The care of the good shepherd (Part 1)
Deutsch
English Psalm 23 from the perspective of a shepherd:
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 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.
Psalms 23:1-6 (ESV)
1. He is a good and guiding shepherd.
David had a strong trust in his Lord, he could say with conviction: “the Lord is my shepherd”.
Verses 1-3, which speak of care, are in the present tense: He is my shepherd - I shall not want - He feeds me - He guides me - He refreshes my soul This good shepherd cares for us now and always.
David knew the shepherd who leads to rest.
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30 (ESV)
2. He feeds me in a green meadow
Rubbish must be removed: leaves, twigs, stones and earth, everything that has accumulated during the autumn and winter.
Springs that are overgrown with bushes and grass must be uncovered.
The shepherd prefers to look for summer pastures, on the mountains and plateaus.
In the spring before the snow melts, the shepherd goes up and looks at the pasture. He thinks about how to get the best out of the herd in summer.
Then he combs the pasture, examines the grass growth, and decides which valleys can be grazed less and which mountain slopes can be grazed more.
He checks whether there are poisonous plants nearby. If yes: the grazing plan is drawn up in such a way that the poisonous plants are left out. The area is marked out with branches or rods. Or the poisonous plants will be eradicated.
These poisonous plants are often very beautiful, but pose a deadly danger to sheep. Especially when lambs nibble on it. For them it means certain death. They become paralyzed, become stiff as a board and die.
He
makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his
name's sake.
Psalms 23:2-3 (ESV)
3. Illustration
After an old man's sermon on the 23rd Psalm - he was a lay preacher - a deep movement went through the assembled congregation. A pastor who had been in office for years and who attended this service asked the old man how such a thing was possible. “I know Psalm 23 inside and out and have preached about it so many times in my church, but have never experienced such a reaction from the audience. "The answer was as simple as it was apt: "That's the difference. You know Psalm 23 - I know the Good Shepherd."
Author: Egon Waechter
Pictures: https://pixabay.com/de
