Abundant Joy

For my regular blog readers, this is a copy of the talk I gave for our women’s group on Monday, August 24.

15 years ago, my husband and I took a dream trip to Scotland and Ireland to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. We traveled with my husband’s cousin Don and his wife Joan, who were celebrating their 30th. Bill and Don’s moms were sisters whose maiden name was McLeod. One of our goals was to visit the McLeod castle. So I hired John McDonald to pick us up in Inverness in the Scottish Highlands and take us over to the Isle of Skye. He asked us if there was anything in particular we wanted to see other than Dunvegan, the McLeod castle. I told him that I wanted to see and take pictures of sheep.

You see, a few years previously our women’s group had read Max Lucado’s Traveling Light, which is a Bible study on the 23rd Psalm. As we went through this study, I shared from this book at the beginning of each chapter. Philip Keller wrote A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 in 1970, but it is still so helpful in understanding David’s timeless Psalm.

Last spring, I was thinking that I would like to do a deep dive into the 23rd Psalm for my talk this year. I told Susie before we went to Azerbaijan that this would be my topic. Then when we got there, one of the missionaries that we spent quite a bit of time with, Matt, told us that he was studying Psalm 23. The Psalm kept popping up throughout our trip, and I have continued to see it in various things I am studying. This is just further confirmation that this was the right topic for this year.

Before we get into the Psalm itself, I want to tell you what it means to me. Often, I wake up in the night, and my anxious thoughts keep me from going back to sleep. My mind races and goes toward worry. That’s when I stop myself and remember Scripture. I say Philippians 4:6: “Be anxious for nothing…” I may try to go over a passage I’m working on memorizing, but my favorite is the 23rd Psalm. If you haven’t memorized it, I encourage you to do it. You have probably heard it so many times, you already have it halfway memorized already! When I can’t sleep, I meditate on each verse. When I say meditate, I don’t mean in an eastern religion, repetitive kind of way. I am talking about the biblical definition of meditating. David writes in Psalm 119, “I will meditate on your precepts and think about your ways.” So I say each verse, and I think about what it means. I am hoping that after we dig in tonight, you will be able to do the same.

Let’s dig in!

“The Lord is my Shepherd…”

When did David write this beautiful Psalm? Most scholars believe that he wrote it later in his life, when he was a king. If you remember, David was a shepherd boy, who was chosen by God to replace Saul as king. Shepherding is a common theme in the Bible, appearing approximately 100 times. Several commentaries I read said that it was a common metaphor in the ancient Near East for a king to compare himself to a shepherd in their leadership capacity. So when David says, “the Lord is my Shepherd”, he is declaring God to be his king. We first see God referred to as a shepherd as far back as Genesis, when Jacob is dying and giving his blessing to his sons. When he comes to Joseph, he says, “Joseph is a fruitful vine, a fruitful vine beside a spring; its branches climb over the wall. The archers attacked him, shot at him, and were hostile toward him. Yet his bow remained steady,
and his strong arms were made agile by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob, by the name of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel…” (49:22-24). From the very beginning, God was known as our Shepherd.

In the New Testament, Jesus declares Himself to be the Good Shepherd in John 10:14. He doesn’t say, a shepherd, but THE Shepherd- the Good Shepherd. Later, He says that He will lay down His life for the sheep. Jesus bought me with a price- His life. The Lord is my shepherd, and I am His.

But why this analogy? Why sheep? Phillip Keller says this about sheep. He was a shepherd for many years and has intimate knowledge of sheep. Much of what I will talk about tonight comes from his book. This is from pages 20 and 21. “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…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.”

We don’t like to admit it, but we are very much like sheep!

“I shall not want…”

If the Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want! This can be taken two ways. If God is my Shepherd, then all of my needs will be met. But also, it’s a command. We should be so content in our Good Shepherd’s care, that we do not want. Does this mean that we will get or have everything we want? That we will have a life of ease? Of course not! We only have to look at the lives of John the Baptist, Paul, Peter, etc. to know that this isn’t the case. Jesus Himself said, “You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous. I have conquered the world” (John 16:33).

Our contentment should not be in outward things like wealth and possessions, but rather in the joy of knowing that our salvation is in Christ, and it is secure.  As Peter writes, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you” (1 Peter 1:3-4).

“He makes me lie down in green pastures.”

Here are some interesting facts about sheep. They will not lie down unless four requirements are met. 1) They must be free from fear. 2) There must not be any friction from other sheep. 3) They can’t be tormented by flies or parasites. 4) They must be free of hunger. What is unique about all of these- fear, tension, aggravation, and hunger-is that it is only the shepherd who can relieve the sheep of these anxieties. And when one sheep is disturbed, they all are. We increasingly live in a world of fear, uncertainty, and anxiety. We can either live in a state of constant anxiety and worry, or we can trust in our Good Shepherd. The older I get, the more confident I am that in all circumstances, He is in control. Paul writes in 2 Timothy, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but one of power, love, and sound judgment” (1:7). David wrote this at the end Psalm 4, after writing about his distress. “I will both lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, Lord, make me live in safety.”

“He leads me beside still waters.”

It is up to the shepherd to lead the sheep to clean, fresh water. When sheep get thirsty, they will drink from whatever water source is nearby. If they are not led to fresh water, they will drink from polluted water where they can pick up internal parasites. We are just like those sheep. If we are not following Jesus, we will fill our minds with polluted ideas that will destroy us. Jesus, our Good Shepherd, said “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled” (Matthew 5:6). We also read, “…Jesus stood up and cried out, ‘If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.The one who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, will have streams of living water flow from deep within him’” (John 7:37-38)

We need to be spending time daily with Him in the Word and in prayer. It is this way that we see that it is He who truly satisfies us. When we go through trials and difficulties, we know that He is with us and we turn to Him first. We don’t want to be like the Israelites that Jeremiah writes about before their exile- “For my people have committed a double evil: They have abandoned me, the fountain of living water, and dug cisterns for themselves—cracked cisterns that cannot hold water” (2:13).

“He restores my soul.”

There will be times of difficulties. Yes, we are in the Good Shepherd’s care, but we will still face trials and tribulations in this life. David was well aware of this as he went through the many trials of his life, some of his own making, many that were not. In Psalm 42:5 he writes, “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise Him, my salvation and my God.” There is a parallel here to caring for sheep. In Keller’s book, he says that a cast or cast down sheep is an Old English sheepherder’s term for a sheep that has turned over on its back and cannot get up again by itself. If the shepherd does not get to the sheep on time, it will die. A careful shepherd will count as sheep every day, to make sure they are all up on their feet.

What happens when a sheep is cast? Gases begin to build up in their stomach. As the stomach expands, it cuts off blood circulation to the extremities, especially the legs. If it’s hot, a cast sheep can die in a couple of hours. If it is cloudy and rainy, it may survive for a couple of days. Keller describes reaching a cast ewe and rolling her over on her side to relieve the gases from her stomach. Then he would lift her on her feet, rubbing her legs to restore circulation, all the while talking to her gently.

Think again about the parallels. Jesus is our Good Shepherd. We often think that when we sin, that God becomes angry with us, or will turn His back on us. But let us look at Luke 15:3-7. “So He told them this parable: “What man among you, who has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open field and go after the lost one until he finds it? When he has found it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders, and coming home, he calls his friends and neighbors together, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my lost sheep!’ I tell you, in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who don’t need repentance.”

It takes on new meaning when we understand what David was writing when he said, “He restores my soul!”

“He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.”

Sheep, like people, are creatures of habit. They will graze in the same pastures until there is nothing left. It is up to the shepherd to move them from place to place to prevent overgrazing, rutting of trails, and erosion. The owner of the flock’s name and reputation depend on how effectively he moves the sheep to fresh new grazing lands.

Just like sheep, we prefer doing things our own way, even when it gets us into trouble. Remember, it’s no accident that we are called sheep! Isaiah 53:6 says, “All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned- everyone- to his own way…” We blindly follow each other until before we know it, we are calling wrong, right and what God calls good, bad!

We need to get back to His leading. What are paths of righteousness? The biblical word here for righteousness means to adhere to moral standards like honesty, justice, and uprightness. How do we do this? By reading God’s Word and by the help of the Holy Spirit. Psalm 19:7 says, “The instruction of the Lord is perfect, renewing one’s life; the testimony of the Lord is trustworthy, making the inexperienced wise” Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path.” Psalm 16:11 “You reveal the path of life to me;
in your presence is abundant joy; at your right hand are eternal pleasures.” Proverbs 12:28 “There is life in the path of righteousness, and in its path there is no death.” I think we get the picture!

I was curious, and I looked up verses with “His name’s sake” in my Bible. In ancient Israel, one’s name was inseparably linked with his reputation and standing. In Psalm 106, The Psalmist declares that God saved the Israelites out of Egypt for His name’s sake, to make His power known. In Psalm 25, David pleads with God to forgive his sin. He writes, “For Your name’s sake, O Lord, pardon my guilt, for it is great” (v. 11). In Psalm 31, David writes that God is His rock and His fortress. He writes, “You lead and guide me for Your name’s sake.” And one more Psalm of David, Psalm 109:21. After asking God to deal with his accusers, he says, “But you, O God my Lord, deal on my behalf for Your name’s sake; because Your steadfast love is good, deliver me!” These are just a few of the examples I found. God cannot go against His nature. God is holy. He is just. He is gracious and His grace includes His goodness, kindness, mercy, and love. Gotquestions.org puts it this way. “As our life guide, the Lord assures us of faultless leading in straight paths. He is the ultimate companion for our journey. Like a professional travel guide, He stakes his name and reputation to guarantee our protection and safe arrival at the promised destination.”

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me…”

Notice here, how personal the Psalmist gets. Up until now, it’s been in the third person. “He leads me…” “He restores my soul…” But now, through the difficult time, David turns to God and says, “I will fear no evil, for You are with me.” Isn’t that beautiful? It is when we go through our most difficult times that God becomes so real to us. Keller makes this analogy with the sheep. To get to the high grounds, where the good summer grazing is, the sheep have to go down into the valley first. Now, in the valley, there are dangers, rivers, floods, rockslides, predators, and storms, but the shepherd is there to guide and protect them. “Even though I walk through…” We don’t stop there. We are on our way to higher ground. We don’t have to fear evil because our Good Shepherd is with us. We will go through trials. It is how we grow. But here is a beautiful thing. When we go through these trials and we get to the other side, We can look back and see how our Shepherd’s hand guided us and sustained us through. And our faith grows. In addition we are then able to provide comfort to others in the same situation. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).

“Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”

What are the rod and staff?

Let’s first look at the rod. A shepherd’s rod is a short, club-like wooden tool used by shepherds to defend the sheep from predators, count the flock, and inspect the animals. Keller writes this about the rod. “The rod was, in fact, an extension of the owner’s right arm. It stood as a symbol of his strength, his power, his authority in any serious situation. The rod was what he relied on to safeguard both himself and his flock in danger. And it was furthermore the instrument he used to discipline and correct any wayward sheep that insisted on wandering away.” What does God use in this way? His word! We read in Ephesians 6 that we are to take on the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit, which is the Word of God. And in Hebrews 4:12, we read, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

We have the Word of God to read for clarity to know what He has said. The world might be confusing and chaotic, but “Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”

The rod is also used to examine the sheep. As the sheep come through the gate, the shepherd stops each sheep, parts the fleece with his rod, and examines the sheep to make sure that all is well. Psalm 139: 23-24 says, “Search me, O God, and know my heart!  Try me and know my thoughts!And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!^”

And lastly, the rod is used to protect the sheep. When we stay in the Word, we stay on the correct path and we avoid the snares of the evil one.

The staff is a long slender stick with a crook in one end. This is symbolic of the Holy Spirit. One way the staff is used is to draw sheep together into a group. It is used to catch individual sheep. In the same way the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, draws people into warm fellowship together. The staff can be used to guide his sheep along the correct path and in the way it should go. It’s easy to see the parallel of the Holy Spirit here!

“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.”

Some commentators feel that David changes his analogy here from one of a shepherd to that of a king. But if you are familiar with shepherding, this verse makes sense. After you have taken the sheep through the valleys, you would then reach the summer feeding grounds high in the mountains. The flat tops of mountains are often referred to as tables. A good shepherd goes in advance to prepare this area. He will decide where his camps should be located. He distributes salt and minerals over the range for the benefit of his sheep during the summer. He will look for poisonous plants and plan his grazing to avoid them, or he will get rid of them. He is preparing a table…

Another job of the shepherd once the sheep are there is to keep an eye out for predators. They may be hiding up in the rocks just waiting for one of the sheep to wander off. The application here is that we need to keep close to Christ, our Good Shepherd. It is when we wander away from Him that the enemy can attack. Satan is described in Peter as a roaring lion. We need to stay rooted in God’s Word. We need to be in prayer. We need to be part of a body of believers. We need to stay near Him where He can protect us.

Does this mean that we will never have any problems once we reach a certain place in our Christian walk? Of course not. But Jesus has gone before us to prepare the way. He has experienced temptation. He has known sufferings. He has experienced sorrows. He can fully understand anything we go through. “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15).

“You anoint my head with oil…”

Again, most commentaries will write that David has switched analogies and is referring to God as his king. And this is certainly possible, if you remember what I said about it being a common metaphor in the ancient near east for a king to compare himself to a shepherd. And indeed, there are many examples of kings and prophets being anointed with oil in the Bible, but did you know that oil is also applied to sheep? Sheep can get trapped in briars and can die trying to get untangled. They are also prone to flies that lay eggs in their nostrils, which then hatch from larva and then work their way up into the sheep’s head. There they burrow into the flesh where they can cause severe irritation. It can get so bad that the sheep will beat their heads against rocks, trees and posts. They will rub their heads against the ground. Advanced stages of these infestations can lead to blindness. But the shepherd can prevent this by applying oil to their heads. It is a special formula which is smeared over the sheep’s nose and head to provide protection from these pests.

I’m sure that you are already seeing the parallel in our lives. How many times have worries entered your mind that you can’t stop thinking about? How many times do we let people irritate us and rob us of our joy? We need to ask for the daily anointing of God’s Spirit. His oil protects us. It allows us to fix our eyes on him.

Keller gives another reason for oil. He says that summertime is not only the worst time for flies, but there is also something called scab. It is a microscopic parasite that is passed by direct contact between infected and non-infected animals. Sheep love to rub their heads together, and when this happens, it spreads. In the Old Testament, sacrificial lambs had to be without blemish, which meant they had to be free of this disease. Scab quite literally represented sin and evil. The only antidote today is a dip in linseed oil, sulfur, and other chemicals. In ancient days, it was olive oil mixed with sulfur and spices. Again let’s look at how that applies to us. Much sin enters through our minds. We share it with each other through talking, social media, and television. If you think about how quickly some of the very worst ideas that have gained traction over the past few years, it’s very scary! The more our technology advances the more quickly these bad ideas can spread. I listen to the Breakpoint podcast every morning. John Stonestreet is the host. He often says, “Ideas have consequences. Bad ideas have victims.” We are seeing that increasingly today. What is the antidote? We invite the Holy Spirit to come in and teach us what is true. Jesus told His disciples that He would send a counselor, the Holy Spirit, to be with us forever. “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. You know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you” (John 14:16-17). And we know that when we have the Holy Spirit, we will bear fruit. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The law is not against such things” (Galatians 5:22-23)

“My cup overflows.”

If we are living this way, demonstrating the fruit of the Spirit, we will be able to truly say “my cup overflows”, even when we are going through difficult times in life.

After the sheep make it through the summer, with both the wonderful grazing land, and the difficult and annoying nose flies and scab, the shepherd will turn back toward home for the winter. Autumn can be the best time for sheep. The days are warm, the nights are cool. There is relief from the flies and scab. The sheep are strong and healthy. But, as we Wyomingites know, blizzards can still blow in. The flock and the shepherd can go through much suffering together. Keller writes, “It is here that I grasp another aspect altogether of the meaning of the cup that overflows. There is in every life a cup of suffering. Jesus Christ referred to His agony in the Garden of Gethsemane and at Calvary as His cup. And had it not overflowed with His life poured out for men, we would have perished.”

Because Jesus drank from the cup of suffering in our place, when we accept Him as our Savior, our cups overflow with redemption and restoration.

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life…”

We have followed the life of a sheep through this Psalm. A sheep who is under the care of a good shepherd will say, “Surely goodness and mercy follow me all of the days of my life.” No matter what happens, the sheep knows that his shepherd cares about him. Goodness and mercy are what he expects to receive from his master. What about us? Do we feel this way about Christ, our Good Shepherd? It’s easy to believe that we are being followed by goodness and mercy when things are going well. But what about the difficult times?

Do we trust him when we lose our 16-year-old niece to a drunk driver? Yes, that one is personal to me, and yes, we know that God’s goodness and mercy followed us. What about when our health fails? Joni Eareckson Tada is an excellent example. She was paralyzed from the neck down as a teenager due to a diving accident and she is now in constant pain, but she has used her suffering for God’s glory for almost 60 years.

We need to trust that “…all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). In my niece’s case, many of her classmates accepted Christ at her memorial service because of her faithful witness. In Joni’s case, she has spent a lifetime advocating for people with disabilities and bringing them the hope of the Gospel. We may not understand why we are going through something, but we can trust in God’s goodness to us.

God’s goodness and mercy will follow us, but are you leaving goodness and mercy behind in your wake? When sheep are mismanaged, they can be very destructive. They can ravage the land. But, when they are managed well, they can be the most beneficial of livestock. In ancient literature, sheep were referred to as “those of the golden hooves” because their grazing and manure naturally restored and fertilized the land. Are we as Christians leaving the world a better place? Are we leaving goodness and mercy behind us? Jesus said this. “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

Our youngest son-who is now 29-had a best friend when he was in elementary and middle school. This friend was a pastor’s son. On a side note, Jackson is now a pastor himself, which makes me smile. I would drop Josh off at their house, and whenever the two of them would leave, Jackson’s mom would say to them, “Be a blessing!” Such good words! Are you a blessing to someone?

“And I shall dwell in the House of the Lord forever.”

We started with the bold declaration that “The Lord is my shepherd.” And we end with a bold declaration that “I shall dwell in the House of the Lord forever.” This isn’t just a promise of eternal life-although that is in here. This is “the here and now”. In the Hebrew, this phrase is translated “As for the length of my days.” But because of our Good Shepherd’s sacrifice, we will enjoy eternal life in His presence.

But let’s look at this from the sheep’s perspective, and the corresponding lesson for us. We have seen the shepherd care for his sheep as he feeds them, gets them safely to water, carefully watches them, takes them safely through the valley and up to the summer feeding grounds, and back down again. Now it is winter and the sheep are safely home. It is part of a well-cared for a flock under the care of a good shepherd. This is where it wants to be!

We are like those well-cared for sheep. We are under the care of our Good Shepherd. This is where we want to be! One of my favorite worship songs when I was in high school and college was based on this Psalm.

“Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!
For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand.” (Psalm 95:6-7).

I hope this deepens your understanding of this beautiful Psalm. I also hope you will memorize it and the next time you have a hard time falling asleep, instead of counting sheep, you can meditate on being a sheep, in the care of a Good Shepherd!

Grace be with you!