Editor’s Note: It is a new pastor’s greatest triumph when he can finish any study without making mistakes. Well, once again I stumbled a few times. I stumbled over my notes in the beginning. I had the order reversed. Towards the middle of the audio I said that the dying do not ask to have their minister to read the Book of Revelation, but they rather ask for the Psalter to be read. While this is mainly true, it is not always true. The end of Revelation is full of words of comfort to the dying (no more tears, etc.). Besides these mistakes, my exposition is helpful. In light of my commitment to typological hermeneutic, there will be some redemptive historical insights.
This morning let me offer some brief thoughts and insights on Psalm 23. This is one of the most cherished Psalms of all.
Let us read this Psalm together:
Psalm 23, AUDIO AVAILABLE
Yahweh is my Shepherd,
Nothing shall I lack.
In green pastures He makes me lie down;
Beside quiet waters He leads me.
My soul He restores;
He leads me in righteous paths for His name’s sake. a
Even though I walk in a valley of deep darkness, I will fear no evil;
For You are with me,
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare before me a table in the presence of mine enemies.
You fatten my head with oil;
My cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life,
And I shall dwell in Yahweh’s house to the end of days. [1]
Peter Leithart says: “The difference between good shepherds and wicked shepherds boils down to this: Good shepherds feed their sheep, while evil shepherds devour their sheep. Jesus spreads a table in the wilderness for 5000 while Herod celebrates his birthday by serving up the head of John the Baptist. Jesus lifts burdens from His sheep, while the Pharisees pile burdens on them. Jesus welcomes publicans and sinners to His table, while the Pharisees refuse even to touch them.”[2]
The initial idea in this Psalm is that Yahweh always provides for His own. The Covenant member does not have to wonder if He will be nourished, but in what manner He will be nourished. When I speak of nourishment I am referring to both physical and spiritual nourishment. Since this is certainly most powerfully fulfilled in the true Shepherd, Jesus Christ, then we know that He provides our daily bread and He provides a Supper for His people in bread and wine. Both serve to lead us to green pastures.
Verse 2 says: “In green pastures He makes me lie down; Beside quiet waters He leads me.” This can also be translated in “pastures of green grass.” You see a similar picture of this when Jesus feeds the 5,000 in Mark 6. Verse 39 of Mark 6 says: “Then he commanded them all to sit down in groups on the green grass.” This sort of language occurs in the context of feeding. This imagery also takes us back to the prophetic writings where the Bible looks to a time when the Lamb and the Lion will be together in the green fields. Isaiah 65 says that the wolf and the lamb shall feed on growing grass or to graze together. This is a very earthly picture of a time when there will be peace among all. The idea of the Psalmist of making us to lie down in green pastures is the idea of placing us in a place where God reigns supreme; where troubles are diminished, where we can rest and commune with one another in peace and safety.
The Psalmist says: “Beside quiet waters He leads me.” Also, it can be translated as “waters of rest.” In Psalm 42, we see the picture of the deer panting for water. The deer is longing for a place of refuge where he can find security. So the idea of Psalm 23 is not only the waters are not turbulent, but that it actually gives rest. There is completeness in this Psalm. Yahweh provides not only green grass to eat and lie down, but he also provides drink. There is a sense of perfection in provision. Yahweh says, “If I am going to be your shepherd, I am going to be Your true shepherd.” You follow my path, my way, my standard, and I will lead you to abundant life as John 10:10 tells us.
We come to verse 3 where we read: “My soul He restores; He leads me in righteous paths for His name’s sake.” Yahweh not only nourishes, but he also nurtures. He restores the afflicted, the sick and even the dying by comforting them. Calvin writes that the Shepherd “makes them anew.” There is a reason the Psalms are the words of comfort to the Christian. There is reason the dying in the hospital asks ministers and loved one to read the Psalms to them. It is because it is restorative. The Psalter is the Church’s primary hymnbook. The more we know it, the more we sing it, the more we are restored.
The Psalm goes on to say that Yahweh leads us in righteous path for His name’s sake. It nourishes and nurtures us for what? To remain isolated? No. But to have dominion. The shepherd leads His sheep into victory. If he leads us into green pastures it is because the dead and unpleasant pastures have been restored, made anew by God’s work of redemption. Following Yahweh’s righteous path means bearing Yahweh’s name in that path. This seems to be a reference to the third commandment, which tells us to not bear the name of the Yahweh in vain. The third commandment is about speaking the name of Yahweh in word and deed. If you follow the path of Yahweh, then you must bear His name in all you do. This is what Adam was told in the garden and this is what the new creation is also to do. Have you tried bearing the name of Yahweh in this culture? Have you defended the name of Yahweh in this culture?
Line 4 says: “Even though I walk in a valley of deep darkness, I will fear no evil; for You are with me.” Here we see that Yahweh’s provision does not mean that our lives are devoid of difficulties. In fact, you can see how appropriate this is for those who served in the army of Israel in the Older Covenant. Psalm 23 is very much battle music. There are enemies all around David. He is in the valley of death. But what is the valley of death or the valley of deep darkness? Some have suggested that this is just a metaphor for a difficult phase in a person’s life. You have probably heard people saying: “I am going through the valley,” meaning, they are going through a difficult time. This is a correct way of applying this passage, but I think the central meaning of it refers to a near death experience. This is a war Psalm. The idea of a valley of death can be rendered this way: “a valley overshadowed by death.” [3] The idea is one of imminent danger. It’s as though you are walking through the deep darkness of the night and you have no idea where your enemies are hiding. They may come out and snatch you at any moment and destroy you. Even though I am near death, I will fear no evil because Yahweh is with me. Death is near, but God is even nearer.
This is where we find sort of a resurrection theme. Psalm 23 is fulfilled in the resurrected Shepherd. Death is only a fearful thing, if there is no resurrection. But because the great Shepherd Jesus Christ has been raised from the dead, death has no sting and grave has no victory.
Another reason you should not fear is that “Yahweh’s rod and staff, comfort me.” Psalm 2 says that God will break his enemies with a rod of iron. The Psalmist puts his trust in God because the rod is not against Him, but for Him. It is against His enemies, not against Him. He is comforted because the justice of God always prevails. The answer to the question of evil is: Yahweh’s rod. Not also the rod but he also mentions the shepherd’s staff. I found the word staff in Isaiah 3 synonymous for support. God is my defender against my enemies and also my support in the sense of provider. He supports me with His comfort.
Then the Psalmist says: “You prepare before me a table in the presence of mine enemies.” This is in the context of battle. Yahweh says that even when there are enemies all around you, people who curse at your God, who mock your faith, who despise your dominion mandate, who insults everything that you are, at that moment, Yahweh prepares a feast for you. What Yahweh is doing here is piling up benefits: Protection, support, help, comfort, water, food and a feast. This table is a re-statement of verse 1. The table is a table for those who shall not want. Do you want to feast in God’s presence; do you want to eat at His table? Then follow me in the paths of righteousness. Feasting is for loyal covenant members.
Then we come to my favorite part: “You fatten my head with oil; My cup overflows.” Again, the imagery keeps piling up on one another. What does fattening my head mean? Or as some translations say: “Anointing my head with you?” To fatten a head does not mean to make one arrogant. Sometimes we say that people have a big head, meaning they are too proud or something like that. But the Psalmist has something different in mind. In the sacrificial system the fat is God’s portion of the offering. The fat is to be burned as an offering to please God; to be a pleasing aroma to the Lord.[4] This anointing with oil/or to make one’s head fat is the same thing as to make one full; satisfied. In the Older Testament to make fat means to make prosperous. This is a covenantal Psalm. To David this means that his headship will become fatter. His rule will become greater and more expansive. He is going to win more and more battles. This is a Psalm fulfilled ultimately in Christ who is the head of the Church; who is ruler over all. Christ the shepherd is the greater David. All rule and authority and dominion are given to Him. This is a political Psalm. To us this means that our authority will expand with each generation, if we follow the path of righteousness. It means that dominion will become a greater reality as we pass on the faith to our children and they, to their children. Your cup will overflow with protection, joy, obedience, fruitfulness.
Since this is true: “Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, And I shall dwell in Yahweh’s house to the end of days.” Think of “surely” as “only”. So that ONLY goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life. The goodness of Yahweh and His mercy will dwell in my household as I dwell with God’s people in worship to the end of days.[5] Amen.
[1] Translation by James B. Jordan.
[2] Leithart on Psalm 23, Leithart.com
[3] Barach quoting Hirsch. See Barach: http://barach.us/2007/06/04/psalm-23/
[4] Numbers 18:17.
[5] Based on Barach’s translation of Psalm 23 and some insights from James B. Jordan.
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