Psalm 23 tonight. And this would be the, this passage here will be the end of our continued study of the Psalm. I don't mean we won't be back to Psalms, but we might. I can't say that for sure, but we're going to end our study through the Psalms so far. We wanted to finish the alphabet, of course, and go through those 22 letters of the alphabet with those first 22 Psalms. And then you can't be right there at Psalm 23. and not go over Psalm 23. This is a beautiful psalm, a psalm that you probably know by heart. As David speaks here of God's grace and provision for his life and how God is not only watching over us, but with us and providing for us and keeping us through all the situations of life This is a popular song to read in funerals. And I don't know why that's the case because it's not talking about our funeral, it's talking about our life and how God's ever with us in it. And it begins here in verse 1. He says, The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures. He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul. He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. Thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies. Thou anointest my head with oil, my cup runneth over. Surely, goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Here David writes this psalm of God's grace and watch-care over him. In Psalm 63 and verse number 8, Psalm 63 and verse 8, David says, My soul followeth hard after thee, thy right hand upholdeth me. Thy soul followeth hard after Thee. And while we're following hard, while we're chasing after, while we're trying to keep up, if you will, with our Lord, He's the one that is upholding us. He's the one holding us even in those times when we're following hard. Oftentimes we consider that place of following after our Lord and most often we see or imagine in this life anyway, what is described there in our text in verse number four, that valley. It seems like that's how we view most of our lives is a valley. Sharp rocks jutting out from the side. The Psalm of David here as he's describing this this reality here, but the dark places, those valleys really are only a small part of our following after God. And yet too often the case for God's people is we wait to these times of trouble before we are concerned with following hard after Him. We should be following hard after Him whether we're in the valley or whether we're on the mountaintop. We should be chasing after our Lord, seeking Him, holding on to Him wherever that we find ourselves. But notice with me this Psalm here, here's Psalm 23. There is, that verse there, verse four is about that valley, the shadow of death. And I don't, it's the one that leaps out most to me, even when I'm looking at it. But there's so much more besides that valley that he's describing for us all around it. And so we realize there's more to life than just the valleys. There's places of rest and there's times of provision and there's the greenery that we are enjoying as His sheep and God's provision for us, even as He says here in verse five, even in the presence of our enemies. Our Lord is constantly blessing his people. He's constantly keeping us. He's constantly providing for us. And he begins here in verse one, the Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. I was noticing that in In this psalm here, complete in thee, that's one of the verses I love in this psalm. When he says in verse three of this psalm, he says, complete in thee, each want supplied and no good thing to me denied. Since thou my portion, Lord will be, I ask no more. Complete in Thee. This is exactly what David's saying here in verse 1. This is exactly what he means there. The Lord is my shepherd. I don't have want for anything. He provides all that I need. And then some. He blesses me abundantly. And when I see him as that provider, when I see him as that shepherd, when I see him as that one who cares for me and cares for my life, cares for my soul, when I see him in that, there's nothing else that would satisfy but him. Again, the song, since thou my portion, Lord will be, I ask no more. Completely me. Notice the shepherd. In the book of Genesis there to the Egyptians, the shepherd was an abomination. Shepherd was considered the lowest of the low. In Genesis chapter number 46, Genesis 46 and verse number 34, This of course is Jacob, Jacob's son's rather coming down to see Joseph and to get the food. And this is before they find out it's, or this is at the time, I guess they find out it's Joseph. But in chapter 46, verse 34, he says, We look over at verse 33 as well. It says, it shall come to pass when Pharaoh shall call you and shall say, what is your occupation? That ye shall say, thy servant's trade hath been about cattle from our youth even unto now, both we and also our fathers, that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen, for every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians. So he says, when Pharaoh asks, what do you do for a living? You tell him that you deal in cattle. Don't tell him that you're a shepherd. Because if you're a shepherd, he won't let you be. You're an abomination to the Jews. They won't let you stay there. And so he tells them, you tell them that when Pharaoh asked, you tell them that you guys are into cattle, not into shepherding, not into sheep. So it was considered the lowest of the low. And just that reality, our great shepherd, as he describes himself in John chapter 10 is likewise despised and hated by this world. Many know he's real, but have nothing to do with it as if he were the abomination itself. And when in fact they themselves, when they themselves are before God, they will acknowledge him king and Lord of all. All other religions is man seeking God or gods, but Christianity is God seeking me. Him coming to us. In John chapter 10, go back with me and read these verses as we consider our great shepherd. John chapter 10 and verse number 11, Jesus says, I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep. He is the Good Shepherd. There is no other shepherd like Him. But not only is he shepherd, he says there in verse seven, that he is also the door of the sheep. It is only through the door that anyone can enter into the sheepfold. He says, verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. He is the door of the sheep. Verse nine, he says, I am the door. By me, if any man enter in, he shall be saved and shall go in and out and find pasture. If they've entered in by the door into the sheepfold, then they will receive provision from the shepherd, all that they have need of. They'll find the pasture, he says. Verse 14, he says, I am the good shepherd and know my sheep and am known of mine. He knows his sheep and his sheep know him. His sheep know him. He goes before them. Verse number four, he says, when he put forth his own sheep, he goeth before them and the sheep follow him for they know his voice. He goes before them, he guides them. And as we read there in verse 11, he gave his own life for his sheep. Verse 15, he says, as the father knoweth me, even so know I the father, and I lay down my life for the sheep. He gave his own life for his sheep. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. But now notice the sheep, that's us. Isaiah says in Isaiah 53 in verse number six, all we like sheep have gone astray. All we like sheep have gone astray. Now we're obviously more to God than poor dumb animals. Matthew chapter 12, Verse 12. Matthew 12 and verse 12. He says, how much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well, it is lawful to do well on the Sabbath. The Lord acknowledges we're better than a sheep. We're better than just a poor, dumb animal. But yet, nevertheless, that's what he calls us. He calls us his sheep. And that's to help us understand that we are absolutely dependent upon our Lord for everything. We don't have the ability to do anything ourselves. We have to have him for everything. We have to be holding on to him. And just like the sheep, sheep, for instance, must have a master. to lead them and guide them. And if they are ever lost, they cannot find their way back. That's the reason the shepherd has to go and get them. They cannot hear good and they cannot see good. Usually about 14 feet is about as far as a sheep can actually see. That's the reason when you see that video of that one where the It says me and the Lord and there's this big ditch and the fella comes along and pulls the sheep out of the ditch and the sheep takes off like a streak and runs and hops right back into the ditch again. Because he can't see more than about 14 feet and runs right back into the ditch again. They're easily disturbed. They are defenseless. And yet they are a clean animal. And this is how the Lord describes us, sheep. But notice the provision of the shepherd for his sheep. Again, so often we focus on the valley of darkness. Those times of trouble and sorrow, they're real. They're big parts of our lives. They make us, they mold us. and how we face life and how we live and how we make our decisions and how we trust in our Lord. They impact us greatly, these valleys of life. Sometimes the valleys are particularly dark, but we cannot forget that the multitudes of blessings that He continually pours out to His sheep, even in those valleys, even in those valleys. First, understand Jesus. Jesus is only the great shepherd to his sheep. He's not shepherd to anybody else. He's not shepherd to goats. In fact, he divides them from his sheep in Matthew chapter number 25. He is only shepherd and only that provision that is described here in Psalm 23 is to his sheep, to his sheep. There are others that live in this world that are not the sheep of Christ, that cannot claim him as their good shepherd and yet he allows those blessings nonetheless to flow on them. And they get to enjoy those blessings at times. They get to enjoy those blessings of life. He allows it to rain on the just and on the unjust as the same. But he is only shepherd to his sheep. He only accomplishes those things that he declares for his sheep, for his sheep. And as his sheep, we have need for nothing. I shall not want, David says. I shall not want. Now, too often, we fail to recognize or we fail to see him as our shepherd. It's real easy. for us to lose faith in the provision that he gives us and the blessings that we enjoy. It's real easy for us to focus on the stuff around us instead of on him. And we don't always, we're not always able to say what he says there, I shall not want, because we find ourselves wanting. But the wanting that we're striving after are not things that we truly need or that we truly have to have. We're focusing on the things of the world. We're focusing on the things around us. We're focusing on stuff too often instead of those things that are of Him. And we fail to see Him as that provider that He is. And we get focused on those things of the world and we fail to see that he's provided me everything. The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. He directs our rest, he tells us. Verse number two, he maketh me to lie down in green pastures. He leadeth me beside the still waters. He directs our rest and even provides a place for it. He gives peace. Verse three, he restoreth my soul. He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. He gives us peace. He gives us righteousness. Peace with the Father. which gives us peace for our souls. He restoreth my soul. He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. He gives us that peace as we walk in this world. And he does this that he might be glorified in our lives. As we move through those dark places in life, as he describes there in verse four, yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. For thou art with me. Thou art with me. He is ever present with us in the darkest times of our lives, He is still there. And there are times though that in those valleys that when we're passing through those events and passing through those times, when it seems like we're all by ourselves, whether it's because of the darkness, whether it's because of the weight of the valley that we're in, We feel like we're all alone in those times, but our Lord is ever with us. He says, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee. That is his promise to us. He is ever present, even in those dark places of life, and he is the one that protects us even in those times. Thou art with me, thy rod, he says, and thy staff, they comfort me. Not only is He with us, but He protects us in those times. Romans chapter number eight. Romans chapter number eight, verse number 35, down through verse number 39. Paul describes here our Lord's love for us. It's a wonderful passage of Scripture. Verse 35, he says, who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword? As it is written, for thy sake, we are killed all the day long. We are accounted as cheap for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things, In spite of how the world treats us, in spite of what the world thinks about us, in spite of their desire to rid us from this planet and all these things, we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us. For I am persuaded, Paul says, that neither death nor life nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. There's nothing that can separate us from him. You cannot separate yourself from him. And yet we try. Man tries so often. Go after his own way, do his own thing, follow after his own path. We try so hard sometimes, but even we cannot get ourselves away from him. He won't let us go. I'm persuaded neither death nor life nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. He protects us. He keeps us. And in the worst of these situations, He's pouring out his blessings on us. Verse five, he says, thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies. Thou anointest my head with oil. My cup runneth over. My cup runneth over. Even in those worst of times, even in the presence, he said that as children of God, as his sheep, as we are following our shepherd, having that provision given from him, there's still the valleys that we have to go through. And yet he's with us. There's still enemies that are against us in this world. As he says there in verse five, there are those that still hate us. There are those that don't want any part of us, but nevertheless, even in that, his blessings are constantly being poured out upon us. There's nothing that can separate us from our Lord. There's nothing that can take us from him. He continually pours out his blessings on us that even as he says there in verse number five, even our enemies cannot disavow his provision and favor toward us. First Peter chapter one, First Peter chapter number one in verse number seven. First Peter one, verse seven. Peter says that the trial of your faith being much more precious than of gold, that perish it, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. The trial of your faith being much more precious and of gold. Been tried. It'll shine brighter at the appearing of our Lord. He even not only gives the provision for us in that, but he overflows these blessings to us. My cup runneth over, David says. My cup runneth over. And because of his blessings consistently and constantly upon us, It's why we can have that utmost confidence in his provision to say in verse six, as David says, surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. A sheep we know our shepherd. And we can rest in the reality of His ever-presence and the knowledge that He knows us, that He knows us, that He's called us unto Himself, that His love is on us. We can rest in that. And John 10 again in verse number 3, He that entereth in, verse two says, he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, He goeth before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him, for they know not the voice of strangers. Verse 14, I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and have known of mine. I've told you this story before. It's been some years ago. I was watching a video of a shepherd and he had some school kids there at his field. They were next to the fence and he had the sheep out in the field. He asked the kids, would they want to call the sheep over to them? And they all said, yeah. And they come to the fence one at a time and he tells them what to say. And I don't remember now, it seems like he tells them to say it in Gaelic, in old Scottish language is what he's telling them to say it in. Whatever it was, they were to say, come here sheep, come here, whatever it was, they go to the fence and each one of those kids call out the very words that he tells them to call out. And those sheep didn't raise their heads. As they're in that field, they just went around picking the grass, paid no attention to those kids that were over at the fence. And each one of those kids came up and did that, that fence that wanted to call the sheep. There were three or four of them that came up. And the shepherd tells them, he says, now watch this. And he steps up to the fence, says the very same words. Every sheep lifts its head in that field and turns and runs to the shepherd. This is what the Lord's describing here about us. This is what he's describing here about us. As the father knoweth me, even so know I the father, and lay down my life, he says, for the sheep. Verse 15, verse 14, I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and have known of mine. Do you know the good shepherd? Do you know the Good Shepherd? Can you state the words of David's psalm there in Psalm 23? The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures. He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul. He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. And yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I'll fear no evil, for thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies. Thou naughtest my head with oil, my cup runneth over. Sure, if he does this for me, if this is what he is constantly providing in my life, surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Do you know the shepherd? Do you know the shepherd? Oh, believe on him. Believe on him, trust him. The good shepherd. is still providing everything for his sheep. Let's all stand, we'll be dismissed.