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Well, good evening, everyone. 
It's a blessing to be with you once again this Lord's Day. You 
can turn with me in your Bibles to Psalm 23. Psalm 23. We'll begin reading 
at verse one. A Psalm of David. The Lord is 
my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green 
pastures. He leads me beside the still 
waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in the path of righteousness 
for his name's sake. Yea, 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 runs over. Surely 
goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and 
I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Amen. Well, 
let us pray. Our great God, we are thankful 
that we can call upon you as our shepherd, and we're thankful 
we call upon the covenant Lord as our guide, We're thankful, 
O God, for the good shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ, in whom 
none will be snatched from his hand. We're thankful, O God, 
that he came to do what was right and perfect for the sake of your 
name, for the sake of your glory, but also for the sake of sinners, 
that he came to die for his special people. He came to die for his 
fold. He came to die for his elect. 
And we're thankful, O God, that when we walk through the valley 
of the shadow of death, we can confess our faith and trust in 
you, knowing that you are our shepherd and we shall not lack. 
And we're thankful, O God, that you protect us and keep us for 
your namesake. You lead us in the paths of righteousness 
for your namesake, O God. And we know that even these paths 
are difficult, even these paths are tough for us, yet we know 
that you watch over us each and every day. You watch over us, 
each and every one of us in the Christian life, and we thank 
you for that. And so God, as we come tonight, help us to be 
reminded that you are God and we are man. Help us to be reminded 
that we need you day in and day out, that we need the Lord Jesus 
day in and day out, as the author and perfecter of our faith, as 
the protector of his people. And so God, help us to be reminded 
of your goodness. Help us to express our faith and trust in 
you always. May we turn our attention on 
to you, the God who protects, the God who keeps, and the God 
who promises to never leave nor forsake his people. And oh God, 
we're thankful that you strengthen us and keep us day by day. We're 
thankful, oh God, that you keep us in the daily grind. We know, 
oh God, we need help with that, especially as it is difficult. 
So God, for the saints tonight, we pray that you'd strengthen 
us, that you'd remind us of your grace and goodness, remind us 
of your protection, oh God, remind us of the abundance that we have 
when we have the Lord Jesus Christ. And O God, if there are any here 
today who do not know you, we pray that you give them eyes 
to see and ears to hear the wonders and glories of the Lord Jesus 
Christ as that Good Shepherd, that they might believe on Him 
and find hope and trust in Him, that they might too dwell in 
the house of the Lord forever and ever. And O God, we are thankful 
that we have your Spirit. We pray that your Spirit once 
again give us illumination to better understand these things, 
O God, For we are weak and feeble, our minds wander. Help us to 
be awake and attentive to the things that you have for us, 
O God. And we do pray in all things that you would be glorified. 
And we pray these things in the name of Christ. Amen. Well, as 
we consider the Psalter, we must consider it as a whole before 
we dive into a specific psalm. Really, the psalm just means 
praise. It's the book of praise for God's people. It's many different 
authors spanning many different centuries in the life and times 
of Israel. It was meant to be both for individual use and for 
corporate use. Individuals typically penned 
them. but then they were used in the temple as well. And they 
really are the prayer and songbook for God's people, both in the 
Old Testament, it was the prayer and songbook for Christ, and 
it is also the prayer and songbook for us as well. It is the prayer 
and songbook for God's covenant people. Perhaps as you've read 
the Psalter throughout your own devotional life, you see that 
there are many different types of psalms. There are wisdom psalms, 
royal psalms about the king, hymns of praise, lament, and 
thanksgivings. And most of the psalms are actually 
lament. That's a little odd because they're praise, right? That's 
what it means. But typically psalms, the lament psalms even 
do turn to praise. But when we come to Psalm 23, 
we come to a hymn of trust, a hymn of confidence, a hymn of trust 
in Yahweh of Israel here in Psalm 23. Now, perhaps all of you know 
this off by heart. Perhaps you didn't need to read 
your Bible as we were reading through it because that's the 
one everyone does in grade 2 because it's easy and short and perhaps 
easy to remember. What's interesting is there is 
the setting is difficult for us to understand. There's no 
clear superscript on what it means There's no clear specific 
with what's there. So we have to kind of do some 
digging as we think through it There's no hard and fast with 
respect to that. But also it's difficult with respect to the 
structure You ever read through it and go with verses 1-4 and 
it's all about shepherds and all of a sudden 5 comes along 
and you're like, where'd this banquet come from? So the structure 
is a little difficult for us as we go through. How does verses 
5-6 fit with verses 1-4? And we'll seek to look at that 
as we go through. But regardless of those difficulties 
that we see in the psalm, the problem is very clear. The realities 
of the shadow And Christians will be led through the valley 
of the shadow of death. Christians will go through that 
path on the way to the celestial city. Christians will go through 
difficulties to make it until the end. We will walk through 
danger. And it will be something that 
every Christian does face. It may look different for every 
one of us, but we all face that danger. and the valley of the 
shadow of death. But regardless of what valley 
of shadow of death we face, we can, like the psalmist in Psalm 
23, express faith in the covenant Lord. And that's what David does. 
He expresses his faith in the covenant Lord to protect him 
along the way. And we'll seek to look at this 
under two headings this evening. First of all, a shepherd who 
provides in verses one through four. Then secondly, a host who 
prepares in verses five and six. So a shepherd who provides and 
a host who prepares. So let's first look at the shepherd 
who provides in verses one through four. And notice we see the confidence 
right away as the Psalm begins. The Lord is my shepherd. It's a confession of intimacy, 
and even starts with the Lord, the covenant name, that one who 
says, I am who I am, the one who appeared to Moses with the 
burning bush, the one who appeared to Moses in the cleft of the 
rock and said, the Lord, the Lord, slow to anger and abounding 
in steadfast love, who will by no means let the guilty go unpunished, 
even down to the third and fourth generation. This is that Lord. He does not change. He does what 
he said he would do. He's made promises to David. 
He's made promises to Israel. And even though sometimes there 
are crises that come about, his promises will remain even until 
the end. The Lord is his shepherd. The 
Lord is my shepherd. Now, the imagery was well known 
in the ancient Near Eastern world, and perhaps even specifically 
for our author. David was what? A shepherd. David 
tended the sheep. David cared for the sheep. And 
what's interesting is throughout the Psalms up to this point, 
we've seen different ways to describe God. King, deliverer, 
rock, shield. Then we come to shepherd. And 
shepherd really encompasses so many different things. He's the 
guide of the sheep. He makes sure they walk the straight 
path. But he's not just the guide to 
the shepherd. He's the physician. When they're hurt, when they 
have a broken leg, he nurses them. But he's not just a physician. He's also the protector. He has 
that staff. He has that rod ready to beat 
down any wolves that come against his sheep. The shepherd imagery 
encompasses so many different things. And we'll see that as 
we go through and perhaps It can help us understand Jesus 
as the Good Shepherd in John 10, which I think John 10 does 
allude back to Psalm 23. Now, as I said, the setting is 
difficult. Some view it as a time of prosperity. David's sitting in his kingdom. 
He's looking back on everything that's happened, and it's a time 
of goodness. But I take a different view. 
I view it as a time of flight, a time of difficulty. You see, 
we don't just read the Psalms in a vacuum. We all have our 
favorite Psalm, and we come to it, and we turn to it, and we 
just look at that on its own without consideration to the 
Psalms that surround it. I think there is a structure. 
I think there is a flow with respect to the Psalter. There 
are five books. And as the psalm, you know, there's not a hard 
and fast, but generally you see kind of laments at the beginning, 
difficulties, struggles. You come to the end of book three 
with Psalm 89. It talks about the Davidic covenant. 
God has made his promises, but things don't look good. So there's 
a crisis. What's going to happen with God's 
promises? then books four and five come along. And there's 
this change, there's this tone that shifts to praise and confidence 
and trust in God all the way to the end where you see those 
praises, praising God for what He has done. And so really, we're 
in book one in Psalm 23. Lament, difficulty. What came 
before Psalm 23? Psalm 22. That's pretty easy, 
right? 22, 23. But it says in Psalm 22, My God, my God, why have you 
forsaken me? And then perhaps in Psalm 26, 
Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have walked in my integrity. I have 
trusted in the Lord. I shall not slip. Examine me, 
O Lord. Or Psalm 25, To you, Lord, I 
lift up my soul. O my God, I trust in you. Let 
me not be ashamed. Let not my enemies triumph over 
me. I think it is a difficult time David is going through in 
Psalm 23. Yet in Psalm 23, amidst the difficulties, 
amidst the struggles, he still confesses faith in his God. You see, when struggles come 
our way, we're typically like Psalm 22. My God, my God, why 
have you forsaken me? Vindicate me, O God. How long, 
O Lord? Like Psalm 13. But Psalm 23 is 
odd, isn't it? In a time of difficulty, in a 
time of struggle, what does he do? Lord, you are my shepherd. I shall not lack. That is, the lackey shall not 
have his daily provisions. He shall have what he needs, 
day in and day out, even in the difficult times. That's tough 
for us to understand sometimes. Even though we go through difficulties, 
even though we go through struggles, the reminder is, we shall not 
want. David knows he shall not want, 
for God keeps him. God protects him as his shepherd. Here he confesses his faith and 
trust in the God who provides for him. But then he unpacks 
further what that means, continuing the shepherding imagery in verses 
2 through 3. It continues, verse two. He makes 
me to lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside the still 
waters. The idea here, the imagery here 
is permanent provision. That is, the sheep will always 
be provided for. And again, we have to go back 
to the ancient Near Eastern world just for a moment. You see, you 
think of Jerusalem, it gets really hot in the summer, doesn't it? 
So what do shepherds have to do? They have to search out green 
pastures. They have to search out quiet 
waters. They have to search out provision for the sheep. And 
so here the imagery David uses is you don't have to search it 
out. God leads you to this permanent place. God leads you to this 
provision. God keeps you and protects you 
and gives you your daily need day in and day out. He gives me still waters. He restores my soul. You see, I don't think it just 
refers to spiritual restoration. I think that is part of it too. 
We need restoration. We need rejuvenation. We need 
God to do that. But I also think there's some 
physical aspect here as well. Brethren, we're not disembodied 
spirits. We can't go long periods of time without food and water 
and sleep. We need to sleep, we need to 
eat, we need to drink water. Sometimes, if you're a little 
grumpy, have a snack, drink some food, or drink some water. You 
can't drink food. I guess some people do drink 
food. But, you know, take a nap. Those things help. And I think 
that's what's provisioned here. The daily needs, not just physical, 
but spiritual. Both, I think, are in play here 
for us. God is the provider of his people. I think there's an allusion back 
here to numbers 1033 The people have received the ever seen of 
you exodus has happened the laws come down Leviticus with the 
temple and sacrifices and worship numbers the census the people 
are about to leave Sinai in numbers 1033 and this is what Moses records 
in So they departed from the mountain of the Lord on a journey 
of three days. And the ark of the covenant of 
the Lord went before them for the three days journey to search 
out a resting place for them. And the cloud of the Lord was 
above them by day when they went out from the camp. But the Lord 
goes ahead as the provider of Israel, as the shepherd of Israel. So he gives them food. He gives 
them shelter. He restores their life or their 
soul. But notice as well, God also 
leads them along the path of righteousness. Now, once again, 
I think there is a moral aspect here. The right way is the way 
of God. And one thing I didn't say at 
the outset is when we look at the entire Psalter, Psalms 1 
and 2 are very important for that. Psalm 1 gives us the purpose 
for the entire Psalter. Psalm 2 gives us the message. 
Psalm 1, the way of happiness, not in the counsel of the wicked, 
but in the law of the Lord. That's the way of happiness. 
That's the right path. That's the narrow way in the 
path of what God says to do. And that's where happiness shall 
be. But happiness or the way of happiness is found only in 
someone else. That's found in the king. That's 
Psalm 2. That's the message of the Psalter. 
The one who said today, you are my son. Today I have begotten 
you. This is all about the king and what he will do. It's all 
focused on him and tied and connected with him. And what's interesting 
is in Israel, things begin to narrow throughout redemptive 
history. God saves Israel, gives them 
a law, they do good or they do bad based as a covenant whole, 
and then the king comes along. And what happens? If the king 
does right, the people typically do right. If the king does bad, 
the people typically do bad. But it's all tied to and connected 
with the king. How he would live, how he would 
function, how he would do. And so there is only one way, 
and that is the way of God, the way of happiness. And again, 
we go back to the ancient Near Eastern world, the imagery again. 
There is only one way. There's only one right way to 
get to that sweet water, to get to that green pasture. And the 
shepherd would find the most direct route, regardless of the 
terrain, regardless of the difficulty, regardless of what would come. He leads me in the path of righteousness 
for his name's sake. Now, the shepherd's motive is 
to care and love his sheep. That's what Jesus does. But even 
more important than that, it is for his own glory. You see 
this in Ezekiel 36. He gives that heart of stone 
for the sake of himself, because the people have profaned it, 
yet he brings them back and opens up their hearts, removes the 
heart of stone, gives the heart of flesh, but everything in this 
life is for God's glory. That's the first and most important 
thing. Even for the sheep as we walk 
along, it is for his name's sake. So He keeps us. He protects us. 
He gives us daily provision. But notice as well, He protects 
us in danger. Verse 4. Yea, though I walk through 
the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. And the key theme here is that 
idea of death. Once again, think about Jerusalem. the cliffs. It was dark out. It was shadowy. And yet the shepherd 
had to take his sheep to get to the pasture. And so the best 
way to go, rather than going around and risk certain other 
things, he had to go difficult ways. And he had to go past perhaps 
that were very narrow. One slip of the sheep and down 
they go. But even, too, not just perhaps 
that there's a ravine down there, but also perhaps wolves were 
following close by. Wolves were near. And the wolves 
knew where they were going to be. They only had one way to 
go. And so there's extreme danger on all sides. That's the point. 
That's what Christians go through. And I think Banyan Yo-Yo beautifully 
illustrates this in Pilgrim's Progress. As Christian's going 
along the way, he talks about hearing hobgoblins and dragons 
and scary things because it's dangerous. The Christian walk 
is dangerous. The Christian walk is difficult. 
The Christian walk is trying. And that's what everyone does 
face. And notice, yea, though I walk through the valley of 
the shadow of death, that is the path of righteousness, brethren. 
That is the path on the way to the celestial city. There's nowhere 
else to go but through the valley of the shadow of death. We must 
go through it. We must pass through it. We must 
walk by it without falling one way or the other, but continue 
on that path. Christians must walk through it. This is a non-negotiable. All Christians will go through 
the valley of the shadow of death, will go through extreme danger. But there's comfort. I will fear 
no evil, for you are with me. Notice the tense change. In verses 
1 through 3, the psalmist David is saying, the Lord is the shepherd. He makes me lie down. He leads 
me. He restores me. And then a shift. Yea, 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 see, brethren, it's so odd, 
but when we go through difficulties, we sense God more, don't we? 
We sense a nearness of God in those difficult trials. We have 
this intimacy with God because there is nowhere else to go. 
That's why trials are good for us. That's why trials are important 
for the Christian walk, because it turns our attention off ourselves, 
and turns our attention to God. That's why difficulties are good 
for us, to help us be sanctified, to die to our sins day by day, 
and turn our attention unto God. And God does so through difficulties. But you are with me, and I shall 
fear no evil. And you see, brethren, our God 
does not change, does He? We're the ones that change. Our 
senses of God change, but that doesn't change the fact that 
God is near. Listen to Davis. It is not that 
Christ is closer in the valley, but that we realize in the valley 
how close He has always been. That's our Lord. He is always 
near us, but for some reason and for our good, in those really 
deep valleys is when we have a sense of God's nearness or 
have a closer sense of Him close to us. And the same is true for 
David. I will fear no evil, for you are with me. And then he 
says, your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Now, I think 
sometimes we have a false view of what shepherds look like. 
I think we view them, you know, lying down with their sheep, 
gentle, and they are gentle, and rolling hills, and very kind, 
and I'm not denying that they're kind, but we forget another portion 
about the shepherds. They were probably buff dudes. 
They were probably strong men. Why? They had to take out shepherds. Oh, sorry, take out wolves. They 
had to take out those bears that came along the way. What did 
David do, brethren? He fought bears, and he fought 
lions, so much so that one lion grabbed one sheep. He would go 
grab it by the beard and remove it from its mouth. They were 
strong men. They weren't afraid of the things 
that came along. They were protecting the sheep, 
and they were strong, mighty, warrior-like dudes. Your rod 
and your staff, the rod, wolf comes, smack. That thing ain't 
getting to the sheep. A bear comes, smack. A lion comes, 
smack. It ain't happening. They're ready 
to speak fiercely against those bears and lions and wolves to 
make sure the sheep are protected. But also notice as well, not 
just the rod, but your staff. The staff was for the sheep. 
The staff was to keep them along the way, to make sure they wouldn't 
fall, to keep them along the path of righteousness. You see, 
that's what God does for us. Sometimes we don't see the wolves 
coming our way or the bears or the lions, but God smacks them 
out of the way anyway for us. But God also, as well, sometimes 
we don't see when we're about to stumble ourselves, and yet 
He corrects us with His staff. That's what the staff was. Your 
rod protects, your staff guides, your staff keeps, your staff 
keeps the sheep in the line. shepherds were strong and mighty 
men. And the Lord Jesus, there's warrior-like 
language throughout the Bible about Christ, but in John 10, 
no one will snatch them from my hand. No one will snatch them 
from my hand. Now, as we looked at these four 
verses, we see daily provision throughout here. I think we must 
be reminded of the fact that the Christian walk is a daily 
grind. And the fact that Christ, as 
our shepherd, protects us day by day. You see, sometimes we 
always want mountaintop experiences. We're looking for the next big 
moment in our lives. The next big time where I feel 
great. I'm sorry, there are going to be times when you feel good 
and times when you don't, but the Christian life is one of 
continual, perpetual, daily walking in Christ. And thankfully, we 
have such a shepherd to keep us and protect us in the daily 
grind. You see, he gives us food. He gives us water. He gives us 
protection. He guides us and keeps us. And 
he's given us what we need as Christians to grow in grace and 
knowledge. You see, most theologians point 
out the fact that backsliding in the Christian walk does not 
happen overnight. You see, I like one illustration 
I heard that works really well. It's like the Christian walk 
is swimming upstream. But if you stop swimming, you're 
not staying in the same spot. You're floating back down to 
the abyss. You're floating back down to the waterfall. That's 
what the Christian life is. It's not one of neutrality. And 
we must continually swim upstream to get to where we are going. But that backsliding doesn't 
happen. It's a very subtle erosion night, day after day, night after 
night. But so is sanctification. Sanctification 
is a daily grind. Sanctification is a daily battle. And God has given us the means 
by which we grow in grace. And if we neglect the means, 
I'm going to say this right now, you will not grow. You're going 
to be the one floating down the waterfall, heading that way. You see, God's given us his word. Read it day by day. Christ assumes 
and commands us to pray. He says that in Matthew 6, when 
you pray, daily provisions provide for my daily needs. That's what 
the Christian must do in our private lives. But there's also 
the corporate and public lives, the corporate and public means 
of grace, the preaching of the word. Don't absent yourself from 
the means of grace, brethren. Just don't do that. I know sometimes 
we're tired, sometimes we're weary. Yes, There are providential 
reasons for being hindered. You have a flat tire. You're 
sick. I get all that. I get that there are legit things 
like that. But if you're just, I'm just 
going to sit around and do nothing, that's on you. But he says, the 
writer to the Hebrews says, do not forsake the assembling of 
yourself, even as you see the day approaching. Even when the 
world ends, go to church, not just for our good. You know, 
it says right before that, stir one another up to love. You deprive 
us of yourselves to some degree. But it's not really about us. 
It's primarily about God. God doesn't need us, but we need 
each other. But he still does say in Hebrews 
10, stir one another up to love and good works. How? By not forsaking 
the assembling of yourselves. People whine about all the things 
churches don't have. Just come to church, chat with 
people, say hello, stir one another up to good works, hear the word 
of preached, hear the word preached and grow in grace and knowledge. And it's not just preaching. 
It's not just the preached word. It's the singing of the word. 
Pay attention when you're singing the hymns. Hopefully it's not 
just rote. Okay, here comes a hymn. I'm gonna, you know, tune out 
first. No, be awake and attentive during that. Be awake and attentive 
during the prayer. When the pastor says amen, you 
should be saying amen because you should be paying attention 
to what he's saying so you can say amen. Let it be with what 
he says. But not just that, the visible 
word. Do not absent yourself from the 
Lord's Supper. It is for our spiritual growth, 
spiritual nourishment. That's how we grow day by day. 
If you're struggling with a sin, pray, read your Bible, come to 
church. If you're struggling with a difficulty, 
pray, read your Bible, come to church. Because Christ is where 
we hear about Christ, his goodness, who he is as the shepherd, and 
the one who is adequate for every day. Davis says, Jesus Christ 
is the shepherd who is adequate for every day, who again and 
again restores my life, and the Christian must learn to walk 
with Christ here in the daily round. So we have a shepherd 
who provides for us in the daily battles we face. Let's then look, 
secondly, at a host who prepares in verses 5 and 6. Now again, 
this is an odd shift. Theme change. What's happened? 
How does it tie in with verses 1 through 4? Now, I still think 
it's the idea that one is being led to a certain place, but perhaps 
the metaphor changes to focus on the human sheep. He gives 
it in plain words. Calvin says that same language, 
same ideas, but repeated in plain words. And even in Psalm 78, 
it talks about God preparing a banquet for his people, for 
his people, his sheep that he leads. And so I do think it changes 
and shifts and ties in still similar themes. And it is really 
more about a host who prepares, but it's still focused on the 
shepherd who provides for his human sheep. But let's unpack 
it for us. I think that's the best way to 
think through that. And again, there's a lot of different 
differences on that, but that's perhaps one of the best ways 
to explain it. But let's look at it specifically. Verse 5. 
Again, oddness. The Psalms are just odd. You 
prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. Now 
some view this as the idea that perhaps they've defeated the 
enemies and the enemies are being marched through the city and 
they're rejoicing. I don't think that's the case. I think the 
idea is they're having a feast in the midst of their enemies. 
That's weird. That's odd. How is it that when 
you know your enemy is going to break down the door, that 
you're having a big Thanksgiving or Christmas roast turkey? How 
is it that you're sitting down for a long meal, you prepare 
a table before me in the presence of my enemies? That's odd, because 
typically when you know your enemy is going to come in, you 
eat quickly, then hide. But here they don't do that. 
They prepare a table and they're eating and chowing down. Their 
enemies are walking by. You prepared a table before me 
in the midst of my enemies. And once again, I think it's 
a comfort in a dark time. Once again, surrounded by Psalms. 
You prepare a table surrounded by lament, so it's a difficult 
time. And I do think Alec Motier and Dale Ralph Davis point out 
the fact that perhaps behind verse five is actually 2 Samuel 
17. David has fled his son Absalom, 
and he comes to the Ammonites in 2 Samuel 17. And what do the 
Ammonites do for him? verses 27 and 29 of 2 Samuel 
17. Now it happened when David had 
come to Mahanaim, that Shobi the son of Nahash from Rabah, 
of the people of Ammon, Makir the son of Amil from Lodebar, 
and Barzilai the Gileadite from Ragolin, brought beds and basins, 
earthen vessels and wheat, barley and flour, parched grain and 
beans, lentils and parched seeds, honey and curds, sheep and cheese 
of the herd for David and the people who were with him to eat. 
For they said, the people are hungry and weary and thirsty 
in the wilderness. You have prepared a table before 
me in the presence of my enemies. Davis points out, the point is, 
there is not a circumstance where he won't sustain his disciples. 
There's not a time where Christ won't be with his people and 
protect us along the way. And so he prepares this banquet. 
He goes on to speak of, you anoint my head with oil. Typically at 
banquets, that's what they did. You walked in, you smelt nice, 
all fine and dandy. You see this in Luke 7. Remember, 
Jesus chastises the Pharisees for not giving him oil, yet Mary 
cries and anoints him. So a similar idea here. that 
they made them smell nice when they walk in. It's a good thing, 
it's a blessing. My cup runs over. Probably just 
means the best is given, care and provision. Everything I have 
is from the Lord God. But then the weirdness continues, 
verse six. Surely goodness and mercy shall 
follow me all the days of my life. That's weird. We walk through the valley of 
the shadow of death Yet goodness and mercy shall follow us all 
the days of our life. That is, when we go through difficulties 
once again, we have the promise that God's love, God's mercy, 
it is God's covenant kindness of mercy there. We're referred 
to throughout the Psalms and the Old Testament of his covenant 
keeping. Even though we have danger and 
difficulty and struggle, God will be with his people. There 
will not be a circumstance where he won't sustain his People, 
how is it that goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days? 
It's not negated in the bad times, brethren. Surely goodness and 
mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. Think of some missionaries. Think 
of men who were tortured. Think of men who were persecuted. 
I'm really reading about a Bulgarian pastor right now who was tortured 
under the Soviet rule during the Cold War. And he went through 
some very difficult things. They weren't there to kill them. They were there to break them. 
And they made sure the men found in prison did not die. And what 
they would do to interrogate him, they would make him stand 
for two weeks straight. And they would say, you can't 
sleep. Had to keep his eyes open the entire time. He moved, smack. He shut his eyes, smack. All 
those, I mean, I just can't imagine what that would be like. How 
he did, you know, got through that is only God's grace and 
goodness. And he still writes, you know, 
when he's taken back to his cell after those 14 wretched days, 
he's never had sweeter communion with God. All the earthly distractions, 
all the earthly things that find my attention. He realizes that 
all those things are gone. He focuses on his God and he's 
reminded of the promises that you shall never leave me nor 
forsake me. John Patton, the missionary to 
the cannibals. When he's running for his life, 
he hides in a tree. What does he say? I've never 
had sweeter communion than when I've been in that tree, because 
Christ is with me through the times when the cannibals want 
to eat me and skin me and boil me for dinner. He's never had 
a time where he knew that God was closer with him, that sense 
that God was near and close to him. Now, I'm not saying we go 
look for that. That's not what I'm saying. We're 
not masochists. That's not what we do. But the point is, God 
helps us. God is with us. And in the good 
times and the bad, surely goodness and mercy shall follow us all 
the days of our life. And the promise continues, I 
will dwell in the house of the Lord forever with a language 
beyond days. Beyond days, you know, there's 
a contrast. Goodness and mercy shall be with 
me all the days of my life, and then I will dwell in the house 
of the Lord beyond days. I think he's turning his attention 
to eternal things, to his eternal inheritance, the eternal communion 
with God, dwelling with God forever and ever. It's one of the key 
themes in the Psalms, Psalm 27, Psalm 65, but especially Psalm 
84. How lovely. is your tabernacle, O Lord of 
hosts. My soul longs, yes, even faints 
for the courts of the Lord. My heart and flesh cry out for 
the living God. Even the sparrow has found a 
home, and the swallow a nest for herself where she may lay 
her young. Even your altar is, O Lord of hosts, my king and 
my God. Blessed are those who dwell in your house. They will 
still be praising you, say La. Blessed is the man whose strength 
is in you, whose heart is set on pilgrimage. At the pass of 
the valley of Bacchae, they make it a spring. The rain also covers 
it with pools. They go from strength to strength. 
Each one appears before God in Zion. Lord God of hosts, hear 
my prayer. Give ear, O Jacob, say La. O 
God, behold our shield and look upon the face of your anointed. 
For a day in your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather 
be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents 
of wickedness. For the Lord God is sun and shield. 
The Lord will give grace and glory. No good thing will he 
withhold from those who walk uprightly. O Lord of hosts, blessed 
is the man who trusts in you. Better is one day in your courts 
than thousands elsewhere. And that's what Christians look 
forward to. That's what Christians long for. 
That's also why we come to church as well. Church is a glimpse 
of what that will be like. Church is the place where the 
new creation comes together and worships God. You see, forever 
and ever, when we're dwelling with God, with Him, it'll be 
singing His praises. If you don't like singing His 
praises, you're not going to like heaven very much. That's 
what we're going to be doing forever and ever, world without 
end, because He saved sinners like us, we will dwell and have 
communion with God in his house forever and ever beyond days. 
And that is for our forever blessing for God's people. That's what 
the shepherd of the sheep came to do, to lead his people to 
the flock and even to that pilgrim's progress. allegory, all the way 
leading through the valley of the shadow of death, through 
difficulty, through struggle, all the way till finally they 
pass through the river of death and enter into that celestial 
city. That's what every Christian looks forward to. That's what 
we long for. That's where our joy is found 
and hope is found. and the fact that Christ shall 
come back and His people will dwell with Him world without 
end. Though we go through the dangerous places and the scary 
places, we will make it to that place of Yahweh's house forever 
and ever. It's an assurance for God's people 
of His present protection, not just eternal things, but present 
protection and eternal dwelling. What's interesting is Revelation, 
I think 717 refers back to Psalm 23. I think there's an illusion 
there. Revelation 717. The question is asked in Revelation 
6, 17, who shall stand in the great day of his wrath? Then 
we have an interlude about who shall stand in the great day 
of his wrath, his people, the 144,000, the elect, the church 
of God. But what is it that he will do 
for his people? Verse 14 and 15 and all the way 
to 17. These are the ones who come out 
of the great tribulation and washed their robes and made them 
white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore they are before the 
throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple, and 
he who sits on the throne will dwell among them. They shall 
neither hunger any more nor thirst any more. The sun shall not strike 
them nor any heat, for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne 
will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every 
tear from their eyes. And the language is recapitulated, 
that is, said again in another way in Revelation 21. That is, 
we see the same event, that end time glory of the new heavens 
and new earth in 21.4. And God will wipe away every 
tear from their eyes. There shall be no more death, 
nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, 
for the former things have passed away. This is where the shepherd 
is leading us. This is where the shepherd is 
guiding us. And have assurance, brethren, 
that God is with us and keeps us and protects us. And if you're 
an unbeliever here today, I implore you to believe on the good shepherd. 
If you look to him, you shall have everlasting life. You shall 
have the promises given to David. You shall dwell in the house 
of the Lord forever and ever. You shall have protection, not 
saying it's going to be easy. You shall have protection from 
God in the daily grind. As Davis says, the grassy pastures 
may be the normal place, the valley of the shadows the fearful 
place, in front of the enemies the dangerous place, and the 
house of Yahweh the abiding place. Well, let's pray. O God, we are thankful once again 
for your mercy towards sinners like us, and O God, we are thankful 
that you are the shepherd of the sheep. And we're thankful 
that Christ is that good shepherd who came, had the bright motive 
to die on behalf of his sheep to lay down his life. And we're 
thankful that he did so. Oh God, we are in need of a great 
shepherd who would lay his life down for us. And we're thankful 
that he did die. And, O God, we pray, even as we walk through 
the valley of the shadow of death, whatever that might look like 
for each and every one of us, that we would trust in you day 
in and day out, that we would remember this psalm, and that 
we would recite it, that you are our shepherd, we shall not 
lack, and you shall lead us by green pastures, by still waters, 
lead us in the path of righteousness for your name's sake. Help us 
not to fear, for you are with us. Comfort us and strengthen 
us by thy word. We're thankful, O God, that in 
the midst of our enemies, you prepare a place We're thankful, 
O God, that you anoint us with oil. Our cup overflows, and we 
will dwell with you forever and ever. O God, may you strengthen 
your people this day as we go out into the world. Give them 
strength in the daily grind and the daily battle. And, O God, 
if there are any here today who do not know you, we pray that 
you'd open their eyes, that you'd help them to see their need for 
Christ, who is that righteous one, who is that good one, that 
they would find faith and trust in Him and look to Him. that 
you might be glorified, O God. Help us remember in everything 
that we do, whether we eat or drink, it is for your glory. 
And, O God, we pray that you keep us and protect us, and we're 
thankful for the fact that you are the Lord, slow to anger and 
abounding in steadfast love. And so, God, we ask and we cling 
to your promises for what you've said, both in the Old and the 
New Testaments, that you promise to never leave us nor forsake 
us. And we pray that now, O God, that you would never leave us 
nor forsake us, that you'd watch us and keep your church corporately, 
Watch and keep each and every one of us individually, and we 
do pray in all things you would be glorified. We pray these things 
in the name of Christ. Amen. We'll close with a brief 
time meditation. When the piano's finished, you 
are dismissed.