The Shepherd Psalm
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Don’t Ignore The Form
Don’t Ignore The Form
One of the most difficult things to do is preach a sermon on a passage everyone knows.
Discuss Verbal Plenary Inspiration…includes the Form
A Davidic psalm.
The Lord is my shepherd;
there is nothing I lack.
He lets me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters.
He renews my life;
He leads me along the right paths
for His name’s sake.
Even when I go through the darkest valley,
I fear no danger,
for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff —they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Only goodness and faithful love will pursue me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
as long as I live.
Notice the form
vs 1-3 God referred to as “He”
vs 4-5 God referred to as “You”
vs 6 God referred to in 3rd Person
Principle: When talking “about” God we cannot escape talking “to” God.
I have know good people, even professional theologians and biblical academics who do a great deal of talking about God. But there is no evident Intimacy with the Almighty. Their information about God may even be correct and orthodox, but their spiritual life is dry as a desert. They have lost the art and privilege of talking “to” God in prayer. Good discipline..... 1/2 day in prayer. Can you do it?
But we need to look deeper into this Psalm, for the richness can not be missed because of familiarity.
My Beloved Shepherd
My Beloved Shepherd
1. Spiritual Nourishment is God’s Mission.
:
The Lord is my shepherd;
there is nothing I lack.
He lets me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters.
2. Spiritual Renewal is God’s Joy.
He renews my life;
He leads me along the right paths
for His name’s sake.
: 3
He renews my life;
He leads me along the right paths
for His name’s sake.
Psalm 23:
3. Spiritual Guidance is God’s Glory.
He renews my life;
He leads me along the right paths
for His name’s sake.
4. Spiritual Comfort is God’s Love
Psalm 23:
Even when I go through the darkest valley,
I fear no danger,
for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff —they comfort me.
5. Spiritual Victory is God’s Honor
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6. Spiritual Blessing is Our Destiny!
Only goodness and faithful love will pursue me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
as long as I live.
One More Thing....
One More Thing....
From “He” to “You”
We have to ask the question, “why does David switch from ‘He’ to ‘You’ precisely at verse 4? Why didn’t he just go on to say, ‘Even when I go through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for He is with me, His rod and His staff - they comfort me.’” ?
I think the switch to the more intimate “You” precisely when the Psalmist enters the valley of darkness is extremely significant. The crises of Life draw us closer to God! We are more prone to talk “about” God when we are in green pastures and more prone to cry out “to” God when facing the dark valley’s of life.