Psalm 23 The Story Behind the Story
Ps 23:1 A psalm of David.
The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
Some things we know about David that are not made known in Psalm 23 are helpful and insightful and actually give Psalm 23 the major wow factor. One is that David himself was a Shepherd and therefore he had a shepherd’s heart. David knew how to feed and provide water for sheep (daily needs) and he knew how to protect sheep from any and all clear and present dangers (lions and bears and false shepherds oh my) David was also a king meaning he was familiar with luxury and servants at his beck and call. Palace cooks, maids, guards and advisors were supplied to meet every possible need and he had the authority to make every problem go away in other words David lacked nothing. However; David was not living the king’s life when he was inspired to write Psalm 23, David was on the run.
His reputation and popularity were destroyed by a conspiracy orchestrated by his own son Absalom. He had no provisions no authority, and he had lost the good will of the people because of the successful slander campaign of Absalom. He was surrounded by his enemies in danger of losing his life by a surrounding enemy while being betrayed by his own son. David refers to the situation as a valley (depression) of the shadow (nearness or impeding) of death (mankind’s greatest fear).
Davids’s focus; however, is not on his situation his focus is on The LORD (Jehovah). The name Jehovah comes from Exodus 3:14 “And Moses said unto God: ‘Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them: The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me: What is His name? what shall I say unto them? And God said unto Moses: ‘I AM THAT I AM’; and He said: ‘Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel: I AM hath sent me unto you.” David was focused on the presence of the unseen “I AM” a focus he learned as a shepherd. As a Shepherd David protected his flock from both lions and bears and he knew the “I AM” was with him. When ever the lion or bear attacked David, he experienced the presence of the “I AM”. When he challenged Goliath, he knew The Lord “WOULD BE” with him and “HE WAS”. (1Sam 17:37) Then David said, “The LORD who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.” Saul said to David, “Go, and may the LORD be with you.”
David learned from all his trials that The Lord “I AM” was with him and The I AM’S moment by moment presence was greater than any trouble he was facing. The Apostle Paul put it this way
“For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal”. (2 Cor 4:17-18) What Paul calls light and momentary he also refers to as temporary. What we are seeing is temporary the Greek word for temporary is Kairos which means seasonal. All seasons have a beginning and an end but what is unseen is eternal. The unseen “I AM” is eternal but the activity of the “I AM” is clearly understood as not coming from us but Him. So, Paul tells us not to look at the visible (season) but the unseen (I AM). The Greek word for focus is scopas from which we get the words scope, telescope, microscope, and we also get the word sceptic. David focused on the “I AM” and not on the season he found himself in. When faith is tried in a fiery trial what we believe then becomes what we know. David now knows the “I AM” is his shepherd therefore he lacks nothing. Ps 23:2 He takes me to lush pastures, he leads me to refreshing water. (He knows the “I AM” feeds him and provides water for him). Ps 23:3 He restores my strength. (The “I AM” gives him rest) He leads me down the right paths for the sake of his reputation. (The “I AM is His wisdom and lights his path.) Ps 18:26 with the purified you show yourself pure; and with the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous.
In other words when you go through a trial like Davids in Psalm 23 what you believe about the “I AM” gets tested or tried and God is proved faithful and now you “know the Eternal Life”
John 17:3 This is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true God, and the One You have sent — Jesus Christ.
Ps 18:30 This God—his way is perfect; the word of the LORD proves itself true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.
When God revealed Himself to Abram in Genesis 15
He said the same thing “I Am your shield do not fear” “I Am your very great reward (you lack nothing). The word of The Lord had proved Himsel true. Now Abram knows he didn’t rescue Lot the “I AM” rescued Lot nor did Abram need a reward from the no longer captured kings the “I AM” was his reward.
Ps 23:4 Even when I must walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no danger, for you are with me; your rod and your staff reassure me.
Ps 23:5 You prepare a feast before me in plain sight of my enemies. You refresh my head with oil; my cup is completely full.
Ps 23:6 Surely your goodness and faithfulness will pursue me all my days, and I will live in the LORD’s house for the rest of my life. David was visibly pursued by his enemies while invisibly pursued by the goodness and mercy of the “The Eternal Life”.
So, who is this “Eternal Life”?
John 8:12 Then Jesus spoke out again, “I Am” the light of the world. The one who follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
John 8:58 [said to them Jesus], Amen, amen, I say to you, Before Abraham was “I am”.
John 10:10-11 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come so that they may have life, and may have it abundantly. “I AM” the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
John 15:1 “I AM” the true vine and my Father is the gardener.
Matt 28:18-20 Then Jesus came up and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And remember, “I AM” with you always, to the end of the age.”
Jesus is the “I AM” therefore “He IS” The Eternal Life and to know Him is to experience Him. All your emotions are based on what you believe and as the saying goes seeing is believing. The problem is we don’t see “The Eternal Life” that is why we must walk by faith and not by sight. Faith is the evidence of things not seen and we don’t see The Eternal Life but we do see its
manifestations. As we go through trials like Psalm 23 what we believe is tested and what we believe becomes what we know and that is called experiencing “The Eternal Life”.
John 17:3 And in this consists the Life of the Ages—in knowing Thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent.
#psalm23 #grace #psalm #christian