I invite you to turn tonight to Psalm 23. You'll find that on page 581 of Psalm 23. Psalm 23, the wonderful psalm of David. And we will consider the entirety of the psalm. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for His namesake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, 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 goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Here's the reading of Psalm 23. It's quite a different psalm, obviously, from the psalm that we considered this morning. As I preached this morning, obviously, we were dealing with in the life of this congregation, as you know, a very perplexing circumstance, one in which the psalmist Asaph in Psalm 73 was crying out because it had seemed that God was absent. It had seemed that the circumstance that he had been faced with and what he was going through in life seemed to say that God had abandoned him, that God's promises had failed, that God had forgotten to be gracious, that God had left him to fend for himself and to figure this out, for surely if God were with him, this thing would not have happened. You may feel that experience or the sense of a loss of His presence, but I thought that it would be good tonight to conclude the Lord's Day and follow up from this morning with the well-known Psalm 23 because it is presenting to us a wonderful, beautiful, simple truth, a truth that we always need to hear, a truth that we always need to be reminded that the Lord is our shepherd. The Lord is our shepherd. Such a tender word, such a wonderful description of the way that He cares for His people. And you'll notice that in the heart of this psalm, it says something so beautiful. Every word is beautiful. But in the heart of this psalm, it says that the Lord is with us. The Lord is with us. You are with me and will particularly know where He says that. He never leaves me, even in the darkest moments. And this psalm is describing that wonderful care of the good shepherd that the Lord has given us in life. So what is the real truth of our lives? That is really the question of the psalm. What is the real truth of life in light of these experiences that we face, in light of the things that happen? And out of the gates, it has a confidence, doesn't it? It has a beautiful confidence and an understanding of what the Lord had been like to him throughout life. When we think of a shepherd, what do you think of, boys and girls? Think of a shepherd. We're not really in that kind of society anymore where we see shepherds and sheep. I remember a friend years ago who was from back east and he was driving through Corcoran and he couldn't figure out what those dogs were in the field. And we had a town, those are sheep. Those are really sheep. He had never seen a sheep. This would have not been the problem for Israel, the average Israelite. The average Israelite would have understood what is being said so beautifully and so helpful that the Lord's care is here being described as a shepherd cares for his sheep. If you understand that and you have any appreciation of that in Israel's history, this meant everything for them to hear and it should mean everything for us to hear. In all types of situations, the sheep are completely dependent on the care of their shepherd. And the contrast is seen here. The beautiful truth is made known here that the one who is all self-sufficient, the one who holds everything in his hands, has stooped down to take on the responsibility to care for these sheep. Sheep are weak. Sheep are helpless. Sheep are stubborn. They are unable to defend themselves from wolves. Sheep are very weak, vulnerable animals. And it was always the office of the shepherd to protect and provide for the sheep, especially the wandering ones. He was always watching for wandering sheep. I want you to think of the imagery here as we open up Psalm 23 tonight. The picture you have is that this good shepherd here, you picture him with his staff. He is leading the sheep the entire way through the journey of their short life these sheep the whole way they're being cared for the whole from beginning to end they're being watched over and david here is thinking about this david is thinking by the inspiration of the spirit of the lord's care for his people and he and he begins the psalm in the most beautiful of way with one of the most comforting statements ever made in the scriptures the lord is my shepherd i shall not want thought of the marvel of that there is no want that i have in this life when the lord is my shepherd there is nothing that i lack in this life when the lord is my shepherd in all of life's circumstance there is nothing that i truly need that he has not supplied nothing and it's all the weaknesses that the sheep face the things that people go through the sheep go through traveling in the valley of the shadow of death so think of the think of the metaphors here with me for a moment think of what David is describing for us throughout Israel you had this main plateau and and on the hills were rocks and and and and they were steep and you would find sheep constantly being led by their shepherds to find grass that they might graze and they might find grass to lie down. There were ravines. There were valleys. There were wolves. It took great care on the part of the shepherd to protect his sheep. Everyone knew this. Everyone understood this. So after a long day of this care, every day this would be the same. The shepherd would lead his sheep back to what was known as a common sheepfold. And the sheepfold was a large wall or hedge made of stones that was used at night to protect the sheep. So at the end of the day, the shepherd would bring his flock into this large enclosed structure only through one door into that sheepfold. One door he would come through to that sheepfold and a porter or a doorkeeper would guard them in the fold all night. He would stand watch at the door. And in the morning, the shepherds would return one by one and here's the marvel of it. The shepherds would come to the front of the door and they would call out to their sheep. And in this common sheep pole where all the sheep were mingled together, the sheep would recognize their shepherd's voice and they would begin filing and coming up to the shepherd where he would then take them and lead them out for the day into green pastures. Protecting them, supplying for them, watching over them, caring for them, walking with them. And at night this would all happen again and the next day this would all happen again. David has picked up on this and David is using it by inspiration of the Spirit to describe the Lord's care of His people and he begins to work from this great truth that we don't lack anything in this life and he gives us a bunch of things that we don't lack. You can sum them up so beautifully in this psalm. Verse 2. Verse 2 says, He makes me to lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. The sheep traveling through these valleys would need green pastures and they would need water to drink from and they would need a place of rest. You don't lack. You don't lack provision. You don't lack rest. Sheep will not lay down unless they are totally free of fear and danger. sheep will not lay down if they have the least bit of anxiety. All fear, anxiety here is pictured removed and the sheep can lie in complete care and in complete trust that their shepherd is watching over them. They lie down. He gives them waters of refreshing to restore their souls. It's one of the great ways that the shepherd provides for them is to calm them and assure them of his care and they have utter trust in their shepherd the psalm goes on to describe that he that he guides them in ways of righteousness it's a it's it's a it's an it's a wonderful statement you'll notice here that he says he leads me in paths of righteousness for his namesake he's so guiding and and leading and uh overseeing the sheep that for all their protection and benefit he is taking them to exactly where he wants them to go for the day he's bringing them to the place where they will go and David is applying that saying look at the shepherd lead the sheep that is the Lord leading us always into paths of righteousness what is that saying to you you don't lack any guidance in life you don't lack any guidance in the course of your life and I think if you already look over at how much guidance has he given you how much ways of training and leading you in the paths of righteousness as he done each and every week he does it for you and every time you're consoled you've been given the spirit he helps you he encourages you he shepherds you he guides you when you're perplexed he gives you direction and encouragement when you pray to him he lifts you up when you don't know the way he tells you to cast all your anxieties on him for he cares for you you're not in the dark about what's happening you're not in the dark about where you're going what don't you know what do you lack it gets better he leads me and notice he says even though i walk through the verse 4 valley of the shadow of death i will fear no evil well that's a big one isn't it even though i walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil even though we go through these valleys facing death it's interesting that the psalm says and doesn't push away the reality of death the psalm is having us think a lot about the fact that we still have to walk through the valleys we still are led but but notice what's being said to you he's leading you through the valley of the shadow of death that's the marvel of this he is the one leading us through it we're going to face the valley of the shadow of death clearly he's talking about all the times here of darkness that we face in life where the sheep while sheep are drawn into the valleys and pastures of waters and are often laid down and look at the course of life look at how much peace how much rest how much benefit how much care how much shepherding care you've received from the lord uh there there comes a time when you are led and your loved ones are led to the valley of the shadow of death and all of a sudden we find ourselves in in a period of great darkness we can't see where we're going and we don't know where we're going and how this is going to turn out there are times we come trial come into the sheep's lives of pain and suffering and and we never really expect them and all of a sudden we've realize we've entered this valley in the journey we we were just sitting on the green pastures eating together we were just enjoying the sun the rays of sun and all of a sudden we found ourselves walking now through this dark valley of panic and despair which can so over quickly overwhelm us can it you'll notice the the beautiful confidence that he has here that's what i couldn't get over the beautiful confidence that breathes out of this in the midst of the valley of the shadow of death i will listen fear no evil let that set in that's a bold thing to say no evil tragedy no evil that befalls us no terrible thing that happens will so overwhelm me so as to cause me to fear. Why would he say that? Because he follows up by saying, you are with me. You see, there are many places he could have inserted that. There are many places he could have inserted that, but he inserted it right in the midst of the valley of the shadow of death. R.C. Sproul, at the end of his life, was asked about his suffering. And of course, he shot back and said, I'm not suffering like other people are suffering. But they asked him, as he was at the end of life and he had the oxygen through his nose and his health was failing, how he handles these things. He said, you know, one of the most spiritually beneficial things that I do now every day of my life is pray Psalm 23. The great R.C. Sproul. I sit down and I pray Psalm 23 every day. He said, you know why I have to do that? Because I have to be reminded every single day that the Lord is my shepherd. And I have to be reminded every single day that there's nothing I lack. And I have to be reminded that even when I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I don't have to be afraid because he's with me. And he said following up, I'm not too excited about the way I'm going to go out. but even in that, I don't have to be afraid. The Lord is with me. The Lord is with me. You see, I think you should tell yourself that every day. This is the promise of the psalm. This is the heart of the psalm. The Lord is with you. He has taken it upon himself to be your shepherd. That's how good it is. It doesn't mean it's not hard, but it means whatever you will face, he's with you. He was with Louis. You see, I think we look at that and think he had to fend for himself or had to go through this awful thing himself and we're all wrong in looking at it like that the lord was with him the lord was with him and the lord carried him to glory we're not alone to face the enemy we're not alone going through the greatest enemy facing the greatest enemy that we face in the valley of the shadow of death the psalm of course goes on in such beauty doesn't it you prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies you anoint my head with oil my cup overflows you're feeding me you're sheltering me amidst all the the evil and the enemies that come at us in life all the harsh things that happen the lord has anointed us the lord has sheltered us the lord is caring for us the lord is feeding us the lord's providing for us he gives us a table in the midst of our enemies sit down with me for a while sit down with me for a while and take rest he does it every time on sunday when we have the lord's supper he makes me to lie down he leads me he restores me he leads when i walk to the sheep through the valley of the shadow of death he's with me i will fear no evil why for you are with me your rod and your staff they comfort me did you notice that switch there it's all of a sudden in the second person your you are directly with me your rod and your staff they comfort me staffs were used to guide and to keep and to fight off it's it's such a beautiful imagery here that in the precisely the moments that we think the lord is distance for us the truth of the matter is He is most present with us. We are never so conscious of His presence with us personally in the hardship, but the psalm is saying that in every single way, in every aspect of life, He is shepherding, He is leading, He is guiding His people. And then of course, you'll notice the beautiful end of this. Surely, without any measure of doubt, goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Every night the shepherd would bring in the flock and each sheep he knew. He so knew the sheep he would stop them before they entered the sheepfold. And he would take his large staff and he would stop each sheep and he would inspect each and every one for harm. For what happened to the sheep out in the field. And he would care for that sheep. As a shepherd would then lower his rod and then that sheep would not enter until he had been inspected and cared for. He would call that sheep by name and then the rod would be lifted and the sheep would head into the pen for the night in complete safety without injury or harm. Notice that's exactly what he's describing here. During the whole day he leads them, they follow him, he takes them to find pasture, he lowers his rod inspecting them on every affliction and woe and caring for the sheep. He calls each and every sheep by name and he brings them into the sheepfold at night. They are totally surrounded by protection where no harm can come at them. The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. I want you to think about that. Now, it wouldn't be right just to preach this in such a way as to not connect it with something that happened in the Gospels. And I want you to think that Jesus himself being the good shepherd took this to himself. When Jesus spoke and he used all the shepherd imagery in the Gospels, he was essentially telling us how to read Psalm 23. That's me. That's me. He applied it to himself. And he said things like, I am the door of the sheep. There's no other way to enter except through me. I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. I alone give this access. I alone give this access by which anyone can enter and enjoy the shepherding care of the Lord. I'm the door, I'm the way, I'm the light. All these blessings of salvation are mediated through me, the good shepherd. I have come that they may have life. I've come that the sheep might live. I've come to lay down my life for the sheep and give them eternal life. That's my purpose. What is the problem? Isn't it so sad that much of this world tonight has forfeited this kind of care? Isn't it sad that in the whole course of history, so many have heard the message to come to the good shepherd and they forfeited when this is the kind of life life that we are assured of and have in the care of the good shepherd you ask 10 people on the street today when you die will you go to heaven most if not all will say of course of course without a good shepherd without a shepherd and here is jesus one day he's walking and he's looking out at the multitudes of the people and he says to his disciples i'm concerned for them it says it welled up with compassion why they're like sheep without a shepherd go feed them see them go feed them go care for them and and this is what we do we give the word we give we give the food of eternal life but they weren't cared for the peoples had no shepherd they're scattered that's what we see in this life sheep need jesus they need his word and jesus is saying to us tonight that if anyone enters by him if anyone comes through that door they are saved and this is the kind of care this is the kind of life that you receive from him this is the promise that he gives to you tonight that he undertakes it as we understand a shepherd with the care of his sheep a good shepherd he has undertaken it to take that responsibility and to shepherd you the whole way through and you lack absolutely nothing you want that kind of care i know you do and you have it in jesus we have to believe that and i pray tonight that we can all say with confidence that the lord jesus he is our good shepherd this is true of my life no matter even if he leads me into the valley of the shadow of death in ways that are perplexing, He's still leading me. He's still guiding me. And afterward will receive me to glory. That's the truth of the matter. That's the truth of our lives in Christ. He is leading you in the paths of righteousness for His namesake. And after all of this, after this shepherding care, after we've walked through these valleys, after we've sat on the hills for a while, after we've enjoyed life in His shepherding care, He's going to receive us to glory and we shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. That is His promise. We should believe it. And we should always stay there and trust Him. No matter how things look, this is the truth of the matter. This is the truth of the matter. Amen. Heavenly Father, thank You for giving us a consoling Word that You shepherd us and You keep us and that we have no reason to fear. We lack nothing. If we could only see the whole picture, we would be overwhelmed with tears of joy. But we are thankful for now what Your Word tells us and we receive it by faith, believing You. Give us strong confidence in this. and let us go out into another week knowing Your shepherding care. You are always with us. You will never leave us nor forsake us. And that is the greatest comfort to go forward in life. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.