Psalm 23: The Lord is my Shepherd

[Brotherly Spirit]

This has been my go-to Psalm the last couple days. If you haven't read or sang one today, I recommend giving this one a try for the day. It's short and direct to the Lord, reminding us he's with us and that we'll be with him forever. A nice message for all of us.

Psalms 23
"1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters

3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil;
for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.

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."

 

[mark kennedy]

An old missionary came to our church years ago and had some insights on this. David when he was a sheppard had to prepare a place for those fleeing after someone was killed in a fight. The family had the right to pursue the individual assuming it was a straight up fight, there was no sanction for murder. If they could make it to a sanctuary city, one of the cities of the Levites, they could stay protected until the High Priest died. They had to get there first, if they could put their hands on the steaks of the tent the sheppard had to provide both for the pursuers and the one fleeing. The next morning he got a head start but that night the sheppard prepared a place in the presence of his enemies.

 

[Brotherly Spirit]

An old missionary came to our church years ago and had some insights on this. David when he was a sheppard had to prepare a place for those fleeing after someone was killed in a fight. The family had the right to pursue the individual assuming it was a straight up fight, there was no sanction for murder. If they could make it to a sanctuary city, one of the cities of the Levites, they could stay protected until the High Priest died. They had to get there first, if they could put their hands on the steaks of the tent the sheppard had to provide both for the pursuers and the one fleeing. The next morning he got a head start but that night the sheppard prepared a place in the presence of his enemies.

Wow, I'll never think about verse 5 the same again. Not sure what I actually thought about it. If I'm understanding correctly, David was that shepherd who had prepared a place the night before and the next morning the one fleeing managed to get a head start? So while they're both, the one fleeing and the pursuers were there neither was allowed to harm the other (that's what the other parts of the verse are about?)

 

[mark kennedy]

Wow, I'll never think about verse 5 the same again. Not sure what I actually thought about it. If I'm understanding correctly, David was that shepherd who had prepared a place the night before and the next morning the one fleeing managed to get a head start? So while they're both, the one fleeing and the pursuers were there neither was allowed to harm the other (that's what the other parts of the verse are about?)

Right, in the Law if there was a fight and one person killed another, they were not prosecuted for murder. But the family had the right to take blood oaths to avenge the death of their kinsman. If they could reach the tent by nightfall he provided for both of them and they couldn't harm one another, the next morning the one fleeing got a head start. When he says, thou prepares a table in the presence of mine enemies, it was something he had done many times as a boy.

Oh and the rod, it wasn't there to protect the sheep exactly. Lambs were notorious for wandering off, when Jesus says you leave the rest of the sheep to find the one who wandered off, a shepard had to do it all the time. So the rod was to break the lambs leg, he would nurse him back to health and while he did the Lamb would get very close to him and never wander off again. Those pictures of Jesus carrying the little lamb was because the sheppard had broken his leg. When David says, my the limbs you have broken rejoice that's what he had in mind.

Then Jesus saying, the sheep know my voice. That missionary describes walking up to a watering hole and several herds were drinking there. He wondered how they would be separated. After they had drank they each walked off in different directions singing a little song, their sheep would follow their own sheppard, each trying to be closer then the others. When David says, mercy and goodness will follow me, I think this is the image he had in mind.

Grace and peace,
Mark