Sermon on Psalm 23: The Lord as shepherd who guides, protects, and provides
A sermon by James de Costobadie, Senior Pastor at Latimer Church, on Psalm 23.
Summary
James de Costobadie preaches through Psalm 23, arguing that this beloved psalm is not primarily a psalm for funerals and death but a psalm for the living as they navigate life's complexities and trials. He structures the sermon around three movements in the psalm — the shepherd who guides (verses 1–3), the shepherd who protects (verse 4), and the shepherd who provides (verses 5–6) — and three corresponding declarations David makes to himself: "I shall not want," "I will fear no evil," and "I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." De Costobadie contends that the more deeply a person grasps the opening statement — "The Lord is my shepherd" — the more confident they will be in all three of those declarations. He connects the psalm throughout to Jesus' claim in John 10 to be the good shepherd, arguing that David's cry to the Lord is, in some sense, a cry to the Lord Jesus himself.
Key Takeaways
FULL TRANSCRIPT
Opening Prayer and Introduction
Lord, open our eyes to your greatness and goodness, your guidance, your protection, your provision in all things. Help us to know this in salvation and the new creation to come, and help us to know this in every aspect of our daily lives now. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
As those words were read, it's not hard to see why this psalm has become one of the most widely loved and well-known parts of the Bible — and also why it has become the go-to chapter for funerals in the last couple of hundred years. That sure sign of hope. Although, hopefully we'll see this today: this is not a psalm for death. This is a psalm for life. This is a psalm for the living as they navigate life's complexities and trials, and a reminder to rely entirely on the one true shepherd above all — the Lord himself.
It's a psalm of David, simple, personal, beautiful, and I'm sure many here could recite it or sing it without prompting. It starts with a simple and yet profound statement, which we're going to unpack in a little bit of detail: "The Lord is my shepherd." And there are then three very clear movements in the psalm. Verses 1 to 3: David claims, my shepherd who guides me. Verse 4: my shepherd who protects me. And verses 5 and 6: my shepherd who provides for me. Most describe the Lord as a host in these last couple of verses because the imagery really clearly changes at this point. That's fine, you can see why. But the psalm never describes the Lord as anything other than a shepherd, so we're going to stick with that language today.
Importantly, these three sections also include three statements from David — statements which I hope you'll see are David's deliberate reminders to himself, not necessarily of what he feels, but of what he truly knows and should truly accept if he knows the Lord really is indeed his shepherd. So David says: "The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing" — or the more well-known translation, "I shall not want." Then verse 4: "I will fear no evil." And finally verse 6: "I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." He says the Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want, I will fear no evil, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. And these reminders, my friends, if the Lord is your shepherd, are as vital and comforting today as they ever were for David.
The Lord Is My Shepherd
As we begin, I just want to take a few moments and suggest that the more closely and intently we can understand the first statement — "The Lord is my shepherd" — the greater our confidence in the other reminders: that we shall not want, will not fear, and will certainly dwell in the house of the Lord forever. The more we comprehend that the Lord is my shepherd, the more confident we will be in his shepherding.
There are three aspects to the opening statement worth dwelling on.
The first is the Lord himself. You'll see that in your Bibles the word "Lord" is in all capital letters. That's because this is the personal name of God. It's given to Moses at the burning bush, where he announced who he was to his people: "I am who I am," he says — the great I AM. In Hebrew this is the word often pronounced Yahweh, which we translate as "Lord" in all capital letters throughout the Bible. This name, "I am," without comparison, announces God as the one who has no equal, no rival, above all. He's all-powerful, unchangeable, he never breaks his word, he always achieves his purposes. This is the God who created the universe by his word, who brought all things into being from nothing. This is the God who chose for himself a people and brought them out of Egypt with mighty works of his hand, who rescued them and brought them into a land flowing with milk and honey by conquering nations and their so-called gods.
Friends, it's impossible to underestimate the greatness of God. In his name there is no one like the Lord — no one you can even compare him to. The great I AM. God is the one who has the power to bring about his will at any time, the capacity to do it infinitely and universally, the knowledge to do it wisely, the goodness to do it rightly, and the love to do it compassionately. And this is vital for us to grasp if we are to rest in his shepherding, to relinquish control of leading ourselves, and to let him be the one who guides, protects, and provides. How often do you contemplate the greatness of the Lord?
It's worth noting straight off the bat that this highlights the incredible nature of the statement of the Lord Jesus when he claims that he is the good shepherd in John 10. Jesus is not just claiming to be God's promised king. "I am," he says — "I am the good shepherd" — and elsewhere saying that "before Abraham was, I am." Jesus knows exactly what he's claiming. He is God come down in human form, and he is the great shepherd of the sheep. And so in some way, even without knowing it, you might say that David is crying out to the Lord Jesus, the great I AM.
And not just as a shepherd — "the Lord is my shepherd," David says. This is the second thing to note. And it's beautiful to note that this is a psalm of David. There are loads of examples in Scripture where the Lord is spoken of as Israel's shepherd as he guides his people, but only twice, I think, when it's mentioned personally — see Jacob in Genesis 48 for the other one. So while shepherd language everywhere is generally applied, what's heartwarming here is that David can say that the Lord is my shepherd, personally.
It's unclear exactly when David speaks the words of this psalm, at what point of his life. Clearly, as you get to verse 5, there are enemies on the horizon, but there are surprisingly few times recorded of David's life when that isn't the case. But even without enemies, David — who was once himself an actual shepherd — now shepherds God's people as their king. He has many responsibilities, many concerns, many worries in this life. He looks after so much. And I imagine him wondering: who looks after me? Who will look after me? Until he realizes: ah, the Lord is my shepherd. Even as I, David, look after all that I'm responsible for in this life, it's the Lord who takes responsibility for me — who personally looks after me and cares for me, who guides and provides, corrects and protects. The Lord is my shepherd.
Again, in the New Testament, with Jesus as the good shepherd, this is what that means for you and me — anyone who puts their trust in the Lord Jesus. John 10:3: "He calls his own sheep by name and he leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. They will never follow a stranger — in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice." Verse 14: "I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep and my sheep know me."
And friends, if you trust and obey the words of Jesus, as you follow him, as you listen to him, you are one of his sheep. You know him, and he knows you. We see elsewhere that he knows when one of his sheep has gone astray. All sheep look alike to me, but Jesus knows who you are, and he will come and find you if you're lost. You are his sheep, and he is your shepherd. And when you understand that this same Jesus, who is the Lord, the great I AM — the fact that in all his greatness and comprehensive power and sovereignty he is also concerned for you personally — that is the wonder of wonders, isn't it? The Lord of the universe is universally concerned but personally involved. That's a mind-blowing but deeply comforting truth. It certainly was for David, and I hope and pray it is for you.
Thirdly, then, is the fact of the Lord's shepherding. Why is this an important role? Why does David choose this role as a metaphor? Now, it might just be that David was a shepherd himself, so it's just a relatable, understandable image. But I think there's more to it. If nothing else, it's immediately important — hear me here — that the definition of a shepherd also defines the sheep in his care. The importance of the shepherd underlines the nature of the sheep themselves, who, let's face it, as sheep, aren't really the sharpest tools in the shed. They're utterly defenseless. They're hopeless in taking care of themselves. It's interesting that David, as he claims the Lord as his shepherd, is also claiming to be a sheep. Helpless. Hopeless without his shepherd.
Now the role of the shepherd is broad-ranging, but you can essentially boil it down to three main responsibilities. The first is to lead and guide the sheep in where to go — the best places. Secondly, on the way, to protect them from harm as they go. And then to provide for them when they get there. And this is exactly what you see in these verses. We're going to look at each briefly in turn.
My Shepherd Guides Me — I Shall Not Want (Verses 1–3)
Firstly, my shepherd guides me, and I shall not want, verses 1 to 3. It's quite the statement, isn't it? How can David — or we — say, "I lack nothing, I shall not want"? As it turns out, I want a lot of things. And there seem to be plenty of things I lack, materially, mentally, and spiritually. It's a stark statement from David: I lack nothing, I shall not want.
Now, that's not saying that he has everything he could have, nor is it saying that he has everything he desires to have. That's not what the word "want" means here. It's a reminder to himself that because the Lord is his shepherd, because the Lord knows the right paths and the best outcomes, David will always have everything he needs.
I used to think that the green pastures and the quiet waters in these opening verses were to be pictured as the sort of constant and permanent place for the sheep — that's where they always were. But I think the likely background to these verses is the Lord as the shepherd as he guides Israel as they travel in the wilderness. And what that does is it paints the picture of the shepherd who, while on a journey amidst an arid and desolate countryside, every day is leading his sheep to a place of rest to eat and drink at the end of it. Every day leading them to a space of safety and security where they can rest on their journey — not always in the pasture, but always when they need it.
And while that's clearly physical for Israel and for the sheep, David just as clearly isn't speaking of physical provision in these verses. David here is speaking of a mental and a spiritual rest. Note what David says: "The Lord refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths" — or paths of righteousness — "for his name's sake." For those who trust in the Lord and follow him, this is a picture of an internal rest, a soul safety and security, convinced that our shepherd — maybe unbeknownst to us as the sheep, because all we can see for the moment is the wilderness — but trusting that the shepherd is leading us on the right path, will give us what we need at every stage, because we know that he will lead us to times of rest and restoration. And it's for his own glory, for his own name's sake, David says, that he leads us and guides us. We should be comforted by that as well, because our resting in him brings him glory.
Now, of course, the simple way we do this as Christians is by obeying what Jesus tells us to do in Scripture. But even then, part of Jesus' command is to find this very rest in him — those wonderful, comforting words in Matthew 11: "Come to me," Jesus says, "all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest for your souls." Not, "Come to me and I'll give you lots of stuff which might make you happy in the short term." Come to me and I will give you rest for your souls — a salvation safe and secure in him which will last into eternity.
My shepherd guides me, and I shall not want, even when things prove difficult.
My Shepherd Protects Me — I Will Fear No Evil (Verse 4)
And so, secondly, verse 4: my shepherd protects me, and I will fear no evil. In many ways, this verse lies at the very heart of this psalm. Literally the centre — the middle words are, "for you are with me."
Something Christians often wrestle with is that being a Christian doesn't mean the end of difficulties and trials. Indeed, the very fact of being a follower of the Lord, our shepherd, comes with promises that this will make living in this world even more difficult, since we're to live as strangers and aliens in it, taking up our cross and following Jesus. And this psalm reminds us that as we find ourselves in these dark or dire situations in life, it's actually our shepherd who has led us there. Remarkably, this means that somehow, for reasons we often don't understand, this dark valley is the best — perhaps the only — way to get where we are heading.
However, exactly where is our shepherd while we are in that valley? What does David say? "For you are with me." Our shepherd is no longer leading in front — he is walking beside us. We still trust that he's leading in the right direction. He still knows the best way to green pastures and quiet waters. But in our darkest hour, the Bible tells us that our good shepherd is with us. When you're sick and struggling to cope, he is with you. When you've lost your job and you don't know how you will live in the future, he is with you. When your marriage is in jeopardy and you can't see a way to fix things, he is with you. When you're struggling under the weight of your own sin and you've even forgotten that he is your shepherd — you may be panicking and faltering in this dark valley — even then, he is with you.
But notice that it's not just the presence of the shepherd that comforts David. It's the tools of his trade. David continues: "Your rod and your staff, they comfort me."
The rod was likely a weapon used against wild animals which roamed the countryside. In 1 Samuel 17, when David himself reminded Saul that he was once a shepherd, he said: "When a lion or a bear" — anyone here taken on a lion or a bear at any point? No? — "when a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it." David's a machine. And it was probably this rod that he would have used to strike and kill these lions and bears.
It's easy to forget that shepherds were not simply gentle caretakers. They were warriors who fought wild animals to protect their sheep. My friends, as you walk in that darkest valley, Jesus fights for you as your shepherd. And you've got to think — how can you lose with him fighting for you? Think what tools the Lord of the universe has at his disposal to protect you from ultimate harm in this world, from sin and from Satan. Nothing will snatch you out of his hand. And the Lord will use whatever tool is necessary to protect you. Now, mundanely from our point of view, it might be as simple as the presence of a Christian brother or sister. It might be a word in season from Scripture. But all of these are gifts brought about by his powerful Spirit, who is constantly at work in us and through us and through others for us. And through the Word of God — the sword of the Spirit — the Lord has many weapons at his disposal, and he uses them to fight for you when you are in that dark valley.
And remember, this doesn't mean that we never face the struggles. It simply means that Jesus is with us as we face them. And that is the first comfort.
The other tool, however, is the staff. This tool isn't used on wild animals. It's most likely used on the sheep themselves. I wonder — we like the rod — I wonder if we're equally as comforted by the staff. The staff, which is used not for protection but for correction, or if you like, to protect the sheep from itself. The staff was used to pull a sheep in line when it was wandering. It was a smack to the side to correct its course. It's to hook its leg and drag it back when it went maybe too close to a cliff. It was a corrective tool.
None of us like being corrected. For the most part, we probably think we don't really need that much correction — just the odd little nudge here and there is all we likely need, right? Wrong, friends. Sheep are not very clever, and we need correction more than we know, to show us where we're going wrong as we all, unawares, wander into sinfulness. We need dragging back to the right way, to his way. Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it — prone to leave the Lord I love. We must know our need for correction.
But even more, note that David doesn't just put up with the correction of the staff. He's comforted by that picture. He looks for the staff to be comforted by it. Do you look for the correction of the Lord? Do you long for the correction of the Lord? I don't. But I take it that the more I can understand truly the goodness and greatness of the shepherd, the more I will look for and long for his correction, because his way is the best way. Even — maybe especially — in the darkest valley, for he is with us. He protects us and corrects us when necessary in this life.
But friends, the wonderful news is that the dark valley is not the end of the journey, for the house of the Lord is now in view.
My Shepherd Provides for Me — I Will Dwell in the House of the Lord Forever (Verses 5–6)
And so verses 5 and 6: my shepherd provides for me, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. It might seem odd that the imagery shifts very drastically here. It could be a number of reasons for it, but we can probably be glad it does — if for no other reason than knowing that, let's face it, the end goal for actual sheep isn't to eat at the table. It's pretty much to be food on it. I think there's to be a little bit of lamb a little bit later on. We're not actual sheep anymore. We move into feasting mode, and the language now shifts to us being people. That's good. David acknowledges that.
David now directly mentions whatever enemies he currently has in mind in verse 5. But the beautiful closing images of this glorious feast which awaits him in the house of the Lord — which the Lord himself has prepared for him — it's a beautiful picture. And so verse 5, still speaking of the Lord: "You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies." And David reminds himself that the enemies that he faces, whoever they are in the end, they're of no consequence. They can do nothing about the fact that the Lord is preparing this feast for him. Nothing stops the Lord from fulfilling his purposes. "You anoint my head with oil," he says, "my cup overflows." The pictures after a long journey in the dust and the dirt — he's being refreshed and provided for in abundance.
And then David acknowledges, with this feast ahead of him, verse 6: "Surely your goodness and love, Lord, will follow me all the days of my life." Interestingly, in the first three verses the shepherd was ahead and leading the way. In the darkest valley, the shepherd is right there beside David. And now David understands the goodness and love of the Lord to be pushing him forward, following him and pressing him on to that feast that awaits, guaranteeing the outcome of his arrival. David has now fully surrounded himself with the presence of the Lord. It's wonderful, isn't it?
And this third statement forms this picture of a marvellous and glorious feast of abundance. But because it is the shepherd who is leading us there, the result is a foregone conclusion. And so he can say: "I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever."
Closing
Friends, as we close, there may be in front of us times of uncertainty, certainly times of change, times of struggle. But to every single person here who can say with David, "The Lord is my shepherd" — the Lord, he is my shepherd — if you can say that and grasp the fullness of what that means, as David did, then you can remind yourself as David did.
You can remind yourself that every day, the Lord your shepherd, as he guides you, will lead you to everything you need for the refreshment of your soul on the right path for his name's sake. You shall not want. You have everything you need. You can remind yourself that even though you walk through the darkest valley, he protects you — even if what you need protecting from is yourself at times. You need not fear, for he is with you. And no matter what happens in the journey of this life, he will provide. There is a feast waiting. It is glorious and abundant.
So that if you can ever say and begin this psalm with David and say, "The Lord is my shepherd," you can certainly close as he did and say, "I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever."
Let me pray. Gracious Father, what a wonderful picture, what a wonderful prayer from King David as he looked to you, his shepherd — looking forward, even unknown to David, as he looked forward to the good shepherd of our Lord Jesus. Lord, may we look to our Lord Jesus as our shepherd every day of our life. May we understand his greatness and his goodness. May we understand and look for and be comforted by his guidance, his protection, and his provision in all things. May we look forward to the certainty that when we can say "The Lord is my shepherd," we can say that we will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Amen.