Category Archives: Psalm 23

“And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.”

Today is the final post in this series on Psalm 23.

We began with the jubilant pronouncement “The Lord is My Shepherd,” and now we close with a buoyant affirmation, “I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

We have traversed the green pastures in the lowlands, to the refreshing still waters, through the dangerous mountain paths, to the plateau of the mountain top and now return to the home ranch to reside in the winter months. Continue reading →

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life”

The theme and thesis of this entire Psalm has been devoted to the fact the shepherd is providing for the sheep. And it’s all summed up in today’s statement.

The sheep cared for by the good shepherd enjoy a special, privileged position. They are safe. Secure. And sheltered. They are protected from every predator, all harm, and even their own foolish missteps. They are calm, tranquil, and at peace in the flock. Continue reading →

“You anoint my head with oil”

In Bible times oil was frequently used for medicinal purposes. In Palestine they often used a combination of olive oil, sulphur, and spices. Oil was used by shepherds to cure scab, a highly contagious disease among sheep.

“Bugs bug people, but they can kill sheep,” wrote Max Lucado in Safe in The Shepherd’s Arms. “Flies, mosquitoes, and gnats can turn the summer into a time of torture for the livestock. Consider nose flies, for example. If they succeed in depositing their eggs into the membrane of the sheep’s nose, the eggs become worm-like larvae, which drive the sheep insane. Continue reading →

“Your Rod and Your Staff, They Comfort Me”

The New York post reported a survey that only 21% of Americans have experienced “true comfort in the past 24 hours.”

The study polled 2,000 Americans who suggested feeling at ease was difficult. Other studies have shown that the stress level for many people is currently very high right now.

How do you find comfort? Feel at easy? Or overcome stress? Continue reading →

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;

“Psalm 23 has charmed more griefs to rest than all the philosophy of the world,” once opined Harriet Ward Beecher.

“It has remanded to their dungeon more felon thoughts, more black doubts, more thieving sorrows, than there are sands on the sea–shore. It has sung courage to the army of the disappointed. It has poured balm and consolation into the heart of the sick.” Beecher added. Continue reading →

“He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.”

Lynn Anderson in They Smell Like Sheep, a book about spiritual leadership, relates a true story that happened on a Bible lands tour.

The guide was explaining how ancient Shepherds built a relationship with the sheep and gently cared for them. He pointed out that shepherds don’t drive sheep, they lead them; they hear his voice and follow him. Continue reading →

“He restores my soul”

Have you ever heard of a “cast sheep”? Or a “cast down sheep”? I hadn’t either until I studied Psalm 23. Phillip Keller explains it in his book A Shepherd Looks at the 23rd Psalm.

“Cast sheep” is an old English expression for a sheep that has turned over on its back and cannot get up by itself. Keller describes it this way. Continue reading →