Psalm 51

Good morning everybody. So you can tell the people that

heard me before that y'all know I'm pretty particular about my

good mornings. This is the day the Lord has

made so let's say it like we mean it.

Good morning everybody. I still ain't feeling it.

Let's do it one more time. Good morning everybody.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you.

So I'm will what up like kind of like Jerry was saying, and if

you've been here the past couple of weeks, this is like our Psalm

intermission between series next week, actually cold comes back

from sabbatical. And if you were here last week,

you saw the departure of Carlos. So I'm like the substitute

teacher, if you don't mind, you know what I mean.

So as most substitutes, I'm going to try my best to go over

this, this Lesson plan the way it was given to me.

But I think we all know the Holy Spirit can make people a little

emotional. Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen.

So as we're giving our CG leaders, our, our roots leaders

a break this month, I'm at shocker, no roots.

He, he already said it, I'll say it again, the walkers, that's

what they call it, the little walkers.

Kind of creepy, but it's cool. We're going to call them

walkers. But no, no, no, I want you to

know that for me to kind of put this in perspective, I grew up

on my dad's side of the family, just my dad's side alone.

I have over 54 first cousins. So we exactly crazy nuts.

So we're separated by generations.

I'm used to being around little kids.

I even got a brother-in-law who has 12 kids and one on the way.

So I say all that to say it's OK if your children during this

service and if your babies during this service act like

children and babies, it's cool. I won't be offended.

Little confession. In fact, I I probably won't be

able to say much because my one year old is probably be the the

loudest and most destructive one here.

Shout out of the fact that he's quiet this long.

So Amen to that. But again, I just want you to

know it's OK. This is a family gathering to go

over a word that our father has given us.

Amen, Amen, Amen. So we're going over one of the

most popular and mainstream songs out there.

Cole had asked us to pick a song and to discuss like, wow, he's

on sabbatical. He's like, hey, yo, I need a

break. Can you 3 pick a song to to

preach over? And I remember singing this

Psalm in college and even when I sang it in college, I, I really

wasn't that familiar with it. I just to be honest thought it

was like, hey, this, this is certified banger of a song.

I love it. Certified banger means a really

good song. If anyone didn't know their, you

know, just like cultural translation, but, and I was

like, yeah, I want to, I want to do that.

And then I, I started like kind of discussing.

I was like, oh, this, this text is kind of like popular,

popular. And when it's like that when

discussing discussing a popular text, it it's really easy,

really easy to check out because you know it or even halfway

listen to the message because it's so familiar.

It's easy to reminisce on a study that you did, a sermon

you've heard that probably was way better, a book you read.

And you might even assume everything in the little point

I'm going to hit in today's message.

And I'm not going to lie, that might be the case.

But even if it is, stay locked in because we'll be going over

scripture, over word, over text that the creator of the universe

wanted you to hear today. Some of you, like me, had no

idea it was as popular of a song as it is.

And we're treated like any other sermon.

And and that's fine. I'm cool with that too, as long

as you lock in because the Creator of the universe has a

scripture that he wrote for you to go over today.

And lastly, some of you might still be new to church.

Might be your first Sunday ever and never heard of a Psalm or

you've been pronouncing it palm. I did it too.

Again, completely fine. The Creator of the universe

breathed words and scripture into this book, and we're going

over a passage today that he specifically has for you.

Amen. OK, stand if you're able and

let's let's read the word of God together.

Perfect. A Psalm of David.

The Lord is my shepherd. The Lord is my shepherd.

I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green

pastures. He leads me besides still

waters. He restores my soul.

He leads me in the path of righteousness for His namesake.

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.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for your word.

Thank you for your word. As we go through this, Father,

as you give us wisdom. Father, going through this text,

I need you to hold my hand. I need you to to guide me

Father, and I need you to hold me close.

And Father, see those who are listening.

Convict those who need to be convicted.

Encourage those who need to be encouraged.

Reassure those who feel that they are alone.

Father, we need you today like any other day, in Jesus name we

pray, Amen. You may be seated all right man,

a Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd.

I shall not want. That is a powerful statement.

Let's, let's, let's really dive into why that is so.

First, who is the Lord? Who is this Lord?

So Yahweh is the Lord, the creator of everything that is in

existence, the triune God. Psalm 136 tells us that God is

the God of gods, the Lord of Lords, the one who does great

wonders, made the heavens, the earth, the great light by day,

the moon and the stars at night, completely sovereign over the

rise and fall of kings. I want to emphasize that one

more time for for some of my political people, God our Father

is completely sovereign over the rise and fall of kings.

I just felt like I had to say that one more time.

He remembered us in our lowest states, rescued us from our

foes, and tells us in this Psalm constantly.

He says His steadfast love endures forever.

This is actually repeated 26 times, meaning once in all 26

verses. The fact that David, my

apologies, the fact that David is saying that Yahweh, this God

of Gods, Lord of Lords, who is over in the Creator of

everything, is his shepherd is a big deal.

So what is a shepherd according to Google?

Because I'm childish. Google says a shepherd is a

person who tends, herds, feeds and guards flocks of sheep.

This occupation is one of the world's oldest and plays a

significant role in the pastoralist animal husbandry.

In essence, a shepherd is responsible for the care and

manage of sheep, ensuring their safety and well-being.

One thing about sheep, especially in in, you know in a

lot of social media today too, sheep are dumb, right?

That's what everyone, everyone thinks and believes that they're

just honestly complete idiots of animals.

Fun fact, that is a misconception.

Translation. You're wrong.

I just want to say it. Just want to say it.

No no no, sheep aren't actually complete idiots.

Studies have shown that sheep are known to show empathy,

recognized faces, and they know when their name is called.

They also recognize their shepherd's voice, and each

individual sheep has their own distinct personality.

According to sheepraising.net, that's a real website.

The fact that sheep are individual, have individual

personalities mean that each individual can play different

roles in the herd and create a complex social organization.

As mentioned earlier, she experienced a full range of

emotions. The personality an individual

animal has will affect the way it experiences those feelings

and have an impact on the entire flock.

They ain't that stupid. So a Good Shepherd knows their

sheep individually. A Good Shepherd knows how to

lead fitting that specific sheep's personality.

David is not using this comparison for nothing.

He was a shepherd, an amazing shepherd at that, defending his

flocks from lions in wools, solo by himself.

He knows what it takes to be a Good Shepherd.

The Lord is my shepherd. Next part says shall not want.

The CSB version says I have what I need, period.

A Good Shepherd knows what his flock needs and make sure it's

done, as we're about to see in these next verses.

Verse 2, He makes me lie down in green pastures.

He leads me besides the waters. Verse three, He restores my

soul, restores my soul. He leads me in the path of

righteousness for his namesake. So what does that mean for a

shepherd? One source says sheep do not

feed in pens, rather they they forge for their food in an open

field. In the winter months, the

sheep's coat wool protects them from the cold, but they died

from starvation. When the snow covers the grass,

they need help finding food. In the summer months, the

shepherd also leads the sheep by still waters.

Because they're timid, sheep will not drink from rushing

waters. Also, while it's really hot out,

shepherds leaves the flock to shady places where they can lay

down so they don't overheat. In addition, in barren

Palestine, sheep need to be kept near places where they may find

water. The shepherd is responsible for

that. In addition, the step, the

shepherd restores the sheep by providing rest and refreshments.

But how does God? How has he done it in the past?

One of the clearest depictions of God doing this is when Yahweh

LED his people of Israel through the wilderness, providing mana

from heaven, waters from a rock, and literally doing for them as

a shepherd would do for his flock.

Verbatim, Yahweh during this time told them to rest after

eating, lay down, and to not try to gather more food.

Don't try to do more work. Trust that I will provide for

you as your leader, as your shepherd.

And the only time to do it is when we were Sabbath thing for

the next day because during that Sabbath day you are too rest lay

down. Everyone say lay down everyone

say lay down. Are we going to be doing a lot?

We're going to be doing a lot of this repeating.

So y'all better get get used to it because I never want to

repeat after me right now. I like it.

The Lord was Israel's shepherd. The Lord was Israel's shepherd.

Amen. When it comes to the Lord's

restoration, David spoke about it in Psalm 19, seven.

The instruction of the Lord is perfect, renewings one's life.

The testimony of the Lord is trustworthy, making the

inexperience wise. The instructions meaning the

scriptures of the Lord revives you, restores you making the

inexperience wise one translation is the I kind of I

love this one. It says making even the simple

wise one theologian also add God leads his sheep on the path for

his sake of his name. Because when David lives lives

out God's own righteous character, God's reputation is

magnified. God pursues what is right and

good for all people. And David acknowledges that

God's glory is at stake in the way he himself live.

Everyone repeat after me again. The Lord was David's shepherd.

The Lord was David's shepherd. Amen.

Verse 4 Even though I walked 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, My cup

overflows. Amen.

So how do shepherds do that when leaving sheep?

Sometimes shepherds had to had to venture some ways out from

from home or even if they're making a long journey in

general, meaning that they're either not coming back home

until the sun is setting or if they're actually just moving,

they have to lead their flock through the dark valleys in

caves. This is when David would utilize

his his ride for fighting off predators like lions and wolves.

This is also where he would have to be tactful and savvy and

using his staff to guide his sheep, knowing how to use it on

the timid and skittish part of his flock to not 'cause panic.

You know the sheep that if you that take off running if they

hear a loud noise and how to use his staff for the bold hard

headed sheep in the flock. You know the ones that think

they can ram a tractor and everything in between.

While on these journeys, the sheep would still eat and drink

even when they're surrounded by danger, but felt secure because

they had their shepherd with them.

When it comes to God, we see in verse two and three that God

meets our physical and spiritual needs.

Now we're we're getting into the the peace of his presence of him

just being there. Like in Exodus, we see God

provide all these needs. We also see him provide.

These needs while the the Israelites were were surrounded

by the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perezites, the Hibites, the

Gemsites and the Amalekites. His rod gave them victory over

their enemies, and His staff guided them to the Promised

Land. Everyone repeat after me again.

The Lord was Israel's shepherd. Amen.

Amen. Peter Stevenson says.

David tells the Lord, Thou anointest my head with oil.

The verb never refers to an anointing for an office.

David thinks of this blessing, that God has given him all the

blessings. He thinks of this goodness.

He concludes, My cup runneth over, a metaphoric picture of

the abundant blessings the Lord has given.

Repeat again. The Lord was David's shepherd.

Verse 6. Surely goodness and mercy shall

follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the

House of the Lord forever. Earlier we learned that sheep

can can learn they're not as dumb as as some of us initially

thought. With that being said, a sheep

having a shepherd feed them, a sheep having a shepherd helping

them to rest and relax, a sheep having a shepherd helping

helping them and protecting them and guiding them in the way that

fits them best would know that everything will always go the

way they needed to go because they have a Good Shepherd.

Same with David as the perfect, almighty, all powerful Yahweh as

His Shepherd. Surely goodness and mercy will

continue in my life and when my life ends, when David's life

ends, he will get to dwell with Yahweh in His house forever.

Repeat again, the Lord was David's shepherd.

Cool. Now we did the the educational

part, right. I follow the game plan.

I promise now, now I'm about to be a real substitute teacher.

So now that we contextualize the text, now we understand what a

shepherd is, what a shepherd does, what a Good Shepherd is,

how did God do it in the past, how he continues to do it, who

God is. Now.

Let's make it personal with the same assurance that David had.

Let's let's go over this again. The Lord is my shepherd.

Repeat after me. The Lord is my shepherd.

I don't think I understand because we just talked about who

God was, who the Lord was the creator of everything, the God

of Gods, Lord of Lords. That Lord is your shepherd.

I need you to say it like you mean it.

The Lord is my shepherd. Hey man.

And he knows my unique needs when I am stubborn in verse 2,

he knows how to make me lie down.

I think of my my one year old at times.

He's so exhausted he, he can't function.

But he can't he, he, he can't lay down because he won't stop

moving. He doesn't know what to do.

He's overwhelmed. So I have to, I have to grab him

and hold him tight so he can just stop moving till he

realizes like, oh, this is all I need to do to rest.

I'm saying, son, just lay down and then he goes to sleep.

There are times in there, there there are moments and there

might be other people like you that's like me right now where

you, you just feel weary and beat up, broke down, stressed,

overwhelmed and you're like God. I just, I just need you to

comfort me. And I promise you, sometimes God

is just saying, son, just lay down and let me guide you.

Repeat after me. The Lord, He's my shepherd.

This Lord, the Lord my shepherd, sent me the Holy Spirit to

resurrect my soul, to guide me on the path of righteousness.

The Lord is my shepherd. When I go through trials and I

and I feel as though I'm surrounded by darkness, I know

the Lord my shepherd is with me, protecting me with this rod and

he is guiding me with this staff.

Repeat again. The Lord is my shepherd.

The Lord prepares a table for me in the presence of my enemies.

It gives me blessings that overflow my cup.

The Lord is my shepherd. I know goodness and mercy will

follow me and that my eternal resting place will be in heaven.

The Lord is my shepherd. Amen.

Amen. Why do I know this?

Because God, who is the Good Shepherd that led his people out

of Egypt, freed them from slavery and Exodus, let them

through the wilderness. Also let David, yes, David, the

shepherd, the amazing shepherd. I told you he also needed a

shepherd. God then put on flesh and Jesus

the Good Shepherd. The good Good Shepherd broke the

bondage of sin and death. He did this by living perfect

without sin. Only accomplish this because he

was fully God, is fully God and taking on the burdens of the

world, being tempted, tortured, beaten, humiliated, and

eventually murdered. This was only able to happen

because he was fully man and he fully put on human flesh.

But because he is God rose from the dead and ascended into

heaven, and again the the bondage of sin and death are

gone, and even bigger exodus. And when he returns, taking us

to an even better promised land, a new heaven, a new earth.

And because of this, because Jesus fulfilled the law, we have

an even greater assurance than David.

We get to call him something far, far greater.

We get to call him something more personal than just

shepherd. We can call him Father.

Amen. Repeat after me.

The Lord is my Father. Because of Jesus, we have a

closer relationship than just a shepherd and his flock.

This could all be summed up like this in our big idea.

Because the Lord is my shepherd, I can rest in his provisions,

His protection, and His promise. As sons and daughters.

Because the Lord is my Shepherd, we can rest in His provisions,

His protections, His promises as His sons and daughters.

What does this look like to live this out right?

How? How do we apply this?

If we are His sheep and He is our Shepherd, then we must be

able to discern His voice. To do so, we must know what His

voice sounds like. We must know His words.

To know His words, we must read our Bibles.

We must read our Bibles. I know it sounds elementary, it

sounds basic. I, I, I think I told some people

earlier this, this message is simple.

It's, it's nothing complicated. It's no loose, it's no beautiful

poetic sermon. It is what it is for us to know

our shepherd's voice who is leading us.

We got to know His words, which means we must read His words #2

if we are His sheep and He is our Shepherd, then when we hear

His voice or the nudging of the Holy Spirit, not if when we hear

His voice, when we feel the nudging of the Holy Spirit, we

must submit. We must submit.

Lastly, if we are His sheep and He is our shepherd, we must be

active members of His flock. Everyone has a role in the

flock, meaning we must serve and use the gifts He has given us

for His Kingdom and His glory. So served in our church.

This is not a consumer based faith or consumer based

lifestyle or a consumer based building.

Serve His church. We talk often about fighting for

joy for the city of Des Moines. Again, that's not passivity,

that's not sit and just watch miracles happen.

We are part of His flock. Serve your community, serve your

neighbors. How much easier would it be able

to to do these things, discern these things, understand God's

will for your life if you constantly stay in His Word and

and not just listening to worship songs.

Those are that that's good, but it's not his word.

Not following your favorite pastor on Instagram that that's

not, that's not always just his word, not just a podcast, his

word. Some of you are still new to the

faith, maybe new to church. Again, this this may be your

first day and don't even know of what his flock looks like, even

if you're a part of it. Well, we have a Good Shepherd

that will leave the 99 for the one.

And he knows you by name. He knew you when you were in

your mother's womb and he loves you.

He loves you. After we're done here, there,

there are going to be people here and leaders here that would

love to talk to you about that. If you have any questions, we'd

love to pray with you about that and we'd love to walk with you

in that. I know I've been going for a

little bit. I thank you all for your

patience. I want to, I want to leave you

all with this. Because of Jesus again, we can,

we can call God more than just a shepherd.

We can call him Father. We can call him Father.

Repeat again. The Lord is my father, and he's

a good, good father. Some of you have great earthly

fathers. That's awesome.

Shout out to you. Yahweh is infinitely better.

Some of you have bad fathers who have done unspeakable things.

Yahweh can restore you and show you the love that you were

created to receive by the true Father.

And some of you have absent fathers.

Yahweh will never leave nor forsake you repeat after me.

The Lord is my father. So let's let's look at this

again in in that lens. The Lord is my father.

He knows what I need. He take care of me physically,

mentally and spiritually restores me.

He shows me how to live righteously to make Him proud

and glorify Him. He is with me, always protecting

me and comforting me and guiding me even in the presence of my

enemies. He provides my every need and

blesses me. I know goodness and mercy will

follow me because of my Father, and I know I'll be with him

forever when I go home. The Lord is my father.

Let's pray there of the Father. Thank you for your word.

Thank you for your son. Thank you for the sacrifice you

made so we can call you Father. Thank you for your patience.

Thank you for your grace. Thank you for your mercy because

I know just me alone. Father, I am a stubborn sheep.

Thank you for forcibly closing doors so I have to follow you

away. Thank you for picking me up when

I'm exhausted and carrying me to where I need to go.

I love you. And as we go on from today, as

we go on into the week, help us live a life that shows we love

you. Help guide our wants and our

desires to echo you, the Father, the Shepherd.

Help us stay in your word. Father, help us be active

members of your flock. And Father, help us know when it

is you talking to us, when it is you guiding us.

Give us comfort in the midst of this crazy world that we lived

in this darkness we see all around us and help us rest in

your sovereignty. In Jesus name we pray.

Amen.