He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,
he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the darkest valley I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever."Ps:23
End to the beginning
I would like us to consider
reading Psalm:23 in a different way, a way which, we might not have
thought of before.
Read it from the end to the beginning; after all, God tell us
through the pages of the Holy Bible, that he declares the end from the
beginning
" Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, 'My purpose
will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure' Isa:46:10
The end of Psalm:23 tells
us where everything is ultimately leading, where we are heading, home, to
the House of the Lord. Everything in the Psalm from the first verse onward
is all because of what the last verse affirms to us; that we will dwell in
the House of the Lord forever, that last verse is not a result,
it is the reason of all that we read in this Psalm.
"And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
All the days of my life surely
your goodness and mercy will follow me.
My cup overflows, you anoint my head with
oil.
In the presence of my enemies, you
prepare a table before me
[I am] Comforted by your rod and your staff.
For you are with me I will fear no evil even though
I walk through
the valley of the shadow of death.
For his name’s sake He guides me along the
right paths.
He refreshes my soul; he leads me beside quiet waters.
In green pastures, He makes me lie down.
I lack nothing, The Lord is my shepherd."
Everything we read in Psalm:23 flows
out of the truth that we will dwell with him in eternity. It also indicates that
all which we are blessed with comes from him alone, and that it is all due to
his own sovereign love and workings in our lives.
This place in the Lord's house is the
very place that Jesus is even now preparing for us. Jesus is preparing
eternity for us and us for eternity.
"Do not let your heart be troubled;
believe in God, believe also in Me. “In My Father’s house are many dwelling
places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place
for you. “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive
you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. “And you know the way
where I am going. "Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are
going, how do we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the
truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." Jhn:14:1-6
Goodness and Mercy
Because we will dwell in the houses of
the Lord, goodness and mercy follows us. The goodness of our God is the reason
that we are forgiven, it follows us, that is, God is quick to forgive
and bless us. It is always there we do not have to go looking for God's grace,
it finds us and works upon our hearts and leads us to come to a change of
thinking about Jesus Christ. Jesus is looking to bestow upon any and all great
blessing that he has for us.
"But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them."Eph:2:4-10
"Or do you think lightly of the riches of
His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God
leads you to repentance?"Rm:2:4
"for it is God who is at work in
you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure."Phlp:2:13
Cup Overflows
The Lord, in his Son Jesus Christ, has
been so gracious to us and has lavished upon us great blessings. The cup of our
lives overflows with so many blessings the greater of these we will experience
to their fullest when we "dwell in the house of the
Lord forever". Yet, even here in this life we are rich in his
blessing that exceed the ability of any of us to contain these blessing should overflow
to those around us.
"To those who have received a faith
of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus
Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of
Jesus our Lord seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything
pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called
us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His
precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of
the divine nature," 1Pet:1:1-4a
"Blessed
be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every
spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,"Eph:1:1-3
Anointed With Oil
Because we "will dwell in the house of the Lord forever"
he has placed his anointing upon us, as his very own. He has first of all
healed the greater need of all humanity, that of sin. Anointing oil in
Scripture, in the New Testament was used as a sacrament for the healing
The Apostle, St. James, in his
general Epistle to the Church, (which it is likely that St. James' letter is the
earliest of all New Testament writings) instructed Christians to call
upon the Church's leaders when they are sick to come and anoint them with oil
and to pray for them.
This admonition would have been have
taken some early Jewish Christians by surprise, for under the Old Covenant
which they lived said that, the sick were to be isolated away from the
worship at the Temple, but now, the "Temple" in
the person of the Church elders was to come to them and anoint and pray
with and for them the sick. The sick are no longer to be kept away from worship
in the same way as they had previously had been.
"Is anyone among you suffering? Then he
must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises. Is anyone among you sick?
Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him,
anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer offered in faith
will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has
committed sins, they will be forgiven him" Jam:5:13-15
The healing of the body was not just
spoken of here, but speaks to the greater need of all humanity of the
forgiveness of sin. This is great sickness of the human race that is healed
above all things "if he has committed sins, they will be
forgiven".
Jesus came to heal the issue of sin and
from wayward living, that we all, like lost and aimless sheep, were headed.
St. Peter referring to the words of
Isaiah writes, that the healing that is in reference here is the healing of our
estrangement from our God and is now rectified by and through the sacrifice of
our Lord Jesus.
"He himself bore our sins" in his
body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness;
"by his wounds you have been healed." For "you were like sheep
going astray," but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of
your souls". 1Pet: 2:24-25
This anointing upon the head speaks to
us of the healing of our minds toward our God. Humanity whether realize it
or not, have a hostility in their minds toward God. This hostility manifest in
subtle and overt ways both as doubt or rejection of or in God.
"And although you were formerly alienated
and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you
in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and
blameless and beyond reproach"Col:1:21-22
The anointing also speaks to each of us
that we called to serve God, that we have been anointed to serve him as a Priesthood,
as was in the anointing of the Priest of Israel or when a King was crown.
"You have made them to be a kingdom and
priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth."Rev:5:10
A Table Prepared
In the ancient world the table
represented and was the place of coming together, of fellowship, honor of
belonging and provision, of communion. The table was the place where you came
to know one another. It was the place of gathering and joining together of celebration,
of unity. A place of honor and belonging. The table was the place of
sustenance of life. It is where bread was broken.
The host would lay out his
abundance and his best for those whom he would invite to gather at his
table. We are all called to gather at the Lord's table even now, even in
this life to gather with him not just in eternity when we "will dwell in the house of the Lord”.
"what we have seen and heard we proclaim
to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our
fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ." 1Jhn:1:3
We are called to come to the Lord's
Table to fellowship and come to know him. He has given us life and provided
everything we could ever hope for.
"Now this is eternal life: that they know
you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent."Jhn:17:3
"Grace and peace be multiplied to you in
the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has
granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true
knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence."2Ptr:2:2-3
The Lord has prepared a table for us
even here and now in this world "in the presence of our enemies”,
This table looks ahead and anticipates when we gather "in the house of the Lord" around his
table in joyful eternal celebration.
"Let us rejoice and be glad and give the
glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made
herself ready.” It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen,
bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the
saints. Then he said to me, “Write, ‘Blessed are
those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.’” And he said to me,
“These are true words of God"Rev:19:7-9
Comforted By His Rod and Staff
As we pass through this life on our way
to "dwell in the house of the Lord" we can experience
great comfort on the way there. We can feel the "rod and staff" of our great shepherd Jesus Christ
being there to us and protect us leading us onward. We can face life
knowing that not only is Jesus our Shepherd willing to die for us, he has
already done it. For Jesus these are not empty words.
"I am the good shepherd; the good
shepherd lays down His life for the sheep" Jhn: 10:11
Jesus has defeated
everything that could possibly come against us. Each of us can take great
comfort in this, knowing that the Shepherd would never take his flock where he
himself had not gone.
"do not be afraid, for I have defeated
the world" Jhn"16:33
When we encounter grief or sorrow;
Jesus is there understanding what we face. Isaiah looking ahead to Jesus
calls says of him;
"He was despised, and rejected of men; a
man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and as one from whom men hide their
face he was despised; and we esteemed him not." Isa: 53:3
Our Lord can give us comfort and
peace that is beyond circumstances which we might face.
"Peace I leave with you; my peace I
give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be
troubled and do not be afraid."Jhn:14:27
Even now, Jesus is there to
comfort us so that we in turn can comfort others.
"who comforts us in all our
troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we
ourselves receive from God."2Crth:1:4
The very prospect that we will "dwell in the house of the Lord should bring comfort to us as well".
No Fear in the Valley of Death
In the life of a flock this was the
last great obstacle before they reached their home and the "house of the Lord" after passing
through these narrow places
"And surely I am with you always, to the
very end of the age."Matt:28:20
Even when the shadow that we pass
through is death it's self we can face it without fear
"in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye,
at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised
imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable must put on the
imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable
will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on
immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “DEATH IS
SWALLOWED UP in victory. “O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS
YOUR STING?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but
thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore,
my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of
the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord" 1Crth:15:52-58
We can know that Jesus has passed this
way and that we are safe "for you are with me" .
His Name Sake
Our God guides us by his Spirit that
other see him dwelling in our lives, and come to believe, we are changed and
other see his presence.
"And be not fashioned according to this
world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, and ye may prove
what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God". Rm: 12:2
"This is to my Father's glory, that you
bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples."Jhn:15:8
This Fruit that brings glory to God is
not produced by our efforts but through who Jesus is and the indwelling of the
Holy Spirit.
This righteousness Jesus' own given to
us. This righteousness this righteousness will bring eternal honor to the
"house of the Lord".
"The voice of the LORD twists the oaks
and strips the forests bare. And in his temple all cry, "Glory!"Ps:29:9
" I love the habitation of thy house, And
the place where thy glory dwells"Ps:26:8.
Refresh and Restores My Soul
In this life we, on our way to
"dwell in the house of the Lord" can find that we become weary
and worn and that we may need time of repose and refreshing, the greatest
of which is found in the complete forgiveness of our sins, which when we enter therein,
we are in Jesus refreshed to live an all-new life. Jesus came to bring a time
of refreshing to us.
"Therefore repent and return, so that
your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from
the presence of the Lord"Acts:3:19
When we come to believe in Jesus ,who
is our Great Shepherd, we can enter into a sense of rest all through faith in
him this is the rest that the writer of Hebrews address in the fourth chapter
of the Epistle. Jesus calls each all to set aside the burdens that we all may
carry and come to Jesus.
"Come to Me, all who are weary and
heavy-laden, and I will give you rest."Matt:11:28
St. Peter admonishes Christians, the
flock of God, to cast all our concerns upon Jesus.
"casting all your anxiety on Him, because
He cares for you".1Pet:5:7
All through Jesus can come to him who
has accomplished our restoration to our God, he has provided in Jesus all that
we could never have done for ourselves.
Quiet Waters
In this life there are moments when the
Spirit of God places his peace upon us and he leads us into quiet moments
where it is just, he and ourselves there alone. The still Spirit of God
communions with us assuring us of our place where we will "dwell in the house of the Lord".
"Be still and know that I am God" Ps: 46:10
Our God is often there in the silence
of the night or the grey pre-dawn light or morning, letting us know that we
need not fear. That our greatest thirst has been quenched in and by Jesus.
"With joy you will draw water from the
wells of salvation."Isa:12:3
This is the water of the Holy Spirit,
that Jesus offered to the Samaritan woman in St. John's Gospel.
Lie in Green Pasture
There is provision and safety here with
our Lord even in this life he is there to provide for us as he watches over us,
here we can rest and be at ease that he watches us not to condemn but rather to
protect under his care. We can lie down and be at peace.
Here in Psalm:23 this was the
high country, the furthest place from the "house of the Lord" where
the sheep loved to stay in the Spring of the year. This is the time of
great contentment. This speaks to us, that at times even this side of
eternity, in Jesus we find seasons of contentment.
It looks ahead to the eternal
contentment which awaits us beyond the confines of the life. It reminds of
the Great blessings and joys that are ours all and through Jesus. It only
begins to hint at what lies ahead for us.
Lacking Nothing
In Christ as our Great Shepherd who
knows how to take us to the "house of the Lord" we
have been given every good thing. Because of who Jesus is we are made complete;
he gives to us everything that Jesus has and all that is his he shares with
us.
"and in Him you have been made complete,
and He is the head over all rule and authority; Col:2:10
"It is because of him that you are in
Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God--that is, our
righteousness, holiness and redemption."1Crth:1:30
Jesus is everything we could never be,
in him we lack nothing even now in this life and ultimately will experience to
the fullest when we "dwell in the house of the
Lord"
The Shepherd
Jesus is ever vigilant overseeing our
lives ever watchful of you. He knows how to care for us when we listen to voice
and keep alert to him, we are safe. Jesus, it is, who will care for and to
tend us, he knows the way to the "house of the Lord"
he has made our place there a reality
Jesus will walk with and among us
calming us and leading us. Jesus is not just the one who will lead us to
the" house of the Lord" he is the way to
the" house of the Lord”, he is the very door or gate
that we enter the" house of the Lord" by.
" anyone
who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way,
is a thief and a robber. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the
sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his
voice. He calls his own sheep by name
and leads them out.
“Very truly I tell you, I am the gate
for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the
sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will
be saved.They will come in and go out, and find pasture. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for
the sheep. “I am the good shepherd; I know
my sheep and my sheep know me—" Jhn:10
All that we read in this Psalm all flow
out of our God wanting to provide each and all of us place in his houses for
all eternity. Everything flows out of the place which awaits any and all who
will but freely receive in and by our lord Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd
who will lead us to "dwell in the house of the Lord
forever"..
Benediction: May we each and all know that our
Lord Jesus, the good Shepherd will walk with us, and take us ever to the house
of the Lord today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen.
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Rev.Todd Crouch, Norman, Oklahoma
If It Is Not About Jesus, It Is
Not About Anything
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