Well, dear congregation, for this evening's sermon, I'd like to invite you to one of the most famous psalms in the Bible. I'm sure you know this psalm. I'm sure you grew up with this psalm. Psalm chapter 23. Psalm 23. But before I read the psalm for this evening, I'd like to pray and ask the Lord's blessing upon the reading of God's Word first. So, let us pray together and ask the Lord's blessing upon the reading of His Word. Our gracious Heavenly Father, we come to you once again asking your blessing upon the reading of your Holy Word. Indeed, O Lord, when we read your Word right now, it is not that we are reading it, but you are speaking to us. So Lord, as your Word goes forth right now, we ask that it will go forth like a double-edged sword. We ask, O Lord, that you will help our eyes to see and help our ears to hear the gospel. Indeed, O Lord, we ask that you will transform our heart. And those who have a hardened heart, we ask that you will soften it. And those who have a despaired heart, we ask that you will comfort it. And those who have a thirsty heart, we ask that you will quench it. Indeed, O Lord, we ask that you will abundantly bless the reading of your holy word and the preaching of your word. In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen. Well, dear congregation, for this evening's sermon, once again, I'd like to invite you to turn with me to one of the most well-known Psalms in the Bible, Psalm chapter 23. So please turn with me if you have a Bible with you, Psalm 23 for this evening's message. I'll be reading this text from English Standard Version. I was not told what version of the Bible this church used, but I'll be reading it from ESV. This is the inspired, therefore infallible, inerrant, and authoritative word of God. A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even 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. You prepare a table before me, in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil, my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever." That's about the reading of God's holy word. Well, dear congregation of Covenant URC, as I briefly mentioned earlier, we are introduced this evening to one of the most well-known psalms in the Bible, Psalm chapter 23. Now, this psalm is known as a shepherd's psalm, the shepherd's psalm, and I don't think it would be an understatement for me to say that Psalm 23 is one of the most beloved psalms in the Bible. And perhaps you can attest to that, maybe you memorized this psalm, maybe you heard this psalm being preached to you numerous times as you attended different churches or here at Covenant URC. But now, to our disappointment, we really don't know much about the historical background or historical context of Psalm 23. Or to put it in other way, it will be great for us to know why and how or when this song was written. But we just don't know because the song doesn't tell us anything about it. But there are two things, two things that we can know about this song. In the first place, we know that this psalm was written by one of the most famous characters in the Bible, the King David. And we know this because when you read Psalm 21, at the very top of Chapter 21, what it actually tells us, it identifies the author of this psalm by saying, a psalm of David. So, we know that this psalm was written by David himself. But then, There is another important truth that we can know about Psalm 23. That is, we know that Psalm 23 was written as David's personal testimony of the unwavering satisfaction and contentment which he possessed in his life. And we know this because David writes in Psalm 23, verse 1, this mind-blowing statement, I shall not want. He says in verse 1, I shall not want, or to put it literally, he says, I lack nothing. I lack nothing. Now, some of you might be wondering, well, Mr. Sub, why is it a mind-blowing statement? After all, David was the king of Israel, right? I'm sure he didn't have anything lacking. I'm sure he had everything he wanted. So why is it a mind-blowing statement that he says, I lack nothing? Let me tell you why. If you know anything about King David's or David's life, contrary to what he says in verse 1, you'd really recognize that David's life was anything but want and lack. I mean, his life was filled with want and lack. For instance, I mean, let's just briefly think about David's childhood. You know, if any modern child psychologist ever read and studied about David's life, I'm sure they will say that David's childhood was certainly lacking and certainly unhappy. Many child psychologists will say that his childhood, David's childhood, was very unfortunate. I mean, when you think about it, David was disregarded by his own father. You know, to the point that Jesse even forgot about David when Samuel came to anoint the next king of the Israel, and he laid out all his sons, and he forgot about David, and he only remembered about David when Saul mentioned, is this all your son? You know, do you have any more sons? And then Jesse said, oh yeah, I have one. You know, he's out there shepherding. So he was neglected and forgotten by his father. Well, and for that matter, the Bible also tells us that David also grew up as a shepherd boy. And I don't know if we have any family here who are engaged in the business of shepherding, but let me tell you, shepherding in the ancient Israel was so much different than shepherding in West Michigan. So, for instance, in ancient Israel, many shepherds had to spend a sleepless night to watch his flock. Well, I don't think if anyone shepherds their sheep in Michigan, they stay up all night to watch their flock. I don't think so. And even more so, the shepherds of Israel had to face so many dangerous, life-threatening events like facing lions and bears in order to protect their, you know, protect his flock's flocks. For sure, David, too, would have spent numerous sleepless nights and morning and day and watching over his flocks, defending his flocks, so that as a young shepherd boy, perhaps as a six or seven years old. So, if ancient Israel had a child protection service, pretty sure David would have been taken away. If David was a 21st century modern American boy, he would certainly have been taken away from his father. Well, what about David's youth then? What about David's teenage years? Well, we know that after David killed Goliath, he certainly became a national hero, and he lived a life of honorable life. He lived a good life for sure, but we know that this didn't last that long. We know that it was only short-lived because David soon faced numerous attempts of assassination from King Saul. His wife was taken away and given to another man by King Saul, and he spent the majority of his teenage years as an exiled criminal under Saul's kingship. So again, If any adolescent psychologists ever study about David's teenage year, they will say that his teenage years were certainly lacking and absolutely abnormal. And the truth of the matter is that even after David became the king of Israel, the Bible tells us that David had to face many and all kinds of severe troubles. I mean, during his kingship, David had to face several civil wars. He experienced the loss of multiple children, and again he lived a life as an exile for a little while as he was kicked out from his palace by his own son. So, I hope you now see why I say that it's an astonishing statement for him to say, I lack nothing. Because his life was anything but lack. I mean, his life was certainly lacking in many way. So, I believe this begs an important question. How could David How was it possible that David still could say in Psalm chapter 23 that he shall not be in want? I mean, even after experiencing all these severe challenges and struggles in his life. I mean, how was it possible that David still could express his absolute satisfaction, enjoyment, and contentment in life? And for that matter, can we also have what David had? Can we? So this evening, dear congregation, I think we are introduced to one of the most amazing texts in the Bible, and certainly one of the most comforting texts in the Bible. And today, David reveals to us the secret of his unwavering contentment and satisfaction in life. So allow me to submit this simple proposition to you, important proposition to you. In Psalm chapter 23, dear congregation, David teaches us that his life lacks nothing because he has the Lord. Or in other words, David wants us to understand that the Lord is enough for believers. That the Lord is enough for believers. So how does David testify of this important truth? That the Lord is enough for him, and for that matter, all believers. Well, David shares this important truth to us by orchestrating Psalm 23 under this beautiful metaphor that the Lord is my shepherd. The Lord is my shepherd. You see it in verse 1 of chapter 23. That's how he started this psalm. He said, the Lord is my shepherd. In other words, David, whom himself grew up as a simple shepherd boy, now uses his very personal shepherding experience to testify why the Lord is enough for him. And David shares that the Lord is enough for him, and for believers, because he first of all testifies that the Lord is the Lord who provided, and the Lord who provides certainly, all of his needs in his life. So let's jump into the first point of today's sermon, the Lord who provides. The Lord who provides. As David writes in verse 2 of today's text, he makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters. He leads me, he makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters. Now, let me tell you a little bit about myself. Let me tell you that I don't know much about sheep or shepherding. I know nothing about them. You know, I went to seminary, I got a master's degree, and I'm currently pursuing another master's degree, but it may surprise you that the seminary doesn't teach you how to shepherd sheep. It's just not in their curriculum. You know, I have a corgi puppy at home, and that's the extent of my knowledge of taking care of an animal. You know, so if anybody gives me a sheep as a present, Let me tell you, I'm going to gently reject it because I don't want it to die in my hands. I will have no idea how to take care of it. I'm pretty sure it will die. So, don't ever give me a sheep or anything like that. But, even though I am completely ignorant in shepherding, I know one thing for sure about taking care of sheep. I know this much. I know that sheep needs food and drink to survive. I know that they will die in hunger and sickness if they don't find the right place to graze or right place to drink. That's just the truth. Now, in ancient Israel, many shepherds also had a responsibility to feed and hydrate their flock. But this responsibility at times became very difficult and challenging, you know, because especially in the time of late fall, you know, early winter, well, the land of Israel often became exhausted from the grass. So, especially if you had a large flock of sheep, and if you were the ancient Israelite shepherd who were taking care of that large flock of sheep, you had to travel around to feed your flock so that your flock won't die with hunger and thirst. And the truth of the matter is that even though they travel all around to feed their flock, I'm sure there were some shepherds who lost their sheep despite their effort to keep them alive. But, David, here in today's text, describes the Lord as the shepherd. And more importantly, David describes the Lord as a shepherd who can always, who can always provide for his flock. I mean, contrary to ancient Israelites, ancient Israelite shepherds who often had to move here and there in order to keep their flocks survived, to feed them, and certainly often failed to keep them alive, David testifies that flocks under the care of the Lord are always lying down on the land filled with the new fresh grass to graze on. In other words, David, in our text today, tells us that sheep, under the care of the shepherd lord, never stop smelling the fresh aroma of a sprout of grass with their nose. They are always laying down on fresh grass without knowing hunger, because the Lord always provides for them. And for that matter, David also testifies that the Lord is a shepherd who leads his flock to steady waters so that they can quench their thirst. Like the ancient shepherd of Israel who looked for a quiet place to hydrate or quench the thirst of their flock, well, David also testifies that the Lord always escorts his flock so that they can rest and never be in thirst by the fresh water. So, in summary, David testifies that the Lord never fails to provide for His flock. Therefore, David expresses his confidence and satisfaction in the Lord. He says that the Lord is enough for him, because the Lord is his shepherd, and that he always made David to lie down on a green pasture, filled with new fresh grass, and always have escorted them to a quiet place of water. David proclaims that the Lord dealt with me in this manner. The Lord was my shepherd, and I was a sheep under his care. He exclaims, that the Lord always provide for all his needs, so much so that he confidently asserts in verse 6 of today's text, Surely your goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Do you see what David is saying here? He says that I will always be under the care of the Lord. and that I will never lack anything. Well, but that is not it. David shares with us another reason why he says that the Lord is enough for him. And David testifies that the Lord is enough for him, because the Lord is the shepherd who restores his flock. Who restores his flock. So let's jump into the second point of today's sermon, the Lord who restores. The Lord who restores. As you can read from verse 3, David writes, He restores my soul, He guides me in the path of righteousness for His name's sake. For His name's sake. Now, several years ago, I came across this video on Facebook, and maybe you also watched this video before because this was pretty viral video among Christians, but well, This video looked like it was a man trying to pull out something from this tiny crack on the ground. You know, there was a tiny crack on the ground and the man barely fit himself into that crack and he was trying to pull out something from it. Now, I was very intrigued. I was thinking to myself, well, I wonder what he's trying to pull out from there. You know, at best, I was thinking that he was trying to pull out some sort of you know, vegetable or maybe tree root, I don't know, you know, but he was trying to pull out something with all his strength. And a second later, after I started watching this video, I saw this man pulling out, like, what looked like a leg of an animal, like legs of an animal. And then another second later, this man started to pull out a body of an animal. And then another second later, well, lo and behold, he pulled out a sheep from that tiny crack that man barely fit himself in. You know, that man was a shepherd, and he was pulling out his sheep, which somehow got into that little crack, little hole under the ground. Now, I don't know how the sheep got into that tiny hole. I have no idea what the sheep was trying to do. But the truth of the matter is that that sheep left his herd and went on his own way and got stuck in a place that could have killed it unless his shepherd found him. And I laughed at this video. My friends laughed at this video. We laughed because of the stupidity of sheep. But really, it is important to recognize how often we are like that sheep who gets stuck in the ground of the hole or stuck at the crack of the hole, uh, ground. You know, just like the sheep. We know that we also often go our own way. We know that we also often get ourselves into trouble with our own temptation, and more often than not, we know that we often find ourselves being enslaved by sins that we choose to follow. And the thing is, David certainly had a similar experience. And he could, definitely attests to how he also behaved like that sheep in the Facebook video who got himself in trouble. I mean, the first thing that comes into my mind is how David sinned against God with Bathsheba. Do you remember the story of how David sinned against God with Bathsheba? He went on his own way after temptation. He followed his lustful passion, and he moved away from the Lord. And what happened? Did he come back? Well, no, not really. And then his lust ultimately got him stuck with sin, causing him to kill Uriah so that he could cover his sin. So, David certainly could attest to his experience on how he wandered away and lost his way from God. Just like that video of a sheep that wandered away from his flock, from his shepherd, and got stuck in that crack of the ground. But then in verse 3, David shares with us one of the most important characters of the Lord. He says that the Lord is the Lord who restores His flock when they go on their own way. As He says in verse 3, He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake. In other words, David tells us that when one of the Lord's flock turns away from the Lord and proceeds in their own way of evil, he says that the Lord does not leave them in their error. He doesn't. Instead, David says that the Lord turns them back, you know, their soul, their mind, their body, from their temptation, from the evil that they were engaged in. And David says the Lord escorts them back to the path of righteousness so that their course of life will be once again in sync with God. And that's certainly what the Lord did with David, wasn't it? I mean, when David was living in a sinful life with Bathsheba, God sent the prophet Nathan. He rebuked him. He turned him away from his sin so that David can once again walk with the Lord in the way of righteousness. So David declares in the second part of verse 5 of today's text, David testifies that the Lord You not only restore me from the way of evil, you refresh me, you restore me, you help me to have a new strength in you. David says that you refresh me with fragrant oil on my head, you restore my well-being, my cup overflows with your goodness. So David declares that the Lord is enough for him. Because He is the Lord who restores. David testifies that the Lord does not merely watch His people when they idly move away from Him or leave them in their trouble. David testifies that the Lord comes to rescue them, to restore them, and bring them back to Him. And finally, David shares in Psalm 23 that he is absolutely content with the Lord, and with the Lord alone, because the Lord not only provides for him, not only restores him, but also because the Lord comforts him. So let's jump into the last point of today's sermon, the Lord who comforts. The Lord who comforts. As David writes, even though I walk through the valley of shadow of death, I'll fear no evil, for you are with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Now, let me tell you a little bit about myself. When I was a little boy, I was definitely afraid of darkness and night. I did not like being in dark to the point that I rather prefer to sleep in a room that had a light on than light off. My mom and dad actually had to get rid of light bulb because I often turned the light on and fell asleep like that. You know, like in Korean culture, we have some weird myth that says that, well, if you sleep with light on, you don't grow up or something like that. But anyway, well, my mom and dad, you know, took the bulb out and things like that. But I hated darkness at night. I just hated being in dark. But I'm sure, you know, I'm not alone. I'm pretty sure I was not alone feeling that way when I was a kid. If you're honest with me, I hope you're honest, you know, I'm sure some of you also grew up fearing darkness or dark night. And as a matter of fact, there are even adults who still doesn't like to be out in dark. They just don't. And that's fine. I think that's perfectly normal because there's just something eerie. There's just something uncomfortable about darkness, right? just doesn't feel right, just doesn't feel good. You know, maybe it's because it makes us unable to see what's around us, or maybe it's because, you know, we feel like we are just completely cut off from other people around us because we cannot see anyone. But there's something eerie and uncomfortable and scary about darkness. There's, as my professor often says, there's something spooky about darkness. Now then, in verse 6, David introduces to us an image of a young and helpless lamb walking through the valley of the shadow of death. A dark valley. We don't exactly know what this valley is. You know, so many theologians trying to figure out what this valley is. But honestly, it doesn't matter. You know, we don't have to know what this valley is. Because we just know what David is trying to say. We know, you know, the point is clear here. What David wants us to think or imagine here is that he wants us to see and imagine a little helpless lamb trotting in this darkest valley, a valley that is filled with every evil imaginable, a valley that no one even want to be close at. But then, David again makes an astonishing assertion here in verse 6. making us thinking about, he makes us think about all this, think about this little helpless lamb in a dark valley. But then he says that even though he walks through the valley of the shadow of death, he will not fear any evil or hearts. Why? Well, because he says, because the Lord is with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Now, it is important, congregation, to actually notice here, catch how David says, you're riding your staff, they comfort me. You know, he doesn't say here, you're riding your staff, they protect me. And he doesn't say here, you're riding your staff, they guard me. But David says, but they comfort me. In other words, David says that when he walks in the valley of shadow of death, he's saying he knows he's vulnerable. He knows that he will face evil in this valley. And he knows that most likely he will be injured in this valley of shadow of death. And isn't that a really good, accurate description of life? I mean... Every human being walks through the valley of shadow of death at least once in their life. You know, whether it be a terrible sickness, whether it be a difficult financial circumstances, or whether it be a difficult personal relationship. Well, the truth of the matter is that if you are a human being, every people at least experience the valley of shadow of death in their life. And frankly, Nobody comes out from this valley sound and safe. Nobody does. If you walk through this valley, you come out from this valley with scars on your back. You know, you experience terrible agony and hurt in this valley. But what's amazing here in verse 6, is that David says, even when he's walking through the valley of shadow of death, even though he's in the middle of experiencing evil, even though he is being inflicted by them, that he will not be afraid. And he says, that I will not be afraid of them, I will not be succumbed with fear, because he knows that the Lord is with him. And what's more, David says that he knows that the Lord is comforting David. He says that he knows the Lord is encouraging him. In fact, he knows that the Lord is strengthening him at the moment when he's going through this horrible valley in life. And that's why David nails this truth. That's why he nails this truth in verse 5. He proclaims here that, "...you prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies." David says, I may go through a valley of shadow of death. He says, I may face evil and disaster. But he says, I will not shrink because of that. Because I know that the Lord God Almighty sets a table before me. He says that I know that I will be the one who will burst with laughter and joy at the end behind this table of comfort that the Lord has prepared for me. So David confesses that he has the Lord who comforts. And he says that is enough for him. But by now, you might have a question in your mind. You may say, well, it's good to know that David says the Lord provides, the Lord comforts, and the Lord restores. It's all good stuff. But you might be wondering, so what? I mean, can we also have a contentment like David? I mean, what does this thing have to do with us? I mean, isn't that where the rubber meets the road? You know, you might be asking yourself, what about us? Do we also have a shepherd who provides, restores, and comforts? And the answer is yes. Yes, like David, we also have a shepherd who provides, restores, and comforts us. As a matter of fact, the Scripture teaches us that we have a great shepherd. It tells us that we have the master shepherd, whose name is the Lord Jesus Christ. I mean, the Bible is filled with shepherd analogy. The Bible is filled with Jesus describing himself as a shepherd of his people. And, well, the Bible tells us that Jesus is the shepherd who loves feeding and providing for his flock. I mean, if you have your Bible with you, turn with me to Matthew 9, verses 35-37. Matthew 9, verses 35-37. See how Jesus describes himself as a shepherd for his people, or the shepherd for the poor, lost people in the ancient Israel. Jesus says, Jesus continued going around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness. And read and see what it says here. It says, and when Jesus saw the crowds, he felt compassion for them because they were distressed and dejected like sheep without a shepherd. So what does Jesus do? He loves to go around feed his sheep. He loves to go around taking care of sheep. And in fact, the Bible tells us that he has a compassionate heart for his flock. So Jesus is also the shepherd who restores his flock, who lost their way and wandered away from God. John chapter 10 verse 11 writes, Jesus says, I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. Jesus says, I will lay down my life that I may restore the lost sheep, the lost flock for myself. The Bible tells us Jesus is the shepherd who restores. And most importantly, Jesus is also the shepherd who gathers and comforts his flock. Again, John chapter 10 verse 14 says, I am the good shepherd, Jesus says, and I know my sheep, and my sheep knows me. So just like the David, we have a shepherd. As a matter of fact, we have the Great Shepherd, whom we can find absolute contentment. Just like David, we also ought to fix our eyes upon Christ, meditate upon Him dearly, meditate upon His beauty, upon His goodness, so that we may find absolute contentment in Him and in Him alone. Indeed, just as David, dear congregation, we must also be able to say, the Lord Jesus Christ is my shepherd, and that is enough for me. So, dear congregation, as you know, we live in such a time where so many people struggle with fear and anxiety. I think the Struggle with fear and anxiety really spiked up all the more because of what happened last year. And we know that the media is constantly pouring out bad news and bad prospects about our world. You know, the world constantly points us to lacks and wants around us. But Christian, dear congregation, can live in this world in such a counter-cultural way. You know, when everyone says that, I am lacking. When everyone says that, I am in need. When everybody says that, I am in want in this world. Christian, and Christians alone can say, I am satisfied. I am content. I shall not be in want. And we can say this because we have the Lord Jesus Christ as our shepherd who even died for our sin, who laid down His life that He may restore us to His flock. So dear congregation, allow me to close today's sermon with this important question to you. Is the Lord Jesus Christ your shepherd? As a matter of fact, is the Lord Jesus Christ enough for you? Can you say that? The Lord is my shepherd, and I shall not be in want. Let us pray together. Our gracious Heavenly Father, thank you so much for this day. This evening time, evening time of Sabbath day, where we can close today, this Sabbath day with comforting words from your scripture, where it tells us that you are our shepherd. Indeed, oh Lord, you are our shepherd. You provide for us, you restore us, and you comfort us. So Lord, help us to fix our eyes on you. Help us to know you. Help us to walk closely with you. And most importantly, oh God, help us to be able to say, to be able to say, taste and see that the Lord is good. For I have tasted and saw that the Lord is good. In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.