- [Narrator] "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 mine 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."
Psalm 23 verses one to six.
In this passage, God's name is translated Lord as Jehovah,
which means the self-revealing one.
The Hebrew word rohi or ro,
which means to tend, pasture, shepherd.
Valley, shadows, a rod and the staff.
A valley is a low spot in the middle of a mountain range.
It is frequently a site of vulnerability and danger.
Things that want to disrupt or hurt you
can hide in the shadows.
Even in the valley that cast shadows of death,
David has shows us in this verse
that Jehovah Rohi brings solace via his presence,
his rod and his staff.
Almost everyone wishes to live on top of a mountain.
The mountains give you a sense of being on top of the world.
Your job is good.
Your health is satisfactory.
Your family is favorable.
Your funds are adequate
and your faith is reasonable.
Everything is well on top of the mountain.
But one thing about mountains
is that you can't get from one to the other
without passing through a valley.
Valleys separate the mountains.
Even while life's valleys are unavoidable,
there is good news.
A valley serves us as a reminder
that another peak lies ahead.
It is for this reason that David wrote,
"Even though I walked through the valley."
He didn't write, even though I sit in the valley and wine.
You must trek through the valley
in order to reach the next peak.
You must continue because walking through it
is the only way out.
The hills cast shadows when the sun sets
behind a mountain on either side of the valley.
Sheep aren't exceptionally competent
so they might interpret the shadows as a warning
that night is approaching and they might become alarmed.
The sheep would be scared
since foxes, wolves and hyenas come out at night.
But when the shadow seemed to close in,
the shepherd encourages the sheep to keep moving,
even if they are terrified.
Remember that God performed some of his best work
in the dark, when he permits you
to be in the valley of the shadows,
where things are dark
and you just want to give up and quit.
Because you are focusing attentively on him
as he leads you through these dark moments,
you can really see him more clearly.
That isn't to say you won't feel afraid.
The reality of the shadow of death was not denied by David.
He confirmed that regardless of how things appear
in the valley,
how we feel or the darkness that surrounds us,
we must not be afraid since God's presence,
his rod and his staff comfort us.
We're not on our own.
David's answer to discouragement in Psalm 23
is Jehovah Rohi himself.
What you're looking at can often determine
your level of fear.
When you glance at the shadows or the shepherd,
when you're walking through the valley,
valleys are unmistakably gloomy areas.
The Shepherd's rod and staff, on the other hand,
provide comfort and care.
A shepherd uses his rod to repel enemy attacks
and his staff to lead the sheep
or to free a stranded animal from a thicket.
You're safer with God in a dark valley, in his presence,
than you would be anywhere else.
In the lions cave, the prophet Daniel was safe and at ease,
but the king in his castle sat awake all night worrying.
You're better off with God in a bad situation
than you are without him in a good situation.
So, continue walking.
Don't give up just yet.
If the Lord is your shepherd,
you can be assured that he has your back.
A table, oil and an overflowing cup.
The next portion of Psalm 23 focuses to our physical needs.
David writes,
"You prepare a table before me
"in the presence of my enemies.
"You have anointed my head with oil,
"my cup overflows."
An enemy is someone who poses a threat to your safety.
It can manifest itself in a person, a thing
or the devil himself and his demons.
Nonetheless, David promises us that God sets a banquet
for us in the midst of our enemies.
What was the source of this imagery?
The shepherd wore a belt with a cloth in it.
Whenever he came across a lost sheep,
he spread out the cloth and placed grass and fodder on it
so the sheep could eat.
Foxes, coyotes and hyenas had to keep their distance,
while the sheep ate in the shelter of the shepherd.
The notion that the Lord himself prepares our food
is essential to our concept of God as our shepherd.
We are secure from our enemies when we are in his presence.
Our opponents have no power over God.
All of them are dwarfed in comparison to him.
In the middle of a crisis,
he understands how to provide for us.
Even when we're at odds,
he can find a way to make something out of nothing.
In the midst of our enemies,
our shepherd not only prepares a supper for us,
but also anoints our heads with oil.
Sheep frequently strayed into the thickets
in search of berries.
Because of the thorns,
when the shepherd pulled the sheep from the bush,
its head was frequently injured or bleeding.
The shepherd would massage the animal's head with oil.
God knows how to calm you down
with his anointing oil, my friend.
He either dispenses a solution to your problem
or provides you with the tranquility you require
to survive the difficulty.
"My cup overflows," David continues.
He is reminding us here
that despite the existence of opponents and life's wounds,
he has more than enough to get through his circumstance.
He has so much, in fact, that his cup is overflowing.
Jesus is feeding the crowds with barley loaves and fish,
comes to mind.
After everything was said and done,
the disciples had to gather a baskets of leftovers
since God had provided more food
than the people could consume.
And do you recall Jesus telling Peter
to go out into the deep and cast this net for the fish?
So many fish were caught in the net
that Peter was worried his boat would sink
under the weight of it all.
God knows how to provide you with everything you need
to live the life he has called you to live.
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you.
That ye, always having all sufficiency in all things,
may abound to every good work.
If you look to God in every situation,
you will find that he has more than enough grace
to fulfill your every need.
God's house, loving kindness, and goodness.
"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
"in all the days of my life
"and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever."
Psalm 23, verse six.
David may have started with a word other than surely.
He may have used the word, hopefully, maybe,
or even perhaps.
David, on the other hand, did not waiver in his belief,
concluding his song with the words, surely.
Two sheepdogs must surely defend you
as you trek across your gloomy valley, David wrote.
The first is called goodness,
while the second is called loving kindness.
The sheepdog's job is to go the scenes
and keep the flock moving in the right direction.
God's goodness and loving kindness are always with us,
guiding and directing us in the correct route.
As a result, you will spend eternity in the Lord's house.
You will realize that God is able to supply
all of your spiritual, directional, physical, emotional
and everlasting needs,
once you understand the power of the name, Jehovah Rohi.
In other words, when the Lord is your shepherd,
you can rest assured that he will look after you.
He is on your side and he is taking you to a place
unlike anything you've ever experienced.
So, is God not only your savior, but also your shepherd?
Have you completely surrendered to him as a helpless sheep?
Until then, you'll have to navigate your own way
through the valley of shadows
rather than following Jehovah Rohi,
along the route of righteousness,
through green pastures and still streams.
Let us pray.
Heavenly Father, thank you for being my shepherd,
for being the one who directs my life.
Please don't let me disregard you.
I will look to you, listen to your voice
and follow your direction like a sheep.
In my life, I trust you to be the good shepherd,
wise shepherd, loving shepherd and strong shepherd.
Father, in my life,
I trust you to be the good shepherd, the wise shepherd,
the loving shepherd and the strong shepherd.
Thank you Lord, for providing me
with all I require right now.
Thank you for providing nourishment,
shelter, water, air, and light.
I appreciate your generosity, love, mercy, and kindness
in my life so much.
When I'm tempted to turn to another source,
remind me that you've already provided
everything I need for today.
I have faith in you, Jesus.
Thank you father for only allowing me to rest
in the finest pastures.
Thank you for knowing where to find the freshest
and most tender food.
I'm going to follow you wherever you take me.
I'm grateful that you recognize
when and where I need to eat to refuel.
Thank you Lord, for also leading me to some still springs,
where I could be refreshed, renewed and restore.
For me, stillness can be difficult at times
but I'll put my faith in you
to recognize when I need rest and refreshment in my life.
Thank you for providing me with clean tranquil waters
at a time when I needed them.
Thank you for replenishing me
while I relaxed beside these peaceful waters, Father.
Thank you for knowing what will happen next in my life.
You are where of when I require rest
and when I require movement.
In my life, I will trust your perfect timing.
Would you grant me the peace
of remaining alongside these placid waters
till you rise and take me ahead once more?
And God, I want to be a blessing to others.
For the sake of your name,
I want to walk in a way that is worthy of my calling
and serve you.
Provide me the bravery, power and fortitude
to follow you without hesitation.
Thank you Lord for always being with me.
You never abandoned or abandoned me.
I thank you for the fact that there is no place I can go
where I won't be in your presence.
I'm so grateful that you're always there for me,
in both the light and the dark.
You're with me at all hours of the day and night.
You are constantly with me.
Thank you Father, for keeping me safe,
because you are with me.
Thank you for protecting and comforting me
with your rod and staff.
I'm grateful that you keep any risks away from me
that don't need to be there.
I can sleep soundly knowing that I am in your capable hands.
You hem me in from behind and ahead.
Thank you for keeping me safe.
Thank you for chasing after me and following me
all the days of my life
with your goodness and mercy.
Thank you for pursuing me,
remaining close to me
and watching over me every day of my life.
You have blessed me with your unwavering love for me.
Thank you Lord for sending your son to die in my place.
Thank you for reconciling me to you
through your son's sacrifice on the cross.
I am welcomed to live with you eternally
as a result of his dying.
It's wonderful to know that life on earth isn't over.
In Jesus' mighty name, Amen.