Mar. 24, 2024

Series: AFTER GOD’S OWN HEART    3-24-24

The Lord is my Shepherd (Psalm 23) 

Psalm 23 (ESV) ¹ The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want (I lack nothing).

The compound Names of God in the O.T. reflect the contents of Psalm 23:

  - “I shall not want” - Jehovah-Jireh the Lord will provide” (Gen. 22:14)

  - “still waters” - Jehovah-Shalom “the Lord our peace” (Judg. 6:24)

  - “restores my soul” - Jehovah-Rophe “the Lord who heals” (Exod. 15:26)

  - “paths of righteousness”- Jehovah-Tsidkenu “the Lord our 

      righteousness”(Jer. 33:16)

  - “you are with me” - Jehovah-Shammah, “the Lord is there” (Ezek. 48:35)

  - “presence of my enemies” - Jehovah-Nissi “the Lord our banner”

     (Exod. 17:15)

  - “anoint my head” - Jehovah-M’Kaddesh “the Lord who sanctifies” (Lev. 20:8)

Psalm 103:1–2 ¹ Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. ² Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—

BLESSINGS GOD WANTS TO PROVIDE:

1. SPIRITUAL ___________________

Psalm 23 (ESV) ² He makes me lie down in green pastures. 

1 Peter 2:2–3 ² Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, ³ now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

Hebrews 5:11–14 (NASB) 11 Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.

2. SPIRITUAL ___________________

Psalm 23 (ESV) ² …He leads me beside still waters. (Calm, peaceful, easy-going) ³ He restores (refreshes) my soul. 

3. SPIRITUAL ___________________

Psalm 23 (ESV) ³ …He leads me in paths of righteousness (the right paths) for his name’s sake.   

John 10:3–5, 27 ³ The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. ⁴ When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. ⁵ But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” ²⁷ My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

4. PHYSICAL ___________________

Psalm 23 (ESV) ⁴ Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death (the darkest valley), I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 

- Shepherd’s ROD of _______________

- Shepherd’s STAFF of _______________

John 10:1–2 ¹ “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. ² The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.

John 10:11–13 ¹¹ “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. ¹² The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away.

1 Samuel 17:34–36 ³⁴ But David said to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, ³⁵ I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. ³⁶ Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; 

John 10:14–15 ¹⁴ “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me ¹⁵ …and I lay down my life for the sheep.

John 3:14–15 ¹⁴ Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, ¹⁵ that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” 

5. PHYSICAL PROVISION 

Psalm 23 (ESV) ⁵ You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 

The response of faith 

Psalm 23 (ESV) ⁶ Surely (your) goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.