Welcome to the next part of our series, "The Good Shepherd."

Text: Psalm 23

(A psalm of David.)
The Lord is my shepherd;
    I have all that I need.
He lets me rest in green meadows;
    he leads me beside peaceful streams.
    He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths,
    bringing honor to his name.
Even when I walk
    through the darkest valley,
I will not be afraid,
    for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff
    protect and comfort me.
You prepare a feast for me
    in the presence of my enemies.
You honor me by anointing my head with oil.
    My cup overflows with blessings.
Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me
    all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the Lord
    forever.

The LORD is our Shepherd. WE CAN FOLLOW HIM.

Overall Commentary: 🌎

One of the most significant issues we have when reading the Old Testament is ethnocentrism. The definition of ethnocentrism is:

Evaluation of other cultures according to preconceptions originating in the standards and customs of one's own culture.

The purpose of this series is to show the fantastic explanation David gave in this Psalm for the close and authentic relationship God desires to have in our lives. As Theists, we believe that God not only created the Universe but wants to have an active role in our lives. Psalm 23 is a prime example of His involvement.

Because the LORD is our Shepherd, we can trust that HE KNOWS THE WAY.

What is a GUIDE?

While there are many definitions for this word, the best I have ever heard is the following:

A guide is a trusted leader who is able to bring others from one place to another safely.

This is great. It helps us realize that God is not just interested in watching the world spin. He is actively involved in our lives.

Sheep Are Devastating to a Local Echo-System.

One of the key terms to keep a sheep healthy is the term "movement." This is especially true in the time of David. The following are some of the reasons why moving the sheep constantly was important:

The sheep wouldn't move on their own.
If the sheep stayed too long in one place, they would rip the grass out by the root, devasting the land and causing no more grass to grow.
If the sheep stayed too long in one place, they would... well... poop a lot. Eventually, this would cause them to walk in it, and parasites would slowly infect them.
Walking was good for keeping the sheep healthy and mobile.
Walking kept the sheep safe from predators.
Walking kept the sheep attentive to the voice of the shepherd.

These are reasons why they need a Good Shepherd to lead and guide them.

Commentary

Verse 3b. "He guides me along the right paths for His Name's sake."

"He Guides Me..."- The context of this phrase echoes what a shepherd like David would know. He knows it is essential to keep sheep moving. Sheep are challenging to manage and do not take care of themselves well. Therefore, the shepherd must think ahead and prepare for all that will happen. He has to be scoping out the best land, which path is best, and what to stay or go. David knew a good shepherd was not just good at tending the sheep. He is a good planner. God has a good plan for our lives, too.

"Along the Right Paths..."— There has long been a debate over whether the context of this Scripture means righteous paths or right paths. This seems needless because both work with this text. The primary focus of this text is comparing us to sheep and the LORD to a Shepherd. This would give room to say He leads us down safe paths. However, this also means those safe paths are the righteous paths. The main idea is that the Lord knows where He is going and leads us when we do not always realize He is. This can be difficult to understand when we are going through difficult times. However, we trust the Lord is faithful, even when we do not always understand.

"For His Name's Sake."- This is a powerful ending to the reason for the LORD leading us. He is doing so to honor His Name. This also implies He is doing so in front of the rest of the world. He uses us as examples of His goodness.

Bottom Line.

God's Promise:

(Proverbs 3:5-6) TRUST IN THE LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.