Scripture: Psalm 23
I. Yahweh is the shepherd of Psalm 23.
A. When you see the English word LORD (vs. 1) in all capital letters in the Bible, you know that the Hebrew word Yahweh or Jehovah is being translated. God told Moses his personal name Yahweh in Exodus 3:13-14. God is I am. God is absolutely self-sufficient self-existence. Your shepherd, I am, is a flame that will never burn out just like the burning bush never burned out. His resources are inexhaustible. His power will never run out.
B. King David, the author of Psalm 23, was a shepherd of sheep chosen by God to shepherd the people of Israel. Psalm 78:70-72: “He chose David his servant and took him from the sheepfolds;from following the nursing ewes he brought him to shepherd Jacob his people, Israel his inheritance.” Was Yahweh a good shepherd to David? Yes, He was. And will Yahweh be a good shepherd to you? He will.
II. Jesus is the shepherd of Psalm 23.
A. Jesus revealed his true identity in John 8:58: “Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.’” Jesus is I am. He is Yahweh. He is God in the flesh. So, Jesus is the shepherd of Psalm 23. Because Jesus is Yahweh, He could say in John 10:11: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” He came to earth as a shepherd to care for us who are weak sheep. He even laid down His life for the sheep.
B. You have a shepherd who understands what it is like to be a sheep. In fact, Jesus is the only shepherd who knows what it is like to be a sheep. Jesus has two natures in His one person. He is both God and man. As God, Jesus knows what it is like to be a shepherd to His people. But as man, Jesus knows what it is like to be a sheep who needed the LORD to shepherd Him.
III. Jesus is MY shepherd in Psalm 23.
A. This pronoun my is so important in Psalm 23:1. Where are you with Jesus? Can you say today, “Jesus is MY shepherd?” Exodus 3:15: “God also said to Moses, ‘Say this to the people of Israel: ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations.” Yahweh told Israel, “I am still the same God as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Just like I was a good shepherd to your ancestors, I will be a good shepherd to you. I will keep all my promises to you.”
Application: Trust Jesus to be your good shepherd who will take care of all your needs.
Sources:
The Bible
Commentaries by David Gibson, James Hamilton Jr., Christopher Ash, and Bruce Waltke.
Sermon Discussion Questions
1) What does God’s name Yahweh mean? What is He teaching us by calling Himself I am? If God our shepherd is I am, what kind of shepherd will He be to me?
2) Why can we also say that Jesus is our shepherd as Christians? What difference does it make to you that Jesus is both a shepherd and a sheep?
3) Is Jesus your shepherd? Why should we be confident in the shepherding ability of Jesus for us? Since Jesus is I am, will He be the same shepherd to me as He was to all the believers in the Bible?