9/24/2023 0 Comments David jeremiah psalm 23It’s only then that we can say, along with David, that the Lord is indeed MY shepherd.Psalm 23 5 Message: In our Psalm 23 4 Commentary article we heard about God protecting us from enemies. It’s not the general care of the Lord, but instead a personal relationship with Him that only comes when we enter HIs family through Jesus. Who do YOU say that I am?Īnd the answer that I give determines whether or not God is truly MY shepherd. It’s not who your friends, or who culture, or your church, or your family says He is Jesus is still asking this same question to each and every one of us. “So that’s who they say that I am but what about you? Who do you say that I am?” This is not just “a” question it’s “the” question. Some say you’re a prophet some say you’re a revolutionary some say you are a miracle-worker.”īut Jesus is not content for this question to remain informational He moves it to be personal. Similarly, if Jesus posed that question to us, we might also have a variety of answers: He starts with a purely informational question – Who do people say that I am? And there are many answers. Notice the “narrowing” quality of what Jesus is doing here. They replied, “Some say John the Baptist others say Elijah and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” Jesus emphasized a similar dynamic in Matthew 16. And this is a statement that only the Christian can truly make.Ī person can want God to be his shepherd she might even think the Lord is her shepherd he might be around all kinds of people who know that God is their shepherd but until his or her faith is in Jesus Christ, then God is not ultimately his or her shepherd. We know it’s not a common grace psalm because of that one, simple word that appears in verse 1: “The Lord is MY shepherd…”ĭavid, a shepherd in his own right, did not say that God is “a” shepherd nor did He say that God is “the” shepherd. ![]() But Psalm 23 is not a common grace psalm. These acts of benevolence are what theologians refer to as “common grace” – that is, the grace of God that is applicable to everyone regardless of where and in whom they have put their faith. Seasons change, babies are born, food tastes good, and everyone – whether Christian or not – can have a measure of happiness in their lives. It’s true that the rain falls, crops grow, and the earth spins on its axis. Now it’s true that God is a caring Creator. In fact, the good news of Psalm 23 really hangs on a single word: “My.” Specifically, the misunderstanding is that Psalm 23 is good news for everyone. And once again, even people outside the Christian faith will look to a passage like this for comfort and strength during seasons of difficulty.īut with popularity comes the danger of misunderstanding. It’s been quoted and read during times of difficulty by individuals, families, churches, and even entire nations. It has been a source of comfort and strength for generations. But another reason why it’s so familiar is the comforting nature of this psalm. That’s part of the reason it’s so familiar. ![]() If you’ve read much of the Bible, then, you’ve read all about sheep and shepherds, and Psalm 23 is kind of the pinnacle of that language. When we turn to the New Testament, we see that the birth of Christ was announced to shepherds.Īnd Jesus Himself took up this title in John 10 to describe Himself as the Good Shepherd. In the prophets, as the people chased after other gods, they were described as sheep without a shepherd. The word “shepherd” is used as a verb in the Old Testament to describe how the leaders of Israel should relate to their people. ![]() When Moses fled Egypt after killing an Egyptian he took up work as a shepherd among the Midianites.ĭavid, of course, was a shepherd before he became the king of Israel. The patriarchs of the Old Testament – Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, were at least in some part shepherds. Part of the reason it’s so familiar is because the imagery of sheep and shepherds is so intwined throughout all Scripture: It’s so familiar in fact that even those who would not call themselves Christians can usually quote along, at least in the first few verses. ![]() Psalm 23 is arguably the most familiar text in the entire Bible.
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