Psalm 23
The LORD is
my shepherd…
There are
many hymns based on the hymn.
There are
many services – visiting the sick, funeral, Good Shepherd Sunday… Good for
Sunday school and good for adults, and good for Christians and good for
unbelievers…
First, let
us figure out who the psalm is about?
The LORD,
YHWH, and we need to compare it in the whole Bible – John 10:11, 14, Jesus is
the Good Shepherd.
When Jesus
calls Himself a shepherd His disciples could relate it to many Biblical and
historical examples: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, Saul, and David.
Most of them after attending the flocks became the leaders of Israel. Joshua –
Numbers 27:12-23.
When we
understand that shepherding is a “military leadership,” we better understand Psalm
23:4-5.
Two things:
(1) He walks with us through the valley of the shadow of death. He is not
simply waiting on the other side, cheering for us – He walks with us (for You
are with me).
(2) He
prepares a table for us – feeding us with Himself, while the enemy can observe
it. He is fully confidant in the final result – so, we can celebrate the
victory even before the final strike, that’s why the Eucharistic prayer talks
about “a foretaste of the feast to come.” We can have it now, but it will be
much better on the other side of dark death tunnel.
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