Psalm 23:5-6

Psalm 23, Part 3

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Scott Downing Christ Conversation 11/6/2016

Christ Conversation Sunday, November 6, 2016 Psalm 23, Part 3

Psalm 23 A Psalm of David. (ESV) The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2 He makes me lie down in green pastures.

He leads me beside still waters.

3 He restores my soul.

He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Psalm 23 - Summary to this point From the beginning this Psalm rests on two fundamental facts: The Lord is my Shepherd. The interpersonal relationship between the Lord and His sheep—the consistent use of personal pronouns along with the covenantal name of God, create the possibility of this exceptional song of David.

Green pastures

me

Defending me

Lord

Waters of rest

Shepherd

Fearing no evil

Reviving me Aligns me to His path

We have considered the idea of a cast sheep: one rolled onto its back as it stretched out in the slight hollow of a green pasture. Unable to redeem itself, the Shepherd comes and saves its life. He restores, revives, gives us breath when we had lost all hope.

We have seen that predators hide in the valley with its shadows and crevices; they lie in wait in the lowlands. But our Shepherd, moving us from the lowlands of the winter takes us through that valley to get us to the highlands of spring mesas and rich grazing land, has a rod that beats them back and a staff that draws us near to Himself. The valley is necessary for our strength and vitality – and the Shepherd is necessary to get us through.

And now . . .

Psalm 23:5 The preparation of the table, the bounty of the food, the setting of the ‘room’ is the host’s delight.

The Shepherd does not simply take the sheep to higher ground with the hope of good feeding ground and sources of water: The Shepherd knows and has prepared for the arrival of the flock.

Above the shadows of the valley the field awaits.

Lack nothing Comforting

We saw that the sheep do not lie down until they are satisfied with food and have no fear for their safety. The waters are not fearful currents nor stagnated ponds – but they are approachable and quench the soul.

The predators of the flock have lost their advantage of hidden prowling and sudden attack. They look upward and see the flock feasting on plants and grass freshly renewed by winter’s rains. The Shepherd can see approaching dangers on the mesa. This is a place where health and fruitfulness define the days of the flock.

The Good Shepherd entered Jerusalem and the enemies were growling, snarling and seeking to satisfy their appetite for His destruction.

Luke 22:1-32 How does Jesus prepare a table for us in the presence of our enemy?

_______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ 1 Peter 5:1-11 How does this passage relate to Psalm 23:5? _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ Anointing: We usually think of anointing as a sacramental rite for the priests and for kings. The oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit filling and equipping priests and kings to serve God by the Spirit.

Here, however, the anointing is used differently. The Hebrew, dishen, is associated with “to make luxuriant.”

This fits the context of Psalm 23: Sheep in the safety of Shepherd, feeding on green meadows and relaxing by restful streams.

This was the joyful responsibility of the host. See Luke 7:37-50; Psalm 104:10-15 _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ For the Shepherd and the sheep, anointing had a practical purpose, too. Shepherds would anoint the sheep with a mixture of olive oil, sulfur and spices as a means of protecting the sheep from insects as well as to promote the healing of infections and skin diseases.

Psalm 23:6 Remember, this Psalm is in the present.  The Lord is my shepherd  He makes me lie down

     

He leads me He restores You are with me You comfort me You prepare a table You anoint my head

King David is a battle-weary man who has faced national and personal conflicts throughout his life. He longs for the joy that results by dwelling in the house of the Lord for the rest of his life.

This is the king who could not restrain his exuberant dancing when the ark of the covenant was restored to Israel.

In God’s house, David is welcomed. In God’s house, David’s head is anointed with oil. In God’s house, the bounty of the Lord is freely provided. In God’s house, David’s cup runs over and over and over. In God’s house, goodness and mercy pursue him every day. See Psalm 27:4 (and the whole chapter).

Such is true for us, too. In the present we can live with this kind of Shepherding by Christ.

It is true in the present because of God’s filling us with His Spirit: I Corinthians 3:16; Ephesians 1 It is true in the present – but also it true for eternity.

See John 14:1-7; 1 Corinthians 13:12; Ephesians 1:4-7 _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________