This psalm is one of the most popular portions of Scripture, and David recalls his life as a shepherd during one of his trials and Jewish scholars believe he wrote this when he was a fugitive from King Saul and his army. He may have been hiding in a dry, desolate forest called “Yair Charet” or the “Forest of Hereth” (1 Sam 22.5). Yehovah did not forsake David and he wrote this song that would not only give himself comfort, but this psalm would be a comfort to untold millions through the ages who were poor, facing possible death in war, widows, orphans, prisoners, and anyone in distress. The psalm begins with “A Song of David” and we are going to look at this psalm through the eyes of a desert shepherd warrior. We will be using as a source and drawing out concepts and principles out of a book called, “A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23” by Phillip Keller, Zondervan Publishing House. We will highlight his thoughts on this psalm because he was a shepherd has some great insights, that will help us understand what David the shepherd was trying to say. We recommend that if you want a detailed look at this psalm through the eyes of a shepherd you purchase this book.
v 1…Yehovah is my shepherd (Keller says that David is going to speak as if he is one of the sheep in the care of Yehovah, the good shepherd. David knows that being under the care of Yehovah is to his advantage, and he doesn’t have the conflict other sheep do under Ha Satan’s “management.” Like many animals, sheep don’t take care of themselves so we need to ask ourselves, “Do I belong to the Lord? Do I recognize he has all rights over me and can tell me what to eat, where to go, how to worship?” David knows that Yehovah has given him safety and care and he is committed to him. Yeshua declared that he was the shepherd in this psalm in John 10.11. But, who is he exactly? We like to throw out concepts, but do we really know what we are talking about? Is he really the creator of all things, even the Torah, the Sabbath, the kosher laws, animal sacrifices, and true worship in the Temple? Is he really full of wisdom and right in all he does? Does he really care for his creation? Does he really control all things? David knew that the life of a flock of sheep totally depends on what kind of shepherd they have, what kind of person he really is. Some shepherds were caring and willing to defend his sheep. These sheep would be content and be healthy. On the other hand, some shepherds were just hired to do a job, a hireling, and were not going to put themselves out much for the sheep, especially if it got dangerous. The life of sheep totally depends on what kind of shepherd they have. If Yehovah is our shepherd, we should know who he is-Jer 9.23-24. He knew us before we were born – Eph 1.4, and he made provisions for our salvation before the world was. He wanted us under his care and David seems proud to say that Yehovah is his shepherd, he is almost bragging about it), I shall not want (Keller relates that David says this because the Lord is an expert at taking care of him and he does not need anything. He is not talking about physical or material needs only here. The welfare of the sheep depends on the skill and protection of the shepherd, and David knows he has a good one. Spiritually, whoever manages our lives makes all the difference. Ha Satan is a bad shepherd and his “flock” has many “wants” and “needs” and his sheep feeds on lies, distortions, false doctrine, and deception. You could say his pastures are deadly. As we look at David’s life, he had many physical “wants” when he was running from Saul, Absalom, the Philistines, and others. He was hungry, thirsty, no shelter, and tired. Believers are foolish to think that we will never have lack or needs. Physical prosperity is not necessarily a mark of God’s blessings-Rev 3.17. What David is saying here is referring to something else. David or the believer shall not be in need of expert care and management from Yehovah. But, on the other hand, a “hireling” shepherd can be deaf to the sheep under his care. They won’t be concerned about the welfare of their flock, and they will not take care of the pastureland either. He will not spend time with the sheep and just let them scrounge around for themselves to find food, a type of the truth of Scripture. Predators will hunt them down and robbers will steal them and abuse them. This flock will have poor pasture land, full of dead grass, weeds, and things that will harm them. In the winter, they will not have enough good feed to sustain them. Adequate shelters from the wind and the cold will be non-existent, and they will be seen shivering in the cold, tired, hungry, and cold. They will have polluted water to drink, with all the parasites that go along with that. The lack of salt and trace minerals will also cause them to be sick. This is because the bad shepherd just doesn’t care. These sheep will want green grass and good water, but won’t get it. If they are wounded, bruised, diseased, and full of parasites inside and out, they won’t get any help. Ha Satan laughs at the life of all those poor, sick, and uncared-for sheep all around us. We all know people who are rich and have the world at their disposal on the outside, but inside they are poor and without happiness. Conversely, we all know people who don’t have much of what this world has to offer but are of happy, and joyous. What David is talking about here is contentment and satisfaction. David is saying he is content with how the Lord manages him, and nothing is too hard for his shepherd when it comes to taking care of his flock. Yehovah will stop at nothing to manage his sheep correctly and provide them with good food, water, and healthy benefits. But, many believers are not content with God’s control. The story of the “Machloket” (controversy) of Korah is a major example of that. Keller says that ewe sheep that are not content with their state will try to break free and get out of a fence. She will even teach the younger lambs to do the same thing. To save the rest of the sheep, she will need to be removed like Korah was. She is like the person who is never satisfied and will never be able to say, “I shall not want.” Contentment is the sign of a person who has put all their trust into the hands of Yehovah and is satisfied with the way he is being led and managed -1 Pet 5.7).
v 2…He makes me lie down in green pastures (this is very significant; Keller says there are four things that a sheep needs in order to lie down. They must be unafraid, no contention with other sheep, not bothered by insects or parasites, and they must not be hungry. This is also true with people. A person who is full of fear cannot rest and this fear will control them day and night. It will come with unseen events, tensions between others and irritations, and they must have their needs met), He leads me beside quiet waters ( the word for quiet is the Hebrew “Menuchah” and it means a tranquil rest, a matrimonial rest -Isa 11.10. A good shepherd knows where the best water is, and where the turbulent water is. Water is life to a flock of sheep, but getting “quiet” waters is not easy. Watering places can be made and the sheep can be led down to where these waters are. The shepherd may need to use his hands to help water his thirsty flock. Water can also come down from the rain and settle on the grass. Many don’t know this, but sheep can go for a long time without drinking, especially if the weather is not too hot. Water can also come from ponds and streams and it is important for the shepherd to know where the good watering places are. Spiritually, water is a type of the Word of God in the Scriptures-Eph 5.26, and the people who drink in the Tanak, Gospels, and Epistles every day are more likely to be more balanced and able to handle the pressures of the day-Isa 8.20. But many believers don’t do that. They try to quench their thirst with money, jobs, family, and entertainment. But after all that is over they are still thirsty. People turn to drugs because it is easy, but the deep wells of God are hard to dig and it takes time. We may go through afflictions by the leading of God, but even those times are for our own benefit. But people don’t want to be led of God, they want to stop and drink from filthy pools of water instead of the clean waters of the Word of God).
v 3…He restores my soul; he leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake (on his behalf, on account of what he has said; remember, David is speaking like a sheep who is in the care of a good shepherd, but even David or sheep can be depressed and feeling “down”-Psa 42.11. Hope in Jewish thought is not like it is understood by many. It is not a “wish.” It is a “sure thing” based on God’s word; Keller says a “cast down” sheep is when a sheep turns over on his back and they can’t get back on their feet. They will just lie there and try to get up, but can’t. If the shepherd does not come along and get that sheep back on their feet they will die. So when the shepherd counts his sheep and one is missing, he must get out there to find it because it is in trouble and may be “cast down.” So, how does this happen? If a shepherd has fat sheep or one with a long fleece, it will lie down in a groove to relax, but the body shifts and then settles in. Their feet can’t touch the ground and they will panic and this only makes things worse. They will lie there, feet up in the air and the gases in their bellies begin to take over. It expands and blood circulation is cut off to the legs. If they are not put back on their feet, within hours or days, depending on the weather, they will be dead. This is the story behind the parable of the good shepherd who goes out to find one of his missing sheep in Matt 18.12-14. Yehovah is like that shepherd who goes out to find one who is missing. He wants us to stand up on our own two feet. He has compassion for his people who are “cast down” emotionally or physically and he wants to restore us like he did with David. We tend to be like sheep and we want to find a nice, comfortable spot to lie down. But when we do that we could be heading for trouble, because we don’t want to go out on a limb and be uncomfortable for the things of God and the Torah. We don’t want to stand up for the Torah, or the Sabbath, that is too hard. And just when we think we have reached success and acceptance in the world, that is when we are in the most danger. Sheep can be cast down because they have too much wool. This symbolizes the person who has accumulated much in this world, but these possessions can weigh us down, too. Sheep can be overweight and become cast down. They are eating a rich diet and this is not healthy. This must be corrected or it could lead to disaster. Spiritually, Rev 3.17 addresses this and it says that riches can be a sign that we are in danger. Worldly possessions and wealth is not a sign that you are spiritually well off. Just like a shepherd who must cut off the wool of his sheep, or put his sheep on a diet, Yehovah may do the same with us. At the time it may seem terrible but it can keep us from being a cast down sheep. Yehovah will lead us in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Sheep are like people and are creatures who can get into “ruts” by doing the same thing over and over. Pastureland can be over-grazed and become ruined. In the 1800’s, the cattle people did not like the sheep people because the flocks would come in and ruin the pastures and follow the same paths until it was nothing but ruts. Sheep cannot take care of themselves. They need to be managed and given direction. If you leave them alone there will be nothing but disaster. If an owner just buys sheep and leaves them alone, there will be trouble. Trails will become valleys and erosion on the hills can cause a whole field to be useless. All this happens because the sheep were left to themselves. They will eat the grass until the roots are gone, and this causes the land to be nothing but dirt. David knew all of this and he kept his sheep moving. He would take them from place to place so that the land was not overgrazed. This will also keep the trails from turning to deep ruts. Spiritually, we go on our path through life and do things over and over again, and we get into “ruts.” We end up like the sheep who go over the same ground and trails and we end up on barren land. On the other hand, Yeshua wants us to follow his leading and he will lead us on the paths of righteousness, which is the Torah. The early believers in the Gospels, Acts, and the Epistles were Jewish and they were Torah observant, and the sect was called “The Way” or “Ha Derek.” This path is only for those who are not stubborn, arrogant, or selfish. Those attributes lead to destruction, not righteousness. Yeshua wants us to follow him, so let him lead. He wants us to walk with him. Being one who is not a follower and insisting on his way only has no place in the Kingdom of God. David said in Psa 19.8, “The Torah of Yehovah is perfect, it restores the soul”).
v 4…Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil (harm), for thou art with me (Keller says Psa 23.1-3 has David, or the sheep, boasting about his shepherd. Psa 23.4-6 has David, or the sheep, talking directly to his shepherd. This is one of the most quoted verses in the Bible. This describes a place of danger and David may have had his experiences in the desert in mind. But David was a shepherd and this also carries the meaning of a shepherd taking his sheep to the mountain grazing areas, but he must pass through some valleys to get there. These mountain pastures are very rich. The trip to these mountain grazing areas goes through these valleys and they very dangerous because there are predators hiding in the rocks and crevices. Sudden rain and snow storms can also come out of nowhere that can send a lot of water through these valleys, causing floods, mudslides, and avalanches. These all can cause trouble for the flock. If a sudden snow storm comes up, the sheep can get wet and with the freezing temperatures, it can kill them. But a good shepherd is prepared for all this and will use his skills to protect his flock. So the sheep respond, “I will fear no harm because you (the shepherd) are with me.” Spiritually, we will all go through valleys but we must remember that our shepherd is with us and taking us to higher ground to a rich feeding ground and good water. Believers want the mountain top experiences but they do not want to go through the valleys. But you can’t get to the higher places without the valleys. Yeshua said he would be with us and never turn and leave us alone, that would be a bad shepherd, so we should fear no harm as well. Our past experiences with Yehovah should give us confidence, the meaning of faith, and we can go into the dark valleys in our lives without fear. When the other sheep see our confidence, it should encourage them also); thy rod and thy staff they comfort me (A shepherd in the field carries very little equipment. In ancient times they carried a rod and a staff, like Moses did. A rod is a short “club” that is made out of a very hard wood. He will learn how to throw it at a high rate of speed and be very accurate. It can also be used in discipline. They will throw it a sheep who is misbehaving or wandering away. They may be getting close to a cliff or rushing water. The “rod” is also used to examine and count the sheep. This is called “coming under the rod” in Ezek 20.37. It will push wool to the side to examine wounds or other problems. It was always good to examine his sheep. The Torah is a “rod” and Yehovah uses the Torah to examine us-Psa 139.23-24. We won’t be able to “pull the wool over the eyes of the Lord.” Another way the rod is used is for protection. The shepherd must protect himself and his sheep from predators, or pushing brush aside to look for snakes or other “critters.” The rod will never leave the hand of a good shepherd. Now we come to the staff. It is the main symbol of a shepherd, as we have all seen. No other job uses a shepherd’s staff. It is a symbol of authority, discipline, and defense. A staff also speaks of salvation, rescue, and comfort because it is long and slender, with a “hook” on the end. The shepherd will carefully pick it out, shape I,t and cut it to fit his needs. If the rod speaks of the Torah, the staff speaks of the Prophets under the inspiration of the Ruach Ha Kodesh. He consoles, comforts, and shows us his correction. A staff can be used to gently lift a lamb and place it with its mother. He does not want to put his scent on the lamb or its mother may reject it. The shepherd can also use it to draw a sheep over to himself. He can use it to guide or simply lay it against the side of a sheep to let it know he is there. But the staff is also used to lift sheep out of the water, or to get them out of thorn bushes and other dangerous spots).
v 5…Thou dost prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; thou hast anointed my head with oil; my cup overflows” (So, Keller breaks down this verse piece by piece. In this verse, remember the sheep are coming to their summer pastures in the high country. The Spanish word “Mesa” means “table” and that is where they are going here. A “table” is a good pasturing area. The shepherd must go ahead of the sheep to “prepare the table” for his flock. He will put minerals in certain areas and will decide where they are going to camp so that they can have the best grass. He will check the area to see where the grass grows best and see if there are any poisonous weeds; and if there are, he will get rid of them. David was thinking about all of this when he wrote these words. The shepherd must also keep an eye on predators like bears, lions, coyotes, and snakes in the area. Many times while hiking in Colorado we have seen cougar tracks, coyotes, and other predators. When we are in the mountains, we know that somewhere up in the rocks these predators are watching us, especially if the dogs are with us. They are looking for any opportunity to attack. Sometimes shepherds will say that they will find wounded and mutilated sheep, but never saw a coyote or a cougar do it. The damage is done before the shepherd could react. Only an alert shepherd can head off an attack, knowing they are watching. This is a picture of Yeshua as our shepherd. He knows we are just flesh and we will put anything into our mouths, not knowing it is bad for us, so he will remove these things from us. He also knows every trick of the Devil, who is a lion seeking to attack us. Many believers don’t take this roaring lion seriously enough, but the evidence of his attacks are everywhere. That is why we should stay close to our shepherd at all times by prayer, observing the Torah and study. A good shepherd will also clean out the water sources of debris before they can drink. In all things, the shepherd goes ahead to take care of anything that might harm his sheep before they even get to the good pasture. Spiritually, Yeshua has gone ahead of us to prepare every situation we come to for our benefit. He knows us and he knows what we need, and for the most part, we will never really know everything he has done for us. But what we can do is rest and have confidence in him and realize that his very presence is for our own benefit. Ha Satan is a predator and he will overtake us. Our lives have mountains, obstacles and deep valleys to go through, or over, and not everything is going to be peaceful. The predator can still attack, or we will eat poisonous doctrine from false teachers who are likened to wolves. Massive storms will afflict us, but we must remember that our shepherd is still there. To “anoint” the head of sheep is a practice that goes back centuries. In the summer, there will be flies. When watching programs about an Alaskan summer, you will see the people and animals being attacked by flies and everyone is swatting them away. The people even wear headgear with nets and the people are constantly swatting these bugs away. They can cause much affliction among the flock who cannot take such precautions. It can cause sheep to be very disquieted and if not dealt with, they will be in distress. The nose fly will come around the head and they can get into the nose. If eggs are hatched in the nasal membrane the worms can burrow into the flesh causing swelling and irritation. The sheep will try to get relief and beat their heads on rocks, trees, and the dirt. They could also kill themselves in a rush to get relief. They will panic and run. But a good shepherd knows what to do. Keller says they will take linseed oil, sulphur and tar and smear it around the head and nose. Once this is done, the sheep cease being distressed, and their frustration level drops. But this needs to be done over and over again in order to get relief. As a flock, this can take a lot of time but the shepherd knows they are being helped and their demeanor will change to being less stressed. Spiritually, the name “Baal Zebub” means “lord of the flies” and is a term for Ha Satan; when the “flies” in this life begin to bother us, the Ruach Ha Kodesh will bring us relief. We need to have our head anointed with the oil of contentment and quietness daily. People and circumstances can annoy us to the point we become agitated, but Yehovah will be there to help us. We all get irritable and our flesh can flare up, but our shepherd will bring us relief. Another problem sheep have is scabs. It is a disease that is common with sheep. Tiny microscopic parasites will infect the sheep and this can be passed on to the others. Sheep rub their heads together to be friendly, but that is how the infection spreads. When a sheep that was designated as a korban, a sacrifice in the Temple, came, it was to be without spot or blemish, which included not having scabs. To control this, linseed oil, suphur, and other ingredients was used, and David may have used olive oil mixed with other spices to deal with this in his sheep. Spiritually, we can have a “scab” which is false doctrines practices, and ideas. We have contact with others to be friendly (rub our heads together) and these false ideas can spread even to one who has healthy doctrine, causing much damage in the flock of God. False teachings can shape our thoughts and desires and we can become contaminated by contact with others. But, we need to avoid such people. We need to fellowship with people who believe in Yeshua and want to follow the Torah as much as we can. By doing this, we will not be contaminated with the ideas of the world, false doctrine and Replacement Theology. Keller says the summer is also the time for reproduction, and great battles can happen between the rams over the females. They will “butt heads” and hit each other with tremendous force, causing a horrible sound. The shepherd will smear grease on the heads of the rams so that when they hit each other, their heads will just glide off each other. In the faith, people are like that. We will “butt heads” over doctrine and other emotional issues causing much damage. That is when we need the Ruach to come in and change us. We need to see how vain all this is and to be content with whatever comes our way. Yes, we must inform others about the Torah and the Messiah, but our job is not to convince them. If they don’t listen, we don’t need to take it personally. Give them to Yehovah. Yeshua said in Matt 15.14, “Leave them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit.” Eventually, summertime ends and it starts to get colder, which means the weather is changing, and snow and blizzards are coming. These storms can come up suddenly also. We have experienced this in the mountains of Colorado several times. You are driving along and all of a sudden you are in the middle of a major snowstorm. We even got a flat tire one time in the middle of a blizzard. When we left it was fine. Once through the blizzard, it was sunny again. A shepherd and his sheep will go through this cold weather together. Keller says a shepherd will carry with him a mixture of wine or brandy, with some water. Whenever the sheep, especially a lamb, gets cold they would pour a little down their throats. Immediately, the lambs would become energized again. But in order to do this, the shepherd had to be in the weather with them. David shared his wine with his sheep and was aware of any change in the weather or coming storms in the life of his flock. Yeshua shared the wine of his blood with us, and we became born again and energized. He is like the Good Samaritan who poured in the “oil and the wine” to help us heal (Luke 10.34).
v 6…Surely, goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever (All of the care we have briefly talked about is summed up in this verse. Keller relates that David knows that whatever has happened to him, or will happen, goodness and mercy will follow. That is the advantage of having Yehovah as his shepherd. Do we feel this way about our shepherd? How do we react when life takes a turn we didn’t see coming? Do we really believe Yehovah is in control? As the good shepherd, he does not give up on us, so goodness and mercy will also follow us. Keller says that sheep who are mismanaged can ruin good pasture land, but if they are managed correctly these sheep can be a great advantage to these fields. Sheep manure is very balanced and when scattered can be very healthy for a field. Anciently, sheep were called “golden” because they were a benefit for the fields. Their manure was healthy because they often ate other plants, not just grass. They would rest on the high places and this caused those areas to prosper as well. Spiritually, what we leave behind should be a blessing to others, too. Do we leave behind the truth or false doctrine? Nobody is going to live a perfect life, and we all experience bad things that we probably caused, but we also can “deposit” the things that can prosper the land also. We learn that David is so satisfied with his shepherd that he does not want anything to change. Yehovah loves his flock and his flock loves him back. They do not want to be separated from each other. The word “house” in this verse has a deeper meaning. The first word in the Torah is “B’reshit” and the first letter of that word is written with an enlarged “Beit” which means “house.” At creation, God was not only creating a physical universe, but he was creating and building a “house.” David had a good life and was satisfied with his shepherd and he wanted to be in that “house” forever. What David is talking about is the “home” ranch where the shepherd lives. Remember, David is writing this psalm from a sheep’s perspective. This psalm goes over a whole year in the life of the flock, and now he is back home again. Yehovah has taken the sheep from the good feeding grounds and waters of the home pastures, up through the valleys and passes to the high mountains for the summer, and where it is much cooler. As fall comes, the weather changes as we all know and the sheep are led back down to the home ranch again for the winter. They have come full circle and are safe. David seems to be boasting about the last year and how he has made it safely back to the home of his shepherd. He has been protected from all predators and life challenging situations because his shepherd is wise, skilled and knows what he is doing. That is all any sheep can ask. We should feel this way about our shepherd and boast about how great he is. We should tell others about all the situations we have been through unharmed because the shepherd has taken care of us. But, not everyone is part of this flock Many people are being managed by a heartless shepherd called Ha Satan. They are left alone to fend for themselves. They are left out in the cold, freezing with their backs to the wind because they have no shelter. They are neglected, hungry and sick. They are tormented by insects and cannot rest, hunted by wolves and other predators. They are sheep with little hope and they try to escape under the fences to get to better feeding grounds on the pasture of the good shepherd. When they do, they eat so much that they cannot even stand up and will lie down under a tree, but their digestive system can kill them because they are not used to such a rich diet. If the heartless shepherd finds them like that, he has been known to take a knife and slit their throats because he doesn’t care. They left the pasture and will do it again, so he just gets rid of them. This is what Ha Satan does. These sheep tried to get good feed on their own, but they did not belong in that pasture and didn’t know the good shepherd. The world is like a ranch where the shepherd doesn’t care for the sheep. Ha Satan is a heartless owner and he has impoverished sheep under his management. These sheep long for a better life but can’t escape. Yeshua is the door to the life David is talking about in John 10.9. He is the good shepherd and he cares for his sheep, unlike the heartless shepherd. Zech 11.17 says, “Woe to the worthless shepherd, who deserts the flock! May the sword strike his arm and his right eye! May his arm be completely withered, his right eye totally blinded!” There is a big difference between the sheep under the care of Yehovah in Jer 3.14-15 and the sheep under the mismanagement of the evil shepherd in Jer 23.2. The phrase, “house of the Lord” is also an idiom referring to the Kingdom of God and to the Olam Haba, or “the world to come.” The sheep of Yehovah know that they will dwell in the house of the Lord forever).