Jehovah my Shepherd #1

Preacher’s Pulpit by Dr. Joe Tims
Jehovah my Shepherd
Psalm 23, In our study of this familiar Psalm, we will find a number of encouragements given to us by the Holy Spirit as David penned these words so long ago. They are just as fresh and just as encouraging to us today. We see that David has described for us the Lord as the Shepherd who protects and provides. The One who provides us with rest, refreshment, and restoration. He is the One who restores us and comforts us when we face the uncertainties of life. He provides for us in the midst of trials and difficulties, He enables us to serve Him, and He supplies abundantly more than we need.
Psalm 23:1
“A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.”
INTRODUCTION
The twenty third Psalm is probably the most familiar and best loved of all Scripture passages. Its main theme illustrates one of the names for God. “Jehovah Rohi”.
I. The Lord is my Shepherd
A. He is Lord (not just any lord)
1. The God of the Heavens.
2. The One who is eternal.
3. The Holy One of Israel.
4. The Unchangeable God.
B. He is the shepherd.
1. In the Old Testament, sheep died for the shepherd.
2. In the New Testament, Shepherd dies for the sheep.
3. Jesus is the believer’s Three fold shepherd.
a. The good shepherd. (John 10:11).
b. The great shepherd. (Hebrews 13:20).
c. The chief shepherd. (I Peter 5:4)
4. He died to save the sheep . . . Salvation.
5. He lives to keep the sheep . . . Security.
6. He is coming to reward the sheep Sanctification.
C. The believer belongs to the Shepherd.
1. The nature and habits of sheep make them very different from most other animals.
2. Sheep are an object of property, not a wild animal.
a. Only domestic animal that cannot exist without man.
b. Horses, dogs, cats left to themselves will become wild.
c. Not sheep, they will be killed by wolves or winter.
D. As Sheep we are:
1. Property (of God).
2. Purchased possessions.
3. Price was great (blood).
(1 Cor 6:20) “For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
E. We are compared to sheep.
(Psa 100:3) “Know Ye That the Lord He Is God: it Is He That Hath Made Us, and Not We Ourselves; We Are His People, and the Sheep of His Pasture.”
1. Difficult to train them to do anything.
2. They are defenseless.
3. They have no sense of direction.
a. If ever lost cannot find way back.
b. Must be brought back by Shepherd; must be found by Shepherd.
(Luke 15:4 5) “What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? (5) And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.”
F. They are easily disturbed.
1. Least little thing will frighten them.
2. Prone to stray.
3. Weak, very little strength.
II. He is “My Shepherd”
A. I am His and there are no “if’s”, “and’s”, “but’s”, or “I hope so’s”.
(Psa 18:2) “The Lord Is My Rock, and My Fortress, and My Deliverer; My God, My Strength, in Whom I Will Trust; My Buckler, and the Horn of My Salvation, and My High Tower.”
B. We are His:
1. By creation.
2. By redemption (purchased me).
3. By sustaining (Leads me by his Spirit and keeps me by his power).
C. He is my Shepherd.
III. I shall not want.
A. Not, I shall not want much . . . I shall not want!
1. His riches are unsearchable.
2. His joy is unspeakable.
3. His power is unlimited.
4. His faithfulness is unfailing.
5. His word is unshakable.
6. His love is unchanging.
B. This means that with Christ as my Shepherd there is no need that He does not supply.
1. When bread ceases. (“Man shall not live by bread alone.”)
2. When toil comes. (“Toiled all night and caught nothing.”)
3. When purse is empty. (fish and coin)
4. When wolf comes (He gives his life for the sheep)
CONCLUSION:
A little girl quoted Psalm 23 as “The Lord is my Shepherd, He is all I want.”
This is a verse of God’s goodness and grace. It presents an analogy of the shepherd and his total provision for his sheep. The ability is never in the sheep, but in the shepherd. We like sheep are helpless and are entirely dependent upon the Shepherd.

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