A Psalm of David.
Do not fret because of evildoers, Be not envious toward wrongdoers.
For they will wither quickly like the grass And fade like the green herb.
Trust in the LORD and do good; Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.
Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, and He will do it.
He will bring forth your righteousness as the light And your judgment as the noonday.
Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.
Cease from anger and forsake wrath; Do not fret; it leads only to evildoing.
For evildoers will be cut off, But those who wait for the LORD, they will inherit the land.
Yet a little while and the wicked man will be no more; And you will look carefully for his place and he will not be there.
But the humble will inherit the land And will delight themselves in abundant prosperity.
The wicked plots against the righteous And gnashes at him with his teeth.
The Lord laughs at him, For He sees his day is coming.
The wicked have drawn the sword and bent their bow To cast down the afflicted and the needy, To slay those who are upright in conduct.
Their sword will enter their own heart, And their bows will be broken.
Better is the little of the righteous Than the abundance of many wicked.
For the arms of the wicked will be broken, But the LORD sustains the righteous.
The LORD knows the days of the blameless, And their inheritance will be forever.
They will not be ashamed in the time of evil, And in the days of famine they will have abundance.
But the wicked will perish; And the enemies of the LORD will be like the glory of the pastures, They vanish-- like smoke they vanish away.
The wicked borrows and does not pay back, But the righteous is gracious and gives.
For those blessed by Him will inherit the land, But those cursed by Him will be cut off.
The steps of a man are established by the LORD, And He delights in his way.
When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong, Because the LORD is the One who holds his hand.
I have been young and now I am old, Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken Or his descendants begging bread.
All day long he is gracious and lends, And his descendants are a blessing.
Depart from evil and do good, So you will abide forever.
For the LORD loves justice And does not forsake His godly ones; They are preserved forever, But the descendants of the wicked will be cut off.
The righteous will inherit the land And dwell in it forever.
The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, And his tongue speaks justice.
The law of his God is in his heart; His steps do not slip.
The wicked spies upon the righteous And seeks to kill him.
The LORD will not leave him in his hand Or let him be condemned when he is judged.
Wait for the LORD and keep His way, And He will exalt you to inherit the land; When the wicked are cut off, you will see it.
I have seen a wicked, violent man Spreading himself like a luxuriant tree in its native soil.
Then he passed away, and lo, he was no more; I sought for him, but he could not be found.
Mark the blameless man, and behold the upright; For the man of peace will have a posterity.
But transgressors will be altogether destroyed; The posterity of the wicked will be cut off.
But the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; He is their strength in time of trouble.
The LORD helps them and delivers them; He delivers them from the wicked and saves them, Because they take refuge in Him.
Who is the Lord?
He is the God of justice and righteousness, who watches over those who follow him. He is the God of the poor, those who watch over the oppressed. He is the God of power, who has the ability, the right and the desire to judge between the righteous and the wicked, to give the former what is good and the latter their punishment.
Who are the Wicked?
They are those with many resources who use those resources to oppress those who are not able to defend themselves. They are those who hate righteousness and who do what they can to get what they can from the righteous in order to increase their gain.
Who are the Righteous?
These are those who look to God for how they should live their lives. They are always giving, always speaking good, always seeking peace, always looking to the Lord. They are humble and meek on the earth, allowing others to do evil to them, and who wait for God to vindicate them. Because of their humility and righteousness they are often poor and needy, and others take advantage of them.
The Lord’s response to the wicked
God has contempt for the wicked, because he sees that their prosperity is only temporary—soon their wickedness will be punished.
The Lord’s response to the righteous
God watches over the righteous, remaining always faithful to his promises to them. They gain justice from God, even when everyone else tries to oppress them. God will help them in trouble and save them from the wicked.
The final end of the wicked
In justice, God will come and punish the wicked. Their riches will be taken away from them, their power will be gone, they will be separated from the land and people of God. They will be destroyed.
The final end of the righteous
God will give the righteous the rule of the land. They will be secure and prosperous. They will be declared right before the wicked and they will see the wicked punished. And they shall live well in the land of God among the people of God for all ages.
Friday, January 11, 2008
Guilt Buster! Psalm 32
Of David. A Maskil.
This psalm was probably written in the style of a Davidic psalm, possibly a form of the famous confession psalm, 51, which reads, “Create in me a clean heart, O Lord.” We don’t really know what “maskil” means. It is used in the title of thirteen psalms. It could refer to a musical instrument, or it could
Blessed is he whose rebellion is forgiven
Whose sin is covered
Blessed is the one whose sin Yahweh does not record
And in whose spirit there is no guile.
To be blessed is to gain favor from God, to have God’s fullness and greatest. The one who has God’s best are those who are forgiven. The image described is that of God who has every action every person does is written down. But the one who is blessed is the one who does not have his sinful actions recorded. Notice that it does not say this about the one who doesn’t sin. This is because such a person doesn’t exist. No one is without sin, everyone has failed God in one way or another. So the one who has God’s favor is the one who had their sins written down, but God has erased or crossed out the sin previously written down.
There are two words for sin that are used here. One is a general term, “het”, which means all kinds of sins. The other word, “pesha”, however, is more specific: this is an act of rebellion. This is a sin that a person does, knowing that God isn’t allowing the person to do it, and the person says, “I don’t care! I’m not going to have God tell me what to do!” And they do specifically what God tells them not to, possibly even because God told them not to. This isn’t just an accidental sin, or a sin one does because one is weak and can’t help it. This is an act done to reject God.
The amazing thing is that the psalmist says that this sin is forgiven as well. The question the readers should ask is, “How does this sin get forgiven?” The psalmist tells us this by telling his story:
When I kept silent, my body wasted away
As I moaned all day long.
For day and night your hand was heavy upon me,
My moisture is turned dry as the drought of summer
Then I confessed my sin to You
And my guilt I did not hide.
I said, "I will confess my rebellions to the Lord."
And you forgave the guilt of my sin. (Selah)
The result of sin is guilt and the result of guilt is self-destruction. To try to ignore one’s guilt is to wither away in self-hatred, self-loathing. We can literally destroy ourselves in guilt, not able to live with ourselves. Often we don’t let anyone know what our problem is, then we will be self absorbed and destructive to ourselves and our relationships will be falling apart and no one will know what is going on and possibly wonder what they did.
The answer to this cycle is confession. We need to swallow our pride, set aside our fear and talk about what we have done. Often we think that if we share the terrible things we do that it would harm our relationships, but the honest truth is that our relationships are probably already harmed—to be open about our sin and our disgust at our actions will only bring truth and openness in our relationships. As difficult as it is, it will help, not harm
And this is more so with God. God already knows our sin, already knows our attitudes, already knows our shame, and is just waiting for there to be an open relationship with Him again. Because of what we have done, often we want to hide from God, and not to talk to Him, not to be open. But God wants us to pursue him, to tell Him what he already knows. If we confess our sins, He will erase them from his records and they will never be brought up again.
Therefore let every faithful one pray to You in a time of finding
The flood of mighty waters will not reach them.
You are my hiding place
You preserve me from peril;
You surround me with shouts of deliverance.
So the psalmist wants to let people know, that if we want any kind of relationship with God, we must be open with Him. We have to not hide, but be ready to tell Him everything. If we do, then God will be ready to protect us from harm. God will be a fortress to hide in, and a bodyguard to protect us.
"I will instruct you and teach you in the way to go.
I will counsel you; my eye will be upon you.
Do not be like the horse or the mule which lack understanding
Who must be curbed with bit and bridle, else they do not come near to you.
Many are the sorrows of the wicked
But he who trusts in Yahweh, lovingkindness will embrace him."
Now God is speaking to us directly. He tells us that if we confess our sins, then He will give us daily instruction through His word and through His Spirit. He is there to teach us. If we don’t pay attention to Him, then we will be idiots—like animals that should only be led for their own self-preservation. Again, God is not expecting us to be perfect. Rather, he is telling us the direction we should be pointed in. If we face away from God, then we will taking in sorrow and mourning in our lives. But if we keep ourselves focused on Him—even if we blow it—then God will always be there for us. If we mess up, then we can still trust that we will be forgiven and we can even forgive ourselves.
Rejoice in Yahweh and celebrate, O you righteous!
Shout for joy all who are upright in heart!
We are to rejoice in God and shout for him. Why? Because even though we are sinners, we can still be counted as the righteous, as those who are accepted by God. Even though we have failed God, we can still be considered right in our hearts because we keep trusting in God. The blessed are not those who are perfect, who don’t make mistakes. Rather, they are those who trust in God through the failings they have.
This psalm was probably written in the style of a Davidic psalm, possibly a form of the famous confession psalm, 51, which reads, “Create in me a clean heart, O Lord.” We don’t really know what “maskil” means. It is used in the title of thirteen psalms. It could refer to a musical instrument, or it could
Blessed is he whose rebellion is forgiven
Whose sin is covered
Blessed is the one whose sin Yahweh does not record
And in whose spirit there is no guile.
To be blessed is to gain favor from God, to have God’s fullness and greatest. The one who has God’s best are those who are forgiven. The image described is that of God who has every action every person does is written down. But the one who is blessed is the one who does not have his sinful actions recorded. Notice that it does not say this about the one who doesn’t sin. This is because such a person doesn’t exist. No one is without sin, everyone has failed God in one way or another. So the one who has God’s favor is the one who had their sins written down, but God has erased or crossed out the sin previously written down.
There are two words for sin that are used here. One is a general term, “het”, which means all kinds of sins. The other word, “pesha”, however, is more specific: this is an act of rebellion. This is a sin that a person does, knowing that God isn’t allowing the person to do it, and the person says, “I don’t care! I’m not going to have God tell me what to do!” And they do specifically what God tells them not to, possibly even because God told them not to. This isn’t just an accidental sin, or a sin one does because one is weak and can’t help it. This is an act done to reject God.
The amazing thing is that the psalmist says that this sin is forgiven as well. The question the readers should ask is, “How does this sin get forgiven?” The psalmist tells us this by telling his story:
When I kept silent, my body wasted away
As I moaned all day long.
For day and night your hand was heavy upon me,
My moisture is turned dry as the drought of summer
Then I confessed my sin to You
And my guilt I did not hide.
I said, "I will confess my rebellions to the Lord."
And you forgave the guilt of my sin. (Selah)
The result of sin is guilt and the result of guilt is self-destruction. To try to ignore one’s guilt is to wither away in self-hatred, self-loathing. We can literally destroy ourselves in guilt, not able to live with ourselves. Often we don’t let anyone know what our problem is, then we will be self absorbed and destructive to ourselves and our relationships will be falling apart and no one will know what is going on and possibly wonder what they did.
The answer to this cycle is confession. We need to swallow our pride, set aside our fear and talk about what we have done. Often we think that if we share the terrible things we do that it would harm our relationships, but the honest truth is that our relationships are probably already harmed—to be open about our sin and our disgust at our actions will only bring truth and openness in our relationships. As difficult as it is, it will help, not harm
And this is more so with God. God already knows our sin, already knows our attitudes, already knows our shame, and is just waiting for there to be an open relationship with Him again. Because of what we have done, often we want to hide from God, and not to talk to Him, not to be open. But God wants us to pursue him, to tell Him what he already knows. If we confess our sins, He will erase them from his records and they will never be brought up again.
Therefore let every faithful one pray to You in a time of finding
The flood of mighty waters will not reach them.
You are my hiding place
You preserve me from peril;
You surround me with shouts of deliverance.
So the psalmist wants to let people know, that if we want any kind of relationship with God, we must be open with Him. We have to not hide, but be ready to tell Him everything. If we do, then God will be ready to protect us from harm. God will be a fortress to hide in, and a bodyguard to protect us.
"I will instruct you and teach you in the way to go.
I will counsel you; my eye will be upon you.
Do not be like the horse or the mule which lack understanding
Who must be curbed with bit and bridle, else they do not come near to you.
Many are the sorrows of the wicked
But he who trusts in Yahweh, lovingkindness will embrace him."
Now God is speaking to us directly. He tells us that if we confess our sins, then He will give us daily instruction through His word and through His Spirit. He is there to teach us. If we don’t pay attention to Him, then we will be idiots—like animals that should only be led for their own self-preservation. Again, God is not expecting us to be perfect. Rather, he is telling us the direction we should be pointed in. If we face away from God, then we will taking in sorrow and mourning in our lives. But if we keep ourselves focused on Him—even if we blow it—then God will always be there for us. If we mess up, then we can still trust that we will be forgiven and we can even forgive ourselves.
Rejoice in Yahweh and celebrate, O you righteous!
Shout for joy all who are upright in heart!
We are to rejoice in God and shout for him. Why? Because even though we are sinners, we can still be counted as the righteous, as those who are accepted by God. Even though we have failed God, we can still be considered right in our hearts because we keep trusting in God. The blessed are not those who are perfect, who don’t make mistakes. Rather, they are those who trust in God through the failings they have.
Mourning Into Dancing-- Psalm 30
A psalm. A song of dedication of the house. Of David.
This psalm was written at a time of dedication of the temple. Perhaps it was when Solomon built the first temple, or perhaps it was when the second temple was built, in the time of Zechariah the prophet. Whatever the case, it was written by a person who had faced a terrible difficulty, facing death, and he escaped the calamity with his life.
I will extol you, Yahweh
For you have drawn me up
And have not let my enemies gloat over me
O Yahweh, my God, I cried to You for help
And You healed me
O Yahweh You brought up my soul from Sheol
You saved my life from sinking into the Pit.
Sing praises to Yahweh, faithful ones,
And give thanks to his holy name.
The writer of the psalm was in a terrible period of his life. He was near to death—perhaps from illness, perhaps from danger—and he gives credit to God for his deliverance from death. And so he spends time doing what he is supposed to do—praising and thanking God.
Praise, as we all know, is speaking well of another. But praise in Scripture is more than this, it is giving important insights on the character of another, and thus, giving honor to that person. To praise someone is to show that they are worthy of praise—thus, they are people who are good or great in some way, and thus deserving of having other people how good they are. Giving praise to someone is kind of like having a newspaper article about how great that person is published. It means that they are important enough and good enough to tell others about.
Thanksgiving is a kind of praise. It is talking about how good one is through what they have done. To praise someone in this way, you could just recount their deeds in the past—like a biography of someone the writer appreciates. Or one could be more direct and simply thank the person for what they’ve done.
We are commanded in Scripture to praise God and to give him thanksgiving many, many times, especially in the Psalms. In the Law, the children of Israel are commanded to praise the Lord (Leviticus 19:24). We are also commanded to praise God in the New Testament (Romans 15:11; Ephesians 1:3-6; Hebrews 13:15; Revelation 19:5). But, by far, the most frequent place in the Bible that commands us to praise God is the Psalms (Psalm 30:4; 33:1; 66:2; 67:3; 149; 150 and many more). Praising God isn’t just a nice thing to do on occasion, it is something God wants us to do all the time. But especially, we are to praise and thank God when He has done something great for us. This is why the Psalmist commands us to do this for God.
God's anger is only for a moment
God's grace is for life.
One may lay down weeping in the evening
But at dawn one rises with a shout of joy.
In my prosperity, I said, "I am forever unshakable."
O Yahweh, you made my mountain to stand firm
But when you hid Your face, I was terrified.
To You, Yahweh, I called,
And to Yahweh I pleaded
"What profit is there in my death
If I go to the Pit?
Can the dust praise You?
Will it declare your faithfulness?
Hear, O Yahweh, and have mercy on me
Yahweh, be my Helper."
The psalmist is here telling the story of his fall and deliverance. He was proud, like Nebuchadnezzar was in Daniel 4, feeling on top of the world, ready to tackle anything. But God was displeased with his pride and He caused the psalmist to falter, to fail, even to come near to death. Then the psalmist began to assail heaven with prayers, such as Jesus mentions in Luke 18:1-7. He argued with God, claiming that his death gives God no benefit. And so God heard his prayers and offered mercy on him.
This story is not unusual in the Bible, nor should it be in everyday life. Often we, as followers of God, think that we have done everything ourselves and give no credit to God for the successes in our life, and even if we do give Him credit, we “know” in our hearts that we did it on our own. But God always attacks that pride and lets us know that we are nothing without Him. And when we are at the bottom, and we are crying out to Him, that’s when God comes up and delivers us, gives us the help we need.
You turned my mourning into dancing
You removed my sackcloth and clothed me in joy.
That my soul may sing praise to You and never be silent.
Yahweh, my God, I will give thanks to You forever.
Now the psalmist is praising God for his salvation, as he should. He gives the most memorable line in the psalm right here—“You turned my mourning into dancing.” At one point, he was in depression, in horror and terror and everyone he knew recognized the mental anguish he was in day and night. But now he says that God made his life a joy, a party. Because of God’s deliverance, he does not need to share his anxiety and depression any more. And so he gives thanks to God, as is his requirement.
This psalm was written at a time of dedication of the temple. Perhaps it was when Solomon built the first temple, or perhaps it was when the second temple was built, in the time of Zechariah the prophet. Whatever the case, it was written by a person who had faced a terrible difficulty, facing death, and he escaped the calamity with his life.
I will extol you, Yahweh
For you have drawn me up
And have not let my enemies gloat over me
O Yahweh, my God, I cried to You for help
And You healed me
O Yahweh You brought up my soul from Sheol
You saved my life from sinking into the Pit.
Sing praises to Yahweh, faithful ones,
And give thanks to his holy name.
The writer of the psalm was in a terrible period of his life. He was near to death—perhaps from illness, perhaps from danger—and he gives credit to God for his deliverance from death. And so he spends time doing what he is supposed to do—praising and thanking God.
Praise, as we all know, is speaking well of another. But praise in Scripture is more than this, it is giving important insights on the character of another, and thus, giving honor to that person. To praise someone is to show that they are worthy of praise—thus, they are people who are good or great in some way, and thus deserving of having other people how good they are. Giving praise to someone is kind of like having a newspaper article about how great that person is published. It means that they are important enough and good enough to tell others about.
Thanksgiving is a kind of praise. It is talking about how good one is through what they have done. To praise someone in this way, you could just recount their deeds in the past—like a biography of someone the writer appreciates. Or one could be more direct and simply thank the person for what they’ve done.
We are commanded in Scripture to praise God and to give him thanksgiving many, many times, especially in the Psalms. In the Law, the children of Israel are commanded to praise the Lord (Leviticus 19:24). We are also commanded to praise God in the New Testament (Romans 15:11; Ephesians 1:3-6; Hebrews 13:15; Revelation 19:5). But, by far, the most frequent place in the Bible that commands us to praise God is the Psalms (Psalm 30:4; 33:1; 66:2; 67:3; 149; 150 and many more). Praising God isn’t just a nice thing to do on occasion, it is something God wants us to do all the time. But especially, we are to praise and thank God when He has done something great for us. This is why the Psalmist commands us to do this for God.
God's anger is only for a moment
God's grace is for life.
One may lay down weeping in the evening
But at dawn one rises with a shout of joy.
In my prosperity, I said, "I am forever unshakable."
O Yahweh, you made my mountain to stand firm
But when you hid Your face, I was terrified.
To You, Yahweh, I called,
And to Yahweh I pleaded
"What profit is there in my death
If I go to the Pit?
Can the dust praise You?
Will it declare your faithfulness?
Hear, O Yahweh, and have mercy on me
Yahweh, be my Helper."
The psalmist is here telling the story of his fall and deliverance. He was proud, like Nebuchadnezzar was in Daniel 4, feeling on top of the world, ready to tackle anything. But God was displeased with his pride and He caused the psalmist to falter, to fail, even to come near to death. Then the psalmist began to assail heaven with prayers, such as Jesus mentions in Luke 18:1-7. He argued with God, claiming that his death gives God no benefit. And so God heard his prayers and offered mercy on him.
This story is not unusual in the Bible, nor should it be in everyday life. Often we, as followers of God, think that we have done everything ourselves and give no credit to God for the successes in our life, and even if we do give Him credit, we “know” in our hearts that we did it on our own. But God always attacks that pride and lets us know that we are nothing without Him. And when we are at the bottom, and we are crying out to Him, that’s when God comes up and delivers us, gives us the help we need.
You turned my mourning into dancing
You removed my sackcloth and clothed me in joy.
That my soul may sing praise to You and never be silent.
Yahweh, my God, I will give thanks to You forever.
Now the psalmist is praising God for his salvation, as he should. He gives the most memorable line in the psalm right here—“You turned my mourning into dancing.” At one point, he was in depression, in horror and terror and everyone he knew recognized the mental anguish he was in day and night. But now he says that God made his life a joy, a party. Because of God’s deliverance, he does not need to share his anxiety and depression any more. And so he gives thanks to God, as is his requirement.
Father Shepherd-- Psalm 23
A psalm of David
This is the most famous of all of David’s psalms. It is well-known among all Jews and Christians today and is has been popular for thousands of years. In ancient times, it was given a special place in the Jewish liturgy and today it is read in most Christian funerals. The words are so familiar as to be commonplace, unthinkingly repeated. But let’s think about what this psalm really means, and why it is so important for so many people.
Yahweh is my shepherd,
I lack nothing.
To be a shepherd in ancient Israel didn’t just mean someone who keeps an eye on sheep. It also was a common word for leader or ruler. The elders and kings of Israel were often called “shepherds”, and it was not unheard of for God to be called a shepherd. (For example, Micah 5:5-6; Isaiah 44:28; Psalm 80:1; Isaiah 40:11; Jeremiah 31:10). David himself was called the shepherd of all Israel (Psalm 78:71; II Samuel 5:2). So when David says that God is his shepherd, yes he is using the metaphor of a shepherd, but he is really talking about God’s merciful and protective leadership.
Often the second line we hear is “I shall not want.” But this is not “want” as in to desire something. Rather, this is meaning to lack anything that is necessary. God is such a good leader, that he takes care of all of his people’s needs. In the ancient world, it was the king’s job to make sure his people had the basic bread and water they needed. Often kings couldn’t fulfill this social contract. But God is a better king, always providing for those of his people who are in need (Psalm 37:25; Matthew 6:25-33).
In grassy meadows he lets me lie.
By tranquil streams he leads me.
He renews my life.
David here continues his metaphor by reminding people of something shepherds commonly did for their flock—he would daily lead them to grassy areas where they would have a cool place to lay down in the heat of the day. At the same time, the cool meadow would have a stream, which would water the grass as well as the flock. The shepherd knows the needs of his flock before they do and cares for them, giving them life in the midst of heat and suffering.
Even so, God restores his people by his actions. When his people were suffering under slavery, he sent Moses and delivered them. When his people were suffering under sin, he sent Jesus to deliver them from sin. When God’s people are suffering, he already has a plan, a purpose to restore their life to goodness.
He guides me in right paths
As befits his name.
A shepherd is a guide. Sheep and goats don’t really know where to go that would be best for them, but the shepherd figures it out and leads them to where they should go. Even so, God has given us his Law. He leads his people into correct ways, away from the paths of harm. Even as a shepherd doesn’t want his flock to drown or fall off a cliff, so God doesn’t want us to be destroyed by our own wrong-headed desires. God does this, even as a shepherd, not just to care for his flock, but because of his reputation. Because if his people were destroyed through his carelessness, then he would rightly be blamed for it.
Even when I walk through the dark valley of death
I will fear no harm for You are with me.
Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
In full view of my enemies.
Sometimes, to care for their flock, a shepherd needs to pass through valleys that had predators that would endanger the sheep. He did this for their own good, to get to a better place. But the shepherd also doesn’t just leave the sheep with nothing to defend themselves. The shepherd himself carries weapons that would protect the sheep if the worst happens.
Even so, God often guides us through terrible places, great suffering and anguish. We can be extremely anxious about the dangers around us. But God is with us, and carries weapons that will protect us. He has the greatest power in the world, and uses it for our benefit. This does not mean that he won’t take us into difficult, terrible places. He sometimes will. But he is there to protect us, to be with us, every step of the way. Because of this, we can trust in Him and not be afraid. Sometimes its hard to not be afraid, but with God with us, we have nothing really to fear.
And then, God’s protection is so full that He is able to help us and support us even right before the ones who want to harm us. God and we are so assured of His protection, that we can receive from Him right before our enemies, and they can do nothing about it.
You anoint my head with oil
My cup is full to the brim.
To be anointed is to have an office of honor among God’s people. For David, this honor was to be king, and he was anointed king over God’s people, three times (I Samuel 16:13; II Samuel 2:4; II Samuel 5:3). But other offices are anointed, like that of priest and that of prophet (Exodus 29:4-7; I Kings 19:16). The laying on of hands is much like anointing in this sense (I Timothy 4:14). So this line is speaking from the perspective of one who has been given special honor among God’s people. Since, he has been blessed to be honored in this way, life can offer nothing more.
Only abundant kindness and goodness will follow me all the days of my life.
And I will dwell in the house of Yahweh forever.
God’s mercy and grace is always with his people. God will never forsake them or leave them, because, like a shepherd, He has committed himself to caring for them. And for God’s people, there is no greater blessing than to be in God’s house, God’s kingdom forever. This promise is offered to all who follow God, that they will live forever in God’s house.
This is the most famous of all of David’s psalms. It is well-known among all Jews and Christians today and is has been popular for thousands of years. In ancient times, it was given a special place in the Jewish liturgy and today it is read in most Christian funerals. The words are so familiar as to be commonplace, unthinkingly repeated. But let’s think about what this psalm really means, and why it is so important for so many people.
Yahweh is my shepherd,
I lack nothing.
To be a shepherd in ancient Israel didn’t just mean someone who keeps an eye on sheep. It also was a common word for leader or ruler. The elders and kings of Israel were often called “shepherds”, and it was not unheard of for God to be called a shepherd. (For example, Micah 5:5-6; Isaiah 44:28; Psalm 80:1; Isaiah 40:11; Jeremiah 31:10). David himself was called the shepherd of all Israel (Psalm 78:71; II Samuel 5:2). So when David says that God is his shepherd, yes he is using the metaphor of a shepherd, but he is really talking about God’s merciful and protective leadership.
Often the second line we hear is “I shall not want.” But this is not “want” as in to desire something. Rather, this is meaning to lack anything that is necessary. God is such a good leader, that he takes care of all of his people’s needs. In the ancient world, it was the king’s job to make sure his people had the basic bread and water they needed. Often kings couldn’t fulfill this social contract. But God is a better king, always providing for those of his people who are in need (Psalm 37:25; Matthew 6:25-33).
In grassy meadows he lets me lie.
By tranquil streams he leads me.
He renews my life.
David here continues his metaphor by reminding people of something shepherds commonly did for their flock—he would daily lead them to grassy areas where they would have a cool place to lay down in the heat of the day. At the same time, the cool meadow would have a stream, which would water the grass as well as the flock. The shepherd knows the needs of his flock before they do and cares for them, giving them life in the midst of heat and suffering.
Even so, God restores his people by his actions. When his people were suffering under slavery, he sent Moses and delivered them. When his people were suffering under sin, he sent Jesus to deliver them from sin. When God’s people are suffering, he already has a plan, a purpose to restore their life to goodness.
He guides me in right paths
As befits his name.
A shepherd is a guide. Sheep and goats don’t really know where to go that would be best for them, but the shepherd figures it out and leads them to where they should go. Even so, God has given us his Law. He leads his people into correct ways, away from the paths of harm. Even as a shepherd doesn’t want his flock to drown or fall off a cliff, so God doesn’t want us to be destroyed by our own wrong-headed desires. God does this, even as a shepherd, not just to care for his flock, but because of his reputation. Because if his people were destroyed through his carelessness, then he would rightly be blamed for it.
Even when I walk through the dark valley of death
I will fear no harm for You are with me.
Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
In full view of my enemies.
Sometimes, to care for their flock, a shepherd needs to pass through valleys that had predators that would endanger the sheep. He did this for their own good, to get to a better place. But the shepherd also doesn’t just leave the sheep with nothing to defend themselves. The shepherd himself carries weapons that would protect the sheep if the worst happens.
Even so, God often guides us through terrible places, great suffering and anguish. We can be extremely anxious about the dangers around us. But God is with us, and carries weapons that will protect us. He has the greatest power in the world, and uses it for our benefit. This does not mean that he won’t take us into difficult, terrible places. He sometimes will. But he is there to protect us, to be with us, every step of the way. Because of this, we can trust in Him and not be afraid. Sometimes its hard to not be afraid, but with God with us, we have nothing really to fear.
And then, God’s protection is so full that He is able to help us and support us even right before the ones who want to harm us. God and we are so assured of His protection, that we can receive from Him right before our enemies, and they can do nothing about it.
You anoint my head with oil
My cup is full to the brim.
To be anointed is to have an office of honor among God’s people. For David, this honor was to be king, and he was anointed king over God’s people, three times (I Samuel 16:13; II Samuel 2:4; II Samuel 5:3). But other offices are anointed, like that of priest and that of prophet (Exodus 29:4-7; I Kings 19:16). The laying on of hands is much like anointing in this sense (I Timothy 4:14). So this line is speaking from the perspective of one who has been given special honor among God’s people. Since, he has been blessed to be honored in this way, life can offer nothing more.
Only abundant kindness and goodness will follow me all the days of my life.
And I will dwell in the house of Yahweh forever.
God’s mercy and grace is always with his people. God will never forsake them or leave them, because, like a shepherd, He has committed himself to caring for them. And for God’s people, there is no greater blessing than to be in God’s house, God’s kingdom forever. This promise is offered to all who follow God, that they will live forever in God’s house.
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