Psa. 23:0 A Psalm of David.
This is the author’s signature on the psalm.
Spurgeon: “It has been said that what the nightingale is among birds, that is this divine ode among the psalms, for it has sung sweetly in the ear of many a mourner in his night of weeping, and has bidden him hope for a morning of joy.”
Psa. 23:1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
One can’t help but think immediately of how David would relate so closely to the LORD as His shepherd. He had been a shepherd boy; in fact, he was out watching over the sheep when Samuel came to anoint him as king. David knew what was expected of a shepherd. He also knew that sheep are completely dependent upon the shepherd for the well-being; so it was with deliberate intention that he compared himself to a sheep.
David claimed YHWH, the self-existent, eternal God as his shepherd; he felt connected personally to the LORD, not just as one of many in the nation of Israel. He knew that his well-being was completely dependent on the LORD. In that acknowledgement is the basis for all the following statements. God is the source of all power and provision. Thus, David’s next statement, “I shall not want.” He was well aware that God was sufficient to meet his every need.
Spurgeon: “…a sinner's heart is far from satisfaction, but a gracious spirit dwells in the palace of content.”
Psa. 23:2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
It is the shepherd’s duty to find good feeding grounds and water sources for the sheep. This verse is a reference to being at rest and being given tender, pleasant nourishment. Obviously, this Psalm was written at a time in David’s life when he was feeling safe and secure under the watchful eye of the Lord.
This verse is also an acknowledgement of David’s submission to the LORD. He was content to follow where the LORD was leading and confident that His direction would result to David’s benefit.
Psa. 23:3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
The Hebrew for restoreth made reference to many things; deliver, refresh and reward stood out to me as I tried to connect with David’s thoughts. Again, David recognized that it was God who provided for all his needs—both physically and spiritually. The soul makes reference to the whole being. There are times when we may be fine physically, but with great need spiritually. Other times we may be doing fine spiritually, but find ourselves in physical need. The LORD is a shepherd that can provide nourishment, healing and protection of both areas.
Again, David acknowledges that he is following God’s leading in his life. He knows that God will only lead him in the paths that are right and prosperous (from the Hebrew). David knows that he is not worthy of such faithful, loving treatment. God is acting in honor of His name—His character and honor.
Spurgeon: “When the soul grows sorrowful he revives it; when it is sinful he sanctifies it; when it is weak he strengthens it. "He" does it.”
Psa. 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
David is also a realist. As a shepherd, he had defended his flock from the danger of predators. He knows that he will face times of trouble, maybe even times that threaten his life. Still, he is confident in His Shepherd’s ability to take care of him through those times. He has nothing to fear in the presence of the Shepherd. His LORD is the source of ultimate power and authority in the universe.
David knew that a shepherd sometimes has to provide correction to the sheep through the use of his rod. The Hebrew for staff comes from a root that means protector. The use of the rod and staff go hand-in-hand. Part of protection includes correction. David realizes that he can count on the LORD to be a good Shepherd and will correct David as necessary as He provides for Him and protects him. That is a comfort to David.
Spurgeon: “To walk indicates the steady advance of a soul which knows its road, knows its end, resolves to follow the path, feels quite safe, and is therefore perfectly calm and composed.”
Spurgeon: “Some one has said that when there is a shadow there must be light somewhere, and so there is. Death stands by the side of the highway in which we have to travel, and the light of heaven shining upon him throws a shadow across our path; let us then rejoice that there is a light beyond. Nobody is afraid of a shadow, for a shadow cannot stop a man's pathway even for a moment.”
Psa. 23:5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
God’s provision for David is obvious to his enemies. It is obvious for anyone who is paying attention to see that David is favored of the LORD. He is providing for David with abundance and richness that satisfies. He is treating David according to the customs of that time that speak of how one would treat an honored guest.
Spurgeon: “The good man has his enemies. He would not be like his Lord if he had not. If we were without enemies we might fear that we were not the friends of God, for the friendship of the world is enmity to God.”
Psa. 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
David is confident that with the LORD as his Shepherd he will only experience goodness and mercy all the days of his life. He knew the truth declared by the Apostle Paul.
Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
Spurgeon’s application to the believer: “Goodness and mercy follow him always—‘all the days of his life’—the black days as well as the bright days, the days of fasting as well as the days of feasting, the dreary days of winter as well as the bright days of summer. Goodness supplies our needs, and mercy blots out our sins.”
David also recognized that his life would have an ending, but he also knew that he would dwell with the LORD forever. Again, we don’t know exactly how much the man of faith in Old Testament times knew about that future or how they knew it, but they knew. Job expressed the same confidence.
Job 19:25-26 “For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God….”
The Holy Spirit tells us through the writer of Hebrews that the patriarchs of old knew it.
Hebrews 11:13 “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.”
Notes from Adrian Rogers:
The LORD is not your Shepherd unless the shepherd is your LORD.
Jehovah Raah – my Shepherd
Jehovah Jireh – my provider – I shall not want
Jehovah Rapha – heals – restoreth my soul
Jehovah Shalom – our peace – makes me lie down in green pastures
Jehovah Tsidkenu – Righteousness – leads me in paths of righteousness
Jehovah Shamma – ever present – I will fear no evil for thou art with me
Jehovah Nissi – our banner – prepares a table before me…enemies
I have a book called, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, by W. Phillip Keller, that I would recommend as very interesting and informative in being able to make applications to the LORD as our Shepherd.
Psa. 24:0 A Psalm of David.
Self-explanatory; David is the author of this Psalm.
Courson: “Following temple liturgy a certain psalm was sung every day of the week….On Sunday, this majestic psalm before us that deals with the coming King was sung. Thus, this song would have been sung on the first day of the week as Jesus triumphed over the tomb.”
Psa. 24:1 The earth is the LORD’S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.
This is an important truth that is often ignored today. Every part of creation is the possession of YHWH, the self-existent, eternal God. God created the earth for mankind and gave him authority over the creation.
Genesis 1:26 “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.”
Man rebelled against God and relinquished his authority to Satan. Satan is the “god of this world”; however, that time will come to an end.
2Corinthians 4:4 “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”
Revelation 20:2-3 "And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.”
Revelation 20:7-10 “And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.”
Satan is being allowed a time of limited authority and influence on earth; but YHWH is sovereign in the universe, and Satan can only act within the parameters established for Him by God. The book of Job gives us a prime example of this truth.
I seem to have taken a detour—back to verse 1.
The Psalmist makes specific reference to planet earth—its land and its inhabitants. The Hebrew for fullness specifies that he is referencing everything associated with planet earth. In other words, God is the LORD of the whole earth, of all people—not just the Jewish people.
Personal note: This makes me think of a chorus we used to sing as youngsters, “He Owns the Cattle on a Thousand Hills,” taken from another Psalm.
Psalm 50:10-12 “For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof.”
Wiersbe: “Of all the heavenly bodies created by the Lord, the earth is the one He has chosen to be His own special sphere of activity. Clarence Benson called the earth ‘the theater of the universe,’ for on it the Lord demonstrated His love in what Dorothy Sayers called ‘the greatest drama ever staged.’"
Psa. 24:2 For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.
David knew the scriptural account of creation. He knew that the waters were in place first and that the sky and land were brought into existence by separating the waters.
Genesis 1:6-10 “And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day. And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.”
Psa. 24:3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?
First, we need to identify the hill of the LORD. The Psalmist does that for us.
Psalm 2:6 “Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.”
Psalm 9:11 “Sing praises to the LORD, which dwelleth in Zion….”
Psalm 132:13 “For the LORD hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation.”
It stands to reason that the “holy place” is the temple, the place of God’s presence, the place where the priesthood ministers before God.
Exodus 26:33 "And thou shalt hang up the vail under the taches, that thou mayest bring in thither within the vail the ark of the testimony: and the vail shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy.”
So, the question seems to be: Who is qualified to minister before the Lord or enjoy fellowship in His presence?
This is especially interesting since there was no temple during David’s lifetime; it was built by his son Solomon. David had erected a tabernacle in Jerusalem to house the ark of the covenant, the representative place of God’s presence. He wanted to build the temple, but God did not allow him to because he was a man of war. So, maybe as he was writing this psalm, he was looking forward to the time when the temple would be completed.
Psa. 24:4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
David answers his own questions. It seems that his answer reveals that he is thinking more about one’s personal approach before the LORD in prayer as well as acting in obedience to make the prescribed sacrifices and offerings.
One with clean hands – The Hebrew for clean states, “innocent, blameless, guiltless.” This seems to be a reference to one’s actions toward one another before the LORD.
One with a pure heart – The Hebrew for pure states, “beloved, empty, clean.” The first two words were quite interesting to me and not what I expected. When I saw the word empty, I immediately connected it to being guileless and selfless—having no ulterior motives. It makes sense that one who is innocent and blameless in his/her relationship with others and is not known for deceit would be beloved.
One who does not have a vain soul – My first thought on reading this verse was that this was a reference to pride. The Hebrew for vain states: “evil (as destructive), literally (ruin) or morally (especially guile); figuratively idolatry (as false, subjective), uselessness (as deceptive, objective; also adverbially, in vain):—false(-ly), lie, lying, vain, vanity.”
I think the CJB gives a clearer translation for this phrase: “who don’t make vanities the purpose of their lives.” Some of the other translations focus in on idol worship, but it would seem that the Psalmist is making reference to a much wider range of evil and immoral actions.
One who is not deceitful – Again, the CJB seems to have the best translation from the Hebrew: “or swear oaths just to deceive.” This would also characterize a person who has no ulterior motives in what he does or says. More importantly, regarding service to the LORD, the psalmist is referencing one who is serving from a heart of love and obedience to the LORD.
Psa. 24:5 He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
The person who meets the qualifications in the above verse is the one who will receive blessing and righteousness from YHWH. In David’s day, to be clothed in that righteousness was an ongoing process through the sacrificial system that looked forward in faith to God’s permanent provision through His Son. For believers today that righteousness is imputed to us when we accept Jesus as LORD and Savior by faith. Blessing is a reference to abundance and prosperity. Where we go wrong is assuming that this is strictly a reference to material things. It can include material things, but our most valuable blessings are spiritual and eternal.
Psa. 24:6 This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.
Again, I like the CJB translation of this verse: “Such is the character of those who seek him, of Ya‘akov, who seeks your face.”
Jacob, as the father of the twelve tribes of Israel, is a reference to the whole nation. David is refining that reference to those of Israel who are seeking to serve God in truth from their heart.
Spurgeon: “To desire communion with God is a purifying thing. Oh to hunger and thirst more and more after a clear vision of the face of God; this will lead us to purge ourselves from all filthiness, and to walk with heavenly circumspection.”
Selah is reference to a pause in the music. I think David is saying, “This is a truth worth thinking about.”
Psa. 24:7 Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.
This is a call for the people to invite the King of glory to take up His residence in the temple on Mt. Zion. In my mind the gates would be a reference to the gates of the city and the doors would reference the entry to the temple.
“everlasting doors” – This indicates to me that David expected a time when the “King of glory” would come to dwell in Zion in His temple among His people for eternity.
Psa. 24:8 Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.
David identifies the King of glory as YHWH, the self-existent eternal God. He is also picturing the LORD as a warrior. I don’t know if David realized the spiritual warfare that is ongoing between the armies of God and the legions of Satan. He was well aware, however, of God’s provision for Israel in physical battle against their enemies. He knew that God had given Israel victory many times through His miraculous provision—beginning with the exodus from Egypt. David also knew of God’s provision on a personal basis, most famously by slaying the Philistine giant Goliath.
Psa. 24:9 Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.
Psa. 24:10 Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah.
When studying Isaiah, I learned that a characterizing mark of Hebrew poetry is repetition. David is a poet and this repetition not only emphasized the might and power of God, it probably added to the beauty of the song he was composing.