BIBLE STUDY PSALM 23 WEEK # 3 (PRAYER)

Let's Pray:

Glory be to God in the highest, peace good will toward everyone . Precious Father, thank you for the act of restoration. It is so amazing to know that when we are broken and wounded, you can put us back together. You can restore that which was lost and we can be found. You can restore our hurts and  we can be whole. You are the one who can enable us to forgive.  Show mercy and bestow grace. You are the restorer of all things and for that we give you praise. For anyone that is hurting at this time, we ask that you reach out your restorative Hands and pour out a healing balm to their souls. Soothe their spirits. Calm their nerves. Bind up the weary and broken pieces and grant them renewal in a mighty way. Revive them. Restore them. Do a powerful work in their lives that only you can do.  We give you all glory and honor and praise that is due your holy name.  In the mighty, powerful, and saving name of Jesus Christ.  Amen

 

BIBLE STUDY PSALM 23 WEEK # 3 (2/27/15)

Title: ("He restoreth my soul...he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.)

 

Prayer:

Glory be to God in the highest, peace good will toward everyone . Precious Father, thank you for the act of restoration. It is so amazing to know that when we are broken and wounded, you can put us back together. You can restore that which was lost and we can be found. You can restore our hurts and  we can be whole. You are the one who can enable us to forgive.  Show mercy and bestow grace. You are the restorer of all things and for that we give you praise. For anyone that is hurting at this time, we ask that you reach out your restorative Hands and pour out a healing balm to their souls. Soothe their spirits. Calm their nerves. Bind up the weary and broken pieces and grant them renewal in a mighty way. Revive them. Restore them. Do a powerful work in their lives that only you can do.  We give you all glory and honor and praise that is due your holy name.  In the mighty, powerful, and saving name of Jesus Christ.  Amen

 

Text: Psalm 23:3, "He refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name's sake." is A Testimony of Sovereignty.

Sheep are not very smart. They have a predictable inclination to lose their way. They can be in a pasture with plenty of grass and adequate water and still wander aimlessly until they have nothing to eat or drink. Once lost they can't find their way back. Many animals seem to have inborn compasses - not so with sheep. Once lost, the shepherd must go and find them.

Spiritually, people are like sheep. Isaiah the prophet wrote, "All we like sheep have gone astray.." (Isa. 53:6). I once saw a cartoon that pictured two sheep grazing in a pasture. One commented to the other, "All we like people have gone stray." Sheep are like people. People are like sheep. Both are easily lost.

We have a profound tendency to desert what is good for us. The grass always looks greener on the other side of the fence. So often we go away from God into sin. There are three wonderful truths in Psalm 23:3 that David testified to:

1. The Ministry of the Shepherd - "He restoreth my soul...".
2. The Mastery of the Shepherd - "He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness...".
3. The Majesty of the Shepherd - "for His name sake".

The Ministry of the Shepherd: "He restoreth my soul..."
We are saved by grace, restored by grace and kept by grace. There are three kinds of sheep that need to be restored to fellowship with the shepherd. The first is the straying sheep who are restored by the rod. The rod us used as protection against the wild animals, but also used as a means to discipline the stubborn sheep (See Hebrews 12:11).

Discipline is more than punishment. It is preventative development. There is a danger in no discipline.

The rod served at least for two purposes. To keep us from danger and to help develop us.

The second is the staff which is sometimes call the shepherd's crook. The hook was just the right size to fit around the neck of a large sheep, or around the body of a little lamb. The shepherd would use the staff to draw sheep to him, guide the sheep or lift a fallen sheep.

The third kind of sheep that need to be restored are the sick sheep. The sick sheep are restored by administering them with the oil. The shepherd would bring his sheep into the fold one at a time calling them by name. He thoroughly examined the sheep for thorns, bruises, scabs and raw places. To bring a healing the shepherd would pour a healing and soothing oil on the sheep. This "oil" speaks to us of the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

The Mastery of the Shepherd: "He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness...."
When He has restored us, He is not finished. He restores us that He might lead us and guide us into the right way once again. Sheep have poor eyesight. They cannot see more than fifteen yards ahead of them so they need to be led. The word "righteousness" is used here in a moral sense. The problem with so many of us is that we stop with restoration, we don't want to go on to righteousness. If we are only restored, we will be right back in the same condition. The wayward sheep who is back where he should be will be in trouble again if he does not immediately begin to follow the shepherd closer than ever. It is important therefore that the sheep stay very close to the shepherd.

The reason for restoration is that there might be a return to righteousness. 

With such poor eyesight the sheep must stay close so they can observe the shepherd and listen so they can be obedient. See John 10:27.

The Majesty of the Shepherd: "for His name sake".
He leads us in paths of righteousness for our sake and for His name's sake. The Good Shepherd's name is judged by the behavior, condition and welfare of His sheep. God has connected His name and His glory with the walk and conduct of His people. Only if we walk in paths of righteousness can we uphold the reputation of the Good Shepherd.

A good way to read this Psalm is by asking the question, "What shall I not want?"

 

I shall not want for:

 

Rest -- for He makes me to lie down in green pastures.
Peace -- for He leads me beside the still waters.
Forgiveness -- for He restores my soul.
Guidance -- for He leads me in the paths of righteousness.
Companionship -- for you are with me.
Comfort -- for your rod and Thy staff comfort me.
Provision -- for Thou prepare a table before me. 
Joy -- You anoint my head with oil and my cup runs over.
Everything in time -- for goodness and mercy shall follow me.
Everything in eternity -- for I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Note: Respect - Restoration - Righteousness – Reputation

The 23rd Psalm was written by King David. This Psalm is part of a trilogy. Psalm 22 is called a Messianic Psalm. It speaks of Jesus suffering and death (Ps. 22:1). In the 23rd Psalm, Jesus is the Good Shepherd or as David says, "My shepherd" (Ps. 23:1) and in Psalm 24, Jesus is the "King of Glory" (Ps. 24:10). The 22nd Psalm reviews the past, the 23rd is the present and the 24th looks to the future. Now that is the order in which God ministers to us. Jesus died first so that we would have a Savior for our sins. We discover that He is our Savior, Lord, and Good Shepherd, and then some day we will reign with our King of Glory. The 23rd Psalm is special to Christians because it paints a picture of our relationship with Him. If we are not Christians, He is not our shepherd.

Thy Comfort: During times of struggle and danger, Jesus is also there to comfort us with His rod and staff. The meaning of the Hebrew word for "rod," SEBET, and "staff," MISHENA, are very special. The Hebrew word SEBET has the idea of a "stick." It originally referred to a part of a tree. In the Old Testament the "stick" was used to count sheep (Lev. 27:32). It was also used to protect the sheep from other animals. In the book of Proverbs the stick is used for discipline (Prov. 13:24). SEBET has a sense of authority. The Hebrew word MISHENA has the idea of "something to lean on," "trust," "support," or "staff." Together, the two words paint a picture of a strong, protective shepherd whom we can trust. One who not only cares for us but who will protect us. Sheep are stupid animals compared to other creatures. If we are following the shepherd and danger, trouble, and the threat of death come in the form of life's foxes and bears, He is there with His rod and staff. He protects us with His rod and we can trust the leading of His staff. Do you feel like crying out, "baa, baa, baa?" He is listening!

 Our Rest:  The Psalm transitions to a picture of living with the Shepherd. It is a picture of provision, care and eternal security. It is one of living with the Good Shepherd now and forever. Anointing the head with oil before a meal was an eastern custom. It served as a means of "freshening-up." The spiritual feast starts in this life. He ministers to us by "bathing" us with His Spirit, the fruit of the Spirit, and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. We receive the Shepherd's blessings in this life and continue living with Him forever after this earthly life.
 

The rod was what he relied on to safeguard both himself and his flock in danger. And it was, furthermore, the instrument he used to discipline and correct any wayward sheep that insisted on wandering away.

...an interesting sidelight on the word "rod" ... the slang term "rod" has been applied to hand-guns such as pistols and revolvers which were carried by cowboys, and other western rangement. The connotation is exactly the same as that used in this Psalm.

There is a second dimension in which the rod is used by the shepherd for the welfare of his sheep -- namely that of discipline. The club is used for this purpose perhaps more than any other.

If the shepherd saw a sheep wandering away from its own, or approaching poisonous weeds, or getting too close to danger of one sort or another, the club would go whistling through the air to send the wayward animal scurrying back to the bunch.

Another interesting use of the rod in the shepherd's hand was to examine and count the sheep. In the terminology of the Old Testament this was referred to as passing "under the rod":

And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant: (Ezek. 20:37).

This meant not only coming under the owner's control and authority, but also to be subject to his most careful, intimate and firsthand examination. A sheep that passed "under the rod" was one which had been counted and looked over with great care to make sure all was well with it.

Because of their long wool it is not always easy to detect disease, wounds, or defects in sheep. For example at a sheep show an inferiour animal can be clipped and shaped and shown so as to appear a perfect specimen. But the skilled judge will take his rod and part the sheep's wool to determine the condition of the skin, the cleanliness of the fleece and the conformation of the body. In plain language, "One just does not pull the wool over his [judge's] eyes."

In caring for his sheep, the good shepherd, the careful manager, will from time to time make a careful examination of each individual sheep. As each animal comes out of the corral and through the gate, it is stopped by the shepherd's outstretched rod. He opens the fleece with the rod; he runs his skillful hands over the body; he feels for any sign of trouble; he examines the sheep with care to see if all is well. This is a most searching process entailing every intimate detail. It is, too, a comfort to the sheep for only in this way can its hidden problems be laid bare before the shepherd.

Finally the shepherd's rod is an instrument of protection both for himself and his sheep when they are in danger. It is used both as a defense and a deterrent against anything that would attack.

The skilled shepherd uses his rod to drive off predators like coyotes, wolves, cougars or stray dogs. Often it is used to beat the brush discouraging snakes and other creatures from disturbing the flock.  In extreme cases, such as David recounted to Saul, the psalmist no doubt used his rod to attack the lion and the bear that came to raid his flocks.

 

Listen to this…………

Quote:

"Once in Kenya photographing elephants, I was being accompanied by a young Masai herder who carried a club in his hand. We came to the crest of a hill from which we could see a herd of elephants in the thick bush below us. To drive them out into the open we decided to dislodge a boulder and roll it down the slope. As we heaved and pushed against the great rock, a cobra, coiled beneath it, suddenly came into view ready to strike. In a split second the alert shepherd boy lashed out with his club killing the snake on the spot. The weapon had never left his hand, even while we worked on the rock."

Conclusion: The Good Shepherd ministers to His sheep in such an excellent and majestic way that His sheep cannot help but give their love back to Him.  1John 4:19, "We love Him because He first loved us".

 

Different Version: (NIV)

 

A psalm of David:

 

¹ The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. ² He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters, ³ he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths
 for his name's sake. ⁴ Even though I walk through the darkest valley, 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 your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

 

Word of the Week (# 3)        Pardon

 

1. to excuse or forgive (a person) for (an offence, mistake, etc): to pardon someone; to pardon a fault.

2. forgiveness; allowance

3. (Law)

a. release from punishment for an offence

b. the warrant granting such release

4. (Roman Catholic Church) a Roman Catholic indulgence sentence substitute

5. Also: pardon me or I beg your pardon

a. sorry; excuse me

b. what did you say?

 

 

 

God's Name: God is Jehovah-Rapha: (The Lord that healeth) He restoreth my soul. (Exodus 15:26)

(The above names fit this Psalm perfectly. Note how each name is in this Psalm.)

 

"Father God, You have so many wonderful Names.  May I search out the Scripture and really get to know You by Your Names.  Each one has a special meaning and gives me deeper understanding to Who You are. Reveal Your character to me today. Amen."

 

 

Question of the week # 3:     How does David describe the spiritual necessities provided by the Lord?

 

Questions:

  

1).   Spiritually speaking, as sheep what should we do when we are lost?

2).   Describe the ministry, mastery, and majesty of the Shepherd.

3).   What purposes does the rod serve?

4).   What do Hebrews 12:11 says?

5).   Spiritually, what does the staff means?

6).   Name a few "wants" in our life we shall not want.

7).   Give another good reason the Rod is good for.

8).   This weeks' "word of the week" pardon means what?

9).   What do Jehovah-Rapha means?

10).  Give a brief summary of "He restore my soul."

11).  Read and examine all the previous versions, including chapter three, which one gives more understanding?

 

 

BIBLE STUDY PSALM 23 WEEK # 2 (GOOD SLEEP)

This is more on our weekly question...................................


How does David illustrate the physical necessities that are provided by the Lord?


To me, there are many ways that God provides for His people (sheep). When I lay down at night, the Lord help me to sleep. I am so grateful! When I don't get a peaceful night sleep due to bad dreams, then I pray and talk to God, and my sweet sleep come back. When I can't get good sleep, I do not function good the next day, so I need a good night sleep. I can actually feel God when He is with me, I know that angels are encamped round about me too. That is a good feeling! This is when the Lord led me beside the still waters of peace. Peace in my mind, spirit, and soul. Years ago I had to take Tylenol PM every night to get to sleep, but that was not good for my organs I found out. I prayed and asked God to help me sleep without taking these pills, and He did. That was almost 15 years ago. I am so grateful to be delivered from taking medicine to sleep at night. He leads me beside the still waters through the night too.

Father God, thank You for hearing my prayers when I pray to You. Thank You for setting me free from things I can not control. Thank You for Your lovingkindness. Thank You for joy in my heart. Most of all, thank You for deliverance. Amen. 
 

BIBLE STUDY PSALM 23 WEEK # 2 (QUESTIONS)

Answers to Questions:

1. Why did satisfaction come for David?

David had a personal relationship with the Lord, his Shepherd.


2. A sheep without a shepherd is what?

A sheep without a shepherd is in a very insecure position.

3. What does Psalm 100 has to say about a Shepherd?

All Men Exhorted to Praise God. A Psalm for Thanksgiving.
"Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth. 2 Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before Him with joyful singing. 3 Know that the LORD Himself is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. 4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving And His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name. 5 For the LORD is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting And His faithfulness to all generations."

This Psalm encourage us to praise the shepherd who is God. He is good, His lovingkindness last forever, and He is faithfulness to all His sheep and we can trust Him; and we should praise Him.

4. If the sheep is too far from the shepherd what happens?

The distance between the shepherd and the sheep determines the potential for danger. The greater the distance, the greater danger; We must stay close to our Shepherd Jesus at all time.

5. Name the characteristics of a shepherd that compare to Christ.

A shepherd is compassionate. See Matthew 9:36.
A shepherd gives gentle care to his flock of sheep. See Isaiah 40:11.
A shepherd displays much courage. See John 10:11-13.

6. The sheep is who, and the shepherd is who?

Christ is the Shepherd, and Christians who believes is the sheep.

7. How do this statement reflects a Christian's life today? "They will mill around and nibble on bits of grass until they have eaten sufficiently. Only when their stomachs are full will they find a quiet place and lie down."

When we study God's Word we are eating to feed our spirit-man. When our spirit-man is full and has eaten sufficiently, then we can rest in God's peace through His Word.

8. What is the picture of a sheep lying down?

Sheep resting beside the still waters is a picture of peace and rest. The phrase "still waters" means waters of rest. This picture reminds us of Jesus who said, "Come unto me all you that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28).

9. Why a sheep doesn't go near swiftly waters?

Sheep are poor swimmers, and their wool coats became soaked with water, and weight them down when wet. It will pull the sheep under water. Spiritually speaking, our Shepherd keeps a watch on us to keep us safe from these kinds of danger. That is why it is good to study God's Word.

10. What do still waters mean?

Still waters mean waters of rest. A time to rest! These quiet waters bring peace in our life, and these times when there are no waves and no troubles and you can feed your soul spiritually. These are restored times for the soul.

11. What did Abraham call the place where he found a ram?

Jehovah-Jireh (Genesis 22:14), which means my God will provide.

12. Our place of rest is called what?

Our place of rest is called Jehovah-Jireh too, and having a relationship with God that bring satisfaction to our soul because we believe and trust Him to supply all our need. When we need Him we can find a ram caught in a thicket by his horns. He will provide for us today. We must believe! We can enter into His place of rest.

Please share on these questions if you like..........

 

 

BIBLE STUDY PSALM 23 WEEK # 2 (GOD'S NAME)

   

God is Jehovah Jireh - The Lord will provide. (Geneses 22:13,14)

 

Jehovah-Jireh means His provision shall be seen;  Genesis 22:13, 14 says, "Then Abraham raised his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him a ram caught in the thicket by his horns; and Abraham went and took the ram and offered him up for a burnt offering in the place of his son. ¹⁴ Abraham called the name of that place The Lord Will Provide, as it is said to this day, "In the mount of the Lord it will be provided."

 

BIBLES STUDY PSALM 23 WEEK # 2 (WEEKLY QUESTION)

How does David illustrate the physical necessities that are provided by the Lord?

 

 

- The Lord makes him to lie down in green pastures

- The Lord leads him besides the still waters

 

I do believe there is more in the physical and the spiritual too.

 

BIBLE STUDY PSALM 23 WEEK # 2 (WORD OF THE WEEK)

Provider

 

God provide us with a quiet place of rest daily.  This word is definitely important too. What do it means?

 

It means to make available; furnish:  As a verb it means supply and support. As in our lesson today, the Lord is our Shepherd who supplies all our needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus our Lord. Philippians 4:19

 

BIBLE STUDY PSALM 23 WEEK # 2 (SHARING)

Different Version: (NASB)

 

What caught my attention in this version was the words "Quiet Waters." It is so important to notice the different words, and then cross reference them, and look up the definition of that word to get a clear understanding what the verse is saying.  Let's look at it………….

 

Quiet:  making little or no noise. "the car has a quiet, economical engine"

This is a place of peace and quiet before the Lord, like our daily quiet time with Him.

 

Scripture References:

 

Isaiah 30:15:  New American Standard Bible (NASB)

¹⁵ For thus the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, has said,

"In repentance and rest you will be saved,
In quietness and trust is your strength."
But you were not willing,

 

Footnotes:

Isaiah 30:15 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord

Isaiah 30:15 Lit returning

 

 

Psalm 46:10:  New American Standard Bible (NASB)

¹⁰ "Cease striving and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."

 

Footnotes:

Psalm 46:10 Or Let go, relax

Psalm 46:10 Or Gentiles

 

Let's read that again!

 

"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. ² He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters. ³ He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake. ⁴ Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I 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 have anointed my head with oil;
My cup overflows. ⁶ Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever."

 

Now, let's look at this week's text………….. "He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters."   The word here is "Quiet waters" This is called digging deep!  Quiet waters means still waters here.  A  place of refuge at any given moment.  The Shepherd leads us into a place of peace daily.  He is our (My) Shepherd!

 

Bible Study: “A Study of Psalm 23 WEEK # 2 (SHARING)

Our life with God can be just like the trees that are planted along the riverbank, bearing precious fruit each season.  How?  By finding delight in God's Word. How do we cultivate that kind of life?  By reading God's Word, obeying it, and pondering it. As we steep ourselves in the Bible through Bible study, our minds drift away from our issues and problems and focus on God's ability and majesty. When we take a moment to stop and reflect on verses like our verse for this week, we're reminded afresh that every little snatch of time directed toward God bears fruit in our lives. Its like trees bearing fruit.  Read Psalm 1:2-3. 

Father God, bless my life to bear fruit for Your glory in my life, amen.

"He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters."

 

Bible Study: “A Study of Psalm 23 WEEK # 2 (PRAYER)

Let's Pray:

Father God in heaven, we praise You and honor You for who You are, You are our Shepherd, our Lord, our God, our Creator, and our all in all; Thank You for providing everything we need, and our desires that meet Your plan for our life. We are so grateful indeed.  Thank You for this study to learn more of Who You are in Psalm 23. Give us this day our daily need to meet Your plans for our life.  Shape and mode us as a potter does the clay in his hand. Help us to find that peace You give, not as the world, but as a loving Shepherd give to His sheep. Father, lead us beside the still waters, so we rest in Your presence, and give us that spiritual water our souls need today. Our desire is to learn more of You, live a knowledgeable life of You, and totally depend upon You eternally, in Jesus' name we pray, amen.

 

 

 

Bible Study: “A Study of Psalm 23 Verse by Verse”

Date: (2/20/15)

Week: # 2

 

Title: (He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.)

Prayer:

Father God in heaven, we praise You and honor You for who You are, You are our Shepherd, our Lord, our God, our Creator, and our all in all; Thank You for providing everything we need, and our desires that meet Your plan for our life. We are so grateful indeed. Thank You for this study to learn more of Who You are in Psalm 23. Give us this day our daily need to meet Your plans for our life. Shape and mode us as a potter does the clay in his hand. Help us to find that peace You give, not as the world, but as a loving Shepherd give to His sheep. Father, lead us beside the still waters, so we rest in Your presence, and give us that spiritual water our souls need today. Our desire is to learn more of You, live a knowledgeable life of You, and totally depend upon You eternally, in Jesus' name we pray, amen.

 

This week is a short study, but very good material:

 

Text: Psalm 23:2, "He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters." It is A Testimony of Satisfaction.

 

This satisfaction came because David had an intimate relationship with Jehovah God. A sheep without a shepherd is in a very insecure position. Isaiah tells us, "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way;..." (Isa. 53:6). Human beings are very much like sheep. Psalm 100:3 lets us know that we are the sheep of his pasture.

When we study sheep we find that they are dumb, defenseless and directionless. No Christian deliberately determines to get away from God, but how like sheep we are. Sheep are very disturbable and dependantable.

The distance between the shepherd and the sheep determines the potential for danger. The greater the distance, the greater danger.

 

What is the nature of the shepherd? Notice the characteristics of the shepherd which the Scriptures compare to a type of Christ.

A shepherd is compassionate. See Matthew 9:36.

A shepherd gives gentle care to his flock of sheep. See Isaiah 40:11.

A shepherd displays much courage. See John 10:11-13.

 

So we see that the relationship between the sheep and the shepherd in the Bible is a picture of the relationship between Christ (the shepherd) and the believer (the sheep).

The knowledge of the shepherd's care for us gives us a deep sense of security and satisfaction. "He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: ..." Sheep graze from about 3:30 in the morning until about 10:00. They then lie down for three or four hours to rest. It is almost impossible to make sheep lie down while they are hungry. They will mill around and nibble on bits of grass until they have eaten sufficiently. Only when their stomachs are full will they find a quiet place and lie down.

Sheep lying down in green pastures is a picture of contentment and satisfaction.

"He leadeth me beside the still waters". Sheep will not drink from swiftly running water for a good reason: they are poor swimmers. If their wool coat became soaked with water the weight will pull the sheep under water. Instinctively sheep know this, so they will not go near swiftly running water. Sheep resting beside the still waters is a picture of peace and rest. The phrase "still waters" means waters of rest. This picture reminds us of Jesus who said, "Come unto me all you that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28).

Sheep need a time of serene quietness to ruminate - to chew their cud. When the sheep does this he is meditating on what he has eaten just as we meditate from the Word of God that we have eaten. We need to learn to cultivate the art of quietness. See Isaiah 30:15 and Psalm 46:10a.

 

One more point:

The green pastures and waters spoken of in this verse were often some distance apart and the shepherd would have to lead his flock to these places. They would travel from oasis to oasis. Notice the following –

He makes me… He leads me – Jesus our Shepherd is in the business of leading and bringing you to a place of rest. We often try to work things out in our little minds and end up working ourselves into a place of nervous exhaustion! We have to learn to sit back and thank Him once again. He makes me... He leads me. Now this place of rest is, first and foremost spiritually speaking, right in the midst of the problem. It doesn't mean that anything outwardly has to change. What He is leading, guiding and teaching us is firstly about the inward change to the circumstance even if outwardly things remain the same. But we need to learn to lie down. We are smart enough to do this in the physical. When we get tired we take a rest. It makes sense. It works. But mentally and spiritually we can get really tired trying to work out all our problems and we don't rest. We lie on our beds yet carry on the same thoughts inside. It leads to burn out, break downs and depression.

Lie down in green pastures… quiet waters – But thank Jesus our great Shepherd that He does bring us to green pastures and quiet waters. They are times, as the Psalm says, when He restores your soul spiritually. They are quiet waters… times when there are no waves and no troubles and you can feed and are restored. Thank God for such times! This feeding is symbolic of being fed spiritually with the word of God. (Heb 5:12-14)

 

The LORD will provide:

Genesis 22:13-14 "And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. (v.14) And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-Jireh: as it is said to this day, in the mount of the LORD it shall be seen."

Principal of Jireh is fulfilled in the New Testament for any need

 

Matthew 21:22 "And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive."

Philippians 4:19 "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus."

 

Conclusion: Verse 2 of Psalm 23 is a testimony of the satisfaction that comes as a result of the "provision" and "peace" that comes from our sheep/shepherd relationship with God.

 

Different Version: (NASB)

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters. 3 He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I 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 have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

 

Word of the Week (# 2) Provider

1. the act of providing or supplying.

2. something provided or supplied.

3. an arrangement or preparation made beforehand, as to meet needs.

4. a clause in a law, legal instrument, etc., providing for something; stipulation; proviso.

5. provisions, supplies of food.

6. an appointment to an ecclesiastical office

 

God's Name: God is Jehovah Jireh - The Lord will provide. (Geneses 22:13,14)

(The above names fit this Psalm perfectly. Note how each name is in this Psalm.)

 

"Father God, You have so many wonderful Names. May I search out the Scripture and really get to know You by Your Names. Each one has a special meaning and gives me deeper understanding to Who You are. Reveal Your character to me today. Amen."

 

Question of the week: How does David illustrate the physical necessities that are provided by the Lord?

 

Questions:

1. Why did satisfaction come for David?

2. A sheep without a shepherd is what?

3. What does Psalm 100 has to say about a Shepherd?

4. If the sheep is too far from the shepherd what happens?

5. Name the characteristics of a shepherd that compare to Christ.

6. The sheep is who, and the shepherd is who?

7. How do this statement reflects a Christian's life today? "They will mill around and nibble on bits of grass until they have eaten sufficiently. Only when their stomachs are full will they find a quiet place and lie down."

8. What is the picture of a sheep lying down?

9. Why a sheep doesn't go near swiftly waters?

10. What do still waters mean?

11. What dis Abraham call the place where he found a ram?

12. Our place of rest is called what?