The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want
Psalm 23:1
As the national restrictions continue during this troubling time, we continue our mini-series of encouragements. Psalm 23 is a great psalm many of us will be familiar with. In times of trouble, our hearts are full and our minds are confused. We need to remind ourselves of old truths and seek dependence, trust and security from God.
Our passage: John 10:1-18 & Psalm 23. Preacher: Ian Bayne (29th March 2020).
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Introduction
The second reason for covering this today is a more personal one. Before called to ministry I was a sheep farmer, like my father and grandfather. My home was a loving and caring Christian home.
Every night, the last thing before going to bed would be to pray with my father, and he would get me to learn scripture by heart. The first Psalm I learned was Psalm 23 so it is very special.
Explanation
Even just looking at verse 1 in detail today, the psalmist wants us to know four things:
- There is a shepherd
- The shepherd is the LORD
- The LORD owns sheep
- The LORD takes care of His sheep
1. There is a shepherd
A flock of sheep needs a shepherd to stop them wandering, to lead, direct them and keep them safe from harm.
Shepherds are burdened to keep the sheep. There are two kinds of shepherd:
- The hired hand – who is looking after the sheep for payment
- The owner of the sheep – who has a vested interest in their welfare because it affects the amount of wool and lambs they will obtain.
2. Our shepherd is the LORD
Fortunately “the LORD is our shepherd”, and what a shepherd He is.
The word LORD used in our English translations is the Hebrew consonants: Y..H..W..H. It’s the Lord’s personal name. It’s a word so special that the ancients didn’t even want to write it in full or pronounce it. Some have guessed at the pronunciation, but we don’t know for sure.
In the New Testament Jesus proclaims his status by saying he’s the good shepherd (John 10) and the I AM:
Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”
John 8:58
This echos what God said to Moses when he revealed His name.
God said to Moses, “I am who I am.”
Exodus 3: 14
Jesus is claiming to be God. (In John 8:59 the Jews attempt to stone him for blasphemy because of this)
3. The LORD owns His sheep
In John 10 we see how the LORD is not a hired hand, but an owner who cares for His sheep.
He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.
John 10:12-15 ESV
Notice the passage says “the lord is MY shepherd” (Psalm 23:1 (emphasis added). He has entered into a deeply personal relationship with us. The Song of Solomon parallels something of the depth of this relationship:
My beloved is mine, and I am his; he grazes among the lilies.
Song of Solomon 2:16 ESV
He recognises his sheep to be his. As a sheep farmer by trade, I can say that a farmer really knows his sheep. Even with many thousand sheep, it’s possible to get to know many of them as you tend them regularly, and they have different personalities. If a neighbour’s sheep got in, I would know.
4. There’s a covenant agreement
There’s a promise made in this verse:
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
Psalm 23:1 ESV
In the New Testament we see this again:
And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:19 ESV
There’s an agreement that he will supply all our needs. The rest of Psalm 23 is expanding on this point and showing us what this means.
Application
There are three applications we can take from this:
- dependency
- trust
- security
1. Dependency
It’s common to say that sheep are dumb. This saying seems to have originated from a misinterpretation of a passage in Isaiah. The passage prophesies about Jesus, where he’s likened to a sheep. The scene is when Jesus is before Pontious Pilate being questioned about the charges being brought against him.
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
Isaiah 53:7 King James Version. The newer ESV uses “silent” instead of “dumb”.
Dumb has come to mean stupid. But it’s not the case, it simply means silent. Sheep are intelligent, but they are dependent.
The fall in Genesis 3 was a result of man’s quest for independence. When we’re dependent on God we will follow and trust in Him, and He will provide for us.
for we walk by faith, not by sight.
2 Corinthians 5:7 ESV
We must walk in humility according to God, even if this seems counter-cultural.
These are strange days. The covid-19 virus is something we can’t control and therefore we must depend on God. As we grow in dependence, we also grow in humility.
For we are glad when we are weak and you are strong. Your restoration is what we pray for.
2 Corinthians 13:9 ESV
The smaller we become, the greater our appreciation of God. And what a God we have.
For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities-all things were created through him and for him.
Colossians 1:16 ESV
He is providing for his children
2. Trust
He knows us and we can know him. He saved us by giving his life for us.
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
John 10:11 ESV
He cares for us.
casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
1 Peter 5:7 ESV
And gently leads us to pastures new and through difficult times
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,[c]
Psalm 23:4
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
He is still seeking and saving those who are lost. He goes out of His way to look after each one of us individually.
“See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven. [12] What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? [13] And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. [14] So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
Matthew 18:10,12-14 ESV
We will all take wrong turns in life. He will take us back to the safety of the fold.
3. Security
When I was growing up, every boy played Rugby Union. Didn’t play anything else, not the round ball game, the hockey ball game or the other rugby ball game; just Rugby Union.
One player in my team was chosen to be full-back for every game because this player would always catch and would never drop the ball. He had a “safe pair of hands”.
Are we not in safe hands? We “shall not want” (Psalm 23:1).
My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. [30] I and the Father are one.”
John 10:29-30 ESV
Our security in him doesn’t depend on our ability to have faith or belief. Our faith is in the good shepherd who seeks us when we are lost.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
John 10:10 ESV
The good shepherd comes for us, not for us to simply have life, but to have life abundantly.
Who do you want to be your shepherd? A thief? A hired hand? Or the good shepherd with a life of ultimate peace and security?
Our text
The LORD Is My Shepherd
A psalm of David
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
Psalm 23:1-6 ESVUK (C)2001 Crossway Bibles
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.[a]
3 He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness[b]
for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,[c]
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[d] goodness and mercy[e] shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell[f] in the house of the Lord
for ever.[g]
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