From The Flyleaf of My Bible

{ We would appreciate your input.  Please let us know if you would like for us to continue the Flyleaf section of our Update.  Thank you. Contact us at www.IARBC.org }

Some of the many wonderful blessings David rejoices over in Psalm 23 include both daily blessings and eternal blessings.  God provided:  Nourishment, Rest, Refreshment, Restoration, Guidance, Courage, Comfort, Protection, Abundance, etc.

How can we have confidence that we will enjoy those same blessings?

Throughout these six verses David refers to the LORD as his Shepherd 13 times and to himself as His sheep 17 times.

In Psalm 22 our LORD is alluded to as the Good Shepherd, dying for His sheep.

In Psalm 23 He is portrayed as the Great Shepherd, caring for His sheep. 

In  Psalm 24 He is seen as the Chief Shepherd, coming again for His sheep. 

These same images are explained further in John 10:1- 30, 1 Peter 5:4 and other Bible passages.

The primary point is that you must be His sheep and He must be your Shepherd for you to enjoy these blessings as revealed in Psalm 23.  In John 10:9 Jesus says, "I am the door.  If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture."  The surrounding verses in John 10 make it clear that we become God's sheep by trusting Jesus Christ as our personal Savior.

There are many more explanatory passages about these vital truths in the Bible.  I trust that you understand them and have come to the place of trusting Jesus Christ, the eternal, sinless, crucified, risen, returning Son of God as your personal Savior.  If you are personally trusting Him, He is your Good, Great and Chief Shepherd.

 If you have further interest in these truths, please ask some godly Christian that you trust to show and explain those passages to you.

I encourage you to meditate on Psalm 23 often.  I am sure that if you do, you will discover many more wonderful truths beyond what I have shared in the brief devotional over the past several weeks.

 THE GREAT SHEPHERD CARES FOR HIS SHEEP

Psalm 23

I.          My Great Provider

            A.        Person -           The LORD 1a

            B.        Possession       - is my shepherd; 1b

            C.        Provision-        I shall not want. 1c

            D.        Rest     - He makes me to lie down in green pastures; 2a

            E.         Refreshment - He leads me beside the still waters. 2b

            F.         Restoration      - He restores my soul; 3a

II.        My Great Leader

            A.        Guidance -      He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. 3b

            B.        Courage -        Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for
                                               You are with me; 4a

            C.        Comfort -        Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. 4b

III.       My Great Protector

            A.        Supply -           You prepare a table before me 5a

            B.        Protection -     In the presence of my enemies;

                                                You anoint      my head with oil; 5b

            C.        Abundance - My cup runs over. 5c

            D.        Confidence     - Surely 6a

                        1.  Physical Life -        Goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; 6b

                        2.  Eternal Life - And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. 6c

13 references to the Shepherd  *   17 references to the sheep

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.

In the two immediately previous "Flyleafs" related to Psalm 23:6 a and 23:6b, we have seen that we can be absolutely confident, based on Surely, that our Great Shepherd will extend to us His "common grace", goodness.

Now David states that we will also have God's mercy.  This is a very special word used throughout the Old Testament to refer to God's additional "mercy", "love", "loving kindness" or "committed love" especially given to His own children or sheep.

We love many people, but above and beyond that love, we have a special love and have made some special loving commitments to our own children.  So has God. 

If we are His children, His sheep, we can have the same confidence that David refers to here.  Surely God's goodness, granted to all people and mercy, His special love committed to His own children shall follow me all the days of my life.

These two blessings will daily follow or pursue each child of God, each of His sheep, like a beagle hound pursues a rabbit, like a coon hound pursues a raccoon, like a fox hound pursues a fox, or a blood hound pursues his prey.  That is, God's goodness and special faithful love for His children daily will follow me, stay on my trail, pursue me, chase me down until they catch me and deliver these special blessings to my life.

No wonder this Psalm has brought such great comfort to those who trust the God of the Bible so often for so long.  May it always do the same for you.

This first half of Psalm 23:6 is a concluding summary of how our Great Shepherd cares for His sheep while we are still alive on earth.  In the next "Flyleaf", we plan to see what happens next.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.