Recap – been away so long
Verse 1 – The Lord is MY shepherd – my rock, carries me, gathers me, guards me against evil, lays down his life for me, oversees my soul
Verse 2 – Green pastures/blue water – green pastures sustaining/everlasting
Verse 3 – Restores my soul – healing, rescue, repentance, purity – example of peter when he denied 3 times, 3 times Jesus told Peter to feed my sheep. (most important job)
Verse 4 – walk thru the valley. the valley can be scary, but david/we do not have to fear. “thru” Christians have valleys, but they are not alone and they are temporary.
David switches from he to you. He makes me, He restores my soul, to You are with me.
Read Psalm 23
Verse 5 – You prepare a table for me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows
David stays with You like in verse 4. In fact the first 3 versus David is talking about God, but in the final 3 versus David is talking TO God.
Why do you think that is?
V 1-3 are all positive. V 4 gets dark. Many times we find God personally when times are tough (walking thru a valley)
He can go from the God of Sunday school to a personal relationship God. And of course that is what he wants, and that is what we NEED.
You prepare –
What is implied with the word prepare?
God has foresight and care. When did he plan this feast? Did he see you in the valley and prepare it then? Did he have a plan in mind ahead of time? (discuss)
You prepare a table before me.
Does that mean that God “sets” a table? It magically appears? Does “before” me mean right in front of my eyes. Or does it mean he already has it set for me as I walk thru this valley? (before my time)
In the presence of my enemies..
What do you think this means?
What does this imply? That you could sit down to a banquet with enemies around?
God provides protection. He can hold off the enemy. He allows them to see. Why?
Is this a “picture” of life as a Christian? Seems like there is always a “conflict” with the Christian life. There is a spread table provided by God but the enemy is always around.
The shepherd would construct a circular rock wall and have a gate. He would sleep across the gate to protect the sheep.
Read John 10:7-9
7 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture.
Table suggests bounty
Prepare suggests foresight and care
Before me suggest a personal connection
Presence of my enemy suggests protection
You anoint my head with oil
Read 1 Kings 19:16 Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet.
Gods anoints kings and prophets with oil. It is a sign of God ordained authority.
Read 1 Chronicles 16:22 “Do not touch my anointed ones; do my prophets no harm.”
God protects his anointed ones
Read 2 Corinthians 1:21 Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us,
Read Acts 10:38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.
God anoints with oil to place his seal on David/Us. He protects them. God anoints us is Christ, God anoints us with the Holy Spirit. He marks us for his work..
My cup overflows
God does not just give us what we need, but he overflows it.
“Beloved, I will ask you now a question. How would it be with you if God had filled your cup in proportion to your faith? How much would you have had in your cup?” (Spurgeon)
It does not say my cup overflowed… It is not past tense, it is continuous.
So if our cup is overflowing, what do we do?
Not only does God provide what we need. He always gives more. Because our cup overflows, we can be generous like our Father and use what he has given us to be his blessing upon other people.