Psalm 23

(part two)
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 will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever . (46)
David transitions from reminding himself about Gods attributes to now addressing God directly
As a shepherd leads the flock through different terrains and elevations as the seasons change,
there would be passages with inherent dangers from inclines, cliffs, and predators yet the skill
of the shepherd would serve to protect the sheep through the valley of the shadow of death
In applying this truth to ourselves, when sensing danger or the shadow of death, we can say
with David, I will fear no evil, for You are with me our security lies in the presence of God
The certainty of Gods presence was the strength offered to Moses, Joshua, and Gideon
o To Moses: Surely I will be with you (Exodus 3:12)
o To Joshua: As I have been with Moses, so I will be with you (Joshua 3:7)
o To Gideon: The Lord is with you, O mighty warrior (Judges 6:12)
Prior to His ascension, Jesus assured the disciples of His presence as He proclaimed the Great
Commission: Surely I will be with you always, to the very end of the age (Mathew 28:20)
The valley of the shadow of death may be a danger from which we are delivered, or it could
be a situation leading to our actual death yet we can say I will fear no evil, for You are with
me
The apostle Paul taught:
o To live is Christ and to die is gain (Philippians 1:21)
o To be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord (II Corinthians 5:8)
o Christ died and returned to life to be Lord of the dead and the living (Romans 14:9)
The shepherds tools were his rod and staff they were used to direct, inspect, and protect
The rod was a short club that could be thrown to ward off a predator, thrown to divert the
direction of a sheep, or to lightly tap the sheep in a disciplinary fashion
The staff (or shepherds crook) could be used to hook and lift a sheep in rescue, inspect the
sheeps wool for pests, or to direct the sheep
Through Gods Word, He does the same for us protecting us, inspecting us, and directing us
The preparation of the table refers to a shepherds diligence in finding suitable grazing areas
A wise shepherd would go ahead of the sheep making certain the area was free from poisonous
plants, unsafe terrain, impure water, and especially carnivorous predators
In the same way, God goes before us (Dt 31:8, Is 45:2, 52:12), even in the presence of our
enemies
David says You anoint my head with oil the shepherd had an ointment he would pour on the
head of each sheep which healed abrasions and most importantly protected the sheep from pests
The shepherd also used this ointment in a cup and would plunge the sheeps nose into it, serving
as a type of vaccination which protected the sheeps mouth and nasal passages from pests
When the sheep experienced this protective treatment, it was effective as the cup overflows

 The picture of the sheep with its headed dripping with oil and it nose in an overflowing cup is
that of a sheep who is loved, cared for, and protected by a loving shepherd
As we relish in the love of God who demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we
yet sinned, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8), we can with David: Surely goodness and mercy
will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever