Salmos 23
Charles Spurgeon · Citado em PreceptAustin
Salmos 23
Spurgeon - There is no inspired title to this psalm, and none is needed, for it records no special event, and needs no other key than that which every Christian may find in his own bosom. It is David's Heavenly Pastoral; a surpassing ode, which none of the daughters of music can excel. The clarion of war here gives place to the pipe of peace, and he who so lately bewailed the woes of the Shepherd tunefully rehearses the joys of the flock. Sitting under a spreading tree, with his flock around him, like Bunyan's shepherd-boy in the Valley of Humiliation, we picture David singing this unrivalled pastoral with a heart as full of gladness as it could hold; or, if the psalm be the product of his after-years, we are sure that his soul returned in contemplation to the lonely water-brooks which rippled among the pastures of the wilderness, where in early days she had been wont to dwell. This is the pearl of psalms whose soft and pure radiance delights every eye; a pearl of which Helicon need not be ashamed, though Jordan claims it. Of this delightful song it may be affirmed that its piety and its poetry are equal, its sweetness and its spirituality are unsurpassed. The position of this psalm is worthy of notice. It follows the twenty-second, which is peculiarly the Psalm of the Cross. There are no green pastures, no still waters on the other side of the twenty-second psalm. It is only after we have read, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" that we come to "The Lord is my Shepherd." We must by experience know the value of blood-shedding, and see the sword awakened against the Shepherd, before we shall be able truly to know the Sweetness of the good Shepherd's care. It has been said that what the nightingale is among birds, that is this divine ode among the psalms, for it has sung sweetly in the ear of many a mourner in his night of weeping, and has bidden him hope for a morning of joy. I will venture to compare it also to the lark, which sings as it mounts, and mounts as it sings, until it is out of sight, and even then is not out of hearing. Note the last words of the psalm—"I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever;" these are celestial notes, more fitted for the eternal mansions than for these dwelling places below the clouds. Oh that we may enter into the spirit of the psalm as we read it, and then we shall experience the days of heaven upon the earth! The LORD is my Shepherd - Clearly David knows the perfect character of the One to Whom he is entrusting himself for his every need. He knew that the lot of any sheep depended on the love of his master. And David had come to know his Shepherd personally as exemplified by his words in Ps 18:1-2 - "I love You, O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold." Notice the repetition of the personal possessive pronoun "my" (8x)! Oh, to have David's sense of personal possession of Jehovah! NET Note - In vv. 1-4 the psalmist pictures the Lord as a shepherd who provides for his needs and protects him from danger. The psalmist declares, "The Lord is my shepherd," and then extends and develops that metaphor, speaking as if he were a sheep. In vv. 5-6 the metaphor changes as the psalmist depicts a great royal banquet hosted by the Lord. The psalmist is a guest of honor and recipient of divine favor, who enjoys unlimited access to the divine palace and the divine presence. LORD is Jehovah (see notes below), Yahweh, the great "I Am (ego eimi)" is Jesus, the Good Shepherd. As Jesus declared "I Am (ego eimi) the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. 14 “I Am (ego eimi) the Good Shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me." The Good Shepherd has a personal relationship with His "sheep," which prompted David to use the possessive pronoun "my." David, an experienced shepherd, knew that sheep above all things, need a good shepherd. David understood the "sheep-like" tendencies of his fallen flesh, as described in Isaiah 53:6+ "All of us like sheep have gone astray. Each of us has turned to his own way." So David an good shepherd humbles himself under the mighty rod and staff of the Good Shepherd. In effect David echoes the words of Paul that he was not his own, but had been bought with a price (David by faith looked forward to the Cross) (1Co 6:19-20+) At this point, we must add that while this psalm is beloved by millions, only a select per cent of those millions can truly call the LORD their Shepherd. While all of us are "sheep," not all sheep belong to Jesus. As mentioned above Jesus declared "I know My own and My own know Me." So this begs the question, do you (I) know Him as my personal Good Shepherd? Jesus gave us the answer in John 10:9 declaring “I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture." Have you entered that "Door" by grace through faith in Jesus? (Eph 2:8-9+, cf Titus 3:5-7+, Acts 16:31+, Acts 4:12+)? If you have, than you are entitled to call Him YOUR Shepherd. If you have not, then He is not yet truly your personal Shepherd, so why wait? Why not enter that "Door" today so that you might experience life and experience it abundantly (Jn 10:10b)? Today could be your day to enter into His temporal and eternal watchcare of the Good Shepherd! (Read 2Co 6:2+) Once we enter His flock, we enter into an entirely new life and new future, but sheep (fallen flesh) can still be sheep (go astray), so see the thought below. THOUGHT - Beloved, to affirm and acknowledge Jesus as our Good Shepherd, is tantamount to being willing to lay down our life, our desires, our goals, our wants, etc, and submit to the wisdom and guidance our the Chief Shepherd. It is to be willing to daily (yea, even moment by moment) "present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed (present imperative with a negative see our need to depend on the Holy Spirit to obey) to this world, but be transformed (present imperative see our need to depend on the Holy Spirit to obey) by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." (Ro 12:1-2+) Larry Richards on Sheep and God as Shepherd - In the ancient Middle East sheep were precious symbols of wealth. Their wool provided yarn for clothing; their bodies were preferred for sacrifice. Yet sheep are dependent creatures who must be guided to food and water and protected from wild animals. God as Shepherd. Sheep cannot survive alone in the wild, but must always be in the company of a shepherd. The Middle Eastern shepherd loved his sheep, gave each one a name (Jn 10:14, 27 2Ti 2:19), and cared for each one tenderly (Isa 40:11). Many a shepherd interposed himself between wild beasts and his sheep, and at night the shepherd lay down and slept in the single doorway to his sheepfold. Any enemy would have to pass him to attack his flock. How marvelous then for us whom Scripture sees as sheep that God presents Himself as our shepherd. He leads us, protects us, and because He is always with us, we fear no evil. (BORROW The Bible Reader's Companion) Spurgeon - The Lord is my Shepherd." What condescension is this, that the infinite Lord assumes towards his people the office and character of a Shepherd! It should be the subject of grateful admiration that the great God allows himself to be compared to anything which will set forth his great love and care for his own people. David had himself been a keeper of sheep, and understood both the needs of the sheep and the many cares of a shepherd. He compares himself to a creature weak, defenceless, and foolish, and he takes God to be his Provider, Preserver, Director, and, indeed, his everything. No man has a right to consider himself the Lord's sheep unless his nature has been renewed for the scriptural description of unconverted men does not picture them as sheep, but as wolves or goats. A sheep is an object of property, not a wild animal; its owner sets great store by it, and frequently it is bought with a great price. It is well to know, as certainly David did, that we belong to the Lord. There is a noble tone of confidence about this sentence. There is no "if" nor "but," nor even "I hope so;" but he says, "The Lord is my shepherd." We must cultivate the spirit of assured dependence upon our heavenly Father. The sweetest word of the whole is that monosyllable, "My." He does not say, "The Lord is the shepherd of the world at large, and leadeth forth the multitude as his flock," but "The Lord is my shepherd;" if he be a Shepherd to no one else, he is a Shepherd to me; he cares for me, watches over me, and preserves me. The words are in the present tense. Whatever be the believer's position, he is even now under the pastoral care of Jehovah. The wicked always want, but the righteous never. A sinner's heart is far from satisfaction, but a gracious spirit dwells in the palace of content. -- C H Spurgeon NO NEEDS EXCEPT HIM ALONE I shall not want - NET = "I lack nothing." This affirmation is in a sense is a prophecy and in another sense is also a promise partaken. This is the heart of a sheep utterly satisfied with the Shepherd, and fully content with his or her lot in life. It transcends time and extends into eternity. Want in Hebrew means to e lacking and the Septuagint verb hustereo also means to lack or to be in need. As His sheep, we are always needy, always dependent on our Shepherd, our Creator and our Sustainer Who always meets our needs, but not our "greeds." W Phillip Keller says "Sheep do not “just take care of themselves,” as some might suppose. They require, more than any other class of livestock, endless attention and meticulous care....It is no accident that God has chosen to call us sheep. The behavior of sheep and human beings is similar in many ways as will be seen in further chapters. Our mass mind (or mob instincts), our fears and timidity, our stubbornness and stupidity, our perverse habits are all parallels of profound importance. Yet despite these adverse characteristics Christ chooses us, buys us, calls us by name, makes us His own, and delights in caring for us. It is this last aspect that is really the third reason why we are under obligation to recognize His ownership of us. He literally lays Himself out for us continually. He is ever interceding for us; He is ever guiding us by His gracious Spirit; He is ever working on our behalf to ensure that we will benefit from His care. In fact, Psalm 23 might well be called “David’s Hymn of Praise to Divine Diligence.” For the entire poem goes on to recount the manner in which the Good Shepherd spares no pains for the welfare of His sheep. (BORROW A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23) Contentment does not depend on what we have but on Who we have within and on what we have in Him. Deffinbaugh - As a young boy I was troubled by the language of this verse and thought the expression, “I shall not want,” meant that David didn’t want the shepherd. Now I understand that David meant that since he had the Lord as his shepherd, he had no other want; he was lacking nothing. The significance of this statement can hardly be overemphasized. All through the ages Satan has attempted to portray God as a begrudging giver who only provides when He must. Satan desires to deceive those who trust in God, and wants them to believe they are lacking and deprived of the good things in life. This is the picture Satan tried to paint in suggesting that God had withheld the fruit of every tree of the garden from Adam and Eve (Ge 3:1). God is also portrayed as a begrudging giver in the temptation of our Lord (Mt. 4:1-11) and in the warning of Paul concerning the doctrine of demons (1Ti 4:1-4). The mentality behind David’s words is completely opposed to the Madison Avenue propaganda where we are constantly being told that we have many needs, all of which can be met by buying some new (or old) product. We need “sex appeal” so we must buy a new toothpaste, a new kind of mouthwash and a new brand of soap. We need self-confidence and a better self-image, therefore we must wear stylish clothing determined by the garment industry. Our whole mode of thinking is “want-centered.” David tells us that to have God as our shepherd is indeed to have everything we want. He who is all-knowing, all-powerful, and all-caring, is enough; He is sufficient. With Him we need nothing else (cf. Ps. 73:25-26). Spurgeon on not want - I shall not lack for temporal things. Does he not feed the ravens, and cause the lilies to grow? How, then, can he leave his children to starve? I shall not want for spirituals, I know that his grace will be sufficient for me (2Co 9:8+, 2Co 12:9+). Resting in him he will say to me, "As thy day so shall thy strength be." (Dt 33:25+) I may not possess all that I wish for, but "I shall not want." Others, far wealthier and wiser than I, may want, but "I shall not." "The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing." (Ps 34:10+) It is not only "I do not want," but "I shall not want." Come what may, if famine should devastate the land, or calamity destroy the city, "I shall not want." Old age with its feebleness shall not bring me any lack, and even death with its gloom shall not find me destitute. I have all things and abound; not because I have a good store of money in the bank, not because I have skill and wit with which to win my bread, but because "The Lord is my shepherd." The wicked always want, but the righteous never; a sinner's heart is far from satisfaction, but a gracious spirit dwells in the palace of content. Jeremiah Burroughs in his classic book The Rare Jewell of Christian Contentment describes contentment as that "sweet, inward, quiet, gracious frame of spirit, which freely submits to and delights in God’s wise and fatherly disposal in every condition….It is a work of the Spirit ‘indoors.’ It is a box of precious ointment, very comforting and useful for troubled hearts in times of troubled conditions….Certainly our contentment does not consist in getting the thing we desire, but in God’s fashioning our spirits to our conditions…To be well-skilled in the mystery of Christian contentment is the duty, glory and excellence of a Christian…That man or woman who is never without a contented spirit, truly can never be said to want much. Oh, the Word holds forth a way full of comfort and peace to the people of God even in this world. You may live happy lives in the midst of all the storms and tempests in the world. There is an ark that you may come into and no men in the world may live such comfortable, cheerful and contented lives as the saints of God. Oh, that we might learn this lesson.” (Amen!) TRUE CONTENTMENT consists not in the LARGENESS of our possessions, but in the FEWNESS of our wants. SOUL CONTENTMENT is vital to our spiritual health. Thomas Watson writes that “There is no better antidote against coveting that which is another’s than BEING CONTENT with that which is our own.” The more content we are with what God has given us, the less we crave what we don’t possess. On the other hand, the more we get the more we want. When we focus on material things, our HAVING will never catch up with our WANTING! I am so convicted as I write this — how often I want something more or something other than what God has already generously given me! Oh, that we all might have a heart saturated with the sweetness of His sufficient provision in Christ, always confident that “God is able to make all grace abound to (us), that always HAVING ALL SUFFICIENCY IN EVERYTHING, (we) may have an abundance for every good deed” (2 Cor 9:8+) Contentment is more a reflection of the state of a one’s heart rather than the statement of one's bank account! Is Jesus our Good Shepherd enough? Related Resource: Christian Contentment The 23rd Psalm Explained! The Lord is my Shepherd - That's Relationship! I shall not want - That's Supply! He makes me to lie down in green pastures - That's Rest! He leads me beside the still waters - That's Refreshment! He restores my soul - That's Healing! He leads me in the paths of righteousness - That's Guidance! For His name sake - That's Purpose! Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death - That's Testing! I will fear no evil - That's Protection! For Thou art with me - That's Faithfulness! Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me - That's Discipline! Thou prepares a table before me in the presence of mine enemies - That's Hope! Thou anoints my head with oil - That's Consecration! My cup runs over - That's Abundance! Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life - That's Blessing! And I will dwell in the house of the Lord - That's Security! Forever - That's Eternity! Each of the OT names for God is seen in this psalm: Jehovah-Jireh, “The Lord will provide” (Gen. 22:13–14); Jehovah-Rapha, “The Lord will heal or restore” (Ex. 15:26); Jehovah-Shalom, “The Lord our peace” (Jud. 6:24); Jehovah-Tsidkenu, “The Lord our righteousness,” (Jer. 23:6); Jehovah-Shammah, “The Lord is there,” (Ezek. 48:35); Jehovah-Nissi, “The Lord our banner” (Ex. 17:8–15); and Jehovah-Raah, “The Lord my shepherd” (Ps. 23:1). In other words, Jesus Christ is to His sheep all that they ever need. J
Salmos 23
Spurgeon comments "“Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him” (Revelation 1:7). This judgment by Christ is by our apostle proved from an Old Testament prophecy which certainly refers to Jehovah Himself. Read Isaiah 45:23, and learn from it that our Lord Jesus is Jehovah, and let us joyfully adore Him as our Savior and God, to Whom be glory for ever and ever. Spurgeon in his comments on Psalm 47:5 writes "The Lord with the sound of a trumpet. Jesus is Jehovah. The joyful strain of the trumpet betokens the splendor of his triumph, leading captivity captive, and well might the clarions ring out the tidings of Emmanuel’s victorious return." Harry Bultema in his assessment of the heresies of Emanuel Swedenborg writes "The Trinitarians received, according to his (Swedenborg's) visions, the greatest punishment. He fairly burned with hatred against this foundation-doctrine (The Trinity), which the church universal has always stood for. We need not sniff and smell here the heresy from afar, it is avowed and thrust forward upon every occasion, supported with revelations and visions from heaven. This undermines the very foundation of Christianity, just what Satan wants. Christ claimed Himself to be God, John 5:17, 20; 10:33, 36; 8:58; 19:7. He has the names, attributes, works and honor of God. He is the Jehovah of the Old Testament as appears from the quotation of Isa 40:3: “Prepare ye the way of Jehovah.” John the Baptist prepared the way of Jehovah-Jesus, Jehovah is Jesus manifested in the flesh as a real man. This is the great mystery of godliness and it is as true as great, and we may safely say that Swedenborg did his best to rob Him of His divine glory. (Emanuel Swedenborg Part 1 -- By- Harry Bultema: Bibliotheca Sacra: Volume 096:383 - July 1939) Comment: Isaiah 40:3 can be used to refute the belief by Jehovah's Witnesses that Jesus is not Jehovah. Andrew Thomson writes "This is a useful text to quote to Jehovah’s Witnesses, as their New World Translation of Isaiah 40 uses the name ‘Jehovah’. So you can ask them whom John the Baptist prepared the way for, and, when they answer ‘Jesus’, you can show them from their own Bible that the passage in Isaiah 40 shows that Jesus is Jehovah." [Opening Up Isaiah]) Related Resources: Study: Angel of the LORD Caveats Regarding the Name Jehovah Note by Allen Ross John Walvoord - A comparison of the Old Testament and New Testament passages proves beyond doubt that the Christ of the New Testament bears the title Jehovah or Lord in the Old Testament. This fact has long been recognized by conservative theologians. This does not deny that the Father and the Spirit bear the title Jehovah, but affirms that it also belongs to Christ. The name is used both of the Persons of the Trinity severally and of the Trinity as a whole. Many passages link Christ with the name Jehovah. In Zechariah 12:10b (ASV), where Jehovah is speaking, the description is to be applied clearly to Christ: “They shall look unto me whom they have pierced.” Revelation 1:7 describes Christ in the same language. Again in Jeremiah 23:5–6 (ASV) , Christ is declared to be “Jehovah our righteousness” (cf. I Cor. 1:30). Similar comparisons are found in other passages (Ps. 68:18, cf. Eph. 4:8–10; Ps. 102:12, 25–27, cf. Heb. 1:10–12; Isa. 6:5, cf. John 12:41). Christ is the Jehovah of the temple (Mal. 3:1; Matt. 12:6; 21:12–13) and the Jehovah of the Sabbath (Matt. 12:8). The fact that the term Jehovah was used of Jesus Christ is most significant as it affirms that Jesus Christ is worthy of the most ineffable name of God used in Scripture. This is confirmed by the New Testament use of Kyrios for Christ, the word used in the LXX as equivalent to Jehovah (cf. Acts 2:36). So holy was this name regarded that Jews reading the Old Testament would substitute some other name for Deity rather than to express vocally what the text actually said when it used the word Jehovah. The use of this term alone affirms beyond any question the deity of Jesus Christ and with this all the attributes of God. (Jesus Christ Our Lord ) OTHER REFERENCES TO JESUS IS JEHOVAH (1) Norman Geisler and Ron Rhodes comment on the perversion of Romans 10:13 - "for “WHOEVER WILL CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.”" MISINTERPRETATION - The New World Translation renders Romans 10:13, "Everyone who calls on the name of Jehovah will be saved." Jehovah's Witnesses cite this verse in arguing for the necessity of using God's proper name, Jehovah, in attaining salvation (Reasoning from the Scriptures, 1989, 149). CORRECTING THE MISINTERPRETATION - The New World Translation mistranslates this verse. It is correctly rendered, "Whoever will call upon the name 'of the Lord' (Gk: kurios) will be saved" (NASB). In context, "Lord" refers to Jesus Christ, as is made clear in Ro 10:9 (note): "If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved." So, by their own argument, if Lord means "Jehovah"—and Lord refers to Jesus here—then Jesus must be Jehovah, a doctrine they emphatically reject. Likewise, if "Lord" (kurios) means Jehovah, then Jehovah's Witnesses should accept Jesus as Jehovah, since Philippians 2:10-11 (NIV) declares that "at the name of Jesus every knee should bow... and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (kurios)." Hence, if kurios is Jehovah, then Jesus is Jehovah. (Correcting the Cults- Expert Responses to Their Scripture Twisting) (2) Jesus is clearly Jehovah in Isaiah 43:10-11 You are My witnesses,” declares the LORD (Jehovah), “And My servant whom I have chosen, In order that you may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He (Lxx = ego eimi just as in Jn 8:58, Ex 3:14). Before Me there was no God formed, and there will be none after Me. 11 “I, even I, am the LORD (Jehovah); And there is no Savior (yasha') besides Me. Ray Stedman Comments - There is no Savior besides the LORD. He, alone, has power to deliver men from their sins. This brings to mind those wonderful words of the angels to the shepherds at Bethlehem, "Behold, I bring you glad tidings of great joy which shall be to all people, for there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior (soter)," (Luke 2:10-11a). This verse in Isaiah says there is no Savior besides the LORD: "I am the LORD and besides me there is no Savior." But the angels declare, "there is born to you this day ... a Savior, Who is Christ the Lord," ( Luke 2:11). Clearly, Jehovah is Jesus, and Jesus is Jehovah. (Who is Like our God- - Isaiah 40-43) None other Lamb, none other Name, None other hope in land, or earth, or sea. None other hiding place from guilt and shame, None, but in Thee (3) Jesus is Jehovah in Isaiah 44:6 “Thus says the LORD (Jehovah) , the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD (Jehovah) of hosts: ‘I am the first and I am the last, and there is no God besides Me." (See Jehovah Sabaoth, LORD of hosts (of armies) Comment: Jesus is the King of Israel, so this declaration by Jehovah clearly links Jesus with Jehovah. (See also Isa 33:22 Isa 43:15 Mal 1:14, Mt 25:34 Mt 27:37, Mk 15:26 Lk 23:38 John 19:19-22 ) Charles Roll comments: The profound and awesome title Jehovah, which is mostly rendered by the word Lord in the Authorized Version, is used 7,600 times in the Scriptures and is definitely applied to Jesus Christ our Saviour and Lord. We may confidently say in the light of this wonderful designation that the Bible as a book is the revelation of the name. In the Greek language there is no equivalent for this Hebrew title; therefore, whenever a quotation in which it occurs is made from the Old Testament, the word Lord is substituted. The One who affirmed five times over in the book of the Revelation, "I Am the first and the last," added further confirmation of His identity with the name Jehovah by also declaring on four occasions in the unveiling, "I am Alpha and Omega." The use here made of the first and last letters in the Greek alphabet not only corroborates the statement of our heading, but the letters also comprise the two vowels used in the Hebrew word Jehovah. Wherefore, Jesus is Jehovah. Notice, John the forerunner of Jesus was to go before the face of Jehovah to prepare His ways (Luke 1:76, Isa 40:3-5 Newberry). Jehovah is the age-abiding, all-pervading One, who, in His eternal being, inhabits eternity. Our finite minds falter when we attempt to comprehend that the repository of infinite wisdom, the residence of infinite power, and the reservoir of infinite love are centered in the intrinsic holiness of the Christ, bodily (Colossians 2:9). This magnificent name, Jehovah, incorporates every capacity conceivable of creative ability, redemptive activity, and mediative authority. All the benefits and blessings emanating from such attributes have been made available to man through the manifestation and mediation of Jesus, which title in Hebrew means "Jehovah saves." Wherefore, in Jesus the Saviour we are able to comprehend the incomprehensible, and know the unknowable, because He verifies the invisible realities. We remember that under the old economy the lights and perfections of the adorable name Jehovah were made known to Israel through the medium of Urim and Thummim, which appeared on the breastplate worn by the high priest (Exodus 28 -30). That which would otherwise have been hidden in mystery concerning God's justice and judgments was made known through the breastplate worn over Aaron's heart. Urim means lights, and Thummim, perfections, indicating that Jehovah's character consists of lights and perfections, in whom is no darkness at all, and whose entire nature is absolutely free of all imperfection. The instruction contained in this teaches us that the true character of Deity is expressed most clearly in the righteousness of His judgments. Even His mercy is based on His justice. (See Charles Roll) Jesus bruised and put to shame Tells me all Jehovah's name, God is love I surely know By my Saviour's depth of woe --R C Chapman (4) Jesus is Jehovah in Isaiah 45:21-23 Declare and set forth your case; Indeed, let them consult together. Who has announced this from of old? Who has long since declared it? Is it not I, the LORD (Jehovah)? And there is no other God besides Me, A righteous God and a Savior; There is none except Me. 22“Turn to Me, and be saved, (cp Acts 4:12) all the ends of the earth; For I am God, and there is no other. 23 “I have sworn by Myself, The word has gone forth from My mouth in righteousness And will not turn back, That to Me every knee will bow, every tongue will swear allegiance." Comment: This is obviously Jesus speaking in the OT and offering salvation to all who will turn to Him! (5) Robert Hawker (1753-1827) in his "Reflections" after his commentary on 1 Corinthians 12 has these words - "BLESSED GOD the SPIRIT! suffer my poor soul never to be ignorant of spiritual gifts! I know, indeed, 0 LORD, through thy divine quickenings, and gracious teachings, that like those Corinthians, I was once an ignorant, blind, and senseless Gentile; carried away unto the idols, and stumbling blocks of sin, and iniquity, which a fallen nature, under the dominion of Satan, had set up in my heart, Blessed be the LORD the SPIRIT, which brought me out of darkness, and hath enabled me to say, that JESUS is JEHOVAH, and my LORD! (Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary) (6) Norman Geisler and Ron Rhodes write "That Jesus is Jehovah (Yahweh) is clear from the fact that the New Testament consistently applies to Jesus passages and attributes which in the Old Testament apply only to Jehovah (compare Ex 3:14 with John 8:58; Isa. 6:1-5 with John 12:41; Isa. 44:24 with Col. 1:16; Ezek. 43:2 with Rev. 1:15; Zech. 12:10 with Rev. 1:7) (Ed; See Scriptures below). (Correcting the Cults- Expert Responses to Their Scripture Twisting) Psalm 23:2 He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. Amplified: He makes me lie down in [fresh, tender] green pastures; He leads me beside the still and restful waters. [Rev. 7:17.] makes: Isa 30:23 Eze 34:13,14 green pastures: Hebrew - pastures of tender grass leads: Ps 46:4 Isa 49:9,10 Rev 7:17 Rev 21:6 Rev 22:1,17 quiet waters: Hebrew - waters of quietness, Job 34:29 Isa 8:6 Related Resources: Revelation 7:17 for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes.” Revelation 21:6 Then He said to me, “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost. Revelation 22:1; 17 Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb...(17) The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost. GREEN PASTURES AND QUIET WATERS He makes me lie down in green pastures - Sheep must be led to green pastures, but don't always want to stay there. Spurgeon - The Christian life has two elements in it, the contemplative and the active, and both of these are richly provided for. First, the contemplative. "He maketh me to lie down in green pastures." What are these "green pastures" but the Scriptures of truth—always fresh, always rich, and never exhausted? There is no fear of biting the bare ground where the grass is long enough for the flock to lie down in it. Sweet and full are the doctrines of the gospel; fit food for souls, as tender grass is natural nutriment for sheep. When by faith we are enabled to find rest in the promises, we are like the sheep that lie down in the midst of the pasture; we find at the same moment both provender and peace, rest and refreshment, serenity and satisfaction. But observe: "He maketh me to lie down." It is the Lord who graciously enables us to perceive the preciousness of his truth, and to feed upon it. How grateful ought we to be for the power to appropriate the promises! There are some distracted souls who would give worlds if they could but do this. They know the blessedness of it, but they cannot say that this blessedness is theirs. They know the "green pastures," but they are not made to "lie down" in them. Those believers who have for years enjoyed a "full assurance of faith" should greatly bless their gracious God. He leads me beside quiet waters - Quiet waters are necessary for "flighty" sheep to drink. Quiet waters in Hebrew is "menuwchah mayim" which is literally "waters of resting places," or "waters of rest". This describes restful waters that provide refreshment and well-being (Isa 49:10). Sheep are afraid of fast flowing streams. The Shepherd's provision of quiet waters has a soothing effect which calms the sheep. Goats are quite independent, but sheep depend on the shepherd to find pasture and water for them. Shepherds also provide shelter, medication and aid in birthing. In sum, they are virtually helpless without the shepherd. NET Note - Some take מְנֻחוֹת in the sense of “still, calm” (i.e., as describing calm pools in contrast to dangerous torrents), but it is unlikely that such a pastoral scene is in view. Shepherds usually watered their sheep at wells (see Gen 29:2-3; Exod 2:16-19). Another option is to take מְנֻחוֹת as “resting places” and to translate, “water of/at the resting places” (i.e., a genitive of location; see IBHS 147-48 §9.5.2e). The image of placid waters emphasizes the concept of rest--the condition of having all our needs satisfied. God Himself is our "true pasture" (Jer 50:7) and our pool of quiet water. He is our true nourishment, our living water. If we do not take Him in, we will starve.There is a hunger in the human heart which nothing but God can satisfy. There is a thirst that no one but He can quench. (Jn. 6:27,35). Matthew
Salmos 23
Spurgeon - The second part of a vigorous Christian's life consists in gracious activity. We not only think, but we act. We are not always lying down to feed, but are journeying onward toward perfection; hence we read, "he leadeth me beside the still waters." What are these "still waters" but the influences and graces of his blessed Spirit? His Spirit attends us in various operations, like waters—in the plural—to cleanse, to refresh, to fertilise, to cherish. They are "still waters," for the Holy Ghost loves peace, and sounds no trumpet of ostentation in his operations. He may flow into our soul, but not into our neighbour's, and therefore our neighbour may not perceive the divine presence; and though the blessed Spirit may be pouring his floods into one heart, yet he that sitteth next to the favoured one may know nothing of it. "In sacred silence of the mind My heaven, and there my God I find." Still waters run deep. Nothing more noisy than an empty drum. That silence is golden indeed in which the Holy Spirit meets with the souls of his saints. Not to raging waves of strife, but to peaceful streams of holy love does the Spirit of God conduct the chosen sheep. He is a dove, not an eagle; the dew, not the hurricane. Our Lord leads us beside these "still waters;" we could not go there of ourselves, we need his guidance, therefore it is said, "he leadeth me." He does not drive us. Moses drives us by the law, but Jesus leads us by his example, and the gentle drawing of his love. J
Salmos 23
Spurgeon - "He restoreth my soul." When the soul grows sorrowful he revives it; when it is sinful he sanctifies it; when it is weak he strengthens it. "He" does it. His ministers could not do it if he did not. His Word would not avail by itself. "He restoreth my soul." Are any of us low in grace? Do we feel that our spirituality is at its lowest ebb? He who turns the ebb into the flood can soon restore our soul. Pray to him, then, for the blessing—"Restore thou me, thou Shepherd of my soul!" As a side note Psalm 23 cannot be fully appreciated apart from the word of God spoken to Israel through the prophet Ezekiel. Against the backdrop of the false shepherds who had abused and oppressed God’s flock, God promised to return to His people as their shepherd and to give them rest: (Ezekiel 34:11-15). He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His Name's sake - The Good Shepherd ascended and asked the Father and then sent the Holy Spirit to enable us "prone to wander" sheep to "toe the line" of righteousness (doing what is right). We are not speaking of keeping legalistic rules. Our doing what is right is not possible in our own strength, but requires daily filling with His Spirit that He might "energize" our hearts (our "control center") giving us both the desire and the power (Php 2:13NLT+) to walk in a manner worthy of our high calling as the Shepherd's sheep (Eph 4:1+, Eph 5:2+, Eph 5:8+, Php 1:27+, Col 1:9-10+, Col 2:6+, 1Th 2:10-11,12+, 1Th 4:1+, 1Pe 1:15-16+, 1Jn 1:6-7+, 1Jn 2:6+ - see related topic Walking Like Jesus Walked!). Dave Roper - "The Hebrew word translated "paths" means "a well-defined, well-worn trail." That indicates again how stupid sheep are, because even when the trail is well laid out, they still need a shepherd. They are still inclined to wander away, no matter how obvious the path may be. The shepherd knows the trails. He has been there before, and the sheep trust him." Deffinbaugh - Guidance86 is recognized as one of the principle tasks of the shepherd. He leads his sheep to places of nourishment and rest (v. 2), but he also leads them in the proper paths. Often it is necessary for the shepherd to lead his flock great distances to find both pasture and water. Some paths are dangerous and should be avoided. The good shepherd leads his sheep in the right paths. God’s guidance in the life of a believer is more than just a matter of leading us in the “right path”; it involves His leading us in “paths of righteousness.”87 What a wonderful word of comfort for those who seem to think that God’s will is some kind of mystery, known only to the few who are so fortunate to find it. One of the assurances the psalmist is confident he will never lack is the leading of God in his life. Let us learn from David that we can be confident of God’s leading in our lives when the Lord is our Shepherd, for the shepherd always leads his flock. Matthew
Salmos 23
Spurgeon - "Thy rod and thy staff," by which thou governest and rulest thy flock, the ensigns of thy sovereignty and of thy gracious care—"they comfort me." I will believe that thou reignest still. The rod of Jesse shall still be over me as the sovereign succour of my soul. Many persons profess to receive much comfort from the hope that they shall not die. Certainly there will be some who will be "alive and remain" at the coming of the Lord, but is there so very much of advantage in such an escape from death as to make it the object of Christian desire? A wise man might prefer of the two to die, for those who shall not die, but who "shall be caught up together with the Lord in the air," will be losers rather than gainers. They will lose that actual fellowship with Christ in the tomb which dying saints will have, and we are expressly told that they shall have no preference beyond those who are asleep. Let us be of Paul's mind when he said that "To die is gain," and think of "departing to be with Christ, which is far better." This twenty-third psalm is not worn out, and it is as sweet in a believer's ear now as it was in David's time, let novelty-hunters say what they will. J
Salmos 23
Spurgeon - "Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies." The good man has his enemies. He would not be like his Lord if he had not. If we were without enemies we might fear that we were not the friends of God, for the friendship of the world is enmity to God. Yet see the quietude of the godly man in spite of, and in the sight of, his enemies. How refreshing is his calm bravery! "Thou preparest a table before me." When a soldier is in the presence of his enemies, if he eats at all he snatches a hasty meal, and away he hastens to the fight. But observe: "Thou preparest a table," just as a servant does when she unfolds the damask cloth and displays the ornaments of the feast on an ordinary peaceful occasion. Nothing is hurried, there is no confusion, no disturbance, the enemy is at the door, and yet God prepares a table, and the Christian sits down and eats as if everything were in perfect peace. Oh! the peace which Jehovah gives to his people, even in the midst of the most trying circumstances! "Let earth be all in arms abroad, They dwell in perfect peace." Thou hast anointed my head with oil - Spurgeon - "Thou anointest my head with oil." May we live in the daily enjoyment of this blessing, receiving a fresh anointing for every day's duties. Every Christian is a priest, but he cannot execute the priestly office without unction, and hence we must go day by day to God the Holy Ghost, that we may have our heads anointed with oil. A priest without oil misses the chief qualification for his office, and the Christian priest lacks his chief fitness for service when he is devoid of new grace from on high. My cup overflows - Spurgeon - "My cup runneth over." He had not only enough, a cup full, but more than enough, a cup which overflowed. A poor man may say this as well as those in higher circumstances. "What, all this, and Jesus Christ too?" said a poor cottager as she broke a piece of bread and filled a glass with cold water. Whereas a man may be ever so wealthy, but if he be discontented his cup cannot run over; it is cracked and leaks. Content is the philosopher's stone which turns all it touches into gold; happy is he who has found it. Content is more than a kingdom, it is another word for happiness. Overflows (07310) (revayah) means abundance or a state of overflowing. In Ps 66:12 (revayah in the Lxx in Ps 66:12 = anapsuche = a cooling, refreshing) it refers to the richness, safety, and blessing of God's deliverance from enemies TWOT - rewāyâ. Saturation. In Ps 66:12 it refers to This noun is formed from the Hiphil stem of the root rāwâ. rewāyâ, used in highly poetic contexts, occurs in only two passages in the Psalms. They are both poetic passages that are well known in the KJV form, even though that reading obscures some of the nuances of the Hebrew. A literal translation is, "You have anointed my head with unguent, filled my cup to saturation" (Psalm 23:5); "But thou did bring us to saturation" (Psalm 66:12). Used 3x in the OT - Ps. 23:5; Ps. 66:12; Prov. 14:33 Henry Blackaby - Don't Miss the Banquet - Psalm 23:5 Soldiers don’t usually sit down for a picnic in the middle of a raging battlefield. They either fight to the death, or they turn and run! The scene David paints is one of total security. In the midst of the worst his enemies could dish out, David found peace and joy in God. He found reason to celebrate. He enjoyed more blessings than he could even take in. His enemies were trying to keep the crown from him, but they couldn’t stop God from making him a king. Sometimes going through life’s hardest times teaches us the most about God. When our enemies are after us and we want to panic, God gives us peace. He lays out a banquet to celebrate the victory that’s already ours. He reminds us who we are—royalty—because the King has claimed us as his own. He pours out his goodness, so our lives overflow with his blessings. When everything is going well, we might take God’s presence for granted; but when life is hard, we can see his presence more clearly. That’s because he gives us peace and cause for celebration when we’d expect only despair. If you’re experiencing some of the difficulties that life throws at you, look to see what God is doing. He hasn’t gone anywhere. He’s preparing a table for your victory party. He’s getting ready to honor you in front of your enemies. He’s pouring out his blessings on you. You don’t have to leave the battlefield to have your picnic, for God is with you and your enemies don’t intimidate him. (BORROW The Experience) Psalm 23:6 Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me: Ps 30:11,12 36:7-10 103:17 2Co 1:10 2Ti 4:18 And I will dwell in the house of the LORD: Ps 16:11 17:15 73:24-26 2Co 5:1 Php 1:23 forever: Heb. to length of days, Ps 21:4 GOD'S "SHEEPDOGS" GOODNESS AND LOVINGKINDNESS Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life NET Note on follow - The use of רָדַף (radaf, “pursue, chase”) with טוֹב וָחֶסֶד (tov vakhesed, “goodness and faithfulness”) as subject is ironic. This is the only place in the entire OT where either of these nouns appears as the subject of this verb רָדַף (radaf, “pursue”). This verb is often used to describe the hostile actions of enemies. One might expect the psalmist’s enemies (see v5) to chase him, but ironically God’s “goodness and faithfulness” (which are personified and stand by metonymy for God himself) pursue him instead. The word “pursue” is used outside of its normal context in an ironic manner and creates a unique, but pleasant word picture of God’s favor (or a kind God) “chasing down” the one whom he loves. Spurgeon - "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life." This is a fact as indisputable as it is encouraging, and therefore a heavenly verily, or "surely" is set as a seal upon it. This sentence may be read, "only goodness and mercy," for there shall be unmingled mercy in our history. These twin guardian angels will always be with me at my back and my beck. Just as when great princes go abroad they must not go unattended, so it is with the believer. Goodness and mercy follow him always—"all the days of his life"—the black days as well as the bright days, the days of fasting as well as the days of feasting, the dreary days of winter as well as the bright days of summer. Goodness supplies our needs, and mercy blots out our sins. " And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever - Did you observe the two time phrases? The days of my life would apply mainly to our short time on earth (but of course does not exclude the coming life). The second time phrase forever, speaks of now and throughout eternity. Spurgeon - And I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever." "A servant abideth not in the house for ever, but the son abideth ever." While I am here I will be a child at home with my God; the whole world shall be his house to me; and when I ascend into the upper chamber, I shall not change my company, nor even change the house; I shall only go to dwell in the upper storey of the house of the Lord for ever. May God grant us grace to dwell in the serene atmosphere of this most blessed Psalm! Henry Blackaby - The Right Perspective - Psalm 23:6 People say we can only count on two things in life: death and taxes. Maybe so, but Christians can add two more absolutes to our lives: God’s love and his goodness. It’s important for us to establish these truths firmly in our lives once and for all: God loves us, and God is good to us. We run into trouble when we try to look through our circumstances to understand what God is like. We have a bad day, so we conclude God doesn’t love us. If it’s a really bad day, we may even decide God is picking on us. When things are going well, we assume God has decided to be good to us that day. It’s crucial to our spiritual growth that we always look to God first and let him show us our circumstances from his perspective. When we do this, life will take on a whole new dimension. For example, that bad day that proved God doesn’t love us becomes something totally different when we see it through God’s eyes. It becomes an opportunity to trust God. It provides an occasion for God to reveal his power, to encourage us with his presence, and even to do a miracle. Mature Christians often find the worst situations to be times they experience God the most! If circumstances determined God’s character, David would have wanted to run as far away from the house of the Lord as he could, not dwell in it! He lived through some terrible hardships! Instead, he discovered that the right perspective gave him a completely different view of his life. He was free to experience God deeply in both good times and in bad. Don’t focus on your problems and miss God’s goodness. Focus on God’s goodness instead. Take note of the many ways he’s expressing his love to you in spite of your problems, or even through them. When you look at life from the right perspective, you’ll see God as he really is. Thank him that on good days or bad, you can always count on his love and goodness. (BORROW The Experience)