Psalms 23 - Spurgeon’s Verse Expositions of the Bible

Bible Comments
  • Psalms 23:1-3 open_in_new

    We shall view Christ in the office of a shepherd and the first passage we read sets before us faith proving Christ in that office accepting him, trusting him, following him.

    Psalms 23:1-2. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

    Can you say that for yourself, dear friend? There is the sweetness of it. The words in themselves are noble, but it is the experimental acquaintance with their meaning which is the real honey of life. If thou canst use these words, and lay the emphasis upon the personal pronoun, thou art one of the happiest out of heaven.

    Psalms 23:3-6. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his namesake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil, my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

    There is the believer realizing Christ in that gracious office as the shepherd of his people. Now let us see how our glorious Shepherd is set forth in prophecy.

    This exposition consisted of readings from Psalms 23:1; Isaiah 40:9-11; Ezekiel 34:11-25.

  • Psalms 23:1-4 open_in_new

    Did you ever notice that the 22 nd Psalm exhibits «that great Shepherd of the sheep» as laying down his life for the sheep; that the 23 rd Psalm exhibits «the good Shepherd» with all his sheep around him happy and restful, while the 24 th Psalm represents «the chief Shepherd» who shall appear in due time; and when he does appear, then shall his sheep also appear with him in glory?

    Psalms 23:1. The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.

    How can a sheep want when it has a good and wise shepherd able and willing to provide for it: and how can a believer want when he has God himself, the ever-gracious and omnipotent Lord of all, to forestall his needs and to prevent him from ever knowing what want means? David does not say, «I shall have all I wish for because the Lord is my Shepherd;» but he does say, «I shall not want. Not only have I no want now, but I never shall want while my Shepherd lives. Though I am only one out of his countless flock, yet he cares for me, and therefore I shall not want.» Why should a believer think that he shall ever want? Let him look at his present condition.

    Psalms 23:2-3. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the path of righteousness for his name's sake.

    Here are four blessed things that the Lord does for the believer. «He maketh me to lie down:» he gives me rest, perfect rest and he gives me so much spiritual provision that I am unable to take it all in, so I lie down and rest in it as a sheep does in the deep pastures where it seems lost in the provender. There are such deep doctrines, such glorious privileges, such wondrous revelations of the heart of God in this blessed Book, that you and I cannot comprehend it all, but we can lie down in it; «He maketh me to lie down in green pastures.» Take a good stretch, brethren and sisters in Christ. Some are afraid to lie down in the green pastures of the Word. I know some of God's saints who seem to be afraid of being too happy; they do not like to be too restful. Let no such fear ever cross your mind. «He maketh me» and he would not make us do what was not good for us, «He maketh me to lie down in green pastures.» Then come those three sweet words, «He leadeth me,» which in themselves are full of music.

    «He leadeth me. He leadeth me.

    By his own hand he leadeth me.»

    You know how our song makes these words ring out over and over again and it is truly charming. «He leadeth me.» The Holy Spirit is our Guide, and as the softly-flowing river of grace marks our trackway, we sing, «He leadeth me beside the still waters.» You and I sometimes go wandering by the noisy brooks that ripple over the stones, and make such a noise because they are so shallow; but when the Spirit guides us, it is beside the deep rivers, the deep still waters, that he leads us. «He restoreth my soul.» Is not that a blessed little sentence? When my soul gets empty, he stores it again, re-stores it. When it goes wandering away from him,

    «He brings my wandering spirit back.

    When I forsake his ways.»

    And when I get spiritually sick, he gives me a sweet restorative, and renews my health: «He restoreth my soul.» Blessed be the name of the great Restorer.» «He leadeth me» here comes those sweet words again, He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness.» They are very pleasant paths, for nothing is more pleasant to a believer than to be walking in «the paths of righteousness.» God has so constituted his people that, if they get out of the right way, they get out of the way of peace. He has so re-made us that our peace and our righteousness agree together; and as long as we are led in the paths of righteousness, we are a happy and a restful people. The Lord does all this for us «for his Name's sake.»

    Psalms 23:4. Yea, though I walk-

    Yes, though I walk, not only though I shall walk, but though I do walk now-

    Psalms 23:4. Through the valley of the shadow of death,

    Though, long before I die, I seem to learn what death means in the cold chill that takes hold upon my spirit, and freezes all my joy,

    Psalms 23:4. I will fear no evil; for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

    Some seem to think that God's people would have no distress of mind, and no trouble, if they were trusting in God; but it is not so. Even they «walk through the valley of the shadow of death,» but they «fear no evil» even there. When all is dark around you, remember that verse, «Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God.» There would be no room for faith if it were always summertime and always noontide. But Christians are called sometimes to pass through that gloomy experience which Mr. Bunyan has so beautifully pictured under the symbol here used, «the valley of the shadow of death.» It is a terrible journey, yet there is no cause for fear to strike the Christian's heart even there; for, let the worst come to the worst, he can say to his Lord, with David, «Thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me» Now look back to the 14 th and 15 th verses of the 22 nd Psalm, and you will see how fully Christ can sympathize with his people, because he also walked through the valley of the shadow of death even as they have to do. Hear him crying there, «I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax, it is melted in the midst of my bowels. My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws, and thou hast brought me» remember that this is the Saviour speaking here,-«thou hast brought me into the dust of death.» Well then, there is great comfort for the sheep in the fact that their Shepherd has been along that gloomy way before them.

    Psalms 23:5. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:

    See what cool, calm courage David here displays. Usually, when a warrior is in the presence of his enemies, he just eats a bit of bread, or something that he can swallow while getting ready for the fight that is impending. But David took matters much more quietly than that. Though his enemies were all around him, there was a table prepared for him, that is to say, there was everything ready for a feast, just as if it had been a holiday instead of the day of battle. «Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies.» You may grin or howl, you devils, you may do what you like; but the true believer takes no notice of you. His table is being prepared by his God while you, armed to the teeth, are seeking to slay him. What a contrast there is between the rage of the believer's enemies and the quiet, calm confidence of the man himself!

    Psalms 23:5. Thou anointest my head with oil;

    A sweet savour shall be upon the man who is thus anointed by his God.

    Psalms 23:5. My cup runneth over.

    «I have more than I expected, more than I ever asked for, more than I desired, more than I am capable of holding; ‘My cup runneth over.'» If ever your cup does thus run over, be sure to call your poor neighbours in to catch the overflowing mercy. If ever you have more blessing than you can hold, ask some other Christian to share it with you. Recollect what Peter and his companions did when, at Christ's command, they let down the net, and caught more fish than their net could hold without breaking: they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. «What! Come and help them fish? Oh, no; come and help them share the fish! Many persons say, «You are kindly invited to come to such-and-such a meeting,» because they want to get something out of you; but it is a better kind of invitation when you are asked because there is something to be given away, and those who have an overflowing cup want you to share the blessing with them.

    Psalms 23:6. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:

    I shall never be able to outrun the goodness and mercy of my God. I shall always have closely attendant upon me his goodness to supply my needs, and his mercy to forgive my sins.

    Psalms 23:6. And I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

    This exposition consisted of readings from Psalms 23, 24.

  • Psalms 23:1-5 open_in_new

    We will first read that choicest of all the Psalms, the twenty-third. It is like a precious pearl shining with a mild lustre. This Psalm is, among the other Psalms, what the lark is among the other birds; it soars and sings till it is lost in the heights to which it ascends.

    Psalms 23:1. The LORD is my Shepherd;

    What a precious title the psalmist used in speaking of his God! It is right to call the Lord a Shepherd. «The Shepherd of Israel» is a very blessed and true title for him, but «my Shepherd» is best of all. I wish beloved, that each of you would truthfully say, with David, «'The Lord is my Shepherd.' He owns me; and as I am his property, he will preserve me, protect me, provide for me, guide me, and be everything to my weakness, and folly, and necessity, that a shepherd is to a sheep.» «The Lord is my Shepherd;»

    Psalms 23:1. I shall not want.

    Not only do I not want at the present moment, but I never shall want. I may sometimes foolishly fancy that I shall come to want; but I never shall as long as God provides for me. How could such a Shepherd as he is almighty and all-sufficient, ever suffer one of his sheep to lack any good thing? No, ‘I shall not want.' All the world beside may want, but I shall not while Jehovah is my Provider. Famine may be sore in the land, there may be neither dew nor rain, and even the brook Cherith may at last be dried up, but since Jehovah is my Shepherd, ‘I shall not want.' As a guarantee of his care of us in the future, we turn to our experience in the past and the present What is our experience of our great Shepherd even now?

    Psalms 23:2. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:

    Here is blessed rest, and here is also gracious provision for the needs of the sheep. The pasture is sweet and tender, and there is so much of the green grass that it cannot all be eaten, and the superabundance makes a soft bed for the tired sheep: «He maketh me to lie down in green pastures.» Repose, O believer, in the abundant provision of God's grace! A sheep needs sometimes to lie down. It is as necessary for its health that it should have time to digest its food as that it should have proper and sufficient food to eat. May the Lord graciously give to each of you the sweet rest of meditation and contemplation, that blessed rest, to which faith attains when it grows into firm confidence and full assurance, so that you may be able to say with David, «He maketh me to lie down in green pastures.» But our spiritual life is not to be all spent in lying down; there must come a time for going forward, so David adds:

    Psalms 23:2. He leadeth me

    What a peerless Guide he is, since infallible wisdom is his! And how gracious and condescending it is, on his part, to go first in the way which he means us to take! David does not say, «He driveth me,» but «He leadeth me»

    Psalms 23:2-3. Beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness

    «In each one of them; he is my Exemplar in every virtue, for he himself has endured all temptations that are incident to my life's pathway; and, all the way, ‘he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness'»

    Psalms 23:3. For his name's sake.

    «Not because of any goodness in me, but because of the goodness that is in him, and for the glory of his holy name, ‘he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness.'»

    «Also, ‘He restoreth my soul.' When I wander, he restores my soul to the right road. When I become empty, he stores my soul again with good things; he restoreth my soul.»

    Psalms 23:4. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil:

    «Not only shall there be none, but I will fear none.» A sense of the Lord's presence lifts a Christian above even fear. You know how often it is true that we «feel a thousand deaths in fearing one.» But if we have a sense of our Saviour's presence, when we do really walk through the valley of death-shade, not a trace of fear shall come across our peaceful souls.

    Psalms 23:4. For thou art with me;

    The presence of Christ is all that his people can ever want. The all powerful, ever-faithful, infinitely-compassionate One being with us, what cause for fear can possibly remain?

    Psalms 23:4. Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

    «To see thy scepter, and even to feel thy chastising rod, to know that thou art a King, and that thou rulest over Israel, to know that, as a Shepherd, thou carries «a crook to guide thy flock; shall be enough to comfort my heart, and to sustain my spirit.» How sweet is the next verse!

    Psalms 23:5. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:

    How calmly the psalmist writes! He realizes that he has enemies, yet he means to sit down to a feast; he is not going to snatch a hurried mouthful or two, but «a table» is «prepared» for him as though for a banquet. His enemies may look on while he is feasting, but they cannot take away his enjoyment of the feast.

    Psalms 23:5. Thou anointest my head with oil;

    He receives a fresh anointing for new service, even the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

    Psalms 23:5. My cup runneth over.

    «I have all I want, and even more than I need, so that others, not so favored as I am, may come and catch some of the droppings from my overflowing cup. It is so full O Lord, that it cannot hold all that thou givest me till thou dost enlarge my capacity, I shall still have to say, «My cup runneth over.» The psalmist's next word also has much meaning and force in it:

    Psalms 23:6. Surely

    There are no ifs, no doubts, no fears about the matter: «Surely»

    Psalms 23:6. Goodness and mercy shall follow me

    «These two holy angels shall watch over my footsteps and track me wherever I go; ‘goodness' to preserve me and ‘mercy' to pardon me! ‘goodness' to supply my needs, and ‘mercy' to blot out my sins.» And these angels shall follow me

    Psalms 23:6. All the days of my life:

    «Not merely now and then, but all my days; my dark days as well as my bright ones; these heavenly messengers will never forsake me,»

    Psalms 23:6. And I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

    This life begins here, for this earth is but the lower part of God's house; and when the time shall come for us to leave this earth, we, who are the Lord's own children, shall only go upstairs to the higher rooms, to «dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.»

    This, then, is the portion of the children of God; but there are some to whom David's language will seem strange. They cannot sing this sweet Psalm, for their life is as restless as the waves of the sea, No quiet pastoral poem could set forth their joy, for the sound of war is heard in the streets of their city of Mansoul. If any such souls are seeking rest and peace let them hearken to the voice of God as it speaks to them from the Book of the prophet Isaiah, chapter fifty-five.

    This exposition consisted of readings from Psalms 23:1 and Isaiah 55:1.

  • Psalms 23:1-6 open_in_new

    I hope we all know this Psalm by heart, may we also know it by heart-experience! It is a sweet pastoral song just suited to our Sabbath evening worship. There is here no din of arms, no noise of war; but there is a delicious hush, only broken by the gentle tinkling of the sheep-bell. God give us that sweet rest tonight!

    Psalms 23:1. The LORD is my shepherd;

    All true rest begins with Jesus, as all the comfort of the sheep is provided for their by their shepherd.

    «The Lord is my shepherd.» Is it so? Canst thou look up, poor defenseless sheep, and say, «The Lord is my shepherd»? Then comes the blessed inference:

    Psalms 23:1. I shall not want.

    I do not want, I cannot want; I never shall want with such a Shepherd as I have. He will provide for me; nay, more, God himself is my provision. All I need I have, for «The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.» I cannot provide for myself, but I shall not want. Famine may come, and others who have no God to go to, may pine and perish, but in the worst season I shall not want, for «The Lord is my shepherd.»

    Psalms 23:2. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:

    I am so weak that I even need God's help to enable me to lie down, but «He maketh me to lie down.» Yes, the rest of the soul is so hard to attain that nobody ever does reach it except by the power of God. He who made the heavens must make us to lie down if we are really to rest. What delightful rest it is when we lie down in his pastures, which are always green! Did you ever find them dry? Our Shepherd makes us not only to feed, but so to feed that we lie down in the midst of the pastures. There is more than we can eat, so the Lord makes a couch of it for us: «He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:»

    Psalms 23:2. He leadeth me beside the still waters.

    There is, first, contemplation: «He maketh me to lie down.» Then there is activity. «He leadeth me.» There is also progress, and there is provision for our advance in the heavenly way: «He leadeth me.» He leadeth me beside the waters of quietness, not by the rushing torrents of excitement, nor by the place of noisy strife. «He shall not strive, nor cry, neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets.» «He leadeth me beside the still waters.» Not, he drives, or drags; but he himself leads, going first to show the way. It is for me to follow, happily to follow, where «He leadeth me beside the still waters.»

    Psalms 23:3. He restoreth my soul:

    He can do it at once. He restoreth now. He is a restoring God. «He restoreth my soul.» He brings my wandering spirit back when I forsake his ways; and having done that, he leads me, even more carefully than before, for a second time we have the psalmist's declaration, «He leadeth me.»

    Psalms 23:3-4. He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil:

    Though death's shadow hovers all around me, and damps my spirit, though I feel as though I must die, and cannot bear up under present trial any longer, «Yea, though I walk,» for I do walk I will not quicken my pace, I will not be in a flurry, I will not run for it. Though death itself shall overshadow me, I will keep up my walk with God. Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.» There is none, therefore I will not fear any. We often feel more afraid through our fear itself than through any real cause for fear. Some people seem to be ever on the lookout for fear where there is none. Do not you see any, nor let any enter your heart; gay with the psalmist, «I will fear no evil:»

    Psalms 23:4. For thou art with me;

    Should a sheep fear when the shepherd is with it? What cause has it to fear if that Shepherd is omniscient, omnipotent, and full of tenderness?

    Psalms 23:4. Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

    Thy rule and thy correction: thy rod, with which I sometimes am made to smart; thy staff, with which I am supported. These are my comforts; why should I fear? Are you drinking in all this precious truth, dear friends? Are you feeling it in your soul's deepest experience? This Psalm is very good to read, but it is far better to write out from your own experience. Make it a song of your own; not merely a song in the Book, but a song for yourselves.

    Psalms 23:5. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:

    There is a fight going on, and there are enemies all around. You do not generally have tables set in the hour of battle; but God keeps his people so calm amid the bewildering cry, so confident of victory, that even in the presence of their enemies a table is spread with all the state of a royal banquet. «Thou preparest a table.» There is a doth on the table, there are the ornaments on it, and there are all the accompaniments of a feast: «Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies.» They may look on if they like; they may grin, they may wish they could devour, but they cannot sit down at the table, and they cannot prevent me from sitting down at it. Let them blow their trumpets, let them fire their guns: «Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies.» It is the very acme of security and repose that is here described. I know of no expression, not even that of lying down in green pastures, that is more full of restfulness than this: «Thou preparest table before me in the presence of mine enemies.»

    Psalms 23:5. Thou anointest my head with oil;

    At some feasts, they poured perfumed unguents on the heads of the guests, so God will leave out nothing that is for the joy and comfort of his people. «Thou anointest my head with oil.» You shall have delicacies as well as necessaries; you shall have joy as well as safety; you shall be prepared for service as well as preserved from destruction.

    Psalms 23:5. My cup runneth over.

    I have not only what I wish, but I have more; not only all I can hold, but something to spare: «My cup runneth over.» If this is the case with your cup, dear friend, let it run over in thankful joy, and if you have more of this world's substance than you need, ask the poor and needy to come and catch that which flows over.

    Psalms 23:6. Surely

    This is another of the psalmist's inferences, and a very sure one. He does not say, «Peradventure,» but, «Surely»

    Psalms 23:6. Goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:

    Here is a prince of the blood royal of heaven attended by two body guards, goodness and mercy, which keep close behind him. These are the grooms that ride on the horses of salvation: «Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me.» «Goodness» to provide for me; «mercy» to blot out my sin. «Goodness and mercy shall follow me,»-not only now and then, but, «all the days of my life.» When I get gray-headed and feeble, and have to lean heavily upon my staff, these twin angels shall be close behind to bear me up, and bear me through.

    Psalms 23:6. And I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

    Even while I am here in this world, I will be-«No more a stranger or a guest But like a child at home,» dwelling with God; and by-and-by, in the fullest sense, «I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.» I always compare this Psalm to a lark. It begins on the ground among the sheep, but up it goes till you may hear its blessed notes echoing among the stars: «I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.» It has its nest in the grass of the green pastures; but it flies up like the strains of sweetest music rising even to the skies: «I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.» God grant that this may be the portion of every one of us, for his great name's sake! Amen.