One Day at a Time with the Good Shepherd

When the Redeemed Story Is Still Being Revealed – Psalm 23 through the New Covenant lens of Jesus

Paired Blog Series – Part 2 | Master long-form blog working draft

Overview

Big idea: Part 1 looked back: “Let the redeemed of the LORD tell their story.” It also held onto Psalm 119:105: God’s Word is a lamp for the next faithful step. Part 2 moves into the unfinished present. What happens when we know God has been faithful, but we still cannot see how the next chapter will turn out? Psalm 23 answers not with a complete map, but with a Shepherd.

Sometimes testimony looks back and says, “Look what the Lord has done.” Sometimes steadfast faith stands in an unfinished chapter and says, “The Lord is still my Shepherd.”

Paired-series movement: Psalm 107 remembers redemption. Psalm 119 gives light for the next step. Psalm 23 teaches us to walk with the Good Shepherd through the already-and-not-yet new covenant fulfillment: redeemed, Spirit-filled and held by Christ, yet still facing valleys, enemies, grief, change and unanswered questions.

Main Section – The Sermon-Shaped Article

Opening — When the Redeemed Story Includes a Valley of Uncertainty

Recently I have been reflecting a lot on two Psalms. Psalm 107 begins, “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever,” and then says, “Let the redeemed of the LORD tell their story.” Psalm 119 says, “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”

Those two ideas belong together. We look back and tell the story of God’s faithfulness, but His Word also gives light for the next faithful step. And that raises another question: what do we do when the redeemed story is still being revealed with uncertainty? What do we do when we can say, “God was faithful then,” but we are experiencing a valley right now and we do not know how the next chapter will turn out?

That is one reason where Psalm 23 has become deeply personal to me, and to many of us.

My dad died in 2022 after prostate cancer. In the last few months of his life, his Lutheran pastor, Pastor Mark, would come to Dad at home and spend time with him and Mum, really digging into Psalm 23. Often at least one of Dad’s close mates, Graeme, would come as well. Dad was not simply handed a Psalm and left alone with it. People came to him. They opened the Word with him, sat with him, prayed, listened, and walked with him as he approached the actual valley of death.

Before that season, I think I had almost heard Psalm 23 as a beautiful but slightly clichéd Psalm. But seeing how meaningful it became to Dad changed it for me. After Dad died, I memorised it, mostly in the ESV wording, although I prefer the NIV opening, “The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.” Now I pray Psalm 23 before I go to sleep most nights, and parts of it have also become woven into my morning Scripture and proclamation prayers.

Mum has already lived through the enormous change of losing Dad, and now we are facing another uncertain season, with the real possibility that we may need to move soon. I’ve been looking after the property here, so mum can stay, and it has been mostly a mutual blessing. But we may need to move in the coming months. Now, Mum naturally thinks things through deeply. She tries to work things out in her head and find steps towards her goals. She has said that God has wired her that way, and I think there is truth in that. Some of us do have analytical, systematic minds who naturally plan way ahead.

But a strength can become a weakness when it becomes disconnected from Christ. A gift for thinking can become overthinking. Problem-solving can become self-reliance. I recognise that in myself too. I can sometimes want to understand every possibility, solve every problem, and figure things out before I take the next step.

Perhaps you recognise something of yourself in that. Maybe the thing your mind keeps returning to is your health. Your husband or wife. Your children or grandchildren. Finances. Grief. A decision. Something you have lost. Something you fear losing. Fear of change. What road does your mind tend to travel down when you are tired, alone, or awake in the middle of the night?

I remember having a simple thought once: if you wake up at two o’clock in the morning and cannot get back to sleep, instead of counting sheep, talk to the Good Shepherd.

It is a light line, but there is something serious underneath it. When the mind starts circling, turn the circling into relationship. We may not know or see the whole road ahead, but we can know the Good Shepherd.

The sheep does not need the whole map. The sheep needs the Good Shepherd.

SCRIPTURE / BLOG TEXT: Psalm 23:1 uses the NIV wording “The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.” Psalm 23:2–6 follows the ESV, matching the way I now quote the Psalm from memory.

Verse 1 — “The LORD Is My Shepherd, I Lack Nothing”

David begins, “The LORD is my shepherd.” The whole biblical story makes that even richer. In Ezekiel 34, God confronts Israel’s failed shepherds and promises that He Himself will search for His sheep, rescue them, feed them and shepherd them. He also promises a shepherd in the line of David.

Then in John 10 Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd.” He says that the Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. He says, “I know my sheep and my sheep know me.” And He says that no one can snatch His sheep out of His hand.

So, Kingdom-minded Christianity is not merely knowing information about God. It is being known by Christ and belonging to Him as our King and Lord, and our true Shepherd. The Good Shepherd knows your story. He knows what you are carrying. He knows the question you cannot answer. He knows tomorrow when you do not.

When David says, “I lack nothing,” he is obviously not saying, “I get everything I want.” He is saying, “My Shepherd knows what I truly need.” I prefer that clear NIV wording. But some of us grew up with “I shall not want,” which is beautiful language, but I once heard the funny example of a child hearing it as, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want Him!” That is definitely not the picture. Jesus is not an unwanted Shepherd forcing Himself upon us. He calls His sheep, they know His voice, and they follow Him.

Verse 2 — “He Makes Me Lie Down… He Leads Me Beside Still Waters”

David moves from who the Shepherd is to what the Shepherd does: “He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.” The Shepherd does not only move the sheep forward. He also knows when they need to stop, receive, and rest.

That is why Jesus’ invitation in Matthew 11 belongs naturally beside this verse. The same Jesus who says, “Follow me,” also says, “Come to me” when we are weary and burdened, and promises rest for our souls. Psalm 23 gives us the picture; Jesus shows us where that rest is finally found.

Rest in Christ is not laziness or passivity. It is the refusal to live as though everything depends on us. The sheep can lie down because the Shepherd is still awake.

And that connects with Matthew 6. Jesus teaches us not to worry about tomorrow and to ask the Father for daily bread. Green pasture today. Still water today. Daily bread today. Grace for today. We do not need to live tomorrow before it arrives.

Verse 3 — “He Restores My Soul… He Leads Me in Paths of Righteousness”

Verse 3 begins with restoration before direction: “He restores my soul.” The Shepherd does not merely tell a weary sheep where to go next; He restores what has become depleted, wounded, or disordered, and then He leads.

And He leads “in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” The goal is not simply that I find the easiest path or the outcome I prefer, but that my life increasingly reflects the Shepherd’s character and name. That is why this verse flows naturally into seeking first God’s Kingdom and righteousness.

Psalm 23 says that He leads and guides us. Psalm 119 says that God’s Word is a lamp for our feet and a light on our path. A lamp does not necessarily show the next ten kilometres. Often it gives enough light for the next step.

Proverbs gives us the same balance between wise planning and humble trust. Proverbs 16:9 says, “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.” Proverbs 3 tells us not to lean on our own understanding, but to trust the Lord and let Him make the path straight. Planning is not the enemy; the question is whether our plans remain surrendered to the One who actually directs our steps when we abide in and follow Him.

And that helps us understand what Paul means when he says, “We live by faith, not by sight.” Habakkuk’s language about the righteous living by faith is taken up by Paul in Romans and Galatians, and again by the author of Hebrews. But faith is not spiritual blindness. In Christ our eyes are being opened: Paul prays that the eyes of our hearts would be enlightened. We see God’s character in His Word, His love in Christ, and through His people, and that all things hold together in Christ. What we often cannot see is how this particular chapter will resolve. Faith says, “I cannot see the whole outcome, but spiritually I can see enough of the Shepherd to keep following.”

That is how Psalm 23 has entered my morning prayers. I start with Jesus being the Good Shepherd, in whom I have everything I need and who restores my soul. Then I come to, “He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake,” and from there I often pray Jesus’ words about seeking first God’s Kingdom and His righteousness. I remember that Christ has become for us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption. Then I move into John 15: “Abide in me.” I pray, “Lord, keep me connected to the True Vine. Father, prune what is not of You, so that my life bears good fruit that lasts.”

Psalm 23 and John 15 give us two beautiful pictures. The sheep follows the Shepherd. The branch remains in the Vine. The Shepherd gives direction; the Vine gives life. Jesus says, “Apart from me you can do nothing.”

That speaks directly to our strengths. The answer is not necessarily, “Stop thinking.” It may be, “Think while abiding in Christ. Plan while remaining in Christ. Use the gift God has given you, but do not make your own understanding your shepherd.”

And this is where Jesus’ words in Matthew 6 are so important: “Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.” Jesus is not forbidding wise planning. He is forbidding us from trying to live tomorrow today.

Just before that He says, “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness.” So the movement is not simply, “Stop worrying.” It is: seek the Father’s Kingdom today, receive today’s grace today, and entrust tomorrow to the Shepherd.

And Scripture goes even further. We do not have to carry today by ourselves either. Philippians 4 tells us to bring everything to God in prayer, and with thanksgiving. Peter says, “Cast all your cares and anxiety onto him because he cares for you.”

You do not need tomorrow’s grace today. And you do not have to carry today’s burden alone.

A Simple Morning Practice — Listen, Abide, and Walk with Jesus

One simple practice that has helped shape my morning prayer and proclamation comes from Jamie Winship and Identity Exchange. He often encourages people to ask God simple listening questions such as, “God, what do You want me to know?” and, “What do You want me to do?” I sometimes expand that for myself: “Father, what do You want me to know today? What do You want me to do today? And what can I do with You today as I yoke with Jesus with the works that you prepared for me in advance to do and as I live by the Spirit?”

I do not mean that as a formula where every thought that enters our head is automatically the voice of God. We listen under Scripture, which is the sword of the Spirit, we test what we sense, use wisdom, and remain connected to Christ and the Body of Christ. But it is a very different posture from waking up and immediately asking, “What do I have to figure out on my own?”

Jesus says, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me.” The Christian life is not meant to be a frantic attempt to do things for Jesus while disconnected from Jesus. We learn to walk with Him, under His yoke, at His pace. Ephesians 2:10 says that we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared in advance for us to do. So I do not have to invent the whole day and then ask God to bless it. I can abide in the Vine, listen through His Word and prayer, and ask, “Lord, what have You already prepared for me to walk in today?”

That fits the Shepherd picture beautifully. The sheep listens and follows. The branch remains and receives life. The disciple takes Jesus’ yoke and learns from Him. One day at a time, we receive the next step and walk it with Christ.

Verse 4 — “Even Though I Walk Through the Valley of the Shadow of Death”

Then Psalm 23 becomes very honest: there is a dark valley. Christianity does not promise a valley-free life. Jesus says in John 16, “In this world you will have trouble.” But He does not stop there: “Take heart! I have overcome the world.”

That is actually how this flows in my morning proclamation. Towards the end I remember Jesus saying that He has overcome, and then I come back into Psalm 23: “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.” As a Christian, I hear that “You” in the New Covenant light of Jesus, my Good Shepherd.

There is also a beautiful change in the way David speaks. Before the valley he mostly speaks about God: “He makes… He leads… He restores…” But in the valley he turns directly toward God: “You are with me.” The valley turns theology into prayer.

And David includes the rod and staff: “your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” The Shepherd’s care includes protection, guidance, and correction. Sometimes comfort is not only being soothed; sometimes it is knowing that we are being kept, redirected, defended, and not abandoned.

Our Shepherd did not stand outside the valley shouting instructions. He entered it. Jesus knew rejection, grief, betrayal and suffering. He wept. At the cross the Good Shepherd laid down His life for the sheep.

And death did not have the final word. Hebrews calls Jesus the Great Shepherd of the sheep, brought back from the dead through the blood of the eternal covenant. The Good Shepherd laid down His life; the Great Shepherd rose again.

So God’s peace is not necessarily the absence of the valley. Often it is the presence of the Shepherd in the valley.

Paul learned something similar through weakness. Christ said to him, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” So Paul could say, “When I am weak, then I am strong.” The strength is not in weakness itself; the strength is Christ meeting us there.

And when Paul says, “I can do all this through him who gives me strength,” the context is contentment in plenty and in need. Christ strengthens us to remain faithful through changing circumstances, not to control every circumstance.

Within the Valley — When the Battle Is in the Mind

Sometimes the hardest part of the valley is what happens in our minds. A thought comes. Another thought attaches itself to it. Then another. Before long, we have mentally lived through a whole future that has not happened and might not ever happen, but it can feel like it already has happened when we dwell on it.

Romans 12 begins, “in view of God’s mercy,” by calling us to offer our bodies and whole lives to God as a living sacrifice. Then Paul says, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” So renewing the mind is not an isolated mental technique. It is part of a life surrendered to God, refusing to be shaped by the world and allowing His truth to reshape us. Second Corinthians speaks of taking thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ. That does not mean suppressing every difficult emotion. The Psalms themselves are full of honest grief, fear and confusion. It means that every thought does not get to become our master.

We can ask: Is this true? Is this mine to carry today? Is there a faithful action God is actually asking of me, or am I rehearsing a feared future again and again?

The Bible gives us more than one category for the struggle: the patterns of the world, our own fleshly sinful nature, and real spiritual opposition. We do not need to label every anxious thought demonic, but neither should we pretend the spiritual battle is not real.

Paul says in Ephesians 6 that our struggle is not merely against flesh and blood, but against spiritual forces of evil, and therefore tells believers to put on the full armour of God. Peter warns that our enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. And Jesus contrasts the thief who comes to steal, kill and destroy with Himself, the Shepherd who came that His sheep may have life, and life abundantly, in Him.

We do not become preoccupied with the enemy, but we recognise that he would gladly pull our attention away from Christ. He can exploit our weaknesses, and even turn our strengths against us: thinking can become overthinking, confidence can become self-reliance, and independence can become isolation. A gift is still a gift – but disconnected from the Vine, it can begin working against us.

So the answer is not fear of the enemy and not confidence in ourselves. It is to stand in Christ: truth, righteousness, faith, salvation, the Word of God and prayer; to fix our eyes on Jesus; to remain in the True Vine; and to stay connected to His people, too. John says, in the context of testing spirits, that the One who is in us is greater than the one who is in the world.

And there is a profound contrast here. Peter says the devil prowls around “like a roaring lion.” But Revelation 5 points us to Jesus as “the Lion of the tribe of Judah,” the promised Messiah who has triumphed. Then John turns and sees a Lamb, looking as though He had been slain. Jesus is both the conquering Lion and the final sacrificial Lamb who takes away the sin of the world. The enemy may try to roar and imitate strength, but Christ is the victorious Lion of Judah, the spotless Lamb who gave Himself for us, and the King who will return.

John also says that perfect love drives out fear, in the context of fear of punishment. For those who are in Christ, there is no condemnation; as we rest in the Father’s love, that kind of fear no longer has to dominate the room.

Paul tells Timothy that the Spirit God gives brings power, love and a sound mind. Romans says the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace, and Galatians reminds us that love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control are fruit the Spirit grows in us.

So we are not trying to manufacture joy and peace by willpower. We remain in Christ and let the Spirit form Christ’s life in us, despite our circumstances.

James gives us another simple invitation: “Draw near to God and he will draw near to you.” James warns against a divided heart, but that does not mean a moment of anxiety proves we are faithless. It means that when we notice ourselves being pulled in different directions, we turn again toward God.

And Psalm 107 gives us a practice for that turn: give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever. Gratitude does not deny the problem. It remembers that the problem is not the whole story. Sometimes we need to tell the redeemed story again, so fear is not the only story our mind is hearing. Many Psalms do exactly this! Both lament and gratitude can be held together in the songs of life.

Within the Valley — The Good Shepherd Often Cares for Us Through His People

This is where Dad’s story has become such a concrete picture for me. In those final months, Pastor Mark and Graeme came to Dad at home. They entered the season he was actually living through, sat with him, opened the Word with him, prayed, listened, supported and encouraged him in faith.

That is a beautiful example of shepherding that does not control people but serves them.

Peter knew something about being shepherded and restored. He denied Jesus three times. After the resurrection, Jesus meets him by the sea, restores him, and says, “Feed my sheep.”

Later, in 1 Peter 5, Peter tells church leaders to shepherd God’s flock — not lording it over those entrusted to them, but being examples to the flock. Then he points beyond every human pastor to Jesus, the Chief Shepherd.

That helps us keep pastoral ministry in its proper place. Pastor Mark was not Dad’s ultimate Shepherd. Jesus was. But the Chief Shepherd cared for Dad through a faithful pastor who came to him, opened Scripture with him, and stayed present. Graeme did not need a ministry title either. A faithful friend showing up can also be part of the Shepherd’s care as Graeme abides in Christ.

Galatians 6:2 says, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ.” Second Corinthians calls God the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us so that we can comfort others with the comfort we have received.

Sometimes coming to Jesus with a burden includes letting another person in Christ sit beside us and help carry it.

So perhaps there is somebody you need to talk to. Somebody who can pray with you, remind you what is true, or simply sit with you. And perhaps somebody else needs you to be that person for them.

Verse 5 — “You Prepare a Table Before Me in the Presence of My Enemies”

Now the picture changes. We move from the path and valley to a table. God is not only Shepherd here; He is also Host. And notice what David does not say: “You prepare a table after all my enemies have disappeared.” The table is prepared in their presence.

Historically, David knew real human enemies. We should honour that original setting before moving to New Covenant application. But Jesus teaches His followers to love human enemies, and Romans reminds us that while we ourselves were enemies of God, Christ died to reconcile us. So people are not the target of Christian spiritual warfare; they are people we long to see reconciled to God.

Ephesians 6 gives a clearer New Covenant lens for the deeper battle: our struggle is not ultimately against flesh and blood. The New Testament also speaks about the world that tries to shape us away from God, the flesh that pulls us toward self-directed and sinful living, and genuine spiritual opposition.

We do not need to label every anxious thought demonic, and we do not need to diagnose the source of every thought before we can respond faithfully. But neither should we pretend the spiritual battle is unreal. The enemy can exploit our fears — and even turn our strengths against us. Careful thinking can become overthinking. Confidence can become self-reliance. Independence can become isolation.

Paul therefore tells us to put on the full armour of God. Peter says the devil prowls around “like a roaring lion.” Jesus contrasts the thief who comes to steal, kill and destroy with Himself, the Shepherd who gives abundant life. We do not become preoccupied with the enemy; we learn where to look.

That is why the contrast with Revelation 5 is so powerful. Peter says the devil prowls “like” a lion, but Revelation points us to Jesus as the Lion of the tribe of Judah who has triumphed — and then John sees Him as the Lamb who was slain. The enemy may roar and imitate strength, but Christ is the victorious King, the sacrificial Lamb, and the One who will return.

So we fix our eyes on Jesus. We stand in truth, righteousness, faith, salvation, the Word of God and prayer. We remain in the True Vine, walk by the Spirit, and stay connected to God’s people. First John says, in the context of testing spirits, that the One who is in us is greater than the one who is in the world. And perfect love drives out fear in its immediate context of fear of punishment: for those in Christ, condemnation does not get the final word.

Now look again at the table. The Shepherd does not promise that every outward conflict, inward struggle, unanswered question, or spiritual attack must disappear before fellowship with Him is possible. He prepares communion in the middle of it.

That challenges me because I can think, “I will have peace when this is resolved — when the health question is answered, the decision is made, or we know what is happening with the house.” But Psalm 23 turns that around. Peace is not only waiting on the far side of resolution. The Shepherd is present at the table now.

Can I receive the Shepherd’s peaceful presence before I know the outcome? Can I sit at the table while the unanswered question is still in the room?

The enemies may be present, but they do not get the head of the table. The Shepherd does.

That is not denial or passivity. We pray, seek wise counsel, make wise decisions, put on the armour of God, resist evil, and do what God has actually given us to do today. But we refuse to let uncertainty, fear, self-reliance, or worldly certainty become our shepherd or our saviour.

“You Anoint My Head with Oil; My Cup Overflows”

Psalm 23 does not stop with surviving the enemies. David says, “You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.” At the level of the Psalm itself, this is a rich picture of welcome, honour, care, provision, favour, and abundance. The Host is not barely tolerating David at the table; He receives him generously.

But the wider biblical story gives this image a genuine New Covenant resonance. David himself was anointed with oil in 1 Samuel 16, and as he was anointed the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon him. So even within David’s own story, anointing and the Spirit are already connected.

Second Corinthians 1 then says that God has anointed believers, set His seal on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee. Romans 5 says God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit. Ezekiel 36 had promised that God would replace the heart of stone with a living, responsive heart and put His Spirit within His people.

Jesus adds another image in John 7: living water flowing from within believers, which John explicitly identifies with the Spirit. So Psalm 23 gives us an overflowing cup; the New Testament gives us the Spirit poured into our hearts and living water flowing out.

I do not think we need to claim that David consciously understood every New Covenant detail we can now see. But reading the Psalm through the wider biblical story and the fuller revelation of Christ, I do think we can rightly hear something here of the Spirit-filled life. The Good Shepherd does not merely keep us alive through the valley. God anoints, indwells, fills, and pours His love into His people.

That is why Galatians 5 belongs here. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control are not qualities we manufacture by willpower to prove ourselves spiritual. They are fruit the Spirit grows in us as we remain in Christ.

And the overflow is not meant to terminate on us. The comfort we receive can become comfort for another person. The love poured into us can become love offered to another. The peace of Christ can steady us so that we become a peaceful presence. Grace can overflow into witness, service, generosity, mercy, and the carrying of one another’s burdens.

The Shepherd leads us; the Spirit fills us; and what He pours in begins to flow out.

That is why John’s pictures of Jesus fit so beautifully together. He is the Bread of Life, the Light of the World, the Gate for the sheep, the Good Shepherd, the Resurrection and the Life, the Way, the Truth and the Life, and the True Vine. Different images, one centre: life is found in Christ, in Him we live and move and have our being, and the life He gives overflows through us like living water by the Spirit.

Verse 6 — “Surely Goodness and Mercy Shall Follow Me”

David finishes by looking both backward and forward: “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” Goodness and mercy are not merely memories from yesterday; they follow him into tomorrow.

And the Psalm ends not merely with survival, but with home. The Shepherd who provides, leads, restores, accompanies, protects, and hosts is bringing His sheep into lasting fellowship with God.

Psalm 23 ends with confidence in God’s goodness and mercy and with the hope of dwelling with the Lord forever. Psalm 107 begins in the same place: “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.”

This is where the already-and-not-yet shape of Christian life matters. Jesus has overcome. We have been redeemed. The Spirit lives in us. The Kingdom has come in Christ. And yet we still walk through valleys. We still grieve. We still face uncertainty. The story is redeemed, but some chapters are unfinished.

Near the end of the Bible, Revelation gives us an extraordinary picture: the Lamb at the centre of the throne will be their Shepherd, leading His people to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear.

The Lamb who laid down His life is the Shepherd who will finally lead His people home. Our unfinished chapter is not the final chapter.

Where Are You in the Psalm Today?

Perhaps you need verse 1 again: you belong to the Shepherd, and in Him you are not abandoned to provide your own ultimate security.

Perhaps you need verse 2: green pastures and still waters — permission to receive rest instead of living as though everything depends on you.

Perhaps you need verse 3: restoration and the next right path — not the whole map, but enough light to follow faithfully.

Perhaps you need verse 4: “You are with me,” together with the protecting, guiding comfort of the rod and staff.

Perhaps you need verse 5: the table is already prepared, and the Spirit can fill an apparently empty cup until it overflows.

Or perhaps you need verse 6: goodness and mercy are not only behind you in the testimony; the Shepherd is still leading you home.

Perhaps you are in green pastures. Give thanks.

Perhaps your soul is weary. Come to Jesus and let the Good Shepherd restore you.

Perhaps your mind keeps running into tomorrow. Hear Jesus again: “Do not worry about tomorrow.” Seek His Kingdom today.

Perhaps a genuine strength has quietly become self-reliance. Remain in the Vine.

Perhaps you are walking through a valley. Hear the Psalmist’s words: “You are with me.”

Perhaps you are carrying something too heavy to carry alone. Let another member of Christ’s body help you.

Perhaps you are waiting for everything to be resolved before you allow yourself peace. Remember: the table is already there in the presence of the enemies. Fix your eyes on the Shepherd and sit with Him.

Perhaps you feel spiritually empty. Ask the Shepherd not only to lead you, but to fill you again by His Spirit, so that His love and fruit overflow through you.

And perhaps the deepest question is not simply, “Do I know Psalm 23?” It is, “Do I know the Lord, who is my Good Shepherd?”

Sometimes testimony is looking back and saying, “Look what the Lord has done.” Sometimes steadfast faith is standing in an unfinished chapter and saying, “The Lord is still my Shepherd.”

So let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story. Let His Word be a lamp for the next step. Follow the Good Shepherd. Remain in the True Vine. Draw near to God. Put on the full armour of God. Walk by the Spirit. Carry one another’s burdens. And each day we can ask, “Lord, what do You want me to know? What do You want me to do? What can I do with You today?”

The sheep follows. The branch remains. The Shepherd leads. The Vine supplies the life.

And because Jesus is my Good Shepherd, I can trust Him today — and entrust tomorrow to Him.

Closing Prayer

Father God, thank You that You are good and Your love endures forever; nothing can separate us from your love.

Lord Jesus, thank You that You are the Good Shepherd. Thank You that You know Your sheep, that You laid down Your life for us, that You rose again, and that You hold us securely in Your hand.

For those of us walking through a valley, remind us that You are with us. For those whose minds are racing into tomorrow, bring us back to the grace You give today. For those who are weary, restore our souls.

Holy Spirit, renew our minds. Teach us to walk by You, to receive Your love, joy and peace, to put on the full armour of God, and to bring our fears and thoughts under the truth of Christ. Pour the love of God into our hearts afresh and let our lives overflow with the fruit that only You can produce.

Keep our gifts and strengths connected to Jesus, the True Vine. When we are weak, teach us to depend on Your sufficient grace rather than ourselves.

Make us a people who carry one another’s burdens and who shepherd gently under Jesus, the Chief Shepherd — never controlling, but serving, encouraging and pointing one another back to Christ.

And when we cannot see the road ahead, help us trust the One who can. Let Your goodness and mercy follow us all the days of our lives until You finally bring us home.

In Jesus’ mighty name, Yeshua, Amen.

 

Songs to Pair with the Sermon and Blog

These songs form a pool rather than a fixed service order. Some work especially well before the sermon, some as a response afterward, and others as recordings or links alongside the blog. Together they echo Psalm 23’s themes of the Shepherd, rest, guidance, surrender, assurance, the cross, resurrection, identity in Christ, the Spirit, and the Body carrying one another’s burdens.

Closest Psalm 23 / Shepherd / Daily-Trust Connections

• Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus — fixing our attention on Christ rather than fear, uncertainty, self-reliance, or the noise of the world.
• One Day at a Time — Matthew 6:34, daily grace, and entrusting tomorrow to the Shepherd.
• Psalm 23 / The Lord Is My Shepherd — a direct musical echo of the Psalm itself.
• What a Friend We Have in Jesus — bringing burdens to Christ in prayer and refusing to carry anxiety alone.
• Good Good Father — God’s loving care, belonging, and trust in His character.
• Still — Hillsong — resting in God’s presence and sovereignty through the storm and valley.
• Peace — Hillsong — receiving Christ-centred peace while fear or unresolved circumstances are still present.
• It Is Well — Todd Fields version — peace and trust in the midst of circumstances that may not yet be resolved.

 

• He Leadeth Me — a classic expression of trusting God’s guidance.
• Saviour, Like a Shepherd Lead Us — direct shepherd imagery and dependence on Christ.

 

Abiding, Surrender, Identity, and the Spirit

• Abide — Aaron Williams / The Worship Initiative — John 15, the True Vine, daily dependence, and remaining in Christ.
• I Surrender All — classic language of surrendering control, plans, and self-reliance to Christ.
• I Surrender — Hillsong — yielding to God and releasing the need to control outcomes.
• The Power of Your Love — being drawn close to God, renewed by the Spirit, transformed, and dependent on His love.
• Who You Say I Am — Hillsong Worship — identity in Christ, belonging, adoption, and trusting God’s word over accusation.
• Be Thou My Vision — Christ as our true vision, centre, and desire.

 

• Yet Not I But Through Christ in Me — dependence on Christ rather than confidence in self.
• He Will Hold Me Fast — John 10 security: Christ knows and holds His sheep.
• Open the Eyes of My Heart, Lord — spiritual sight, Ephesians 1:18, and seeing Christ more clearly.

Testimony, Assurance, Grace, Cross, and Redemption

• Blessed Assurance — especially strong for the paired-series testimony theme: “this is my story, this is my song,” with assurance rooted in Christ.
• Amazing Grace / My Chains Are Gone — redemption, grace, freedom, and the testimony of the redeemed.
• Jesus Paid It All — Kristian Stanfill version — the finished work of Christ, grace, cleansing, and resting in what Jesus has done.
• Nothing but the Blood of Jesus — atonement, cleansing, assurance, and the Good Shepherd laying down His life for the sheep.
• The Old Rugged Cross — Christ’s sacrifice, redemption, suffering, and hope beyond the valley.
• In Christ Alone — Christ as foundation and security, the cross and resurrection, and confidence through trials.
• Here I Am to Worship — Jesus as the Light of the World and a Christ-centred response of worship.
• Thy Word — Amy Grant — Psalm 119:105, God’s Word as lamp and light, and the bridge from Part 1 into the Shepherd’s guidance.
• Gratitude — Brandon Lake — remembering God’s goodness so fear is not the only story being rehearsed.
• How Great Thou Art — God’s greatness, creation, redemption, and worship.

Resurrection, Hope, Final Home, and the Body of Christ

• Living Hope — Phil Wickham — resurrection, victory over death, and Christ as our living hope through the valley.
• Goodness of God — Psalm 23:6 and Psalm 107: God’s goodness and faithful love throughout the story.
• The Servant Song — Richard Gillard — carrying one another’s burdens, mutual service, and the Shepherd caring for His people through His Body.

 

• Because He Lives — resurrection hope and confidence in facing an unknown future because Christ lives.
• Christ Our Hope in Life and Death — the valley, resurrection, and the Shepherd leading His people home.
• Worthy of It All — the redeemed story culminating in worship of the worthy Lamb and King.
• Great Is Thy Faithfulness — remembering past faithfulness while walking through an unfinished present.

 

Going Deeper

This section assumes you have already read the sermon-shaped article above. Rather than retelling it, the aim here is to add biblical background, interpretive guardrails, wider canonical connections, and study pathways that deepen the main themes.

A. How I Am Reading Psalm 23: Original Meaning, Whole-Bible Fulfilment, and Spirit-Led Illumination

A Christ-centred reading of Psalm 23 does not require us to choose between the Psalm’s original setting and the fuller revelation given in Christ. The first task is to hear David’s confession on its own terms: the LORD provides, leads, restores, accompanies, protects, hosts, honours, and brings His servant home. Then we ask how the same themes unfold through Israel’s story and reach their fullest expression in Jesus and the New Covenant.

That approach matters especially for images such as the shepherd, the table, the anointing oil, and the overflowing cup. We should not force later Christian meanings back into every Hebrew phrase as though David consciously explained the whole New Covenant. But neither should we close the door on canonical fulfilment or Spirit-led illumination. The same God who inspired the Psalm has revealed Christ and poured out the Spirit, so later Scripture can genuinely deepen how believers hear these images.

B. Psalm 23 as a Whole-Life Confession: Rest, Provision, and the Valley of the Shadow of Death

Psalm 23 is often heard at funerals, and rightly so, but it is not only a Psalm for dying. It is a whole-life confession of trust. The NIV’s “darkest valley” usefully keeps the image broad, while the ESV/traditional “valley of the shadow of death” preserves its power for literal death; in the current preaching flow I quote the ESV wording. The Psalm can therefore speak both to Dad’s final months and to other valleys of grief, waiting, transition, illness, uncertainty, or loss.

“I lack nothing” also needs a biblical guardrail. It is not a prosperity promise that believers avoid hardship or receive every preference; the Psalm itself contains enemies and a valley. The abundance is first relational: the sheep is not abandoned to become its own provider, protector, or source of ultimate security. Jesus Himself is our deepest abundance.

1. Phillip Keller’s A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 can help the pastoral imagination because it draws on practical shepherding experience. His observations about rest, protection, rod and staff can illuminate the imagery, but they are best treated as illustrations rather than automatic definitions of what every Hebrew phrase must mean.

C. The Shepherd Theme Across the Canon

The main article briefly connects Ezekiel 34 with John 10. The wider thread is even richer. Scripture repeatedly presents God as the Shepherd of His people and exposes leaders who feed themselves rather than the flock. Ezekiel 34 brings those strands together: God promises that He Himself will seek, rescue, feed, bind up, and shepherd His sheep, while also promising a Davidic shepherd over them.

John 10 places Jesus inside that prophetic expectation. Hebrews 13 then calls the risen Christ the Great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant. Revelation 7 gives the final paradox: the Lamb at the centre of the throne will shepherd His people and lead them to living water. The biblical movement is not simply shepherd imagery repeated; it is the LORD’s shepherding promise coming to its Christ-centred fulfilment and carrying the redeemed story into eternity.

D. Dependence Without Passivity: Planning, Faith, Weakness, and Daily Discernment

Several themes in the sermon belong together here. Proverbs 16:9, 19:21, 20:24, and 3:5–6 allow real planning while refusing the illusion of control. Faith is not passivity, and it is not irrational blindness. 2 Corinthians 5:7 says we walk by faith rather than sight, while Ephesians 1:18 prays for the eyes of our hearts to be enlightened. We may not see the outcome, but in Christ we are learning to see enough of God’s character and faithfulness to take the next step.

The same principle applies to strength and weakness. 2 Corinthians 12 does not glorify weakness for its own sake; it exposes the limits of self-sufficiency so Christ’s sufficient grace can be received. Philippians 4:13 belongs to Paul’s learned contentment in plenty and need, not to unlimited achievement. Luke 12 adds another warning: a person can be materially prepared and still not be rich toward God.

The daily listening questions influenced by Jamie Winship — “What do You want me to know?” and “What do You want me to do?” — are most helpful when held under Scripture, wisdom, testing, and the Body of Christ. Joined with Jesus’ yoke and Ephesians 2:10, they become a posture of dependent discipleship: not “How do I control the whole day?” but “What has God placed before me to walk in with Christ today?”

E. The World, the Flesh, and the Devil: Naming the Battle Without Becoming Preoccupied with It

The New Testament gives more than one category for what pulls us away from trust. “The world” can describe patterns and values organised apart from God; “the flesh” can describe fallen, self-directed desires and habits; and Ephesians 6 names genuine spiritual powers. These categories overlap in lived experience, but they should not be collapsed into one another.

That means not every anxious thought should be labelled demonic, while also refusing to pretend spiritual opposition is not real. 1 Peter 5 warns that the devil prowls “like a roaring lion”; Revelation 5 names Jesus as the victorious Lion of Judah and then shows Him as the Lamb who was slain. The point is not fascination with the enemy but confidence in Christ. First John 4:4 belongs specifically to the testing of spirits, and 1 John 4:18 speaks directly about fear of punishment. Keeping those contexts intact actually strengthens their pastoral use.

A useful practical question is therefore not always, “Can I diagnose exactly where this thought came from?” but, “Where is this thought taking my attention, and where do I need to look?” The response remains Christ-centred: truth, prayer, the Word, the armour of God, the Spirit, abiding in the Vine, and staying connected to God’s people. A future study could explore principalities and powers in greater depth; Michael Heiser may be a useful secondary conversation partner, with Scripture remaining primary.

F. The Table Across Scripture: From Lost Fellowship to the Marriage Supper

The sermon applies Psalm 23’s table to peace while enemies remain. The wider biblical table theme adds another layer: fellowship with God. Eden begins with humanity receiving God’s presence and provision before exile disrupts that communion. Covenant meals and Passover remember God’s faithful deliverance. Psalm 23 pictures the LORD as host even in the middle of opposition.

Jesus repeatedly shares tables with disciples, outsiders, and sinners. At the Lord’s Supper, bread and cup become the New Covenant remembrance of His self-giving body and blood. At Emmaus, the risen Jesus is recognised in the breaking of bread. Revelation then carries the image toward the marriage supper of the Lamb. From fellowship lost to fellowship restored, the biblical story is moving toward God dwelling with His people.

This makes the Psalm 23 table more than a private coping image. It is a foretaste of communion with God in the middle of a world not yet fully restored. The enemies can still be present, but they do not own the table or determine the Host.

G. “You Anoint My Head with Oil; My Cup Overflows”: A New Covenant Resonance

This is one place where the interpretive approach above matters. In Psalm 23, oil and overflowing cup already communicate honour, welcome, care, provision, and abundance. Yet the wider canon gives a genuine Spirit-filled resonance that should not be ruled out.

David himself was anointed with oil in 1 Samuel 16 and the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon him. Second Corinthians 1 says God has anointed believers, set His seal on us, and placed His Spirit in our hearts. Romans 5 says God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit. Ezekiel 36 promises a new heart and God’s Spirit within His people; the “heart of flesh” there is a living, responsive heart, not Paul’s negative use of “the flesh.”

John 7 speaks of living water flowing from within believers and explicitly relates it to the Spirit. Galatians 5 describes the fruit the Spirit forms. 2 Peter 1:4 adds the language of participating in the divine nature — not becoming God in essence, but genuinely sharing by grace in God’s life and character. Other than Jesus, the branch never becomes the Vine, yet it truly receives the Vine’s life and bears fruit.

So the New Covenant echo can be heard like this: the Shepherd does not merely lead and protect; God anoints, indwells, fills, and pours His love into His people so that His life can overflow in love, joy, peace, holiness, witness, and service.

H. Different Images, One Centre: The Johannine Portrait of Jesus

John’s images of Jesus enrich the Psalm without needing to be forced into David’s conscious intention. Jesus is the Bread of Life, Light of the World, Gate for the sheep, Good Shepherd, Resurrection and the Life, Way, Truth and Life, and True Vine. He also gives living water through the Spirit.

The images do different work: the Shepherd leads and protects; the Bread nourishes; the Light reveals; the Gate gives safe entry; the Resurrection answers death; the Way brings us to the Father; the Vine supplies life; and living water speaks of the Spirit’s indwelling overflow. Different images, one centre: life is found in Christ.

I. The Chief Shepherd Cares Through His Body

Pastor Mark and Graeme’s presence with Dad is not merely an illustration of kindness; it raises a wider ecclesiological point. Christ remains the Chief Shepherd, yet He ordinarily cares for His people through His Body. John 21 shows the restored Peter being commissioned to feed and tend Jesus’ sheep. 1 Peter 5 tells elders to shepherd willingly and by example rather than lording authority over people.

Ephesians 4 describes pastors/shepherds as gifts for equipping the saints, while Galatians 6 calls the whole church to carry one another’s burdens and 2 Corinthians 1 describes comfort received from God becoming comfort offered to others. A ministry title is not required to sit beside someone, pray, listen, encourage, or remind them of truth.

This also guards against an overly individualised idea of “coming to Jesus.” Sometimes we come to Him alone in prayer; sometimes through Scripture and worship; and sometimes Christ’s care meets us through another believer who is abiding in Him.

J. Lament, Gratitude, and the Story We Rehearse

Psalm 107 gives Part 2 an important connection back to Part 1: “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.” Gratitude is not a denial of grief, fear, or unresolved circumstances. The Psalms repeatedly hold lament and thanksgiving together.

That makes testimony a practice of attention. When fear is dominating the imagination, remembering concrete evidence of God’s mercy and faithfulness does not erase the problem; it prevents the problem from becoming the only story we rehearse. Sometimes the redeemed need to tell the story again so that fearful lament is not the only voice in the room.

K. Already and Not Yet: Why the Redeemed Still Walk Through Valleys

The New Covenant has genuinely arrived: Christ has died and risen, the Spirit has been given, believers are adopted and reconciled, and the Kingdom has broken into history in Jesus. Yet the Kingdom has not reached its final visible fullness. Christians still grieve, suffer, become ill, face temptation, and die while waiting for the restoration of all things.

Psalm 23 therefore fits the already-and-not-yet Christian life remarkably well. We are already the Shepherd’s sheep, already held and Spirit-filled, yet we still walk through valleys and sit at tables while enemies remain. Revelation gives the destination: the Lamb shepherds His people to living water, God wipes away every tear, death and mourning end, and God dwells with humanity in the new creation. The unfinished chapter is not the final chapter.

L. How Part 2 Grows Out of Part 1

Part 1 explored how the redeemed remember God’s mercy, tell their story, and let Scripture become lamp, prayer, proclamation, and renewed thinking. Part 2 asks what that looks like when the next chapter is not yet resolved.

That is why Psalm 23 now sits naturally inside my morning proclamation. The movement from “He leads me in paths of righteousness” into seeking first the Kingdom, Christ as our righteousness, abiding in the True Vine, and asking the Father to prune us grows directly out of Part 1. Later, after Jesus’ words, “In this world you will have trouble… I have overcome the world,” the prayer returns to the valley: “I will fear no evil, for You are with me.”

Together the two blogs can be summarised simply: Part 1 looks back and says, “Tell the redeemed story.” Psalm 119 gives light for the next step. Part 2 stands in the unfinished present and says, “The Lord is still my Shepherd.” Later, both can be situated more explicitly inside the larger biblical story from creation, fall, promise, Israel, Messiah, cross and resurrection, Spirit and Church, through to resurrection and new creation.

Possible Publishing / Study Links

• Psalm 23 — verse 1 in the NIV wording “I lack nothing”; verses 2–6 in the ESV for the current preaching/blog flow.
• John 10 — Jesus the Good Shepherd.
• John 15 — Jesus the True Vine; remain in Him.
• Matthew 6:25–34 — seek first the Kingdom; do not worry about tomorrow.
• Ezekiel 34 — God’s promise to shepherd His people and the Davidic shepherd.
• Hebrews 13:20–21 — the risen Great Shepherd and the eternal covenant.
• Revelation 7 and 21 — the Lamb as Shepherd, living water, wiped tears, and new creation.
• Identity Exchange / Jamie Winship resources — background for the listening-prayer questions, held under Scripture and communal discernment.
• The Worship Initiative — Abide by Aaron Williams.
• Phillip Keller, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 — pastoral shepherding background.

Light Bibliography / Selected Sources and Influences

• The Holy Bible — Psalm 23:1 uses the NIV wording “I lack nothing”; Psalm 23:2–6 follows the ESV in the current sermon/blog flow. NIV remains a primary translation elsewhere, with ESV used where a more literal or memorised rendering is helpful and NLT occasionally where clarity is useful.
• Primary biblical threads include Psalm 23; Psalm 107; Psalm 119; Proverbs 3, 16, 19 and 20; Matthew 6 and 11; John 7, 10, 15 and 16; Romans 5, 8 and 12; 2 Corinthians 1, 5, 10 and 12; Ephesians 1, 2, 4 and 6; Galatians 5 and 6; James 1 and 4; 1 Peter 5; 2 Peter 1; 1 John 4; Ezekiel 34 and 36; Hebrews 13; Revelation 5, 7 and 21.
• Phillip Keller, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 — shepherding illustrations used as pastoral background, not as automatic exegetical definitions.
• Jamie Winship, Living Fearless, together with Identity Exchange teaching/resources — influence for the simple listening questions, held under Scripture, wisdom, and communal discernment.
• Michael S. Heiser — optional secondary conversation partner for a future deeper study of the unseen realm, principalities and powers; Scripture remains primary.
• Aaron Williams / The Worship Initiative, Abide — worship resource closely resonant with John 15.

 

Interpretive note: The New Covenant connections in this article are intentionally canonical and Christ-centred. They seek to honour the original Old Testament text while allowing the fuller revelation of Christ and the Spirit to illuminate its imagery, especially the Shepherd, the table, the anointing oil, the overflowing cup, and the wider Johannine portrait of Jesus.

 

Disclaimer: AI tools (ChatGPT, Gemini, and/or Perplexity) were used for content enrichment and editorial support. All content remains the responsibility of the author.