Psalm 23 is a good known transition of Bible. It has been taught and learnt for many coevalss. Some see it merely every bit God as our Shepherd and we the sheep. But is at that place non a more profound significance to this Psalm? In this essay, I will try to exegete this Psalm by demoing the Shepherd and Sheep relationship and that of the Host and Guest, whilst seeking to explicate the sense of patterned advance, after which I will reason.
The first portion of this Psalm reflects the relationship between the Shepherd and his sheep. David is known non merely for being the King of Israel, but besides as a shepherd in his young person. Therefore it seems that David is composing this from a shepherd ‘s position. However, we will see that the psalm expounds on what the sheep feels as opposed to what the shepherd does. David clarifies this by his opening statement ‘the Lord is my shepherd ‘[ 1 ]which implies that he is the sheep. Throughout this Psalm, the psalmist uses man-made correspondences to finish and spread out on each statement he makes: ‘He Lashkar-e-Taibas me lie down in green grazing lands ; He leads me besides quiet Waterss. He renews my psyche. ‘[ 2 ]Here we see how the compassion and love from the shepherd expands. The sheep is stating what the shepherd does and its response to this. We see the subject of the shepherd from the first poetry: ‘the Lord is my shepherd I shall non desire ‘ . Bob Deffinbaugh explains in an article how in Ancient Near Eastern civilisation, the shepherd image was something normal and treasured as this was the chief business of the clip. The Israelites were good known as shepherds: Abel was one of the first shepherds mentioned in the Bible ( Gen. 4:2 ) . Jacob and his household were besides referred to as shepherds ( Gen. 46:34 ) , and Luke speaks of the shepherds that were ‘keeping ticker at dark of their flock ‘ ( Luke 2:8 ) . Deffinbaugh goes on to state:
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The term ‘shepherd ‘ came to be used in a much broader manner, depicting leading either of an person or a group. [ aˆ¦ ] The rubric of shepherd was
given to male monarchs, particularly David ( 2 Sam.5:2aˆ¦ ) , and the Messiah who was to
semen, of whom David was a type. Thus the Lord Jesus identified himself as the Good Shepherd.[ 3 ]
We see here that David idea of the Lord as his shepherd with every significance this term expressed. We understand that shepherding was a great profession and represented godly functions of relationships. The term shepherd besides denotes a sense of leading and control. Hence, the shepherd was non merely the psalmist ‘s supplier but besides his leader and hence there was nil he could miss. A sheep is non concerned with anything every bit long as it is led by a good shepherd. In the same manner David expresses that there is nil he longs for because he is being led by the Good Shepherd. This does non intend nevertheless that David had everything he of all time wanted to possess, but nil that he needed would be withheld from him.
This portion of the Psalm continues by showing the demands the sheep has and how the shepherd provides. In Ezekiel 34, we see the Sovereign Lord as a shepherd looking for his sheep in order to look after them. In verse 15, he says ‘I myself will be given my sheep and have them lie down ‘ ( NIV ) . This implies that after he has taken attention of them, he permits them to lie down. Permiting the sheep to lie down and to be led beside the quiet Waterss restores his psyche. A good shepherd realises that this remainder is of import for the sheep. David nevertheless goes past physical remainder and lets the reader know his ‘soul ‘ is restored. This remainder, made available by God, indicates a sense of nutriment and renewing. Deffinbaugh concludes ‘in order to be refreshed and renewed in spirit, remainder is a requirement ‘[ 4 ].
Verse three continues to demo how the good shepherd ushers his sheep and instructs where to travel. The psalmist therefore has this sense of security for the things he endeavours, because the Lord guides him. It is of import to gain that God ‘s counsel is more than merely taking in the ‘right way ‘ , but he is taking in ‘paths of righteousness ‘ . The psalmist recognises that there may be some unpleasant topographic points that he must travel through, but it comforted him that he is non merely guided by the Lord, but he is traveling through waies of righteousness. Another soothing idea is that the sheep goes through these waies ‘for His name interest ‘[ 5 ]. This means that the sheep is traveling through to continue the repute, in a sense of speech production, of the shepherd. A shepherd that leads his sheep to danger or decease can non be praised as a good shepherd. Derek Kidner remarks that the ways of the sheep will ‘either shame or justify their Shepherd ‘s good name ‘[ 6 ]. This would connote that the shepherd is besides concerned with our ways and therefore we are taken back to the construct of his counsel into waies of righteousness. In other words, he operates for the interest of his character. Therefore, ‘God ‘s repute rests upon his ability to steer and care for his people ‘[ 7 ].
The concluding portion of this stanza sheds more light on the sheep swearing the shepherd ‘s counsel. I think it is of import to indicate out here that although David recognised the Lord as his shepherd, he did non contradict the fact that he is still able to travel through tests. The words ‘even though ‘ in poetry 4a shows that he does travel through ‘the vale of the shadow of decease ‘ but realises that he is secured because his shepherd is with him. Two footings used here are of import for us to look at: rod and staff. There are many significances for the word rod. It is an emblem for authorization and power ( like the rod of Moses in Ex. 4:2 ) ; it is an instrument of castigation ( Pro. 13:24 ) ; it is an emblem of travel or agencies of support, a staff ( Gen. 32:10 ) ; it is a shepherd instrument of defense mechanism of his flock against animate beings and work forces ; it is a shepherd ‘s instrument for steering and caring for and covering with his sheep[ 8 ]. Notice that rod and staff seem to intend the same thing. This does non intend that the psalmist is reiterating himself, but emphasises the function and leading of the shepherd in his life. These instruments bring comfort every bit good as subject. See how the pronoun alterations to ‘you ‘ in verse 4 as oppose to ‘he ‘ in earlier poetries. The relationship pictured in this transition intensifies and becomes more confidant. Harmonizing to Deffinbaugh, ‘as person one time observed, God goes before us when the way is smooth, but he stands beside us when the manner is unsafe and scaring ‘[ 9 ].
The following portion of this poetic text carries on from the first half, and a deeper relationship is established: that of the host and his invitee. Again the alteration of pronouns shows this alteration rather good and ‘you ‘ is used throughout. There is a closer, more personal relationship. In the Near East, a invitee was really honoured. The host literally takes the invitee in his attention and is hence responsible to his invitee which besides meant that the invitee was protected from injury. For that period of visit, the host and invitee have entered a compact. Again, we see how the relationship grows: whereas a sheep as to remain outdoors at dark along with the flock, the invitee is welcomed inside to fellowship and see a more intimate scene. Derek Kidner explains:
The shepherd imagination has served its intent, to be replaced by one of greater familiarity [ … ] . In the Old Testament universe, to eat and imbibe at person ‘s tabular array created a bond of common trueness, and could be the climaxing item of a compact. [ … ] . So to be God ‘s guest [ aˆ¦ ] is to populate with Him.[ 10 ]
Both poetries five and six go into item of the function of the Host as seen by the Guest. Ideas in these poetries continue to spread out and finish the preceding impression. To hold the host fix a tabular array for you and hold you eat by and large meant that the invitee could be certain of nutrient, family and protection. Some may besides reason that this was a public presentation of God to his enemies informing them non to seek and try to harm David in any instance. This of class is arguable. However, whether taken literally or figuratively, this still showed that the psalmist was showing God ‘s security. The psalmist understood that the degree of security depending on how capable the host was. David besides knew he has every right to joy in his security because he realised God is capable. ‘To have cordial reception of such a host was to be unafraid so ‘[ 11 ]. Verse five carries on explicating how oil is poured on his caput and he has a cup that overflows. Using oil was a common usage in the E and was used as a respectful gesture to guest, as seen in Luke 7:46, but besides as a mark of religious joy and refreshment[ 12 ]every bit good as articulating approvals. In the same manner, the Host anoints his invitee ‘s caput articulating approval and protection over him. The Full Life Study Bible explains how this anointment was a mark of God ‘s particular ‘favour and blessing through the anointment of His Holy Spirit on [ the invitee ‘s ] organic structure, head and spirit. ‘[ 13 ]It goes on to read that the words ‘my cup floods ‘ referred to a shepherds cup ‘which was a big, hollowed-out rock that could keep 40 to fifty gallons and from which the sheep drank. ‘[ 14 ]We see here that David was non mentioning to any left overs or half-filled parts, he was mentioning to an copiousness that showed favors and highest honor from the Host.
Once once more, the Psalm takes a bend into a more intimate kingdom by no longer speaking about what the Host does, but who he is. The properties of the Host are mentioned here in the footings ‘goodness ‘ and ‘faithful love ‘ . Notice the verb the psalmist uses: ‘Only goodness and faithful love will follow me… ‘[ 15 ]He has non merely familial or was given goodness and faithful love, but these two things followed him ; you can conceive of the motion in these words. Traveling back to the idea of protection from the enemies one time in the Host ‘s house, it sounds like David is connoting ‘now that I am here, my enemies no longer prosecute me, but goodness and clemency do! ‘ To hold these properties follow him ‘all the yearss of his life ‘ would intend that the psalmist is no longer merely a invitee remaining for a visit, but he has now become portion of the place. The remainder of poetry six confirms this when he announces that he will brood in the house of the Lord forever.
All throughout Bible, we see the love of the Lord as our shepherd ( John 10:11 ) . Jesus, the Good Shepherd, explains that His sheep knows his voice ( John 10:4 ) , that even if one goes losing he leaves the 90 nine and hunts for that one ( Matt. 18:10-14 ) . Looking at Psalm 23, we see how a relationship grows from Shepherd and Sheep to Host and Guest and finally, Father and Son. The Lord is no longer a maestro, nor is he merely a friend. He has now become Father and the psalmist is now His really ain. This great love that is shown from the Father to the Psalmist has now been bestowed upon us, through the powerful act of Jesus.
