Psalm 23 - Week 3 (v5-6)
Psalm 23:5-6
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Jesus, Our Host
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Psalm 23:5-6 〰️ Jesus, Our Host 〰️
Well, this is our third and final week in Psalm 23. We hope and pray that this slow walk through this psalm was refreshing and joyful. While the book study we've been doing in tandem with the sermon series was optional, we hope it was encouraging for those of your people who could do it!
This week, we reach the culmination of our study with the final verses of Psalm 23, v5-6. Let's read them together once more:
"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.
Even 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 overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever."
When we read v5-6, it can feel like a hard shift from v4. In v4, we read, "I will fear no evil," but here in v5, we're presented with a scene of being in the midst of danger. What’s up with that? Here, David is rejoicing in the LORD's provision and His provision in the midst of danger. Here, we get a beautiful picture of our LORD's protection and provision, even in venues and circumstances that we wouldn't think possible or likely to experience peace. It's worth noting that experiencing joy and peace in the middle of chaos or danger is not the same as expecting God to remove us from danger or uncomfortable situations.
Throughout Scripture, we rarely see God remove people from suffering or trials or remove the trials themselves. Instead, God promises to be there with us and give us peace, hope, and courage, and that all things work "for good" or towards God's greater plan (Romans 8:28). In the gospel of John, Jesus warns us that we will not be immune to or never encounter trouble. "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). We know that suffering will come, not only because we live in a fallen world, but because we follow the Way of Jesus. "But take heart," Jesus says. To take heart is to "gain courage or confidence" in something, namely, Jesus.¹ He has overcome the world, and in Matthew 28, Jesus tells us, "I am with you always, to the end of the age" (v20b). So, with this in mind, let us consider what it means to rejoice and be encouraged by the LORD's presence. If we never experienced suffering or trials, we would have little reason to believe in the LORD's greater sovereignty, eternal goodness, and unending mercy.
Next, we're given this picture from David, "You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows" (v5b). Anointing with oil was a method of relaxation similar to a calming massage. It was calm, soothing, and relaxing. We would hardly think of it when surrounded by enemies in the valley of the shadow of death, but our LORD is our protector, allowing us to rest and relax because He is near, with our cup overflowing-- with all of our needs met in abundance.
In v6, Daniel gently lands the plane with these closing words: "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever." When we read this, we might think, "Okay, that's great, but I can't be in church all day every day." To that, I would say, "You’re right!" The rules of engagement have changed between the old covenant in the Old Testament and the new covenant after Christ's resurrection and ascension.
Let's flip to a few verses in the New Testament to get an idea of this. Turning to Acts 1:8, we read, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." Here, Jesus promises that His Holy Spirit will enter us, indwelling within our hearts. To dwell in the house of the LORD, we're to meditate on His words, day and night, praying, worshipping, and studying His Words, just as we read in Psalm 119:9-16 and Psalm 1. With this new covenant in mind, Paul reminds us of how and why we're to dwell in the house of the LORD. "If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God." (Colossians 3:1-3). Dwelling, for us, is not our sitting at the doors of the church waiting for it to open. Instead, in response to the Holy Spirit living within us, we habitually and daily spend time in God’s Word, in worship, and in prayer to our LORD and Shepherd. Dwelling in the house of the LORD is meditating on His Word day and night, communing with Him, and being formed by Him.
As we close, we'll discuss some questions, focusing on what it means to see the LORD as our host and what it means to dwell in the house of the LORD. As we read this passage, it's easy to think, "Aww, that's nice," and move on, but we want to meditate on it a little bit this week and genuinely ask ourselves, "What does it look like for me to dwell in the house of the LORD…”?
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"In this metaphor we see that there are some things we are responsible for, such as using the means of grace—the Bible, prayer, and church participation—in a disciplined way. There are many other things we do not have much control over—such as how well the circumstances in our lives are going as well as our emotions. If you pray, worship, and obey despite negative circumstances and feelings, you won't be drifting, and when the winds come up again, you will move ahead swiftly. On the other hand, if you do not apply the means of grace, you will at best be drifting, and if storms come into your life, you might be in danger of sinking. In any case—pray no matter what. Praying is rowing, and sometimes it is like rowing in the dark—you won't feel that you are making any progress at all. Yet you are, and when the winds rise again, and they surely will, you will sail again before them."²
Discussion Questions
Read all of Psalm 23 together and out loud. Read it twice, doing so slowly and mindfully.
What stood out to you from the passage?
Does anything in this passage remind you of another part of Scripture?
Do you have any questions?
Why do you think David is calm "in the presence of [his] enemies"?
What does it mean for the LORD to prepare a table in the presence of our enemies?
Read v5 again. Who is initiating the actions in this passage? What does that mean for us as the LORD’s sheep?
What do you think of when you hear God described as your "host"? What does a host normally do?
What does it mean to "Dwell in the house of the LORD"?
"Imagine that your soul is a boat, a boat with both oars and a sail."³ Let's end our time by answering (internally or out loud) where we feel our "boat" is:
Sailing - God is real to your heart, and His wind is at your back. You find joy in His love and His Word.
Rowing - God often (though not always) seems distant, and the sense of His presence is fairly rare. Prayer and reading Scripture is more duty than delight, but despite this, you continue to row (reading Scripture, attending worship, praying, and serving others).
Drifting - You are experiencing all the conditions of rowing— spiritual dryness and difficulties, but instead of rowing, you're letting yourself drift. You don't feel like approaching God, but instead, comfort yourself with other forms of escape (sleeping, indulgence, lust, apathy, etc.)
Sinking - Eventually your boat, your soul, will drift away from the shipping lanes, as it were—and truly lose any forward motion in the Christian life. The numbness of heart can become hardness because you give in to thoughts of self-pity and resentment. If some major difficulty or trouble were to come into your life, it would be possible to abandon your faith and identity as a Christian altogether.⁴
1. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/take%20heart
2. Timothy Keller, Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God (New York, NY: Penguin Books), 259-260.
3. Questions adapted from Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God by Timothy Keller.
4. Timothy Keller, Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God (New York, NY: Penguin Books), 260.