Psalm 23 Bible Study: Part 1
David’s innermost reflections in this short Psalm 23 Bible study reveal a sobering recognition of truths about life with God. He finds the Good Shepherd in the midst of every good thing he encounters.
Apparently, King David wrote the Psalm when relaxed and mature. It’s evident he mellowed through hardships by staying connected to the Lord of the universe.
These Part 1 and Part 2 Bible studies contain brief excerpts from Betsy’s book Psalm 23 Bible Study –The Lord As My Shepherd.
Let’s begin our study of Psalm 23 explained verse by verse. What is the message of Psalm 23?
Psalm 23 Bible Study: Verse 1
David’s earliest job was to tend sheep and learn the full scope of a shepherd’s responsibilities. He kept the flock safe and healthy. Wolves, coyotes, bears, domestic dogs, and mountain lions would quickly kill an unsuspecting member of the flock.
Moreover, a shepherd watches out for poisonous plants that either make a sheep sick or kill it. He guides his flock to the best pastures at times when sheep prefer to graze, at the crack of dawn, and right before sunset.
Those pastures are full of grass, clover, and forbs that sheep run to devour. When these plants are scarce, a shepherd feeds them hay, silage, and harvested forage called green chop. With a good shepherd at the forefront of shepherding, sheep are extremely well-fed and cared for—they are very content!
Sample Psalm 23 bible study questions:
If our Good Shepherd feeds, guides, and shields you and me from danger, to what degree do we place our trust in Him?
After a Christian tries everything else, looking to the Good Shepherd for every need seems simple. If you’re miserable, you figure out that spiritual nourishment, guidance, and protection come to you through two sources.
- The Bible authored by God through the Holy Spirit
- Personal revelation from God gained through Number 1
Dependence upon those resources is paramount to establishing trust and accepting what the Good Shepherd offers. When you stray often, you learn to run to Him quickly, for everything.
How do you come to the realization that The Lord is your Shepherd?
You realize the Lord is your Shepherd when everything you do without Him seems puny in comparison to a life committed on behalf of the Kingdom of God. When that realization hits home, you decide to die to yourself. You see how much you don’t know compared to what the Good Shepherd knows.
What do you want Him to do for you?
You want the Good Shepherd to deliver on His promise that “I shall not want.” That means you don’t lack anything—body, mind, and spirit— and neither do your family members.
Psalm 23 Bible Study: Verse 2
Wouldn’t green pastures and still waters be lush and peaceful and wouldn’t you want to go there? Yet, it’s human, but shouldn’t be normal, to contemplate what terrible things lie ahead. Lying down in the company of prosperity and resting beside a quiet stream seems silly.
Again, without trusting the Good Shepherd, you don’t have confidence in Him. If you don’t trust HIm, how can you rely on Him to lead you to places you’ve never been? If you don’t see God as your Shepherd, you’ll put up with inferior circumstances that He could help turn around.
Psalm 23 Bible Study: Verse 3
Our souls need restoration when natural disasters strike, relationships fail, jobs end and any number of events occur. Your tears fall to the ground and dry on the straight paths of righteousness you attempt to walk on. In the process of restoration, the Good Shepherd binds your wounds and nurses you back to right living.
As you learn to follow the Good Shepherd, you’re happy to belong to Him. You’re joyful that the Holy Spirit helps you, and that He leads you to ideal locations. Each new day He prepares you for your next journey—and He’s with you there all the time. Everything He does for you and me is based on his good reputation—His good name. We can trust Him.
In Part 2, (<—click the link) Psalm 23 verses 4 – 6 show how David’s Psalm helps us live, and die.
Note: The full Bible study is available from Amazon. Here’s information about the book.
Does life seem like a network of mazes that never lead you to your destination? Your days may seem aimless and pointless. Sunsets aren’t so glowing and you tire of well-doing. Living in a broken world can cause any Christian to grow weary.
Psalm 23 Bible Study, The Lord As My Shepherd, identifies how to stay on the same route your Shepherd travels because the author of Psalm 23 trusted God.
In his younger years while tending sheep, God was David’s intimate companion. He followed God’s voice to safe harbors. Those cherished exchanges drew David back to God’s protection every time he stepped away from God.
If David took pathways in the wrong direction, all he had to do was remember how his Shepherd provided spiritual nourishment and guidance. He knew, just like sheep, we’re inclined to go our own way, even as God lovingly nudges us closer to Him.
This book, Psalm 23 Bible Study, The Lord As My Shepherd, answers questions like these.
Do you long for more contentment but take detours away from God?
Are there muddy streams and broken cisterns you need to sidestep?
Do you veer from paths of righteousness and long for mountaintop experiences when stationed in life’s dales and basins?
To be precise, the book relays that the Shepherd/sheep connection is one continuous path of assurance—a path God wants to shepherd. Author Betsy Wise focuses on Psalm 23’s message line by line to reveal its meaning. Spirit-filled revelations reveal the importance of staying on His best paths by remaining in your Shepherd’s embrace. Get your copy here.