Psalm 23. The future home of the righteous is the House of the Lord.
Do you have confidence that you will live in the House of the Lord forever? If you don’t you should learn a simple lesson from a broken and miserable man.
King David, the once great king of Israel had that confidence, but his life ended sadly. David’s story is one that we all can learn from. The giant slayer and great leader was a good shepherd, a great friend, and a terrible dad and husband. Many people died at his own hands because he was a warrior king. And murder was a choice he made to hide one of his many great sins. He reached the heights of spiritual and secular greatness. But he also died as a broken and miserable person. Despite this, we know he had a good side — a very good side.
He is honored as a great man. In the Bible, we learn of one of his most cherished titles. He was a man after God’s heart.
A man after God’s heart.
After removing Saul, he made David their king. God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’
This is the last article in a series taken from the book, ‘A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23.‘ My intention with these articles is to draw the reader’s attention to that excellent book. The focus of the book is a Psalm that has special meaning to many people around the world. It is one of the most popular Psalms and a much-loved portion of scripture.
If you haven’t read the book, I would encourage you to pick one up at a local bookstore, set your phone aside, and enjoy a deep dive into the heart and mind of one of the best writers in the Bible.
More important though, you will be drawn into the heart and mind of God as you catch a glimpse of his feelings toward his children.
See two of the other articles here or here.
In the book, Phillip Keller draws from personal experience as a shepherd in the modern era. He relates it to the words of King David whose own career started as a shepherd who watched over the flock of his father. Later in David’s life, his Heavenly Father promoted him to a higher calling. David became a shepherd over God’s people, the rebellious and troublesome children of Israel.
Here’s the Psalm in its entirety.
A Psalm of David.
1 The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,3 he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
And here’s an excerpt from the last chapter of Keller’s book.
“There is one other beautiful and final sense in which the psalmist was speaking as a sheep. It is brought out in the Amplified Old Testament where the meaning of this last phrase is, ” I will dwell in the presence of the Lord forever.”
My personal conviction is that this is the most significant sentiment that David had in his heart as he ended this hymn of praise to divine diligence.
Not only do we get the idea of an ever-present Shepherd on the scene, but also the concept that the sheep wants to be in full view of his owner at all times.
This theme has run all through our studies. It is the alertness, the awareness, the diligence of a never-tiring master which alone assures the sheep of excellent care. And from the sheep’s standpoint, it is knowing that the shepherd is there; it is the constant awareness of his presence nearby that automatically eliminates most of the difficulties and dangers while at the same time providing a sense of security and serenity.”
“I will dwell in the House of the Lord forever.”
The above quote was David’s last words in one of his most famous Psalms. They are words that many people have clung to as they go through difficult challenges. The words are often read to family members who gather at a grave site when they say goodbye to a lost loved one. It’s comforting to know that there is a better life beyond this one.
David was Israel’s most famous king. I think the simple words of this Psalm show us the humble shepherd king when he was at his best. He had great moments of triumph when he slew the giant with a stone and also tough times of great shame and sin when he committed adultery with Bathsheba. He added to that shame when he had her husband murdered. Most of us will never rise and fall to David’s high and low points.
But we can strive to have the heart of a humble shepherd. That was David at his best when he was humble and caring for dumb sheep who often got into trouble.
If we understand and know the Great Shepherd that David knew. We will learn to cherish, as he did, the great truth that we will live in the House of the Lord forever.
“He entered the sunless realm of the demons.”
Let me know what you think.