As noted previously, this is probably the most well-known psalm – we may associate it with death and funerals, where it is used frequently. But psalm 23 is for the living.
The psalm walks us through a whole variety of ways God’s goodness is applied to us – guidance, comfort, protection, presence and more. And these are applied to us corporately, but also to each of us individually.
The shepherd is an excellent metaphor for guidance, protection, and there is no better metaphor for need than a sheep. Sheep are dumb and helpless. But as the psalm state up front, the sheep lacks for nothing when cared for by a good shepherd.
The shepherd knows where the green pastures are in all seasons, where the brooks and ponds are. These still waters are not just a source of refreshment but a place of restoration, where rest can be had, wounds can be cleaned and solved) stillness can be found in the midst of chaos.
In verse three, we can see guidance. God leads us, and never takes a dubious shortcut with our life. He doesn’t take us anywhere on a hunch, and never gets tired, distracted or misled. He will never sacrifice our good for His glory. In fact, the glory of His name’s sake is directly tied to how He leads His sheep. Your welfare is directly connected to the glory of God.
It does not always feel that way. But David acknowledges this – we still see the Shepherd’s goodness in dangerous places. In this next section, starting with verse 4, it changes from third to second person as David speaks directly to the Lord: “you are with me.”
Verses 1-3 speak broadly of the Shepherd’s care. Verse 4 addresses what it means when he leads us down a path that is treacherous, through the Valley of Death. What David has in mind here is not a broad green basket between two hills or mountains, but rather a wadi, a common feature in the middle east, a deep ravine created by seasonal rains. The sides are steep, the terrain is treacherous and the crags provide lairs for predators. But this is not a story of a sheep wandering off into dangerous places. Rather, it is the Shepherd who leads the sheep there – sometimes, the “right paths” include the valley of the shadow of death.
David does not say “I will fear no evil because I understand where you are going” but rather because “you are with me.”
This section also introduces the tools of the shepherd, the rod and staff used for both protection and guidance. We can trust in the protection of the shepherd.
At this point, the imagery changes from sheep to people – guests at a banquet, with tables loaded with food and cups overflowing with wine. The imagery of dangers also changes, now addressing enemies directly. To David, these would have been both outside enemies and those within his own court. To us, those who oppose the gospel, those who threaten us personally. David leaves this open, but Paul points us to our ultimate enemies, the “powers and principalities” of the spiritual realm. Regardless, we can stand in their presence because we are within the House of God.
In fact, it is not the enemies that pursue us, but rather the mercies of God, which pursues us like an army, bringing us into the sheepfold, the final home, the place we were made for. We will dwell there, with Him forever. Life is short, but our time in His house is not.
Are we trusting this best of shepherds? Are we being led astray by other voices? In the midst of everything we are going through, let us trust the Shepherd.
– Sermon Notes, Sean Harrelson, Seed Church, Lynnwood WA, September 26, 2021