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Psalm Three-three
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 23
A Psalm of David.
Thus psalm was written by David
either when he was in distressed
circumstances
being persecuted by Saul
and was in the forest of Hareth
1
Samuel 22:5; as some thinkF18Jarchi & Kimchi. ; wherefore he
comforts himself with the Lord's being his shepherd
so that he should not
want; nor would he fear
was he in worse circumstances than he at present was;
or rather
when he was settled upon the throne of Israel
and in the most
prosperous and flourishing state of his reign
as the latter part of the psalm
shows; he speaks not in his own person only
but in the name of all believers;
for Christ
who is the shepherd spoken of
is a common shepherd to all the
saints
who are all the sheep of his pasture
as well as David; and the prophet
here makes use of similes very familiar with him; he having been a shepherd
himself
and knew what it was to do all the parts of that office
which are
herein expressed; and very pertinently does this psalm follow the former; for
as there Christ is prophesied of as laying down his life for the sheep
as the
good shepherd does; and of his being brought again from the dead
as the great
shepherd of the sheep
as Christ has been; so here of his performing his office
as such
in all its parts
to the great comfort
refreshment
and safety of his
people.
Psalm 23:1 The
Lord is my
shepherd; I shall not want.
YLT
1A Psalm of David. Jehovah
[is] my shepherd
I do not lack
The Lord is my shepherd
.... This is to be understood not of Jehovah the Father
and of his
feeding the people of Israel in the wilderness
as the Targum paraphrases it
though the character of a shepherd is sometimes given to him
Psalm 77:20; but
of Jehovah the Son
to whom it is most frequently ascribed
Genesis 49:24. This
office he was called and appointed to by his Father
and which through his
condescending grace he undertook to execute
and for which he is abundantly
qualified; being omniscient
and so knows all his sheep and their maladies
where to find them
what is their case
and what is to be done for them; and
being omnipotent
he can do everything proper for them; and having all power in
heaven and in earth
can protect
defend
and save them; and all the treasures
of wisdom and knowledge being in him
he can guide and direct them in the best
manner; wherefore he is called the great shepherd
and the chief shepherd
and
the good shepherd. David calls him "my shepherd"; Christ having a
right unto him
as he has to all the sheep of God
by virtue of his Father's
gift
his own purchase
and the power of his grace; and as owning him as such
and yielding subjection to him
following him as the sheep of Christ do
wheresoever he goes; and also as expressing his faith of interest in him
affection for him
and joy because of him: and from thence comfortably
concludes
I shall not want; not
anything
as the Targum and Aben Ezra interpret it; not any temporal good
thing
as none of Christ's sheep do
that he in his wisdom sees proper and
convenient for them; nor any spiritual good things
since a fulness of them is
in him
out of which all their wants are supplied; they cannot want food
for
by him they go in and out and find pasture; in him their bread is given them
where they have enough and to spare
and their waters are sure unto them; nor
clothing
for he is the Lord their righteousness
and they are clothed with the
robe of his righteousness; nor rest
for he is their resting place
in whom
they find rest for their souls
and are by him led to waters of rest
as in
Psalm 23:2
the words may be rendered
"I shall not fail"
or
"come short"F19לא אחסר "non deficiam"
Pagninus
Montanus. ; that is
of eternal glory and happiness; for Christ's sheep are in
his hands
out of which none can pluck them
and therefore shall not perish
but have everlasting life
John 10:27.
Psalm 23:2 2 He makes me to lie down in
green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.
YLT
2In pastures of tender grass
He causeth me to lie down
By quiet waters He doth lead me.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures
.... Or "pastures of tender grass"F20דשא
"tenerae herbae"
Piscator
Amama
Gejerus
Michaelis; "in folds
of budding grass"
Ainsworth. ; this is one part of the shepherd's work
and which is performed by Christ
Ezekiel 34:14; by these "green
pastures" may be meant the covenant of grace
its blessings and promises
where there is delicious feeding; likewise the fulness of grace in Christ
from
whence grace for grace is received; also the flesh and blood
righteousness and
sacrifice
of Christ
which faith is led unto and lives upon
and is refreshed
and invigorated by; to which may be added the doctrines of the Gospel
with
which Christ's under-shepherds feed his lambs and sheep
there being in them
milk for babes and meat for strong men; and likewise the ordinances of the
Gospel
the goodness and fatness of the Lord's house
the feast of fat things
and breasts of consolation: here Christ's sheep are made to "lie
down"
denoting their satiety and fulness; they having in these green
pastures what is satisfying and replenishing; as also their rest and safety
these being sure dwellings and quiet resting places
even in the noon of
temptation and persecution; see Song of Solomon 1:7;
he leadeth me beside the still waters
or "waters of rest and quietness"F21מי מנוחת
"aquas requietum"
Pagninus
Montanus; "quietum"
Vatablus
Michaelis; "vel quietis"
Gejerus; so Ainsworth; αμπαυματος
Apollinar. ; not to rapid torrents
which by reason of the noise they make
and
the swiftness of their motion
the sheep are frightened
and not able to drink
of them; but to still waters
pure and clear
and motionless
or that go
softly
like the waters of Shiloah
Isaiah 8:6; and the "leading" to
them is in a gentle way
easily
as they are able to bear it; so Jacob led his
flock
Genesis 33:14; and Christ leads his
Isaiah 40:11; by these "still
waters" may be designed the everlasting love of God
which is like a
river
the streams whereof make glad the hearts of his people; these are the
waters of the sanctuary
which rise to the ankles
knees
and loins
and are as
a broad river to swim in; the pure river of water of life Christ leads his
sheep to
and gives them to drink freely of: also communion with God
which the
saints pant after
as the hart pants after the water brooks
and Christ gives
access unto; moreover he himself is the fountain of gardens
and well of living
waters
and streams from Lebanon; and the graces of his Spirit are also as
rivers of living water
all which he makes his people partakers of; to which
may be added
that the Scriptures
and the truths of the Gospel
are like
still
quiet
and refreshing waters to them
and are the waters to which those
that are athirst are invited to come
Isaiah 55:1; and in the immortal state
Christ will still be a shepherd
and will feed his people
and lead them to
fountains of living water
where they shall solace themselves for ever
and
shall know no more sorrow and sighing
Revelation 7:17.
Psalm 23:3 3 He restores my soul; He
leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.
YLT
3My soul He refresheth
He
leadeth me in paths of righteousness
For His name's sake
He restoreth my soul
.... Either when backslidden
and brings it back again when led or driven
away
and heals its backslidings; or rather
when fainting
swooning
and ready
to die away
he fetches it back again
relieves
refreshes
and comforts with
the discoveries of his love
with the promises of his word
and with the
consolations of his Spirit
and such like reviving cordials; see Gill on Psalm
19:7;
he leadeth
he in the paths of righteousness; in the plain paths of truth and holiness
in which men
though fools
shall not err; in right ones
though they sometimes seem rough and rugged to
Christ's sheep
yet are not crooked; there is no turning to the right hand or
the left; they lead straight on to the city of habitation; and they are
righteous ones
as paths of duty are
and all the commandments and ordinances
of the Lord be; moreover
Christ leads his by faith
to walk on in him and in his
righteousness
looking through it
and on account of it
for eternal life; see
Proverbs 8:20; and all this he does
for his name's sake; for his own glory and the praise of his grace
and not for any merits or
deserts in men.
Psalm 23:4 4 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.
YLT
4Also -- when I walk in a
valley of death-shade
I fear no evil
for Thou [art] with me
Thy rod and Thy
staff -- they comfort me.
Yea
though I walk through the valley of the
shadow of death
.... Which designs not a state of spiritual
darkness and ignorance
as sitting in the shadow of death sometimes does
since
the psalmist cannot be supposed to be at this time or after in such a
condition; see Isaiah 9:2; nor desertion or the hidings of God's face
which is
sometimes the case of the people of God
and was the case of the psalmist at
times; but now he expressly says the Lord was with him; but rather
since the
grave is called the land of the shadow of death
and the distresses persons are
usually in
under apprehensions of immediate death
are called the terrors of
the shadow of death; see Job 10:21; the case supposed is
that should his soul
draw nigh to the grave
and the sorrows of death compass him about
and he
should be upon the brink and borders of eternity
he should be fearless of
evil
and sing
"O death! where is thy sting? O grave! where is thy
victory?" 1 Corinthians 15:55
though it seems best of all to interpret it
of the most severe and terrible affliction or dark dispensation of Providence
it could be thought he should ever come under
Psalm 44:19. The Targum
interprets it of captivity
and Jarchi and Kimchi of the wilderness of Ziph
in
which David was when pursued by Saul; and the latter also
together with Ben
Melech
of the grave
and of a place of danger and of distress
which is like
unto the grave
that is
a place of darkness; and Aben Ezra of some grievous
calamity
which God had decreed to bring into the world. SuidasF23In
voce σκια. interprets this phrase of danger leading to death; afflictions
attend the people of God in this life; there is a continued series of them
so
that they may be said to walk in them; these are the way in which they walk
heaven
and through which they enter the kingdom; for though they continue
long
and one affliction comes after another
yet there will be an end at last;
they will walk and wade through them
and come out of great tribulations; and
in the midst of such dark dispensations
comparable to a dark and gloomy
valley
covered with the shadow of death
the psalmist intimates what would be
the inward disposition of his mind
and what his conduct and behaviour:
I will fear no evil; neither the evil one Satan
who is the wolf that comes to the flock to
kill and to destroy
and the roaring lion that seeks whom he may devour
since
the Lord was his shepherd
and on his side: nor evil men
who kill the body and
can do no more
Psalm 27:1; nor any evil thing
the worst calamity that could
befall him
since everything of this kind is determined by God
and comes not
without his knowledge and will
and works for good
and cannot separate from
the love of Christ; see Psalm 46:1;
for thou art with me; sheep are timorous creatures
and so are Christ's people; but when he
the shepherd is them
to sympathize with them under all their afflictions
to
revive and comfort them with the cordials of his love and promises of his
grace
to bear them up and support them with his mighty arm of power
to teach
and instruct them by every providence
and sanctify all unto them; their fears
are driven away
and they pass through the dark valley
the deep waters
and
fiery trials
with courage and cheerfulness; see Isaiah 41:10;
thy rod and thy staff they comfort me; not the rod of afflictions and chastisements
which is the sense of some
JewishF24Shirhashirim Rabba
fol. 9. 2. Jarchi & Kimchi in loc.
as well as Christian interpreters; though these are in love
and the saints
have often much consolation under them; but these are designed by the valley of
the shadow of death
and cannot have a place here
but rather the rod of the
word
called the rod of Christ's strength
and the staff of the promises and
the provisions of God's house
the whole staff and stay of bread and water
which are sure unto the saints
and refresh and comfort them. The Targum
interprets the rod and staff of the word and law of God; and those interpreters
who explain the rod of afflictions
yet by the staff understand the law; and
Jarchi expounds it
of the mercy of God in the remission of sin
in which the
psalmist trusted: the allusion is to the shepherd's crook or staff
as in other
places; see Micah 7:14; which was made use of for the telling and numbering of
the sheep
Leviticus 27:32; and it is no small comfort to the sheep of Christ
that they have passed under his rod
who has told them
and that they are all
numbered by him; not only their persons
but the very hairs of their head; and
that they are under his care and protection: the shepherd with his rod
staff
or crook
directs the sheep where to go
pushes forward those that are behind
and fetches back those that go astray; as well as drives away dogs
wolves
bears
&c. that would make a prey of the flock; and of such use is the word
of God
attended with the power of Christ and his Spirit; it points out the
path of faith
truth
and holiness
the saints should walk in; it urges and
stirs up those that are negligent to the discharge of their duty
and is the
means of reclaiming backsliders
and of preserving the flock from the ravenous
wolves of false teachers: in a word
the presence
power
and protection of
Christ
in and by is Gospel and ordinances
are what are here intended
and
which are the comfort and safety of his people
in the worst of times and
cases.
Psalm 23:5 5 You prepare a table before
me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs
over.
YLT
5Thou arrangest before me a
table
Over-against my adversaries
Thou hast anointed with oil my head
My cup
is full!
Thou preparest a table before me
.... In a providential way granting a sufficiency
and even an affluence
of temporal good things; the providence of God lays and spreads a table for his
people in the wilderness
and sets them down at it
and bids them welcome to
it; see Psalm 78:19; and in a way of grace
the Lord making large provisions in
his house for them
called the goodness and fatness of his house
and a feast
of fat things; and under the Gospel dispensation
the table of the Lord
on
which are set his flesh and blood for faith to feed upon; see Proverbs 9:2; and
also in heaven
the joys of which are compared to a feast
and the enjoyment of
them to sitting at a table
and which are prepared by the Lord for his people
from the foundation of the world; and of which they have some foresight and
foretaste in this world; see Luke 22:30; and all this
in the presence of my enemies; they seeing and envying the outward prosperity of the saints
whenever
they enjoy it
and their liberty of worshipping God
hearing his word
and
attending on his ordinances
none making them afraid; as they will see
and
envy
and be distressed at a more glorious state of the church yet to come
Revelation 11:12; and even
as it should seem from the parable of the rich man
and Lazarus
the glory and happiness of the saints in the other world will be
seen
or by some way or other known
by wicked men; which will be an affliction
to them
and an aggravation of their misery; though here it seems chiefly to
regard the present life. Some have thought there is an allusion to princes
who
having conquered others
eat and feast at a well spread table in the
presence of the conquered
and they being under it; see Judges 1:7;
thou anointest my head with oil; giving him an abundance of good things
not only for necessity
but for
pleasure and delight; especially pouring out largely upon him the oil of
gladness
the Spirit of God and his graces
the anointing which teaches all
things
and filling him with spiritual joy and comfort; for this refers not to
the anointing of David with material oil for the kingdom
by Samuel
while Saul
was living
or by the men of Judah
and afterwards by all the tribes of Israel
when Saul was dead. The allusion is to the custom of the eastern countries
at
feasts
to anoint the heads of the guests with oil; see Ecclesiastes 9:7. It
was usual to anoint the head
as well as other parts of the body
on certain
occasions; hence that of PropertiusF25"Terque lavet nostras
spica cilissa comas"
l. 4. eleg. 6. v. 74. : and in the times before
HomerF26Iliad. 10. v. 577
578. Odyss. l. 3. v. 466. & l. 8. v.
454. & l. 10. v. 450. it was usual both to wash and anoint before meals
and not the head only
but the feet also; which
though PlinyF1Nat.
Hist. l. 13. c. 3. represents as luxurious
was in use in Christ's time
Luke
7:38; and spoken of as an ancient custom by AristophanesF2Vespes
p.
473
516
517. his Scholiast for daughters to anoint the feet of their parents
after they had washed them; which may serve to illustrate the passage in the
Gospel; see Ecclesiastes 9:8;
my cup runneth over; denoting an affluence of temporal good things
and especially of
spiritual ones
which was David's case. Such who are blessed with all spiritual
blessings in Christ
to whom the grace of the Lord has been exceeding abundant
and the Lord himself is the portion of their cup
their cup may be said to run
over indeed.
Psalm 23:6 6 Surely goodness and mercy
shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell[a] in the
house of the Lord
Forever.
YLT
6Only -- goodness and
kindness pursue me
All the days of my life
And my dwelling [is] in the house
of Jehovah
For a length of days!
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
.... Either the free grace
love
favour
and mercy of God in Christ
which endures continually
and is always the same from everlasting to everlasting;
or the effects of it; and these either temporal good things
which flow from
the goodness and mercy of God
and not the merits of men; and which are in
great mercy and loving kindness bestowed on his people
and which follow them:
they do not anxiously seek after them; but seeking the kingdom of God and his
righteousness
these are added to them
they trusting in the Lord
and he
caring for them: or spiritual good things
which arise from the mere grace and
mercy of God; such as the blessings of the covenant
the sure mercies of David
the discoveries and instances of the love of God
and the provisions of his
house
which follow them
being undeserving of them; and even when they have
backslidden from the Lord
and in times of distress
when his grace is
sufficient for them; and of all this the psalmist had a comfortable assurance
depending upon the promise of God
arguing from the blessings he had already
bestowed
and from the constant care he takes of his people
having in view his
unchangeableness and faithfulness
the firmness of his covenant
and the
irreversibleness of the blessings of it: the words may be rendered "only
goodness and mercy"
&c.F3אך "nil nisi"
Junius
& Tremellius; "certe vel tantum"
Cocceius. nothing but mere
mercy and kindness; for though afflictions do attend the children of God
yet
these are in mercy and love; there is no fury in the Lord against them; there
is nothing comes in wrath to them
throughout the whole course of their lives;
wherefore it is added
all the days of my life; the mercies of God are new every morning
they continue all the day
long; temporal goodness abides as long as life lasts
and ends with it; and spiritual
blessings are for ever
they are the gifts of God
which are without
repentance;
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for
ever; which may denote his constant attendance on
the public worship of God
of which he had been deprived in time past
being
driven out from it
but now he enjoyed it
and believed he ever should; or it
may design his being a member of the church of God
and a pillar in the house
and temple of the Lord
that should never go out; see Revelation 3:12; or it
may regard the assurance he had of dwelling in the house not made with hands
eternal
in the heavens
Christ's Father's house
in which are many mansions
sure dwellings
and quiet resting places for his people
and that to all
eternity. The Targum interprets it of the house of the sanctuary; and Kimchi
expounds the whole verse in a petitionary way
"may goodness and
mercy"
&c.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)