Sermon Tone Analysis

Jehovah Rohi - The Lord our Shepherd

Background

“The Lord is My Shepherd”

David likely wrote this Psalm in the latter part of his life, having experienced all of the ups and downs as a king and warrior.

A Shepherd’s Life

In Israel, as in other ancient societies, a shepherd’s work was considered the lowest of all works.

If a family needed a shepherd, it was always the youngest son, like David, who got this unpleasant assignment.

Shepherds had to live with the sheep twenty-four hours a day, and the task of caring for them was unending.

Day and night, summer and winter, in fair weather and foul, they labored to nourish, guide, and protect the sheep.

Yet Jehovah has chosen to be our shepherd, David says.

The great God of the universe has stooped to take just such care of you and me.

This is an Old Testament statement, of course.

But Christians can hardly forget that the metaphor was also taken up by Jesus and applied to himself, thus identifying himself with Jehovah, on the one hand, and assuming the task of being the shepherd of his people, on the other.

God as our Shepherd: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

Also, look at .

The Good Shepherd separates good and evil from His flock

The Verses

Verse 1

“I Shall Not Be in Want”

What does it mean to be counted as one of the Lord’s sheep?

No man has a right to consider himself the Lord's sheep unless his nature has been renewed for the scriptural description of unconverted men does not picture them as sheep, but as wolves or goats.

A sheep is an object of property, not a wild animal; its owner sets great store by it, and frequently it is bought with a great price.

It is well to know, as certainly David did, that we belong to the Lord.

He is a Shepherd to me; he cares for me, watches over me, and preserves me.

The words are in the present tense.

Whatever be the believer's position, he is even now under the pastoral care of Jehovah.

Left to themselves, sheep lack everything.

They are the most helpless animals.

But if we belong to the one who is self-sufficient, inexhaustible, and utterly unchanged by time, we will lack nothing.

He is sufficient for all things and will provide for us.

Compare

Left to themselves, sheep lack everything.

They are the most helpless animals.

But if we belong to the one who is self-sufficient, inexhaustible, and utterly unchanged by time, we will lack nothing.

He is sufficient for all things and will provide for us.

Compare

Left to themselves, sheep lack everything.

They are the most helpless animals.

But if we belong to the one who is self-sufficient, inexhaustible, and utterly unchanged by time, we will lack nothing.

He is sufficient for all things and will provide for us.

Compare

“I Shall Not Want”

How does being focused on the temporal relate to this?

Charles Spurgeon noted: “The wicked always want, but the righteous never; a sinner's heart is far from satisfaction, but a gracious spirit dwells in the palace of content.

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Verse 2

Are you resting in Christ?

Look at

We begin by resting in him who has done everything for us.

Look at

We begin by resting in him who has done everything for us.

Look at

Green Pastures and Still Waters

Sheep are foolish creatures.

In fact, they are probably the most stupid animals on earth.

One aspect of their stupidity is seen in the fact that they so easily wander away.

They can have a good shepherd who can have brought them to the best grazing lands near an abundant supply of water, and they will still wander away to where the fields are barren and the water undrinkable.

What is our Green Pasture that God has given us?

What are these "green pastures" but the Scriptures of truth--always fresh, always rich, and never exhausted?

There is no fear of biting the bare ground where the grass is long enough for the flock to lie down in it.

Sweet and full are the doctrines of the gospel; fit food for souls, as tender grass is natural nutriment for sheep.

When by faith we are enabled to find rest in the promises, we are like the sheep that lie down in the midst of the pasture; we find at the same moment both provender and peace, rest and refreshment, serenity and satisfaction.

What do you make of the phrase “He makes me lie down”?

Owing to their timidity they refuse to lie down unless they are free of all fear.

It is a reminder that the Christian life also begins with resting in God or Christ.

Along the way there will in time be many things for us to do.

There are some distracted souls who would give worlds if they could but do this.

They know the blessedness of it, but they cannot say that this blessedness is theirs.

They know the "green pastures," but they are not made to "lie down" in them.

Those believers who have for years enjoyed a "full assurance of faith" should greatly bless their gracious God.

What do still waters mean to you? Compare ;

What are these "still waters" but the influences and graces of his blessed Spirit?

His Spirit attends us in various operations, like waters--in the plural--to cleanse, to refresh, to fertilise, to cherish.

They are "still waters," for the Holy Ghost loves peace, and sounds no trumpet of ostentation in his operations.

He may flow into our soul, but not into our neighbour's, and therefore our neighbour may not perceive the divine presence; and though the blessed Spirit may be pouring his floods into one heart, yet he that sitteth next to the favoured one may know nothing of it.

That silence is golden indeed in which the Holy Spirit meets with the souls of his saints.

Our Lord leads us beside these "still waters;" we could not go there of ourselves, we need his guidance, therefore it is said, "he leadeth me."

He does not drive us.

Moses drives us by the law, but Jesus leads us by his example, and the gentle drawing of his love.

Verse 3

"In sacred silence of the mind

My heaven, and there my God I find."

Still waters run deep.

Nothing more noisy than an empty drum.

That silence is golden indeed in which the Holy Spirit meets with the souls of his saints.

Not to raging waves of strife, but to peaceful streams of holy love does the Spirit of God conduct the chosen sheep.

He is a dove, not an eagle; the dew, not the hurricane.

Our Lord leads us beside these "still waters;" we could not go there of ourselves, we need his guidance, therefore it is said, "he leadeth me."

He does not drive us.

Moses drives us by the law, but Jesus leads us by his example, and the gentle drawing of his love.

How does the example of Peter fit into this?

Look at

I Shall Not Lack Life

This is because “he restores my soul” (v.

3).

In Hebrew idiom the words “restores my soul” can mean “brings me to repentance” (or conversion).

But since the word translated “soul” is actually “life,” and since the metaphor here is that of shepherding, the words probably mean “the Lord restores me to physical health (or salvation).”

In Hebrew idiom the words “restores my soul” can mean “brings me to repentance” (or conversion).

But since the word translated “soul” is actually “life,” and since the metaphor here is that of shepherding, the words probably mean “the Lord restores me to physical health (or salvation).”

Sometimes we are like cast sheep.

We are spiritually on our backs, quite helpless.

But Jesus comes to us when we are in this condition, as he did to Peter after Peter had denied him even with oaths and cursing (), and he restores us.