Psalm 23
by Charles Spurgeon
Verse 1.
"The Lord is my shepherd."
What condescension is this, that the
infinite Lord assumes towards his people the office and character of a
Shepherd! It should be the subject of grateful admiration that the great God
allows himself to be compared to anything which will set forth his great
love and care for his own people. David had himself been a keeper of sheep,
and understood both the needs of the sheep and the many cares of a shepherd.
He compares himself to a weak, defenseless, and foolish creature, and he
takes God to be his Provider, Preserver, Director, and, indeed, his
everything. No man has a right to consider himself the Lord's sheep unless
his nature has been renewed; for the scriptural description of unconverted
men does not picture them as sheep, but as wolves or goats. A sheep is an
object of property, not a wild animal; its owner sets great store by it, and
frequently it is bought with a great price. It is well to know, as certainly
David did, that we belong to the Lord. There is a noble tone of confidence
about this sentence. There is no "if" nor "but," nor even "I hope so;" but
he says, "The Lord is my shepherd." We must cultivate the spirit of assured
dependence upon our heavenly Father.
The sweetest word of the whole verse, is that
monosyllable, "My." He does not say, "The Lord is the shepherd of the world
at large, and leads forth the multitude as his flock," but "The Lord is
my shepherd;" if he be a Shepherd to no one else, he is a Shepherd to
me; he cares for me, watches over me, and preserves me. The words are in the
present tense. Whatever be the believer's position, he is even now under the
pastoral care of Jehovah.
The next words are a sort of inference from the first
statement—they are weighty and positive— "I
shall not lack."
I might lack otherwise, but when the Lord is my
Shepherd he is able to supply my needs, and he is certainly
willing to do so--for his heart is full of love, and therefore "I shall
not lack." I shall not lack for TEMPORAL things. Does he not feed the
ravens, and cause the lilies to grow? How, then, can he leave his children
to starve? I shall not lack my SPIRITUAL needs, I know that his grace will
be sufficient for me. Resting in him he will say to me, "As your day so
shall your strength be." I may not possess all that I wish for, but I shall
not lack any truly good thing. Others, far wealthier and wiser than I, may
lack, but "I shall not." "The young lions lack, and suffer hunger, but those
who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing." It is not only "I do not
lack," but "I shall not lack." Come what may, if famine should
devastate the land, or calamity destroy the city, "I shall not lack." Old
age with its feebleness shall not bring me any lack, and even death with its
gloom shall not find me destitute. I have all things and abound; not because
I have a good store of money in the bank, not because I have skill and wit
with which to earn my bread, but because "The Lord is my shepherd." The
wicked always lack, but the righteous never. A lost sinner's heart is far
from satisfaction, but a gracious spirit dwells in the palace of
contentment.
Verse 2.
"He makes me to lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside the still
waters."
The Christian life has two elements in it, the
contemplative and the active, and both of these are richly provided for.
First, the CONTEMPLATIVE. "He makes me to lie down in green pastures." What
are these "green pastures" but the Scriptures of truth—always fresh, always
rich, and never exhausted? There is no fear of biting the bare ground--where
the grass is long enough for the flock to lie down in it. Sweet and
full are the doctrines of the gospel; fit food for souls, as tender grass is
natural nutriment for sheep. When by faith we are enabled to find rest in
the promises, we are like the sheep that lie down in the midst of the
pasture; we find at the same moment both provisions and peace, rest and
refreshment, serenity and satisfaction.
But observe, "He makes me to lie down." It is the
Lord who graciously enables us to perceive the preciousness of his truth,
and to feed upon it. How grateful ought we to be for the power to
appropriate the promises! There are some distracted souls who would give
worlds if they could but do this. They know the blessedness of it, but they
cannot say that this blessedness is theirs. They know the "green pastures,"
but they are not made to "lie down" in them. Those believers who have for
years enjoyed a "full assurance of faith" should greatly bless their
gracious God.
The second part of a vigorous Christian's life consists
in GRACIOUS ACTIVITY. We not only think, but we act. We are not always lying
down to feed, but are journeying onward toward perfection; hence we read,
"he leads me beside the still waters." What are these "still waters" but the
influences and graces of his blessed Spirit? His Spirit attends us in
various operations, like waters—in the plural—to cleanse, to refresh, to
fertilize, to cherish. They are "still waters," for the Holy Spirit loves
peace, and sounds no 'trumpet of ostentation' in his operations. He may flow
into our soul, but not into our neighbor's; and therefore our
neighbor may not perceive the divine presence; and though the blessed Spirit
may be pouring his floods into one heart, yet he who sits next to the
favored one may know nothing of it.
Still waters run deep. Nothing more noisy than an empty drum. That silence
is golden indeed, in which the Holy Spirit meets with the souls of his
saints. Not to raging waves of strife, but to peaceful streams of holy love
does the Spirit of God conduct the chosen sheep. He is a dove, not an eagle.
He is the dew, not the hurricane. Our Lord leads us beside these "still
waters"--we could not go there of ourselves, we need his guidance, therefore
it is said, "he leads me." He does not drive us. Moses drives us by
the law, but Jesus leads us by his example, and the gentle drawing of his
love.
Verse 3.
"He restores my soul."
When the soul grows sorrowful, our Shepherd
revives it. When the soul is sinful, he sanctifies it. When the soul
is weak, he strengthens it. "He" does it. His ministers could not do
it--if our Shepherd did not. His Word would not avail by itself. "He
restores my soul." Are any of us low in grace? Do we feel that our
spirituality is at its lowest ebb? He who turns the ebb into the flood can
soon restore our soul. Pray to him, then, for the blessing—"Restore me, O
Shepherd of my soul!"
"He leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name's
sake."
The Christian delights to be obedient, but it is the
obedience of love, to which he is constrained by the example of his Master.
"He leads me." The Christian is not obedient to some commandments and
neglectful of others. He does not pick and choose--but yields to all.
Observe, that the plural is used—"the paths of righteousness."
Whatever God may give us to do--we would do it, led by his love. Some
Christians overlook the blessing of sanctification, and yet to a thoroughly
renewed heart this is one of the sweetest gifts of the covenant. If we could
be saved from wrath, and yet remain impenitent sinners--we would not be
saved as we desire. For we mainly and chiefly pant to be saved from sin and
led in the way of holiness. All this is done out of pure free grace--"for
his name's sake." It is to the honor of our great Shepherd that we should be
a holy people, walking in the narrow way of righteousness. If we be so led
and guided we must not fail to adore our heavenly Shepherd's care.
Verse 4.
"Yes, 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 comfort me."
This unspeakably delightful verse has been
sung on many a dying bed, and has helped to make the dark valley bright.
Every word in it has a wealth of meaning. "Yes, though I walk," as if
the believer did not quicken his pace when he came to die, but still calmly
walked with God. To walk indicates the steady advance of a soul which knows
its road, knows its end, resolves to follow the path, feels quite safe, and
is therefore perfectly calm and composed. The dying saint is not in a
flurry, he does not run as though he were alarmed, nor stand still as though
he would go no further. He is not confounded nor ashamed, and therefore
keeps to his old pace. Observe that it is not walking in the valley,
but through the valley. We go through the dark tunnel of death and
emerge into the light of immortality! We do not die, we do but sleep--to
wake in glory! Death is not the house--but the porch! Death is not our final
resting place--but the passage to it.
The dying place is called a valley. The storm
breaks on the mountain, but the valley is the place of quietude, and thus
full often the last days of the Christian are the most peaceful of his whole
life. The mountain is bleak and bare, but the valley is rich with golden
sheaves, and many a saint has reaped more joy and knowledge when he came to
die, than he ever knew while he lived.
And, then, it is not "the valley of death," but "the
valley of the shadow of death," for death in its substance has been
removed, and only the shadow of it remains. Someone has said that when there
is a shadow there must be light somewhere, and so there is. Death stands by
the side of the highway in which we have to travel, and the light of heaven
shining upon him throws a shadow across our path; let us then rejoice that
there is a light beyond. Nobody is afraid of a shadow, for a shadow cannot
stop a man's pathway even for a moment. The shadow of a dog cannot bite; the
shadow of a sword cannot kill; the shadow of death cannot destroy us. Let us
not, therefore, be afraid.
"I will fear no evil." He does not say there shall not be
any evil; he had got beyond even that high assurance, and knew that Jesus
had put all evil away; but "I will fear no evil;" as if even his
fears, those shadows of evil, were gone for ever. The worst evils of life
are those which do not exist--except in our imagination. If we had no
troubles but real troubles, we would not have a tenth part of our present
sorrows. We feel a thousand deaths in fearing one, but the psalmist
was cured of the disease of fearing. "I will fear no evil," not even the
Evil One himself! I will not dread the last enemy--death! I will look upon
him as a conquered foe, an enemy to be destroyed.
"For you are with me." This is the joy of the Christian!
"You are with me." The little child out at sea in the storm is not
frightened like all the other passengers on board the vessel, it sleeps in
its mother's bosom; it is enough for it that its mother is with it. And it
should be enough for the believer to know that Christ is with him. "You are
with me! I have, in having you, all that I can need and desire. I have
perfect comfort and absolute security--for you are with me!"
"Your rod and your staff," by which you govern and rule
your flock, the emblems of your sovereignty and of your gracious care—"they
comfort me." I will believe that you reign still. The rod of Jesse shall
still be over me as the sovereign support of my soul.
Many people profess to receive much comfort from the hope
that they shall not die. Certainly there will be some who will be "alive and
remain" at the coming of the Lord. But is there so very much of advantage in
such an 'escape from death' as to make it the object of Christian desire? A
wise man might prefer of the two--to die; for those who shall not die, but
who "shall be caught up together with the Lord in the air," will be losers
rather than gainers. They will lose that actual fellowship with Christ in
the tomb which dying saints will have, and we are expressly told that they
shall have no preference beyond those who are asleep. Let us be of Paul's
mind when he said that "To die is gain," and think of "departing to be with
Christ, which is far better." This twenty-third psalm is not worn out--it is
as sweet in a believer's ear now as it was in David's time, let
novelty-hunters say what they will.
Verse 5.
"You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies."
The godly man has his enemies. He would not
be like his Lord if he had not. If we were without enemies we might fear
that we were not the friends of God, for the friendship of the world is
enmity to God. Yet see the quietude of the godly man in spite of, and in the
sight of, his enemies. How refreshing is his calm bravery! "You prepare a
table before me." When a soldier is in the presence of his enemies, if he
eats at all--he snatches a hasty meal, and away he hastens to the fight. But
observe, "You prepare a table," just as a servant does when she unfolds the
fancy tablecloth and displays the ornaments of the feast on a festive
occasion. Nothing is hurried, there is no confusion, no disturbance, the
enemy is at the door, and yet God prepares a table, and the Christian sits
down and eats as if everything were in perfect peace. Oh! the peace which
Jehovah gives to his people, even in the midst of the most trying
circumstances!
"Let earth be all in arms abroad,
They dwell in perfect peace."
"You anoint my head with OIL."
May we live in the daily enjoyment of this blessing, receiving a fresh
anointing for every day's duties. Every Christian is a priest, but he cannot
execute the priestly office without unction, and hence we must go day by day
to God the Holy Spirit, that we may have our heads anointed with oil. A
priest without the anointing oil misses the chief qualification for his
office; and the Christian priest lacks his chief fitness for service when he
is devoid of new grace from on high.
"My cup runs over."
He had not only enough--a cup full; but more
than enough--a cup which overflowed. A poor believer may say this as well as
those in richer circumstances. "What, all this--and Jesus Christ too!" said
a poor cottager as she broke a piece of bread and filled a glass with cold
water. Whereas a man may be ever so wealthy, but if he is discontented--his
cup cannot run over--it is cracked and leaks. 'Contentment' is the
philosopher's magic stone--which turns all it touches into gold! Happy is he
who has found it. Contentment is more than a kingdom--it is another word for
happiness!
Verse 6.
"Surely goodness and mercy shall
follow me all the days of my life."
This is a fact as indisputable as it is
encouraging; and therefore a heavenly "surely" is set as a seal upon it.
This sentence may be read, "only goodness and mercy," for there shall
be unmingled mercy in our life history. These twin guardian angels--goodness
and mercy--will always be with me at my back and my beck. Just as when great
princes go abroad they must not go unattended, so it is with the believer.
Goodness and mercy follow him always—"all the days of his life"—the black
days as well as the bright days; the days of fasting as well as the days of
feasting; the dreary days of winter as well as the bright days of summer.
GOODNESS supplies our needs; and MERCY blots out our sins!
"And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever."
"A servant abides not in the house for ever; but the son abides
forever." While I am here on this earth, I will be a child at home with my
God. The whole world shall be his house to me! And when I ascend into the
'upper chamber', I shall not change my company, nor even change the house; I
shall only go to dwell in the upper storey of the house of the Lord forever!
May God grant us grace to dwell in the serene atmosphere
of this most blessed Psalm!
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