Revisiting Psalm 23

I will start by reading Psalm. 23.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

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

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

There are many ways to look at this passage. But as fellow students in the MTS program, this passage is timely. Two allegories are in this passage. The first is of a sheep and the shepherd. It reads: “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.” This is a psalm of David, possibly written when he was king. He recalls his former occupation as a similitude to God’s personality. He relates God as the Shepherd over God’s people —the idea of God as a Shepherd begins as early as Gen. 49:24 with Jacob. You and I are God’s people. As a shepherd watched over the flocks and would lay down his life for the flocks, likewise, God watches over His creation. Whatever is happening in your life during the MTS program, remember you can trust God to watch over you and supply your needs as the shepherd supplies the flock’s needs. Remember, the flocks do not watch over the shepherd. The shepherd watches over the flock. Likewise, God watches over you wherever you are, regardless of whether you feel God’s presence or not. But how does the Shepherd sustain the flock?

Verse 2 reads, “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.” The Shepherd leads the flocks to green pastures and still waters. The green pastures could refer to the tender young shoots that grow up in the morning and are much loved by the flocks. The quiet waters could be referring to a well-spring of freshwater. The shepherd cares for the flock and wants the best for them. We may have trouble with financial situations, health, marriage, relationships, academic programs, and the demands of studying. But, as we seek God through these challenging situations, we can rest assured that God wants the best for us. God’s provision brings calmness like the green pastures and still waters of freshness to the flocks.

Verse 3 reads, “He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” Considering the role of the Shepherd, the green pastures and the spring of freshwaters in the previous verse restore the health and well-being of the flocks. The idea of restoration reflects the restoration of a lost sheep back to the fold. When the shepherd restores, he leads the flocks on the right path. The shepherd removes every obstruction from the flock’s path. The Shepherd goes ahead of the flock. He does it for his own sake because if his path leads to destruction, people will accuse him of not caring enough for the flock under his care. Likewise, God as our Shepherd restores us to what God knows best. No matter how far we might stray, God restores us to the fold. As we all struggled during COVID and how it affected our lives (financial, health, marriage, relationships, and the stress of your master’s program), God will restore every loss for the praise and glory of His name.

Although the shepherd’s intentions are good, we live in a fallen world of sin. Therefore, we may experience its effect. So, it says, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” The sheep do not need to fear anything because they trust the shepherd. As the Shepherd leads, they have no fear of what lies ahead. No matter what happens, the shepherd has already faced the greatest of them because the shepherd leads, and they follow. The rod and staff are instruments of gentle guidance and comfort. So, through Christ, God has conquered death on the cross. We only face the shadow. Spurgeon writes, “Death in its substance has been removed, and only the shadow of it remains… Nobody is afraid of a shadow, for a shadow cannot stop a man’s pathway even for a moment. The shadow of a dog cannot bite; the shadow of a sword cannot kill; the shadow of death cannot destroy us.” (Spurgeon). Death is swallowed up in victory, and God has promised He is with us even when we pass through the shadow of death. God has promised to comfort us through the stress of this master’s program. God will lead you through your difficulties. You can trust God to lead like the flock trusts the shepherd.  

In verse 5, the second allegory begins. It reads: Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. In the Middle East, people often anoint their visitors with perfume and give them a cup of wine filled to overflowing. The first practice shows the act of love and respect, and the second shows the act of abundance. David might be alluding to these hospitality practices. Also, we read about the woman with the alabaster oil in Matthew 26. She pours it on Jesus’ head. Likewise, despite the COVID situation, you are MTS students. You may be thinking, how do I cope with marriage, relationships, finances, and life outside the MTS program (for those graduating)? Remember, these are shadows. Regardless of how real they may appear, God will supply your needs. 

You will be able to say: Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. It shows an unwavering trust in God and a continuous fellowship with God all the days of your life because nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. I leave you in the grace of Christ, amen. 

*** Please note that this article was an assignment submitted during the master’s program. Therefore, it was directed to fellow students. It has been slightly edited for the website. I retained the audience it was initially directed to –  however, the message is true for every reader.