Psalm 23

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TALKS FOR GROWING CHRISTIANS

The Wonderful Relationship Between God and His People

BACKGROUND NOTES



DOCTRINAL POINT(S)

  1. The Lord is my Shepherd in His provision for me.

  2. The Lord is my Shepherd in His protection for me.

  3. The Lord is my Shepherd in His program for me.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

  1. Can you say, “The Lord is my Shepherd?”

QUESTIONS

  1. If the Lord is the Shepherd, who are His sheep?

  2. What is the theme of Psalm 23?

  3. What does the Lord provide for us, the sheep?

  4. How does the shepherd use his rod and staff?

  5. Describe the analogy of anointing a sheep’s head with oil.

ANSWERS

  1. The Lord is a shepherd to us as individual sheep and to His flock, the nation of Israel in the Old Testament and the Church in the New Testament.

  2. Being a sheep in the flock of the greatest Shepherd

  3. He provides us with spiritual nourishment and spiritual provision.

  4. The rod of the shepherd protects the sheep by being used to fight off wild beasts. It can also be used to discipline the sheep. The staff of the shepherd protects the sheep by keeping the stray sheep in line and away from danger.

  5. A sheep’s head was anointed with oil to protect it from pesky insects. Our great Shepherd knows how to protect us from big, fearsome enemies as well as small, bothersome enemies.

DISCUSS/CONSIDER

  1. The theme of the Shepherd and His sheep is a theme that runs throughout the Bible. Recall various passages in the Old and New Testaments about the Lord as our Shepherd.

  2. Have you ever walked through the Valley of the Shadow of Death? Describe your experience and whether you knew the Lord was right there with you.

CHALLENGE

  1. Many people admit that Jesus was a great moral teacher and leader. Do you go beyond this to recognize the Lord as your personal Savior and Shepherd?

KEY VERSES

  • "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 paths of righteousness or 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." Psalms 23

Psalms, Old Testament, TalksDeb HarmsPsalm 23