Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Evening Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/ev/ev20050731.htm

FEASTING ON THE NAMES OF "JEHOVAH"
Part V: Applying The Name Of "Jehovah-Roeh," God Our Shepherd
(Psalm 23:1-6)
  1. Introduction
    1. One of the most beloved passages in Scripture is the Twenty-third Psalm, a Psalm of David in which he as a former shepherd boy from Bethlehem spoke of the manifold ways that God was his own Shepherd.
    2. The context and content of this great psalm is always worth our review especially if the believer is keenly aware of his NEEDS in life, and we view it now to address any NEEDS we might be facing right NOW!
  2. Applying The Name Of "Jehovah-Roeh," God Our Shepherd, Psalm 23:1-6.
    1. The Hebrew word for "shepherd" is roeh, the participle form of the verb, rahah that means "to pasture, tend, graze," B.D.B., Heb. and Eng. Lex. of the O. T. , p. 944-945. Thus, shepherds functioned to do all that was needed to see that their flocks continued to feed well, Theol. Wrdbk. of the O.T., vol. II, p. 852.
    2. Accordingly, David's claim in Psalm 23:1 that Jahweh was his Shepherd so that he lacked nothing recalls Deuteronomy 2:7 KJV where David would have read of God's care of Israel in her wilderness journeys so that she "lacked nothing" (J. A. Alexander, The Psalms, 1975, p. 107)! That context reveals God had fought for Israel (Deut. 1:30), protectively, supportively carried her as a father would his child (Deut. 1:31), gone before her to search where the nation was to pitch her tent for each day's camp (Deut. 1:33) and had led Israel in the path by way of the cloud by day and the fiery pillar by night, Deut. 1:33.
    3. David then applied the same picture of God's shepherding of Israel in her wilderness journeys to God's work in his own life to meet his various needs, and that as David submitted to God as his Shepherd:
      1. As David looked to Jahweh as his Shepherd, he lacked no unrest about his livelihood, Psalm 23:2a: the sheep here has eaten to the full in such safety that it can afford to lie stretched out on pasture grass.
      2. As David looked to Jahweh as his Shepherd, he lacked no unrest about his location, Psalm 23:2a:
        1. Erratic rainfall patterns in Palestine caused shepherds in David's era to move their flocks to different pastures to provide them adequate feed, Zond. Pict. Ency. of the Bib., vol. Five, p. 386.
        2. Since David speaks of himself as a sheep that lies down on green pastures, he indicates God has led him to the right geographical pasture, the right location for his needs as a sheep to be met!
      3. As David looked to Jahweh as his Shepherd, he lacked no unrest about the way his needs were met: he was led by still waters, not by moving waters that frighten sheep from drinking the water, Psalm 23:2b.
      4. As David looked to Jahweh as his Shepherd, he found refreshment from the wear on his body, soul and spirit that came from sin's effects, 23:3a: the "soul" (KJV) that is restored is David's nephesh (Kittel, Biblia Hebraica, p. 993), that which makes him alive in spirit, soul and body, cf. Gen. 2:7; Ibid., p. 3.
      5. As David looked to Jahweh as his Shepherd, he lacked no assurance that God was leading him in the right direction, for that direction was underwritten by His name, i.e., His reputation , to be the right direction, 23:3b; God thus pledged to make the right way clear and upright enough in DAVID'S mere HUMAN view that DAVID would be SURE it was GOD'S proper DIRECTION for DAVID to take!
      6. As David looked to Jahweh as his Shepherd, he lacked no assurance all would go well even in the WORST crises he faced: God's rod that beat off predators and His crooked staff that would pull him back onto the right path when David had strayed away would save him from undo calamity, Ps. 23:4.
      7. As David looked to Jahweh as his Shepherd, he had no reason to fear his enemies, Psalm 23:5:
        1. Hosts at meals in David's day were obliged to protect their guests from enemies for 3 days or 100 miles after they left the table where the meal was served, Ibid., Z.P.E.B., v. Three, p. 214; Ps. 23:5a.
        2. At banquets, honored guests were anointed with oil as David mentions in Psalm 23:5b.
        3. The overflowing of the cup indicates joy at a banquet, Psalm 23:5c.
        4. Thus, when enemies sought to destroy David, his Shepherd not only protected him, but also honored him and supplied him cause for abundant JOY to the frustration of David's enemies!
      8. As David looked to Jahweh as his Shepherd, he lacked no confidence regarding his FUTURE: God's loyal love (chesed) would faithfully follow him throughout the rest of his earthly sojourn, Psalm 23:6!
Lesson and Application: If we like David look to the God of Scripture as our Shepherd so that we fully follow HIM as OUR SOVEREIGN GOD, we like David will see Him meet all our needs in the process!