Monday Devo
Scripture:
Psalm 23
1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. 3 He restores my soul.
1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. 3 He restores my soul.
Commentary:
| This hymn is usually classified as a psalm of confidence in the Lord’s care. It uses two images: the Lord as Shepherd who cares for the sheep (vv. 1–4), and the Lord as Host who cares for his guest (vv. 5–6). These images would be familiar from everyday experience (for David’s own, cf. 1 Sam. 17:34); but they also evoke other ideas common in the ancient Near East (including the OT), with the deity as shepherd of his people and the deity as host of the meal. In worship, the faithful celebrate God’s greatness and majesty; and when they sing this psalm, they see his majesty in the way he personally attends to each of his covenant lambs. He is the shepherd for Israel as a whole; and in being such, he is the shepherd for each faithful Israelite as well. |
23:1 shepherd. The deity-as-shepherd motif is common in the Bible (e.g., Gen. 48:15; 49:24; Ps. 28:9; 80:1; 95:7; 100:3; Rev. 7:17; cf. Ps. 49:14). The Lord is the Shepherd of the people as a whole, as well as individual members; and in this psalm the particular member is in view. want. That is, to lack what one needs.
23:1 Jesus is the good shepherd (John 10:11–18, 27–29) who embodies God’s care for his people.
23:2 Green pastures and still waters are peaceful places for rest and feeding.
Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 966.
Questions:
- In Psalm 23, David is comparing his relationship with God to that of a Shepherd and His sheep. In verse 1, David declares the he will not want for anything else. Other translations say "I lack nothing" or "I have all that I need." He is speaking here of the Shepherd's PROVISION. David is content with the Lord because he knows that God will supply everything He needs, not necessarily everything he wants. A complaining sheep is a disgrace to the Shepherd. The Shepherd gives His sheep all they need, the sheep literally owe their lives to the Shepherd, and the sheep complain? Contentedness is a sign of spiritual maturity and someone who's full trust is in the Good Shepherd. Is that true of your life? Is He all that you need? Are you content or a complainer?
- Verse 2 talks about the Shepherd making the sheep lie down, which is a sign that the sheep is in perfect peace. Green pastures... all you can eat. Still waters... all you can drink. But the Shepherd not only takes care of the sheep physically, but spiritually and emotionally. "He restores my soul." David is making reference to the Shepherd's PEACE. When was the last time you truly felt God's peace in your mind, heart and soul? Are your thoughts anxious and uncertain? Pray to the Prince of Peace!
Pray:
- That you would learn to be content in the Lord.
- That God would bring His peace into your life today.
This Week's City 7:
Try to commit to memory!
1. Who is Jesus? I believe Jesus is God because Jesus said He is God and proved it by rising from the dead and appearing to His disciples, His brother James, 500 others at one time, and Paul.
(Mark 3:21; John 8:58, 10:30-33, 14:9-11; Acts 9:1-6; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; Colossians 1:15-20; Hebrews 1:2-3; James 1:1)
(Mark 3:21; John 8:58, 10:30-33, 14:9-11; Acts 9:1-6; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; Colossians 1:15-20; Hebrews 1:2-3; James 1:1)
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