How Can You Find Peace in Life’s Darkest Moments?: Psalm 23

You're listening to The Bible Guys, a podcast where a

couple of friends talk about the Bible in fun in

practical ways. You know, I just realized that Rollin has

us wearing those headphones you Yeah, and if you're watching

on video, it is so not accurate. Yeah, we need

a new role in for sure. So hey, welcome to

The Bible Guys. My name is Chris, this is Wesley,

and we are feeling well. He's filling in for Jeff,

and we are glad to be here and we've had

a good time.

This has been fun.

This has been a great week and uh and some

great content honestly, honestly goodness. So hey, we're gonna jump

right into our segment. Desiree has given us the uh

sort of like the taboo, which she calls guess the word,

And if you're watching online, then we're gonna put this

on the screen, not the word that he's trying to

get me to say, but rather the word that you're

not allowed to say, because that's really the key. And

in a lot of ways, this is harder for you

than it is for me. Yeah, yeah, because you have

to you have to, you have to say, get me

to say the word without saying the keywords.

Okay, are you with me? All right? So I'm making

sure I got this right.

Yeah, So he's just now saying it because we don't like.

Yeah, we don't preview, we don't stuff. So it's it's

on the fly.

It's always on the fly. So I will, I will

do my best, buddy, So go ahead and uh, get

me to say the first word.

Okay, here we go. So I'm going to say the word,

but I can't say the italicized words. No.

No, no, you can't say the word. You have to

get me to say the word.

Okay, so I can say the italicized word. No. Oh,

So this is going to be difficult.

Then yes, that's the point. So you can't say any

of the talisized words, but you can say anything you want.

For instance, let me just say this, so let's just

say the word is uh uh batman?

Yeah?

Right, and then and then I'm not allowed to say

Robin or Batman, Bill or superhero or superhero. I'll say,

I'll think of a clever way, and I'll say I'll say,

Michael Keaton played this, yeah, this role, okay, right in

a growley voice or something like that right. Yeah, I'll

find a clever way for you for you to say Batman.

Yeah, I got it. Okay, Number one, yep, I think

I got these. This is gonna be good. I can

I can explain. Well, so number one, Yes, domicile, domicile.

I think that's it should be the right. Oh, say

more things, mansion, mansions. I just thought of that one

in Heaven. Mansion.

Yeah. Uh, and domicile's an RV, right.

I can't say, Okay, let's.

Say mansion is okay, a house, a castle, h a

tiny cabin, shack. A tiny cabin is a shack. Shack

is is also a cave cabin, hut tent? Oh?

Yes? Dwell? Wow, yeah, dwell. That one was so domici

could be wrong, but I thought that was a word

for like house. Someone's gonna correct me in the comments

on YouTube. I need to look that up. I should

have looked it up before I said it.

Yeah, well, I'll tell you what that is. Uh. Dwell

is hard, yeah, because it's not a word that we

use in vocabulary anyway. Yeah, like I don't. I don't

say dwell except for when I read the Bible. I think, yep,

that's funny. Okay, yeah, let's go to the next one.

This one should be easy, I think. So you know

those old watches that people would use now they they

would used to tell time, think, oh during Greece.

Yeah, yeah, you're thinking of with the shadows?

That was it? Shadow? What I was thinking of that?

I was thinking at the actual struggle. What is that

watch called?

I don't know what the name of it is, but

the one it kind of shows normally it's not a watch,

but it's like a device that kind of shows. I

can't think of the name for it.

And I said shadow. That's hilarious.

But shadow, that's that's number two.

Okay, we forgot to say what couldn't you say in

the first one.

I couldn't on the for the first one, for Dwell,

I couldn't say live, home, house, reside, or abode. For shadow,

I couldn't say dark, light, shade, sun image. Okay, okay,

So the next one.

Stream stream, river, I.

Nope, stream a Norwegian fjord.

I don't even know what you just said. I don't

even know what you just said. A river stream, uh.

The bottom of a fjord. And so think of Norway.

If a boat was going to dock in Norway, you

would go into a fjord, to a bay and to

a well, what's the bottom of the fjord? Oh, my goodness,

it would be.

This is the hardest we've ever done, ever had.

See, this isn't accurate. When I was going to say,

think of the Suez Canal, but this, that's not accurate

for what I'm trying to But you get the concept

the Suez Canal like.

A channel.

It's it's it's yep, you're yeah, yeah, I give let's

just let's valley valley. I was trying to get where

something's on both sides. So a fjord is just kind

of like a you know how the coast of Norway is.

It has those huge dips in there and you can

kind of go into the fjord.

I would have just said the something of the Shadow

of Death.

But could I oh yeah, I could have. Yeah, I

could have said that one.

Couldn't you say about valley Hill.

Mountain, lily down river. So I was trying to think

fjord like the bottom of the fjord. You no, you

said river? Yeah, you said river? Yeah, all right.

Grazing sheep field, super close field, grass meadow.

Super close. Uh, it's in a way this is not it,

but in a way, it's something that you do to milk.

Like if you milk the cow and got the milk,

you probably wouldn't just drink the milk.

You would harvest the milk.

What to the milk?

You would pasturize?

Yes, pastor, I was like, what kind?

Okay? Okay, okay.

And the last one this ties directly into and all

of these tied directly into the scripture for today. The

last one is and for pastor, I couldn't say filled cow, green,

metal or new. That was pastor. Okay. So for the

next one, someone that carries a big stick.

Shepherd.

Yep, you got it. That was the easiest way I

could think of for that one.

Yeah, it's called a sun dial. That's what it is, Okay, sundial,

Yeah she is. That should have been easy, right.

Yeah. Now, Chris, you're going to make me do this

live right here, because I'm going to look up that

word because I want to know what the meaning is.

Well, you do that and I will.

And that is incorrect. I think I gave a word.

Oh no, yeah, it is treated a specific country as

a permanent home. So the Tenant is domiciled in the US.

So I was close. I was in the ballpark, okayah, okay,

I just wanted to verify that I didn't say something bad.

And everyone's like, right.

Right, okay, So let's move on to the scriptures. That

was interesting. Yeah, it was a very hard thank you desiree.

But it all ties in.

Yes, it all does because we're pausing from the story

of David right before Dave and Goliath. Yeah, because David

wrote Psalm chapter twenty three. So let's read the six

verses and let's dive right into it.

Yeah. Psalm's twenty three says, the Lord is my shepherd.

I have all that I need. He lets me rest

in green metals. He leads me beside peaceful streams. He

renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing

honor to his name. Even when I walk through the

darkest valley, I would not be afraid, for you are

close beside me, your roding, your staff protect and comfort me.

You prepare a feast for me in the presence of

my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil.

My cup overflows with blessings. Surely, your goodness and unfailing

love will pursue me all the days of my life,

and I will live in the House of the Lord forever.

As I'm reading this, I keep wanting to flip to

King James version, I will dwell in the House of

the Lord forever.

Right. Yeah, So, you know, it's interesting this is this

is probably my it's it's my far my favorite psalm.

Probably one of the most known for psalms Bush.

Yeah, and it's read at funerals. But what's interesting about

it is is that you know, we read it at

funerals because you know, there's postcard images of you know,

resting in green meadows and peaceful streams and then dwelling

in the House of the Lord forever, and you know,

and it also mentions the value of the show of death.

But yet, if you really think about the meaning behind

this parable, it's not really meant for funerals at all.

I mean, not even close. It's actually a psalm of

dependence because we have to understand that sheep are the

most dependent animal that exists in the world today. In

the Western world, there's not many shepherds like you know,

if I was, if I was to ask all the

people in the United States, who's a shepherd? There wouldn't

be too many, right, Yeah, maybe.

Up in the northern part of the US maybe, or

you know, like you know, Montana, the Dakota's or something.

But but anybody who's living in David's time, they understood

very intricately the relationship between a shepherd and sheep. So

in the first verse when it says the Lord is

my shepherd, I have all that I need.

Maybe just back up, what is a shepherd? Oh? Yeah,

so just like step one, just so people understand.

Yeah, shepherd is the one who sits out with the sheep,

and he not only protects them, but honestly, they depend

upon the shepherd for protection. He protects them from wolves

and bears and lions, for guidance. He guides the sheep

a lot of times. You know what they'll do is

if you stay in one place too long, you could

actually graze a place to death and it'll be gone

for years. So you can't overgraze a certain spot.

Which is why they typically move from spot to spot

to spot.

That's right. So I read one time A Shepherd's Guide

to sal chapter twenty three that talked about how sometimes

in really barren areas and especially the northern part of Israel,

they would actually sometimes leave their house, their permanent dwelling,

and they would go on sometimes for six months. The

shepherd would be gone with the sheep, just because it

took that long to find places to graze that come

all the way back to where, you know, to where

you can actually re use the field that you started with.

So it's really interesting. So when it says the Lord

is my shepherd, I have all that I need, it

means that you know, there's no scarcity at all. Right,

And and you know sometimes when you see a sheep

and it has it's tagged or branded, you'll know the

quality of that sheep is a direct reflection on who

owns that sheep. Right, So if you belong to the shepherd,

then your chances are you're one of the sheep that

you see in the middle of the field that are healthy,

that are balanced, that are clean, that are not you know,

flea ridden or not ridden. Right. So even the opening

statement says, hey, my branding says I belong to the Lord.

I'm going to be a sheep that is well provided for, Right,

do you actually know the meaning behind he lets me

rest in green meadows.

Yeah, no, you got to explain that.

Did you know that sheep have to chew their cud,

and sheep cannot stand and chew their cut, so the

shepherd has to force them to actually lay down to

chew their cut. And that's the way that the digest.

And so when it says he makes me lay down

in green meadows, it's not a it's not a postcard image.

It is actually a purposeful image. It is it is

saying that, like, the shepherd knows what's best for the sheep,

even though the sheep may not know, right, So so

the shepherd has to sometimes force them because left to

their own devices, sheep may not lay down because they're

that dumb. They really are that dumb, the dumbest animal

that exists, right, So the shepherd has to force them

to lie down. In other words, the shepherd knows what's

best for them, even if the sheep don't know, so

he lets me rest in green meadows. This one is

actually common sense. He leaves, he leads me besides peaceful streams,

you know.

That, Chris, just to back up really quick. In the

King James version, it uses the word mate.

Yeah, that's right. He makes me lie down.

Which is more in line with what you're saying right now.

Right right, He forces me to lie down. Yeah, that's

that's what That's what the shepherd will do. He leads

me beside peaceful dreams. Did you know that shepherd sheep

are very poor swimmers and they're really just giant sponges.

Yeah, which makes sense, and so sheep.

Are definitely afraid of water. And so when it says

he leads me besides people's peaceful streams, even a shepherd

today will tell you that they'll get the crook of

their staff and then what they'll do is they'll use

it to divert water from a running uh you know,

stream to a stagnant pool, just so they can drink,

just so they could drink. Because sheep are deathly afraid

of going near running water because if they fall in,

they're gone. So the shepherd will actually you know, uh,

you know, create a peaceful bed of water for them

with the cook of their staff.

Chris, something that I get out of this that you

mentioned the fact that they graze and they have to

go from spot to spot. I think there's a message

in that. Oftentimes I think we as God's creation. We

get comfortable on whatever step that we're in and we

just want to stay there and we want to run

it into the ground. And God may be telling you, hey,

it's time for you to move on and go to

the next spot. That's why you're so uncomfortable here. That's

why you're struggling in that spot or at that level.

You were supposed to move last year, move on to

the next spot, but you're stuck on this step. That's

why it's so difficult in this place.

Because this is the field I know. Yeah, this is

the field. I'm comfortable.

I know all the spots. It's comfy. I know it

like the back of my hand. So I'm just going

to stay here. And God is like, that's why it's

no longer fruitful for you. I intended for you to

move on like three months ago.

Yeah, God calls oftentimes God calls us to the next thing. Yeah, yeah,

that's really good. That's a great point when it says

he renews my strength. Actually, believe it or not. Emotional

support is actually a huge part of sheep, which is why,

by the way Jesus says in John chapter or whatever

it is, like thirteen or something, where Jesus says, the

sheep know my voice, right, because sheep will actually shiver

and terror hearing a stranger's voice. But you know, sometimes

when they bring a sheep back into the pen, the

shepherd will actually have to speak so that the sheep

will calm down. You know, he renews my strength. Only

the shepherd has the power to, you know, calm a

sheep down through the midst of just about anything. He

guides me along the right paths. Well, that's what the

shepherd does, right. You know, left alone as sheep will

go on the wrong path, the shepherd guides them in

their journey.

Now, Chris, let's back up for just a quick second.

You spoke about that the sheep would know the voice

of the shepherd. Yeah, how would the shepherd And there's

a point to this. How would the sheep know the

shepherd's voice.

They hear him. They spend time with them every day.

So spending time with the shepherd every day is the

key to knowing what the shepherd wants you to do.

That's right.

So that's the I think the important point with us

and God. A lot of people think I need guidance,

I need direction, I know which way to go. Have

you been spending time with the shepherd. The shepherd will

tell you in his word whether to go left or

right or what to do.

But if we don't, if we don't know how to

hear God's voice, that's when we offer for God give

me a sign.

Yeah right, yeah, that's because.

We're like, just show me something crystal clear. Yeah, you know,

let me throw out the parameters God. Right, that's interesting.

And then when it says, even when I walk through

the darkest valley and the King James says, you know,

we're all familiar with the valley of the Shadow of Death,

it says, I would not be afraid because you are

close beside me, You're road and your staff protecting comfort me.

You think about this. Did you know that the valleys

are where the water is, so the water.

Always very fertile.

Yes, in the valley the water goes to the lowest point.

And if you ever are in Israel, ever, especially in

the northern park, because the green has more the southern

part has more greenery, but the northern part is very rocky,

and so you have to go down to the valley.

But guess what where the where the water is or

where the wolves are right, because why wouldn't the wolves

be there.

Yeah, they're going to congregate wherever the is.

And so when you walk down to the darkest valley

or the value of the shot of death, it means

that you're, as a shepherd, probably walking a flock of

sheep in between like two cliffs where wolves can be

waiting ready to pounce, right, and and and you're and

you're guiding your sheep down there to drink where the

grass is and everything else. Uh, and then what does

a shepherd have to do? A shepherd has to protect

the flock from all enemies, which means that's where you're

wrought and your staff come in, right, these are weapons.

And so you know, think about a sheep, a sheep

left alone to its own devices. Uh, you know, without

a shepherd, would would be so unbelievably afraid to go down,

uh you know, to get water. But you know, with

God there, it's it's really it's a it's a verse

about protection, that's what it is.

Now. I've heard a preacher say this before a long

time ago, using symbolism here, saying the shepherd, the rod,

and the staff are symbolic of the father, the son,

and the holy Spirit. Oh yeah, I've heard someone say

that a long time ago.

Yeah, yeah, I could. I could definitely see that, Yeah

for sure, because one guides, one disciplines, Yeah, all these

kinds of thing. Yeah, that's really good. And then when

it says you prepare a feech for me in the

presence of.

My enemies, Yeah, I love that verse.

Did you know that on a Shepherd's This this book

that I read, A Shepherd's Guide to Psalm chapter twenty

three talked about how every single verse talks about every

aspect of a shepherd caring for the sheep. And one

of the biggest jobs that is mentioned right here is

that actually, if you bring a sheep up to like

a field of clovers or just anything else, the sheep

will eat everything. So what a shepherd has to do

is has to stop the sheep, go up to the

field and literally all the poisonous weeds. Right. And meanwhile,

if it's in the valley, which is where they are

right now, you're talking about in the presence of your enemies. Right.

The enemies could be the weeds, it could be the poison,

but it could also be fighting off wolves while you're

doing it. Right, So in other words, the shepherd constantly

has to look out for the perils of the sheep,

both you know, in the wolves, but also the things

that are harmful for the sheep, and so preparing a table,

you know, for them is literally everything that you know.

Let's just say, if your wife would to prepare a

meal for you, or if you to prepare a meal

for your wife, you would do everything and then present

them you know, breakfast in bed for instance. Right, that's

essentially what the shepherd does for the sheep and says,

I've done all of this, so now all you have

to do is walk up and eat in peace, you know,

because I've taken care of all danger, both in plants

and in animals.

Yeah, that's awesome. Another way that I look at this

is how God essentially wants to show off his creation.

Yeah.

God wants to show us off. So it's like God

is saying, I will prepare a feast. I think of

a big banquet table. Yeah, prepare a feast in front

of you. So it's in front of you, like we're

in front of a table right now. But your enemies

will be forced to have to watch you eat of

the good of the land. Yeah, So I think that's

a powerful one there that has a lot of different

angles you can look at it. But yeah, the fact

that God will put a table before me with a

full spread, and all the people that doubted you, all

the people that talked about you, all the people that

judge you, will have to sit and watch you eat

what God has prepared for you.

Oh that's great, Yeah, that's really great. And then it

says you annoyt my head with oil we think of

you know, you know, you know, for instance, like Samuel

annoying David, which, by the way, that is true.

Yeah right.

But also sheep, you know, they have no tail to

swat away bugs that, you know, usually get in the

crevices of their eyes. Sometimes they'll bang their heads up

against fence posts just to try to get rid of

the bugs that are around them. And a lot of

times they'll have cuts and bruises. And whenever a shepherd

brings in the sheep at the end of the night,

takes out his flask of oil and he rubs it

on the head of the shepherd or excuse me, the

head of the sheep, and he heals the wounds, and

he also emotionally talks to the sheep. And there's a

couple more verses here. My cup overflows with blessings. Do

you know when I went to Israel, I actually stopped

a shepherd on the side of the road traveling from

the north to the south. We stopped and I said,

I want to talk to this shepherd. So we literally

pulled over the bus. I got out and started talking

to him, and I said, is it true that every

shepherd carries a cup? And you know they carry a

flask of oil, they carry a cup even to this day.

And sure enough, he pulls back his robe and he's

got a cup and he says, he says, well, this

cup is used for administering medicine. So a lot of times,

if I take my flock of sheep and I go

for six months, I'll take just enough medicine with me,

and so if there's a sheep that gets sick, I'll

have to ration because I have no idea how much

I'm going to have for my journey. So I'll give

the minimum amount of medicine. Put it in my cup,

because this is the cup that the sheep are used

to drinking out of, because otherwise, how do you administer

anything to the sheep.

Right.

And so when it says my cup overflows with blessings,

what it's saying is, you know, when when you're, when

you're a part of God's care, under God's care, God

doesn't ration anything, right, my cup overflows with everything. Right,

So whatever the cup has to you know, whether whether

the cup holds water, whether the coup hold's medicine, whatever

the cup has to have, it overflows.

Right.

And then and then it says, surely your goodness and

unfilling level pursuing me all the days of my life,

I will live in the house of the Lord forever.

Is a is the statement about when you're when you

belong to God's care and you depend upon God for everything,

for protection, for emotional support, for provision for uh, you know,

for guidance for all of those things, then you will

have blessing and goodness and you will be with God

forever and and and that is that is our that

is our our confidence, that is our joy, right, that

is our hope, that is where we find our peace

in right.

Yeah, that's awesome.

Yeah, it's really interesting, isn't it.

Yeah. I think we could keep going with this. There's

a lot in there, but I think we're out of time.

Ye, out of time. So hey, there's a lot in

those six verses. So anyway, uh that there it is.

So we have to end our time right now. I

want to say more, but I can't. So that is

our time and we will see you hopefully next time

on the Bible. Guys.

H