Bereansearching Bible Studies

The LORD, the Psalmist’s Shepherd

Introduction

A Psalm is a song of praise and thanksgiving. King David wrote the majority of them, and David was the author of the 23rd Psalm. This Psalm is both a petition for, and declaration of, the mercy, protection, and leadership of God. Each and every one of the 150 Psalms in the Book of Psalms contains, to one degree or another, Messianic imagery and prophesies that point to the Person and Work of the Lord Jesus Christ (because the true Author Is God, The Holy Spirit). For example, the immediately preceding Psalm, Psalm 22, which is sometimes referred to as the Psalm of the Cross, is, by no coincidence, entirely Messianic. Jesus had to die on the Cross to atone for the sins of His Flock, and purchase the Sheep with His shed blood in order for Him to be the Shepherd of their souls as we read in Psalm 23.

The Psalms can also be viewed as speaking from the heart of the human author, in this case David (the human scribe), as well as from the heart of every true believer upon reading them.

The 23rd Psalm is only six verses long, yet it is filled with significant Christian Gospel imagery, spiritual implications, and enlightenment for the believer.

Psalm 23:1, “¶[[A Psalm of David.]] The LORD [is] my shepherd; I shall not want.

We can see that this is, unmistakenly, “a Psalm of David”, because it is stated as his, but also that king David, in his youth, had become well acquainted with shepherding…being the famous young shepherd boy, who tended his father’s flock. As the protector of that flock, David had to defend it by killing both a lion and a bear. With that Shepherding experience, David voluntarily went into battle with the giant Goliath, whom David miraculously defeated, to bring victory for Israel over the Philistines.

1 Samuel 16:11, “And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all [thy] children?And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest (David), and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.“

1 Samuel 17:34, “And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine (Goliath) shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.”

“The LORD (Jesus Christ) Is My Shepherd“

We must now consider the import of “The LORD Is My Shepherd“.

“The LORD“

We need to be fully aware at the outset of this study that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, Is “The LORD“, and moreover, “Lord of lords” and “King of kings“, as we read in Revelation 17:14, “These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him [are] called, and chosen, and faithful.” and Revelation 19:16, “And he hath on [his] vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.“

Jesus’ Lordship is derived by His Ownership as we read in John 3:35, “The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.” We also know from 1 Corinthians 6:20 that, “For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.“

We also see this clearly in Colossians 1:16-20, “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether [they be] thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all[ things] he might have the preeminence. ¶For it pleased [the Father] that in him should all fulness dwell; And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, [I say], whether [they be] things in earth, or things in heaven.”

Jesus Christ is LORD by Divine decree, as we read in Psalm 2:6&7, “Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou [art] my Son; this day have I begotten thee.” and in Hebrews 1:1&2, “¶God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by [his] Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;”

Philippians 2:9-11, “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of [things] in heaven, and [things] in earth, and [things] under the earth; And [that] every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ [is] Lord, to the glory of God the Father.“

Jesus is LORD because of His Sacrificial Atoning Death, as we read in Romans 14:9, “For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.“

Jesus is the believer’s LORD by Faith, as we read in Romans 10:9&10, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.“

“Is My Shepherd“

The prophet Isaiah declared, moved by The Holy Spirit of God, regarding The LORD Jesus in Isaiah 40:11, “He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry [them] in his bosom, [and] shall gently lead those that are with young.“

Isaiah 43:11-13 makes clear that it is Jesus, “I, [even] I, [am] the LORD; and beside me [there is] no saviour. I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed, when [there was] no strange [god] among you: therefore ye [are] my witnesses, saith the LORD, that I [am] God. Yea, before the day [was] I [am] he; and [there is] none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who shall let (stop) it?“

Psalm 79:13, “So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture will give thee thanks for ever: we will shew forth thy praise to all generations.”

Psalm 80:1, “¶[[To the chief Musician upon Shoshannimeduth, A Psalm of Asaph.]] Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest [between] the cherubims, shine forth.“

Jesus unequivocally identified Himself as the “Good Shepherd” as we read in John 10:11-15, “¶I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and know my [sheep], and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.“

Hebrews 13:20, “¶Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,”

1 Peter 5:4, “And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.“

Numbers 27:15, “¶And Moses spake unto the LORD, saying, Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, Which may go out before them, and which may go in before them, and which may lead them out, and which may bring them in; that the congregation of the LORD be not as sheep which have no shepherd.“

Song of Solomon 1:7&8, “Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest [thy flock] to rest at noon: for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions? If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids beside the shepherds’ tents.“

Zechariah 13:5-7, “But he shall say, I [am] no prophet, I [am] an husbandman; for man taught me to keep cattle from my youth. And [one] shall say unto him, What [are] these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, [Those] with which I was wounded [in] the house of my friends. Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man [that is] my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.

“I Shall Not Want“

To “not want” in the old English of the King James translators is to “lack nothing” as we find in Deuteronomy 2:7, “¶For the LORD thy God hath blessed thee in all the works of thy hand: he knoweth thy walking through this great wilderness: these forty years the LORD thy God [hath been] with thee; thou hast lacked nothing.“

Psalm 34:9&10, “O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for [there is] no want to them that fear him. The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good [thing].“

Psalm 34:22, “The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.“

And with Jesus’ protection as the Good Shepherd, then the believers, God’s Elect, His Church, His Flock, will have no lack for anything for their salvation. Philippians 4:19, “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.“

Hebrews 4:10, “For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God [did] from his.“

Hebrews 7:25, “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.“

Jude 1:24, “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present [you] faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.” and Philippians 3:20, “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.“

Philippians 4:19, “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Now unto God and our Father [be] glory for ever and ever. Amen.“

Psalm 23:2, “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.”

Jesus as the believer’s Good Shepherd provides for us at all times. We can lie down and rest in the green pastures of His Word. As Jesus said in Matthew 11:28, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” and Psalm 37:7, “Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.“

Ezekiel 34:14, “I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and [in] a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel.“

Psalm 37:18&19, “The LORD knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever. They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.“

Blessed are they who can say that they are at rest…in mind, body, and soul, knowing that Jesus is their Savior and Good Shepherd. Neither the heat, nor sun, will smite the Believers (the heat and sun typifying God’s wrath in the evil time/Judgment Day), and the great waters of God’s Judgment will be still, and quiet, for the Believers. There are no waves of God’s wrath against them.

Is it not also interesting that Jesus Is both the Good Shepherd and the Lamb, just as He Is both the High Priest and the Sacrifice. Jesus Is All in All!

More verses to consider:

Psalm 74:1, “¶[[Maschil of Asaph.]] O God, why hast thou cast [us] off for ever? [why] doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture?“

Psalm 77:20, “Thou leddest thy people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.“

Zechariah 9:16, “And the LORD their God shall save them in that day as the flock of his people: for they [shall be as] the stones of a crown, lifted up as an ensign upon his land.“

Again, in in Isaiah 40:11, “He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry [them] in his bosom, [and] shall gently lead those that are with young.“

Isaiah 49:8-13, “¶Thus saith the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages; That thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that [are] in darkness, Shew yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures [shall be] in all high places. They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them. And I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted. Behold, these shall come from far: and, lo, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim. Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the LORD hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted.“

Eze 34:11-16, “¶For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, [even] I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out. As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep [that are] scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country. I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and [in] a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel. I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord GOD. I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up [that which was] broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.” Please also see “The Parable of the Lost Sheep” within this exposition of Luke 15 and its context regarding the Parable of the Prodigal Son.

Psalm 95:7&8, “For he [is] our God; and we [are] the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as [in] the day of temptation in the wilderness:“

Revelation 7:17, “For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.“

Psalm 36:7-9, “How excellent [is] thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures. For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.“

Psalm 23:3, “He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.“

“He Restoreth My Soul“

God provides a way of escape in Jesus, such that the believer’s souls will not remain dead in the grave or be in Hell. Remember, as we learned in the Judges 4&5 study, that Jesus “led captivity captive” and plundered the house of the devil to save a people for Himself.

Our souls were initially condemned to die and go to Hell with the fall of Adam, as we read in 1 Corinthians 15:21&22, “For since by man [came] death, by man [came] also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” and Romans 5:19, “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.” 2 Corinthians 5:19, “To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.“

Psalm 30:3, “O LORD, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave (שְׁאוֹל (šᵊ’ôl))^H7585: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit (שְׁאוֹל (šᵊ’ôl))^H7585.“

1 Corinthians 15:57, “But thanks [be] to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

“He Leadeth Me in the Paths of Righteousness“

Psalm 5:8, “Lead me, O LORD, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before my face.“

Psalm 107:6&7, “Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, [and] he delivered them out of their distresses. And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation.”

Psalm 119:105, “NUN. Thy word [is] a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.“

Romans 3:21&22,”¶But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God [which is] by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:“

“For His Name’s sake“

It is for God’s Glory that He saves sinners! “Hallowed Be Thy Name!” Matthew 6:9, “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.“

Psalm 25:11, “For thy name’s sake, O LORD, pardon mine iniquity; for it [is] great.“

Psalm 31:3, “For thou [art] my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me.“

Psalm 79:9, “Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name:and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy name’s sake.”

Psalm 106:8, “Nevertheless he saved them for his name’s sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known.“

Psalm 109:21, “But do thou for me, O GOD the Lord, for thy name’s sake: because thy mercy [is] good, deliver thou me.“

Psalm 143:11, “Quicken me, O LORD, for thy name’s sake: for thy righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble.“

Ephesians 1:6, “To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.” and Ephesians 1:14, “Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praiseof his glory.“

And let us not forget the guidance by Jesus regarding what is known as “The Lord’s Prayer”. Matthew 6:9, “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.”

Psalm 23:4, “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.”

Walking Through the Valley of “The Shadow of Death“

This world, whether anyone realizes it or not, is the Valley of the Shadow of Death. Every human being who ever lived or who will ever live, as well as all of this material creation, is cursed to die because of the fall of Adam. The walk is mankind’s entire journey through this sin cursed world. The believers are walking through it because it is not our dwelling place or eternal habitation. The believers are merely strangers and pilgrims. It is referred to as the shadow of death, because Jesus has permanently removed the substance of death, and the sting of death, from the believers, so only the shadow remains Death is no longer is to be feared, because it can no longer hurt or destroy the believer. 1 Corinthians 15:55, “O death, where [is] thy sting? O grave, where [is] thy victory?“

Psalm 107:9-15, “For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness. Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, [being] bound in affliction and iron; Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High: Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and [there was] none to help. Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, [and] he saved them out of their distresses. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder. Oh that [men] would praise the LORD [for] his goodness, and [for] his wonderful works to the children of men!” Jesus came the first time to set the prisoners free, as we read in Isaiah 42:7, “To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, [and] them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.” and Luke 4:18, where Jesus began reading from Isaiah 61:1–2, “The Spirit of the Lord [is] upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,“

Job 10:21, “Before I go [whence] I shall not return, [even] to the land of darkness and the shadow of death;” and Job 16:16, “My face is foul with weeping, and on my eyelids [is] the shadow of death;” and

Job 24:15-17, “The eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, saying, No eye shall see me: and disguiseth [his] face. In the dark they dig through houses, [which] they had marked for themselves in the daytime: they know not the light. For the morning [is] to them even as the shadow of death: if [one] know [them, they are in] the terrors of the shadow of death.“

Psalm 44:19, “Though thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death.“

“I Will Fear No Evil, For Thou Art With Me”

We do not read that evil no longer exists, just that the believers no longer fear it (or fret about it). The believers have nothing to fear because Jesus Christ is always with them. Where the sheep are there the Good Shepherd is also. Remember what Jesus said in Matthew 28:20, “… lo, I am with you alway, [even] unto the end of the world. Amen.“

Psalm 3:6, “I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set [themselves] against me round about.” and Isaiah 43:2, “When thou passest through the waters, I [will be] with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.“

Psalm 27:1, “¶[[A Psalm of David.]] The LORD [is] my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD [is] the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?“

Psalm 27:3, “Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this [will] I be confident.“

Jesus said in Matthew 10:28, “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.“

Ecclesiastes 12:13, “¶Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this [is] the whole [duty] of man.”

Romans 8:31, “What shall we then say to these things? If God [be] for us, who [can be] against us?“

“Thy Rod and Thy Staff They Comfort Me”

The Rod

The original Hebrew word that is translated here as “rod” is the word שֵׁבֶט (šēḇeṭ)^H7626, which can also be translated as “sceptre“.

Genesis 49:10, “The sceptre (שֵׁבֶט (šēḇeṭ)) ^H7626 shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him [shall] the gathering of the people [be].

Numbers 24:17, “I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre (שֵׁבֶט (šēḇeṭ))^H7626 shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.“

Psalm 45:6, “Thy throne, O God, [is] for ever and ever: the sceptre (שֵׁבֶט (šēḇeṭ)) ^H7626 of thy kingdom [is] a right sceptre (שֵׁבֶט (šēḇeṭ)). ^H7626

In all three verses above we can see that the “sceptre” is representative of the Lord Jesus Christ.

However, the Shepherds of old also employed two tools in their hands. The rod, which is more of a club, was used to thwart enemies of the flock. and to also prod wary sheep back into the fold. But it is also used to count and separate the sheep as we read in, Leviticus 27:32, “And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, [even] of whatsoever passeth under the rod (שֵׁבֶט (šēḇeṭ)),^H7626 the tenth shall be holy unto the LORD.

The Staff is a Walking Stick for Support

The original Hebrew word, which is translated as “staff”, is מַשְׁעֵנָה (mašʿēnâ)^H4938, and it is primarily used in the context of a walking stick for support, as is the case of an aged man. The staff, with its crook/hook, was also used to pull sheep out of pits, crags in the rocks, or mire. In 2 King 4:29, Elisha’s “staff” (מַשְׁעֵנָה (mašʿēnâ))^H4938 was intended as a means of conveying healing for the sick.

So then, both the rod and the staff are, therefore, both representative as a means of comfort to the sheep. So it is also for the believer. The Rod, which is the Word of God, as wielded by the Hand of God, is for our “correction” as we read about in Proverbs 22:15, “Foolishness [is] bound in the heart of a child; [but] the rod (שֵׁבֶט (šēḇeṭ))^H7626  of correction shall drive it far from him.” God’s staff is also the Word of God to teach us that He, in Jesus, Is our True Comfort and Salvation.

Also, Psalm 19:9, “The fear of the LORD [is] clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD [are] true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are [they] than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: [and] in keeping of them there [is] great reward.“

Also, we read in Hebrews 12:6-8, “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. ¶If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.” This verse hearkens back to the Old Testament: Psalm 94:12, “Blessed [is] the man whom thou chastenest, O LORD, and teachest him out of thy law;” and Proverbs 3:11&12, “My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son [in whom] he delighteth.“

Then there is also the “rod” of Judgment, which we read about in Revelation 2:27, “And he (the believer) shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.”

“Comfort” for the Believer

The word translated in English as comfort in the original Hebrew is נַחוּם (naḥûm) ^H5151 meaning “Comfort” and “Consolation” (but sometimes “ruefully” and with “lamentation”). For a treatise on the meaning of “nahum”, it is worth taking a look at this study on The Book of Nahum.

Psalm 23:5, “Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.“

“Thou Preparest A Table Before Me in the Presence of Mine Enemies“

The original Hebrew word that is translated as “preparest” is עָרַךְ (ʿāraḵ)^H6186 which can also be translated as “furnished” or “set in order”. We see this in Proverbs 9:1-6, “¶Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars: She hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished (עָרַךְ (ʿāraḵ))^H6186 her table. She hath sent forth her maidens: she crieth upon the highest places of the city, Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: [as for] him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him, Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine [which] I have mingled. Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding.“

The point here is that “Wisdom”, which is synonymous with God’s Word, is provided by God as a feast to the believer. Remember the role of Pastors (another name for the earthly Shepherds of Jesus’ Flock) as typified by Peter, are commanded by Jesus in John 21:16&17 to “Feed my sheep.” The believers are fed by the reading and hearing of The Word, Who is Jesus, and the unbelieving world around the table, who do not partake, are the enemies of both God and the believers. But we should also remember that our enemies are 1) our own flesh with its lusts, 2) the world with its enticements, and 3) the devil.

And remember what Jesus said in John 15:18, “¶If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before [it hated] you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant isnot greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.“

Other examples of God furnishing a table are referenced in Psalm 78:19, “Yea, they spake against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?” and king David providing Mephibosheth “to eat bread at my table continually” as we read in 2 Samuel 9:7. For more understanding of the meaning of Mephibosheth vis-a-vis king David and the Gospel message that it encapsulates, please see: “Mephibosheth and God’s Covenant of Grace“. Similarly Joseph provided food at his tables to his brothers who did evil against him in Genesis 47:12“And Joseph nourished his father, and his brethren, and all his father’s household, with bread, according to [their] families. Please also note that these were the same brothers that threw Joseph into the pit and sold him into slavery in Egypt. They were in effect Joseph’s enemies. Nonetheless, Joseph, like Jesus, was merciful to them and said to them first in Genesis 45:5, “Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.” and second in Genesis 50:19 ¶ “And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for [am] I in the place of God? But as for you, ye thought evil against me; [but] God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as [it is] this day, to save much people alive. Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.” 

Prefiguring the Last Supper?

We read in Esther 7:1, “¶So the king and Haman came to banquet with Esther the queen.“This was the last feast where king Ahasuerus sat down with Haman in the presence of Esther.  

Did God ever sit down at a feast table with Satan in the presence of believers where wine was also present?  Indeed He did.  At the last Passover feast, the “last supper,” God (as Jesus Christ) sat next to Judas Iscariot (who we know was indwelt with Satan, Luke 22:3) in the presence of Jesus’s eleven other disciples (believers represented or “typified” by Esther) at the Passover feast where we know the Jesus instituted the sacrament service with wine (representing His shed blood).  As Jesus said in John 13:18, “I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture (Psalms 41:9) may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me.“ Jesus ate at a prepared table in the presence of His enemies, the devil and the devil’s host.

“Thou Anointest My Head with Oil“

The “oil”, in the original Hebrew is שֶׁמֶן (sheh’-men)^H8081, which is from the olive tree, is used by God to represent, or “Typify”, God, The Holy Spirit. Therefore, the Anointing with oil, “typifies” being anointed by God with His Holy Spirit. This becomes clear when we look at the following information provided by God, from His Word, The Bible:

In 1 John 2:20&21, we read more about the “annointing” of the Holy Spirit, also referred to synonymously as “unction” “from the Holy One”, “¶But ye have an unction (χρῖσμα (chrisma)^G5545 from the Holy One, and ye know all things. I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.

This is made all the more clear in 1 John 2:27, “But the anointing (χρῖσμα (chrisma) ^G5545 which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing (χρῖσμα (chrisma) ^G5545 teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.“

And “The Holy Spirit” Is also known as “The Spirit of Truth” as Jesus told us in John 14:17, “[Even] the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.” and John 15:26, “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, [even] the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:” and John 16:13, “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, [that] shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.“

Also, Psalm 92:10, “But my horn shalt thou exalt like [the horn of] an unicorn: I shall be anointed with fresh oil (שֶׁמֶן (sheh’-men))^H8081.” (Please see below regarding “manna” which tasted like “fresh oil”.)

Psalm 28:8, “The LORD [is] their strength, and he [is] the saving strength of his anointed (מָשִׁיחַ (māšîaḥ)) ^H4899.” “Anointed” can also be translated as “Messiah”.

Finally, in Psalm 133:1-3, we read of the precious “ointment” that is the anointing “oil”, “¶[[A Song of degrees of David.]] Behold, how good and how pleasant [it is] for brethren to dwell together in unity! [It is] like the precious ointment (שֶׁמֶן (sheh’-men))^H8081 upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, [even] Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; As the dew of Hermon, [and as the dew] that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, [even] life for evermore.“

“Anointing” spiritually exemplifies the calling and choosing by God of His Elect, and blessing and empowering them with The Holy Spirit.

Manna Had “the Taste as the Taste of Fresh Oil”

Finally, before we leave the meaning of oil, along with its “Typifying” God’s Holy Spirit, let us look back at the Manna from Heaven that represents the Body of Jesus Christ as Jesus tells us in John 6:48-51, “I am that bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.“

God describes the manna that was provided to the people of Israel during their forty year sojourn in the wilderness: Numbers 11:7&8, “¶And the manna [was] as coriander seed, and the colour there of as the colour of bdellium. [And] the people went about, and gathered [it], and ground [it] in mills, or beat [it] in a mortar, and baked [it] in pans, and made cakes of it: and the taste of it was as the taste of fresh oil.“

Again when we look at the spiritual “Types” that the description of manna provides, it becomes clear that the manna represented the Body of Jesus, and given that manna’s taste was “as the taste of fresh oil“, therefore the “taste” of the “fresh oil” represents the indwelling of God, The Holy Spirit. We can also derive the meaning of eating the Manna from Heaven, such that when the believers partake of the salvation wrought by Jesus’ Body and Blood, then they also will be blessed by the Gift of The Holy Spirit.

“My Cup Runneth Over“

Psalm 116:13, “I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD.“

Psalm 23:6, “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.”

“Surely Goodness and Mercy Shall Follow Me All the Days of My Life“

Isaiah 26:3, “Thou wilt keep [him] in perfect peace, [whose] mind [is] stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH [is] everlasting strength:“

“I Will Dwell in the House of the LORD For Ever“

Psalm 27:4, “One [thing] have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.”

John 3:36, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.“

Psalm 37:18&19, “The LORD knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever. They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.“

Conclusion

The believers are granted eternal life in Jesus Christ, being drawn to Jesus by God the Father, and are made spiritually alive by the quickening of God’s Holy Spirit, and they will dwell with God forever in Heaven. Jesus tells us this in John 6:44, “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.” and John 14:3, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, [there] ye may be also.“

Appendix: Other Examples of Shepherds in the Bible

Abel

Genesis 4:2, “And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. & Genesis 4:4, “And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:” The New Testament commentary also informs us in Hebrews 11:4, “¶By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.“

Laban and His Daughter Rachel

Genesis 29:9, “¶And while he yet spake with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep: for she kept them. And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, that Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother.“

Genesis 46:32, “And the men [are] shepherds, for their trade hath been to feed cattle; and they have brought their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have.“

Numbers 14:33, “And your children shall wander רָעָה (rāʿâ)^H7462 in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcases be wasted in the wilderness.” and Numbers 27:17, “Which may go out before them, and which may go in before them, and which may lead them out, and which may bring them in; that the congregation of the LORD be not as sheep which have no shepherd רָעָה (rāʿâ)^H7462.” and Judges 14:20, “But Samson’s wife was [given] to his companion, whom he had used as his friend רָעָה (rāʿâ)^H7462.”

Israel

Genesis 46:32, “And the men [are] shepherds, for their trade hath been to feed cattle; and they have brought their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have.“