Themes of Shepherd and Feast in Psalm 23

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SONG – Whoa Be to the Shepherds of Israel
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Psalm 23-24

March 2nd 2025

Psalm 23 appeals to two different themes – that of a Shepherd and that of a feast. Could we get more direct allegorical allusions than this on how our living God in and through the Spirit of His Son provides for us?

Let’s read the shepherd verses first, verses 1-4 which say,

Shepherd Verses

Psalm 23:1 YAHAVAH is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of deathSeparation from God—now overcome. Physical death remains, but it no longer separates us from life with God., I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

It is not surprising that this is a Psalm of David who began his vocational life as a shepherd as a grand type for our King. We know when David went to face Goliath, 1st Samuel 17:40 says some inspiring words to describe the scene, saying

“And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine.”

The setting typified a shepherd going forth before Israel, in her defense, and fearlessly dropping the giant wolf in its tracks. Spiritually speaking prophetically, David here sings of YAHAVAH as His Shepherd, and He fittingly states that as a result, “I shall not want.” The Hebrew word for want means to lack – I shall not lack.

One of the most inspiring and amazing results of walking with our Shepherd is the fact that all of our juvenile wants – fame, fortune, largess – fade in the Light of His presence and teach all who walk in it that nothing else really matters. With Him, our wants, our lack is filled by that which cannot be replaced or substituted by anything in this world. Truly YAHAVAH is our Shepherd and truly we shall not want.

Repeatedly in the scripture God Himself will refer to both the Nation, His bride and then those who pursue Christ individually as a flock. Now just imagine a flock of sheep without a shepherd, wandering in the hills and valleys alone. Lambs and sheep are really quite defenseless in almost every way. Now, to get a bit into animal husbandry, young sheep are all called lambs, female sheep are called Ewes and male sheep are called Rams. Rams have the big horns and can really do some damage if they come at you in aggression.

So, if Rams are that tough, why do flocks of sheep need shepherds? This is the fascinating part of God using shepherds as protectors of flocks of sheep. Rams, while able to do the job somewhat adequately, they are often like men who can never grow up and will go out with the boys, partying and playing golf leaving mom and child to fend for themselves. To offset this, the lambs and ewes travel together as a herd to sort of feel safe. Problems arise of course when predators enter in, when weather threatens their unity, and when individual sheep go astray. Additionally, flocks need help finding food so in all of these ways sheep need shepherds.

It is no wonder that YAHAVAH would appeal to the need of shepherds and their purpose in scripture.

Shepherds in Scripture

With the Nation, the shepherds were literally materially present. Going all the way back to Numbers we read,

Numbers 27:16 Let YAHAVAH, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation,
17 Which may go out before them, and which may go in before them, and which may lead them out, and which may bring them in; that the congregation of YAHAVAH be not as sheep which have no shepherd.

By the time we get out to Ezekiel, he writes of the Nations Shepherds,

Ezekiel 34:1 And the word of YAHAVAH came unto me, saying,
2 Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith YAHAVAH GOD unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?
3 Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock.
4 The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed

The Role of Shepherds

That which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them.

5 And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered.

6 My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them.

YAHAVAH's Judgment

7 Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of YAHAVAH; 8 As I live, saith YAHAVAH GOD, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock;

9 Therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of YAHAVAH; 10 Thus saith YAHAVAH GOD; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them.

11 For thus saith YAHAVAH GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out. 12 As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.

13 And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country. 14 I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel.

The Good Shepherd

15 I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith YAHAVAH GOD. 16 I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.

When would God do this – in and through His Son. Interestingly, Yeshua said in His day:

Matthew 18:11 For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. (Who were specifically described by Him to His disciples in Matthew 10:6 as the Lost Sheep of the House of Israel)

How were they lost? By the selfish indifference of their shepherds of old as described in Ezekiel 34. But then right after saying this in Matthew Yeshua adds:

12 How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray? 13 And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray. 14 Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.

To the Nation, the Lost sheep of the House of Israel He came doing all for them that David describes shepherds doing here in Psalm 23 – listen to the key words again:

GRAPHICS

YAHAVAH is my shepherd; I shall not want. Remember, they were being put to death, they were starving to death so much so that Paul took up an offering and so we see that the wants this Shepherd filled were of spiritual direction, leadership, peace and protection, not material although when with them He did take them out to pasture and feed them literally a few times.

He maketh me (better put, invites me) to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

So the Shepherd of David, YAHAVAH, David says that He invites, guides, restores (almost a synonym for “turns” as in brings us to repent), and leads again.

Psalm 23 and The Shepherd's Guidance

Term that is used in verse 2 as this second “leads” could better mean transports. So in perhaps some clarified ways we could summarize verses 1-3 as, YAHAVAH is my Shepherd, He invites, He Guides, He Restores, He transports… And David adds, “For His names sake.”

Then at verse 4 of Psalm 23 we get a summary reworded of His protective hand, saying:

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

YAHAVAH's Protection

We will read another reference from David about all that YAHAVAH does for Him in the first verse of Psalm 27 where he will write, The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Truly, who could a soul or sheep or lamb or ram fear who has the King Christ as their shepherd? Departing from the Old Testament Shepherds who failed to protect the sheep from getting lost, we come to the fulfillment of David’s type.

In Matthew 9:36, we read the following about Yeshua incarnate, “But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.”

Mark adds what the Shepherd of all does as the shepherd which the Nations' leaders failed to do, saying:

Mark 6:34 And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things. Teaching and feeding are synonymous in the scripture, which is why Ezekiel said, “Whoa be to the shepherds of Israel, that do feed themselves, should not the shepherds feed the flock?” And Mallory added, “O Yes, indeed.”

Then in Matthew 26:31 Yeshua said to His Apostles, citing Zechariah 13:7, “All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.”

The Good Shepherd

Isaiah prophesied of Him appealing to this imagery and said:

Isaiah 40:11, speaking Messianically, says He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.

Of course, all of the symbolism and meaning of shepherds were taken and personally appointed by Himself to Himself in John chapter ten, where Yeshua said, (listen carefully):

John 10:1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.

Paul wrote in Colossians some things and clarifies who the porter or gatekeeper is who opens the door for the Good Shepherd, saying to the Saints in those days:

Colossians 4:2 Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving; 3 and pray for us also, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison, 4 that I may make it clear, as I ought to speak.

Then back to John 10 where Yeshua adds more about Himself as the Good Shepherd and says:

4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. There is nothing here about knowing the voice of any other but His—can you hear it? And then,

5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. There is Him and there is everyone else whom Yeshua describes as strangers. And when strangers start speaking their own words, His sheep flee because they cannot hear anyone but Him.

Listen and learn His voice—not Shawn McCraney’s, not pastors nor preachers nor bishops—His ALONE because when and once you do, you will be able to readily detect counterfeits, deceivers and the teachings of Man.

There is no other voice on earth that human beings need to know that His. And He speaks via His Spirit. In fact, the ONLY Shepherds mentioned in the Apostolic Record other than Yeshua were those who sought Him at His.

The Role of Shepherds and the Perfecting of the Saints

Nowhere do any of the apostles label or identify anyone as a shepherd or as shepherds in the text except for Ephesians where Paul, speaking to that flock, in preparation for them to be taken when He returned for them,

Ephesians 4:11: And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors (poimen Greek for Shepherds) and teachers;
12: For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

That perfect unified man spoken of what His Bride, 144000 Revelations says who never defiled themselves with women because they were virgins. This is a Hebraism for identifying men who, like David, never practiced idolatry but purely and rightly and without spot served Him. God gave all of those human positions to them/then—apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, and teachers for

The perfecting of the Saints (in those days). For the work of the Ministry (in those days), For the Edifying of the Body of Christ (or His Bride—in those days) . . . Until, Paul says, “we all (in those days) come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.”

Growth in Truth and Love

To what end? Paul says to them/then
14: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
15: But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
16: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

Back in John 10, after teaching the Good Shepherd parable, we read at verse 6
6: This parable spake Yeshua unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.
7: Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
8: All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.
9: I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, (I suggest this is referencing the Kingdom to come with gates open all day) and find pasture.
10: The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: (In other words, to TAKE LIFE—and then He adds) I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
11: I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

Shepherds versus Hirelings

Now listen to what he says next –

12: But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.
13: The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.

In the day of the Bride, that was growing in love and maturity, the Apostles were given along with all the other positions named, as a means to govern that body until she was ready to be taken up as the Bride of Christ to staff the Kingdom realm above as His devoted pure servants who served as His joint heirs. This fulfills the picture of Christ’s marriage to a dutiful bride who would be His helpmeet, taken from His side (perhaps cleansed and washed in the water and blood that poured out from Him when pierced) and would serve as the Mother of us all. Everyone ever since that enters therein are the children of that union and we enter in by the power, instruction and teaching of His Spirit alone as the days of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers are over as God said that in our day, “no man will say, no the Lord for ALL WILL KNOW HIM.”

Back in John 10 at verse 14, after explaining that unless someone owns and knows the sheep they are a hireling and have zero

The Good Shepherd and His Flock

Allegiance to each individual soul and will serve themselves in the face of danger, adds,

14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. 15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.

Then speaking of the Great Congregation mentioned last week in Psalm 22, Yeshua adds,

16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

The Other Fold

What was this other fold and who are the sheep in it? Many people suggest that this speaks to the Gentiles – and it could as they were added later through Peter then Paul. The LDS claim the other sheep were located in the Americas where Christ would go after His death and Resurrection. But I plainly see the meaning of this referring first to the small congregation that would make up His pure and holy Bride and that the other sheep which were not of that fold being all of us from the Great Congregation once He secured and took His wife. And in my estimation, this speaks to you and me.

17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. 18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

Division Among the Jews

And John concludes the general teaching by adding verse 19,

There was again a division among the Jews because of these words.

The writer of Hebrews, knowing this identify of Him as the Good Shepherd writes in Hebrews 13:20

Hebrews 13:20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,

Peter, writing to a Jewish audience also said,

1st Peter 2:25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

And then finally, Peter added to them/then,

1st Peter 5:4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

Provision and Protection in Psalm 23

Back to Psalm 23, David supplies us with another important element of what Christ the Good Shepherd did for His flock/Bride and what I believe He continues to do for all of His children today, saying in the last two verses of this Psalm,

5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies; thou anointest my head with oil, my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of YAHAVAH for ever.

Of course we can see the second allegory begins as David describes how the Shepherd lays out a table, perhaps a banquet, and note that it is in what David calls, “the presence of his enemies.” We see this imagery of course in the Nation who when faithful were blessed with His abundance while surrounded by their enemies, we see David experiencing the same, we see Christ totally surrounded but enjoying the provisions and protection of His father until the time of His passion, then we see the true Bride being provided for and protected enough in some really dangerous days and times.

When we look to those who really follow Him ever since having the peace and wherewithal to consume on Him while in the midst of earthly trials and enemies and I do not think it is a mistake that the new JerusalemThe spiritual reality of God's fulfilled presence with humanity—replacing Sheol after 70 A.D. which is above is surrounded on all four sides by those that are not allowed in.

In all expressions, He provides a table in the presence of His enemies. That is power – to eat and relax around a table when you are surrounded. But it speaks directly to the peace He brings which is not of this world. On May 30th 1431, and at 19 years of age, Joan of Arc was burned at the stake for standing by her beliefs, and mentioned the food upon which she dined throughout her life as her last words, saying,

“Jesus. Jesus.”

5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies; thou anointest my head with oil, my cup overflows.

Of course, Yeshua, in Mark 14 we read that when Yeshua sat at meat (meaning sat at a table with his friends to eat)

The Allusion of Goodness and Mercy

“there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.”

And when David wrote, “my cup runneth over,” he appears to refer to an allusion of good wine being provided in abundance. And Psalm 23 ends with,

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of YAHAVAH for ever.

Interestingly, David seems to be referring to the Levitical Priests who did, in fact, as His faithful priests, have goodness and mercy poured out upon them while they dwelled in the house of YAHAVAH, but the prophecy also speaks to those who love Him in their lives and whose eternal destination is described.

Explanation of Psalm 24

Quickly, we are going to cover Psalm 24.

Many have suggested that this Psalm is speaking of the Resurrection of Christ. And we might see this too as the question is posited near the last verse, “Who is the King of Glory? With glory being at least partially defined as the highest honor for achievement, genuine beauty, magnificence in battle and victory over all foes.”

Let’s read it and cover the highlights along the way:

Psalm 24:1 > The earth is YAHAVAH'S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. 2 For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.

Ascending the Hill of YAHAVAH

Then the question is asked,

3 Who shall ascend into the hill of YAHAVAH? or who shall stand in his holy place?

And the answer is given, even specifically to the Nation, as David writes,

4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. 5 He shall receive the blessing from YAHAVAH, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. 6 This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.

We know that the only way anyone, from the Nation, Bride or thereafter can have, “clean hands, and a pure heart, and has not lifted up his soul unto vanity nor sworn deceitfully,” is Christ and those who place their faith on Him alone. And those that seek Him will be rewarded.

Then at verse 7 David concludes, as if commanding the very gates of the heavenly kingdom,

7 Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. 8 Who is this King of glory? YAHAVAH strong and mighty, YAHAVAH mighty in battle. 9 Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. 10 Who is this King of glory? YAHAVAH of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah.

Which to me proves that Yeshua the victor over heaven, earth, what is under the earth, Satan, death, hell was and is YAHAVAH and was used by YAHAVAH, on behalf of all humanity, to reign forevermore as the one and only KING of GLORY.

And we will stop here.

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