. So why sheep? Why does the Bible use sheep as the metaphorical example? Neither the writer nor the Holy Spirit (the true author of God’s Word) tell us. However, in addition to sheep herding and shepherds being common to the times, I believe reason lies in the relationship between the shepherd and the sheep. In this one analogy Jesus Christ becomes both The Shepherd (and by extension, His followers His sheep) AND the sacrificial lamb that was slain for the sins of the world.
- The lion seeks to devour today, but the sheep feast for all eternity. One day Satan, his demons (fallen Angels), and all of those who names are not written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, will be cast into Hell which will be sealed for eternity. But for those who have placed their Faith in Yeshua (Jesus Christ) for their salvation, there will be banquet tables for all of eternity. You may choose to be a lion in this lifetime; however, this lifetime is hardly a nano second in all of eternity. Store up treasures in Heaven where The Shepherd will provide for eternity.
The Shepherd leads the sheep. And King David tells us they are led beside the still waters. Not rough waters. Not stormy waters. But rather quiet waters. Calm waters. Waters that are still and without predators. The still waters of the green pastures bring a calm into our lives while offering a drink to quench our thirst. Not a physical thirst, but a spiritual thirst. A thirst for acceptance, to be loved. A thirst for companionship, or for solitude. A thirst for knowledge, a thirst for expression. The thirst of the soul.
One last point about being led beside the still waters [in the green pastures], The Shepherd is rejuvenating the sheep here. And rejuvenated sheep are playful sheep. Sheep that want to express themselves. The sheep have been lying down in the fresh green grass of the pastures. They have been able to sleep without fear or anxiety knowing that The Shepherd is watching over them. They have had a chance to walk beside the still waters. Admire their reflection in the waters. Take a drink while contemplating the day. Suddenly the sheep feel young again. They have been restored …
He restoreth my soul … When The Lord Is Your Shepherd, He will restore your soul. And you thought I was making that last part up (and yes, I’ve been asked “Where does it say the sheep are rejuvenated?“). King David says it in his very next phrase. When King David talks about his soul here, the Hebrew word that he uses has a very broad meaning, that I would phrase as the essence of life, that may be applied in both abstract and tangible form.
The phrase in the Hebrew consists of two words that would be read in English as “my soul He restores“. And the one word used for “my soul” is “nephesh” [pronounced: neh’-fesh] broadly meaning Soul, life, self, person, heart, creature, mind, living being. The translation of the word is determined by context and use.
In Psalms 23 the English translation has been rendered as “Soul“. In allegorical fashion King David has created a series of metaphors to describe a relationship between God and creation (by describing his own relationship with his creator). And the specific relationship he is describing is a relationship where the creation acknowledges the creator and follows the creator’s leadership. As in sheep following their shepherd. Within King David’s metaphor, The Shepherd (The Lord, God, The Creator) is tending the sheep (the creation, or specifically those members of humanity within the creation that know The Shepherd) in the pasture. Shepherds do not restore sheep to physical life. They are there to protect the life of the sheep. However, no shepherd wants agitated sheep. Agitated or scared sheep are unruly sheep, hard to manage, and a danger to themselves. The Hebrew word “nepesh” is translated as soul here because King David is referring to an emotional state of being rather than a physical state of being.
The soul (the human soul) is the combination of your mind, your will, and your emotions. That is: what you think, what you do (or desire to do), and how you feel. It is a given that these things interact with, and affect your physical body, however, these things are not made up of organs, tissue, or blood. They are things that science (medical science) recognizes are there, but you cannot touch them, dissect them (physically), examine them under a microscope (literally). And yet they are very real and very important to the vitality of the sheep.
And King David is telling us here that The Shepherd, makes His sheep lie down in green pastures, and leads His sheep beside still waters for the purpose of restoring their souls. The Shepherd wants to rejuvenate your thoughts, your desires, and your state of being. In the plainest of terms, The Lord [God] wants you to be happy, content, rested, fulfilled, satisfied, delighted with life.
At this point King David has explained why he “shall not want“. The Shepherd has satisfied the “wants” of his soul. And The Shepherd, who is The Lord (our creator), is perfectly suited for soul restoration. God knows everything about us. Things we have not even discovered yet. We believe we know how blood flows through our veins, God created the whole system (and more than that, he sustains it today). We believe we know about the makeup of the system, God knows the smallest parts of the atoms that everything is made of. Beyond that, God know the very intricacies of the quantum physics we have only recently become aware of. The Creator, our Creator, is the architect of all that we are, and as such that makes Him the perfect Shepherd to restore our souls.
He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake … When The Lord Is Your Shepherd, He will lead you in the paths of righteousness.
Funny thing about satisfied sheep, they want to express themselves. Humanity never ceases to express our own individuality. Sheep, whether they have a shepherd or not, or even if they are sheep of The Shepherd, tend to walk their own paths, which are not righteous paths.
We have gone so far in our societies today as to deny even basic biology. Men claim to be women and women claim to be men. And when biology says they are not whom they claim to be, then we make up new groups can call them transgender, cisgender, or some poly-morphed gender. We try and surgically alter physical our physical bodies in order to make ourselves something we are not. We dye our hair pink and blue, we tattoo symbols and writings all over our bodies, and we pierce our skin and place metal trinkets all over ourselves. We join cults, gangs, support groups. We join rallies supposing ourselves to be rebels. We do everything seeking our own individuality rather than seeking the path of righteousness.
All of these things that we do are unnatural in the physical world. They do nothing to aid in the development of the human race. They are all things grown from our mind, will, and emotions. They are things that we feel will bring us satisfaction. Our physical world is affected, and changed, by the desires of the paths of our minds, what we will to do, and what affects our emotional states. And the sad part in all of this is people do not realize they are giving up one individuality to simply take on another. The sheep are lost and without a shepherd.
For the Christian, The Shepherd, restores the soul in order that the sheep may be led in the paths of righteousness. We cannot find the paths of right-wise living on our own. We cannot live up to God’s moral code without His help. Fortunately, we have The Shepherd who knows how to lead the sheep and wants to lead them down good paths. If we follow The Shepherd He will lead us in the paths of righteousness, of moral right-wise living.
And why does The Shepherd do this? He leads us down the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. It is for His glory, and His honor, and His praise. By leading us down the righteous paths, He is shown to be the Good Shepherd who cares for His sheep and desires to keep them pure for a relationship with Him.
But what about sheep that do not follow The Shepherd? Sometimes sheep just go off on their own way, perhaps chasing a butterfly or other insect. What about sheep that become distracted and leave the paths that The Shepherd is leading them on?
Come back for part IV of Psalms 23 and we will find out what King David has to say about that.
