Last week:
Psalm 23:3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
He restores my soul –
The word restores can have several meanings in the bible
Healing – When a sheep got injured, the shepherd would treat its wounds until it returned to good health. How often the Lord restores us to good spiritual health after the evil world system has hurt us.
Rescue – like a lost sheep being brought back
Repentance – In Hebrew the words “restores my soul” can mean to bring to repentance
Purity – He restores to original purity that which has turned black with sin. What good are “green” pastures with a black soul?
Leads me in paths of righteousness
Told the story of the shepherd leaving the 99 to find the 1.
We said this is about salvation, but is it also about Christian living?
…for his names sake..
Everything God does, provide, protect, rescue, restore is to bring glory to his name.
Read Psalm 23
“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.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death –
So far the chapter has been all positive and uplifting:
The words are shepherd, rest, green pastures, still waters, restoration, etc.
But now the story/poem takes a turn into the dark. David uses the term “valley.”
Valley is the opposite of mountain top.
Have you heard the term “mountain top experience” when talking about God?
Anyone have an example of a mountain top experience?
Promise keepers – light
David is still following God as his shepherd, yet he enters a valley. It does not say what the valley is in his case, and it does not matter for our message. It does show that you can and will enter a darker place even while following God.
A “valley” is down which means surrounded by sides or hedged in.
Not just a valley, but a valley of the shadow of death.. Think of the imagery of this. Imagine walking in a dark valley, with high sides, squeezed in. You don’t know what is out there. Then across your path in front of you a dark evil shadow passes. A shadow of death itself.
It sounds terrifying, yet…
David fears no evil.
Why not?
There are key words. Even though I walk thru
This is not Davids destination. He is walking thru. Death is for the unbeliever. Everlasting life is for the believer. But we all walk thru valleys from time to time.
What other key word is there to indicate that death is not for David?
Shadow. A shadow is not real in itself, it is the indicator of something that is real. Death is real, but not for David. He wakes thru the shadow of death, not death itself.
Read John 10:11
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”
We as believers face only the shadow of death, because Jesus took on the full tangible consequence of death for us. We deserved it, but he took it for us.
ii. “Death in its substance has been removed, and only the shadow of it remains…. 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.” (Spurgeon)
I will fear no evil, for you are with me.
-this is cool-
Look at verse 2 and read the next four lines
What is the pronoun used
He – now look back at our verse tonight. I will fear no evil, for YOU are with me.
David goes from calling God “he” to “you”
Why?
Often when we are in the valley, we feel closer to God. This is when we need him most.
Matthew 28:20 – … and behold, I am with you always to the end of the age
Your rod and staff they comfort me
A rod is a stick like tool worn on the belt and used to fight off predators. Similar to a cops baton. A staff is the famous “shepherds hook” it is a walking stick for the shepherd and is used to nudge the sheep into place.
They give David comfort.
Why?
The rod give him comfort because it keeps the predators away. Why does the staff give him comfort?
David was just walking in the valley, then says he gets comfort from God nudging him in the right direction. Interesting.
Ever get down and think I can cheat Gods rules now. My life sucks now, so I can drink or be rude to people, etc?
Any examples?
Yet, David in his low place still gets comfort from God “rules.”
Notice David is still using the word “you” David takes comfort in Gods protection from death and evil and from Gods laws alike….