I Shall Not Want

Q: What does the Bible say about the role of a shepherd?

The Bible illustrates the role of a shepherd as a protector and provider for the sheep, exemplified in Psalm 23 where God is depicted as the ultimate shepherd. In Psalm 23, the Lord is described as the shepherd who leads, feeds, and protects His people, which reflects the importance of this role in biblical terms. A shepherd is responsible for the well-being of the sheep, guiding them to pastures and still waters, and ensuring they are safe from harm. This imagery is further emphasized in John 10, where Christ is named the 'Good Shepherd,' highlighting that He knows His sheep, lays down His life for them, and brings them assurance of eternal security. Thus, the shepherd's role is of great spiritual significance.

Q: How do we know if we are one of the Lord's sheep?

You know you are one of the Lord's sheep if you hear His voice, believe in Him, and follow Him. According to John 10:27, the mark of being one of the Lord's sheep is the ability to hear His voice and respond to it in faith. This process involves believing when the Lord reveals Himself and actively following Him wherever He leads. The assurance comes not from our own merit or consistency but from Christ's promise that His sheep shall never perish and that no one can snatch them out of His hand (John 10:28). Therefore, the true evidence of being part of His fold is faith and obedience that stems from recognizing His call.

Q: Why is trusting in God's provision important for Christians?

Trusting in God's provision is crucial for Christians as it fosters contentment, peace, and reliance on His guidance. In Psalm 23, the assurance that 'I shall not want' signifies that God fully meets the spiritual needs of His people. Trusting in His provision is essential because it allows believers to find peace in the midst of life's uncertainties, knowing that the Lord will guide them to what is truly necessary for spiritual health and well-being. Contentment arises from recognizing that God leads to green pastures and still waters, fulfilling our deepest needs and desires, which ultimately strengthens faith and reliance on His plan.

Q: What does 'I shall not want' mean in Psalm 23?

'I shall not want' means that God provides for all the needs of His sheep, leading to spiritual satisfaction and security. 'I shall not want' encapsulates the promise that God, as the shepherd, ensures that His followers lack nothing essential for their spiritual life. This does not imply a guarantee of material wealth or earthly desires, but rather spiritual fulfillment and peace. The psalm outlines how God meets the needs of His people through rest, guidance, restoration, and companionship, signifying that true contentment comes from being in a relationship with Him. It reassures believers that through Christ, they possess all they truly need for a life of faith.

Q: How does Psalm 23 assure believers of God's presence?

Psalm 23 assures believers of God's presence by stating 'Thou art with me,' which provides comfort in times of fear. The phrase 'Thou art with me' in Psalm 23:4 underscores the profound truth of God's constant presence with His people, particularly during difficult circumstances such as the 'valley of the shadow of death.' This promise serves to alleviate fear, as believers can take comfort in knowing that their shepherd is always near, protecting and guiding them. His presence is further indicated through His rod and staff, emphasizing His role as protector and guide. Thus, believers can live confidently, assured that they are never alone.

Good morning. If you would, turn
to our text in Psalm chapter 23. Let's start off, we'll go ahead and
read the chapter. 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 namesake. 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,
and 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 forever." This is a familiar passage in scripture
to most of us. It's a beautiful psalm. It speaks
of the great shepherd for fighting for his flock. It's also a popular
psalm. It's one that we see in hospitals
and read at funerals. It's the first psalm that I can
think of that I had memorized. I remember growing up. So this
is something that most of us are very familiar with. But the
question I'm asking is, is it a universal song, though? We
see it written in many places, and it's out there for many to
read and to see. And is this something that anyone
can take comfort in, anyone that reads it? And can this apply
to them? So that's the question we're asking this morning. Well,
in verse 5, he says, thou preparest a table for me in the presence
of mine enemies. So that would lead us to say
that this shepherd is not the shepherd to the sheep, and to
the enemies, so this is not for everyone. Matthew 15.24, he says,
I'm not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
So he's not sent unto all sheep, but just to the lost sheep. So
the Lord answers this question for us in seeing that he's only
sent for his sheep and not unto sheep that are not of his fold.
I believe that this psalm was given to the Lord's people in
order that they not despair in this life, for fear, or for want,
or for the promises to come. This is a psalm of comfort. You
see, in verse 1, he says, the Lord is my shepherd. Well, what's
a shepherd? What's the significance of this?
Shepherd is just a man that's given charge over a flock of
sheep. Well, in our day, we may look
at that and think, So what's the big deal? It's just a bunch
of dumb sheep and somebody that watches them. Well, it was a
little different. Sheep represented wealth. Sheep
represented food and they represented clothing. So this was much more
than, you know, we had many tangible and intangible things of value,
whether stocks or, you know, You own property. Many things
that we have now that were very different from then. But a man
who owned sheep then and had a flock of sheep had something
of value. And so he wanted to make sure that those sheep that
he had were protected and taken care of. And so you didn't pick
just any shepherd to watch over your sheep. This was your livelihood.
This is what enabled you to be able to go about your business. So not just any shepherd will
do. So what are the responsibilities
of a shepherd? First, the shepherd is a leader. The shepherd has to lead the
sheep. Sheep are natural followers. There's not going to be one sheep
and the rest of them follow that sheep and he knows where they're
going. They don't know where to go. They just kind of ravel
around until they're taken in a direction by the shepherd.
The shepherd says, we're going to go this way. Secondly, the
shepherd's responsibility is to feed the sheep. The sheep
don't know where to go for food. They're going to kind of wander
around, but the shepherd knows where the good pasture is, and
he's going to have to take them to where that is. Thirdly, the
shepherd has to protect the sheep. Sheep are defenseless. You don't
find aggressive sheep trying to protect each other, or sheep
coming charging at you to protect their young. You don't see that.
They're defenseless. They're dumb animals. The shepherd's
responsibility was to bring back all the sheep, not just most
of them. His responsibility was to bring
back all the sheep, all accounted for, and not one can get away
or be lost. So if you'll turn with me over
to Luke chapter 15, we'll look at the parable of the lost
sheep. We'll start in verse 3. And he spake this parable unto
them, saying, What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he
lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness,
and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he
hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And
when he come at home, he calleth together his friends and neighbors,
saying unto them, Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep
which was lost. I say unto you that likewise
joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than
over ninety and nine just persons which have no need of repentance.
So you see, what we're given here is the importance of just
one sheep. You may think, well, a hundred sheep, if I lose one,
well, if they're not my sheep and I'm the shepherd over them
and don't care for them, then yeah, if I lose one, I may not
miss it. But the man whose sheep that they belong to, he's going
to know. And that's why he sent this shepherd of them. And there's
only one man fit for this job. If you'll turn over to John chapter
10. Look at him. Starting verse 1. Verily, verily,
I say unto you, he that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold,
but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the
door is the shepherd of the sheep, and to him the porter openeth.
And the sheep hear his voice, and he calleth his own sheep
by name, and leads them out. And when he putteth forth his
own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him, for
they know his voice. And the stranger will they not
follow, but will flee from him, for they know not the voice of
strangers." Go over to verse 11. says, I am the good shepherd,
and the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. But he
that is a hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep
are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leapeth the sheep, and fleeth,
and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling
fleeth, because he is a hireling, and careth not for the sheep.
But I am the good shepherd, and I know my sheep, and am known
of mine. As the fathers knoweth me, even so I know the father,
and I lay down my life for the So you see here, the good shepherd,
this is the good shepherd. He gives his life for the sheep
because he cares for them. They're his sheep. This is not
just a man that's hired to take care of somebody else's sheep.
These are his. And so he cares for them and will give his life
for them. And things that we notice about this shepherd is
first, the sheep don't choose the shepherd. It says to him,
the porter openeth, and then he'll call them out by name.
So the shepherd calls each of them out by name. He knows each
of their names. And that's amazing when you think
of that and think of the Lord calling out his people that he
knows of all the millions of people over how many years that
he knows each one of them by name. You know, I can't even
remember. I work in a sales job. I can't
remember half the people I meet during the week. I've taken around
to different people in different cities. And I'm very fortunate
if I can remember their name 10 minutes after the conversation.
So that may give you a little insight as to how well I pay
attention to things. But the sheep will hear his call,
thirdly, and follow him. And after they hear his call,
that's when they follow him. And so you can really see what
a picture of the work of the father in predestination and
electing the sheep by the sheep not choosing the shepherd. You
can see the work of the son and calling out his people and fulfilling
their salvation and the shepherd calling them out each by name.
And third, you can see the work of the Holy Spirit in regeneration,
in new birth, giving them ears to hear. They follow him once
they hear the call. And so he knows his sheep. He
says, I'm the good shepherd, know my sheep and have known
of mine. So the question I have to ask is, how do I know if I'm
one of the Lord's sheep? Well, look over at John 10, verse
24. Then came the Jews round about
him and he said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt?
If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. And Jesus answered them,
I told you, and you believe not. The works that I do in my Father's
name they bear witness in me. But you believe not, because
you are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice,
and I know them, and they follow me. And I give unto them eternal
life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them
out of my hand. The first thing we see about the sheep when we
ask the question is, how do I know if I'm one of the Lord's sheep?
Does the sheep believe? How long does thou make us thus
to doubt? As if there was any doubt. They were trying to entrap
the Lord. They had no interest in knowing whether he was the
Christ or whether to believe in him. They were trying to trap
him. But the point is, does the sheep
believe? When the Lord reveals himself,
the sheep will believe. And the second thing we see about
how do I know if I'm one of the Lord's sheep is the sheep respond.
When the master calls, the sheep respond to his call. If I don't
say that I've heard his call, then I'm not one of the Lord's
sheep. If you've heard the master call, you'll know when you respond.
The third thing that we see is the sheep follow him wherever
he goes. I don't know where the Lord may
take me, but the Lord give me the grace to follow him. I wish
I could do these things as I ought to. If we look at these, we find
in our own experience we're full of holes and inconsistencies
and things that make us to doubt, but grace of the Lord will cause
us to believe and to respond to Him and to follow Him. So
if we'll go back to our text in Psalm 23, verse first, the
Lord is my shepherd. This is also one of the names
of God, Jehovah-Rohi. I shall not want. What does this
mean? I shall not want. Does this mean
that I'm going to get everything that I want? That I'm going to
stop craving things in this life and that I'll be just satisfied
with everything? No. Fleshly, we are stuck in these
bodies and we're going to be stuck in these sinful bodies
and they're full of everything that is evil. Everything that's
in us is evil is the flesh. Many vain, evil desires. But
this promise is directed to his people. That's why this psalm
is not just for anyone. This is for the Lord's people.
This promise fulfills our spiritual needs, these wants, which are
of much greater value than any temporal need that we can come
up with that we may want or desire. When I think of this, what are
my worldly wants in comparison with the peace of knowing that
my salvation is complete in Christ? You can give me the the whole
world, any of the treasures in it, but eventually this flesh
is rotting and dying and I'm never going to stop that because
of sin. And what would it gain to me if the Lord gave me the
treasures of this world and this life, but I wind up in hell?
It's worth nothing. But the peace of knowing that
my salvation is complete in Christ, that is worth everything. What
are my worldly wants in comparison with the joy of knowing and communion
with the Lord? If the Lord's revealed himself
to me, I've had communion with him and I can and I can enter
into what the when the Lord hides his face, the feeling that you
get of not being able to hear, not being able to hear the gospel
preached, not being able to feel like your prayers are heard.
It's disconcerting to the believer. You're panicked. I must have
that. What are my worldly wants in
comparison with mercy? That God, for Christ's sake,
would look upon me, someone so sinful, cold and inconsistent
through Christ and show mercy to me for his sake. That's worth
to me more than any worldly want I can think of. And lastly, contentment
in Christ. This is the only true and lasting
contentment we'll have. There are many things that we
may enjoy and be content in that we may want, and that's fine
and those things are good, but it's not going to last. The Lord's
going to burn every bit of this up that's in this world. and
make a new world. This will all be gone. So what
is my lasting contentment? What is my lasting thing that
I want? It's contentment in Christ. So
the next verse is written to his sheep here. He says, Lord
is my shepherd, I shall not want. So I shall not want what? The
rest of this chapter tells us these things that the sheep shall
not want for. Their rest, peace, restoration,
righteousness, protection, His presence, comfort, provision,
the Holy Spirit, goodness and mercy, and eternal security.
And so we're going to briefly look at these as we go through
the rest of this passage. So firstly, I shall not want
rest. He maketh me to lie down in green
pastures. Well, the green pastures are
the sheep's food. They're the tender grass. The
sheep don't just eat any old briars and, you know, field grass.
They want the tender green grass, only they're very selective.
They're not like the goats that will eat just anything. So that's
why the shepherd has to lead them to the pastures of the green
grass. So I need a guide. I can't do
this on my own if I'm one of the sheep. I have to be taken
to where that grass is, and that's what the Lord does. He's my guide.
He applies God's word, which is my food. He says, I think
thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thou hast hid these
things from the wise and prudent and revealed them unto babes.
This is not something that we're going to just find out. It says
that he's actually hidden them from those who think they know
it. But to those who have no way of finding it, I as a sheep,
I don't know where the pasture is. I don't know where the field
is. I have to be taken there. Those are the ones to whom he
reveals it to. If I'm ever going to know this gospel, the Lord
must be my guide. And he's going to do two things
for me. First he's going to do, he's going to make me willing.
He's going to make me willing to not come to this with some
predetermined set of beliefs and rules and look at this word
and try to find those in here and say, OK, I'm confirming what
I believe in here. No, he's going to make me willing
to follow him, even if it means denying what I thought I knew.
It says this is the word of God, and it may be against everything
I've seen and known up to this point, but the Lord's my guide. He'll make me willing to follow
him. The second thing that he'll do is that he's going to lead
me to the food. He maketh me to lie down. The Lord said this
is where the pasture is and that's what he's going to do. He's going
to lead me there and he's going to make me to lie in it and rest
in it. So in green pastures is tender grass, is the God's word
of truth. Nothing more and nothing less
than that. That doesn't mean that, well, you know, This part's
important, but this part is maybe not as important because I don't
like what's being said there, or this church doesn't believe
that because our set of doctrines don't say this or that. It's
nothing more and nothing less. The word is what it is. And so
we take it as just that. It's his record of who he is
and how he saves. To take away or to add to that
is to change who he is. And I don't want to do that.
I don't want to misrepresent his person by trying to change
him to meet something that I think is on my own standard of judgment
of what should be. And I don't want to rob God of
his glory by omitting something in salvation. How can you preach
salvation and omit election? God choosing who would be saved
before time began. How can you preach salvation
and omit that men are totally depraved and incapable of changing
their parts, that they can't choose God, they can't do right
or do anything pleasing before God, except that he does something
for them in the birth of the new man. And that salvation is
not by works. There's nothing that I can do
to get God to look upon me in favor, to recommend me to God,
to save me because of what I've done or who I am. So in verse
two, He maketh me to lie down in green pastures, and he leadeth
me beside the still waters." These words, still waters, can
also be read as the waters of quietness. Waters are not quiet
only when they're disturbed. You see, I remember growing up,
we had a farm, and there was a creek on it, and you couldn't
hear it. I thought it was amazing. You
could always walk up to it because there were no rocks in the stream.
It just was silent. It would move down, and you just
couldn't hear a thing. Really interesting. And so this
illustration of the rock in the river, it's something that stands
in obstinance. It rebels at the flow of what
the river is going. And so it's saying, I'm unwilling
and unable to move. And I stand here. And that causes
there to be no quietness in the river. It makes noise. If you've
ever been, like, whitewater rafting up here in West Virginia, you'll
know that. I mean, it's loud, the way the water rolls over
those rocks and makes all the noise. That's what's going on
here. picture of this rock and the
river going against the flow of the river is a picture of
our sinful nature at war with God and the new man. There's
a constant battle going on. And so if you'll turn over to
Romans 7, just a couple of verses, Romans 7, 19. Just hold your
finger in our text. Paul says in Romans 7, verse
19, for the good that I would do, I do not. But the evil that
I would not do, that's what I do. Now if I do that that I don't
want to do, that it's no more than I that do it, but it's sin
that dwelleth in me. So what he's saying here is that
this is not who he is. Paul is a new man, he's also
the flesh, but he can't do what he wants to do because this rock
is still in the river. It's still there. It's at war
with the stream. And there are no waters of quietness.
He's never going to get any better. He's never going to gain any
ground on it. But there is one who has. That's
the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. He's conquered both sin
and death. And if I'm in Christ, I'm also
without sin. And that's the only way I can
be without sin is if I'm put into the body of Christ. The
war is over. The Lord's put that down. But
in our flesh, in this experience, one day it will be put down here
too and we'll no longer war against this old man, our flesh, that
seeks to do nothing but cause us grief and pain. And this is
how I'm led by the waters, by the still water, the waters of
quietness. There's nothing left in the river to fight against
the flow. The rock's been removed. That which caused the disruption
in the flow and caused the noise, Now it's just quiet, the rock's
been removed. And that's what the picture is of the flesh dying
and being taken away, and that's being left with only the new
man. And so if we look back at our text, he maketh me lie down
in green pastures, leatheth me beside the still waters. He restoreth
my soul. I shall not lack restoration. He restores me daily. He gives
me strength in time of weakness. You turn over a few pages to
Psalm 27, verse 13, David says, I had fainted unless I had believed
to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living, to
see the goodness. He never saw it in his person.
This is not in the course of his life. But he says, unless
I had believed, he trusted in his heart. And this is not the
stony heart, the one that rebels against God and can only sin.
But this is the heart of the new man, which is given in Christ.
What is my token or evidence that I have anything for to hope
for in salvation? All I see is my sin and my inability. Well, if we look here, look to
ourself for some token or evidence in and of ourselves, that's all
we're going to find is just emptiness, sin, frustration. I need a more
sure evidence. Christ is my only evidence. He
died and he took the sins of his people. to pay for the sins
of his elect. When the sin was paid, the debt
was gone, and after the punishment for sin was paid for, it demanded
that he be risen, because there was no more sin to pay for. His
resurrection is my evidence that if I'm in him, my soul has been
restored. To be restored, you have to have
been lost. My soul was appointed to death,
but now unto life. He restoreth my soul. Back to
our text in verse 3. He restores my soul, and he leadeth
me in the paths of righteousness, for his name's sake. This thing
of the paths of righteousness. I shall not want for righteousness.
The paths of righteousness are not my works in this life. There's
some that might twist that to mean that, but that's not what
this passage means at all. Picture, if you will, for a moment,
being lost in the woods, sun's going down, you're on a path.
You realize that moment of terror is, I'm lost and I have no idea
where I'm at or how to get out. If you're on the path, is it
the right one? I don't know. If you have a choice
of different paths, there's a fork in the road. Which one do you
take? Which is the right one? Which will lead me into further
being lost? Which will get me home? I don't know. You can wander
off the path and say, well, I know where I'm trying to get home
is over this way, so I'm going to go off the path and maybe
just go over the hill. And I'll end up probably being more lost
than I was to start with. Or, a path can lead to a dead
end. You get to the edge of the forest, and there you find, oh,
it falls off the edge of a cliff. This is not the path I need to
take. Which is the right way to go? Well, I'm already lost,
so I can't be left with a choice. How can I go the right way when
I'm blind? I don't know. I can't see. I can't see the
way. That's why I need a guide. Path here, in this case, also
means trench, when I looked up the meaning of the word. What
I pictured was the front line of a battlefield. So World War
I, you know, trench warfare. So they dug down the front line
of the battlefield. And this trench is also a path. But there's a barrier on either
side. You see, there's big walls that protect me from down in
the earth. And it's on both sides. But yet there's a war and danger
going on all above me. But yet I'm on the path. I can't
go to the right. And I can't go to the left. I
can only go straight on the path. There's no forks. It's one way. No wandering off the path. There's
walls on either side and I'm protected. And so the Lord sets
me on this path and I can't wander from it even if I wanted to.
And so I'm thankful for that, that the Lord not only doesn't
leave me left with a choice of what to do, but he says this
is the path that you're on and this is the way. And so he provides
all that for me. He's my keeper and responsible
for my safe delivery. That's why I'm put into the trench.
So all these things the Lord does for me. He's my shepherd,
says I shall not want, shall not want for green pastures,
still waters, restores my soul, and he leads me on paths of righteousness. All for what? Why? Why does the
Lord do all of this or any of it? Well, only for his namesake. And so when we consider this,
a person's name, my word is important to me. And my wife knows that
I won't give my word on anything unless I intend to do something.
And I will go to great inconvenience to make sure that I keep my word,
because I've given it. But inevitably, there's going
to be situations or circumstances that prevent me, whether my choice
or beyond my choice, from keeping my word. And undoubtedly, I'm
going to fail at it. But that's going to be OK, because
I'll have another chance to keep working on it. His word, the
Lord's word, is of ultimate importance, because his glory rests upon
it. You consider the other side of things, where what if the
Lord, before the world was formed, said, who's going to stand in
surety for these people? And Christ said, I'm going to
stand in surety before them. But as time plays out, he sees,
well, you've sinned against him 5,000 times. I'm not sure if
this is a good idea to keep standing in surety for these people. I'm
not going to keep my word. No, that can't be the case. The
Lord has to keep his word, but because it's for his namesake,
it would tarnish his name and his glory. He can't do that.
So if you turn over to Psalm 106, we'll see a little bit more
about what that means. Start in verse 7. Our fathers
understood not thy wonders in Egypt. They remembered not the
multitude of thy mercies, but provoked him at the Red Sea.
Even at the Red Sea, this is the same people the Lord said,
you're my people. But yet, and he brought him out of Egypt and
they provoked him and they don't remember all the things that
he's done for them. But he says in verse eight, nevertheless,
nevertheless, despite me and what I am and what I deserved.
He saved them for his namesake, that he might make known his
mighty power. So he saved him for his namesake.
Turn over to Isaiah 48, verse 9. Isaiah 48, 9. For my namesake
will I defer my anger, and for my praise will I refrain for
thee, that I cut thee not off. Behold, I have refined thee But
not with silver. I have chosen thee in the furnace
of affliction. For mine own sake, even for my own sake, will I
do it. For how should my name be polluted? I will not give
my glory to another. And what the Lord's saying here
is, is despite us and what we are, as sinful, undeserving sinners
as what we are, he's going to keep his covenant that he made.
He's going to save, save us for Christ's sake, because we're
in Christ. And so he's not going to tarnish his name because if
I'm not saved, if even one falls away, if even one sheep is lost,
he loses his glory and he can't have that. So nevertheless, he
saved them for his namesake. So turn back to our text in verse
four. It says, yea, though I walk through
the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for thou
art with me. So what do we see here? We see
first that we're walking. We're not setting up camp and
staying there. We're not staying in the valley
of the shadow of death. And we're also not running. You
only run when you're afraid. There's nothing to be afraid
of here. Because it's not the valley of death. It's the valley
of the shadow of death. And so, what can a shadow do?
A shadow can't hurt me. A shadow is just a silhouette
of something that was there. But it's not anymore. It can
just scare me. And that's just our unbelief.
Because the Lord's already told us how this ends up. And so we're
to believe Him in that. This is just the valley of the
shadow of death. Our course and walk through this life. Valley
of shadow of death. Because thou art with me. One
day I'll die. And they'll say that I'm dead.
But really I'm not dead. Because this sinful body of flesh
may be. But that's not who I am. My soul
lives. And death has claim on my body.
But not my soul. And if I'm in Christ. He bought
me back. He died for me, and the sting
of death has been removed. So verse 4, I will walk through
the valley of the shadow of death, and I will fear no evil. Why?
For thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort
me. So I shall not lack his presence. There's nothing to fear if he's
with me. He's God. The earth trembles at his presence.
His rod and his staff, they comfort me. What are his rod and his
staff? What are those used for? Well, first, you have a weapon. Secondly, a staff is something
you can lean on when you're weary. You're walking along, you take
a walking stick. And so that staff's something
I can lean on. And thirdly, it's also going to pull back the sheep.
It's got the shepherd's crook in it. That's what that big hook
is at the top of the shepherd carries. He'd use that to pull
the sheep, pull the sheep back when they get away. and so it's
pull the sheep back who wander. So his rod protects, and his
staff is the word. The word is something we lean
upon, and the word also pulls us back when we wander. Verse
five. Thou preparest a table for me
in the presence of mine enemies. I shall not lack provision. What
this is saying here is it's all done in the open. This is in
the presence of his enemies. The table of the king has been
laid out. King's table is set forth, and this is only set out
at high occasion, the king's table. And the only people that
can sit at the king's table are royalty, those who are the family
of the king, his sons and his daughters. And so the wicked
shall sit. The Lord's going to do this in
the presence of the wicked, because we're his glory and his prize.
And he has provided me with a seat, and every believer who is in
Christ has a seat at this table. And that really, I don't even
have words for that because you think, you know, all we can see
and know in us is how sinful and undeserving we are. But yet
the Lord has set a seat at his table for us, all those who are
in Christ. I shall not lack provision. And
also in verse five, he says, Thou annoyest my head with oil.
This is the annoying of the Holy Spirit. Any time we read of oil
in the scripture, this refers to the Holy Spirit. The Holy
Spirit quickens and it gives life. I have to be anointed with
this. And only God can anoint. You can't anoint yourself. God
has to give his Spirit. That's why before we start this
service, We were praying and said, we asked for the Lord to
put his spirit here, to anoint this place with his spirit, to
speak through feeble means that we might believe. Give us hearts
to receive, ears to hear. And it's all done through his
spirit, the anointing of the Holy Spirit. And lastly, he says
in verse five, my cup runneth over. A full cup doesn't overflow. Only a cup that has more than
what it can hold. Christ's death on the cross paid
for my sins. He arose and he gave me his righteousness. So is that just enough to get
me into heaven? So he gave me his righteousness,
I can barely get in the door. You've got just enough, come
on in. No, I'm just like Christ if I'm in him. How is Christ
viewed before the Father? How righteous and holy is he?
It's more than what I need, Christ's righteousness. My cup runneth
over. Last verse, verse 6. Surely, goodness and mercy shall
follow me all the days of my life. I shall not lack his goodness
and his mercy. To the man or woman who is a
child of the king, these promises shall not fail, his goodness
and his mercy. There you're never going to leave
me. I can never fall too low or be so far away that he won't
seek me. I can never fall and then his
arm won't pick me up. And because of these things,
verse 6, I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. I
shall not lack eternal security. The true want of every believer
is to be with Christ. He's the good shepherd. He gave
his life for the sheep. And one day, in terms of the
course of our experience, he'll bring all those sheep home. In
terms of eternity, this has already been done. We're just playing
it out. We know the end of the story.
We're just reading through the book. He'll bring all his sheep
home and there'll be no more tears, no more death, no more
sickness, no more dying, no more pain. He'll make all things new
and there'll be no more sin. And he does this all for those
whom he calls his sheep, his little flock. Those who believe
the gospel as it is, not adding to it or taking away from it.
Those who respond when the master calls. There's going to be no
rebels in heaven and say, I'm not going. And it's going to
be for the sheep who follow him wherever he may take them. He'll
be the joy of our salvation. What a joy it'll be to be with
Christ. So I leave you with clear not little flock for it's your
father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

I Shall Not Want

What does the Bible say about the role of a shepherd?

How do we know if we are one of the Lord's sheep?

Why is trusting in God's provision important for Christians?

What does 'I shall not want' mean in Psalm 23?

How does Psalm 23 assure believers of God's presence?

Sermon Transcript

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I Shall Not Want

What does the Bible say about the role of a shepherd?

How do we know if we are one of the Lord's sheep?

Why is trusting in God's provision important for Christians?

What does 'I shall not want' mean in Psalm 23?

How does Psalm 23 assure believers of God's presence?

Sermon Transcript

Comments

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