The LORD Is My Shepherd

Psalm 23:1-6

INTRODUCTION: Rarely have I ever felt the heaviness of preaching a particular passage quite like I do at this point in time. Perhaps the heaviness is the burden of trying to do a passage justice that has been preached by the greatest preachers to ever open the word of God and disclose its truths. Perhaps the fear of the passage is that I believe I personally have missed the point of the passage because I have always viewed it from a self-serving perspective.

I. THE SHEPHERD’S COMFORT (Psalm 23:4-6)

A. In the Presence of Evil (Psalm 23:4)

1. The greatest of fears
a. Though I walk
b. Through the valley of the shadow of death
2. The greatest of faith
a. I will fear
b. No evil
3. The greatest of comfort
a. Thou art with me
b. Thy rod (chastening) and thy staff (guidance) they comfort me

B. In the Presence of Enemies (Psalm 23:5)

1. Preparations in time of threat – “Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:”
2. Protections in time of threat – “thou anointest my head with oil;”
3. Provisions in time of threat – “my cup runneth over”

C. In the Presence of Life (Psalm 23:6)

1. Followed by good and mercy
2. Permitted to dwell in the house of the LORD

II. THE SHEPHERD’S LABOUR (Psalm 23:2-3)

A. The Shepherd’s Comfort (Psalm 23:2)

1. The outcome of comfort – “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:”; Note: It has been said that a sheep will not lie down until free from fear, tension, aggravations, and hunger.
2. The place of comfort – “in green pastures”

B. The Shepherd’s Nourishment (Psalm 23:2)

1. He leadeth me
2. Beside still waters; Note: Apparently two great dangers exist for sheep: 1) drinking unclean waters and 2) drinking from dangerous waters

C. The Shepherd’s Healing (Psalm 23:3)

1. He restoreth my soul.
2. When cast down, faint, weary, distressed…

D. The Shepherd’s Guidance (Psalm 23:3)

1. He leadeth me
2. In the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake; Note: Sheep would often bear the owner’s name or mark. Therefore, poorly cared for sheep reflected poorly on the shepherd. Well cared for sheep

III. THE SHEPHERD’S SATISFACTION (Psalm 23:1)

A. The Shepherd’s Sufficiency – “I shall not want.”

B. The Shepherd’s Identity

1. The LORD is my shepherd.
2. He maketh… (Psalm 23:2)
3. He leadeth… (Psalm 23:2)
4. He restoreth… (Psalm 23:3)
5. He leadeth… (Psalm 23:3)
6. His name’s sake… (Psalm 23:3)
7. Thou art with me… (Psalm 23:4)
8. Thou preparest… (Psalm 23:5)
9. Thou anointest… (Psalm 23:5)

C. The Sheep’s Identity

1. A Psalm of David
2. The blessings of which David spake in this psalm were blessings enjoyed in the face of adversity rather than in the absence of adversity.

CONCLUSION: The reason David was certain he would not want was because the LORD was his shepherd. The LORD was all he needed. Then lion’s dens would be green pastures. Raging rivers would become still waters.