“Jehovah, My Shepherd”
Psalms 23:1-3

Introduction

• I like what commentary writer John Phillips wrote about Psalms 22 showing us Christ being seen as a Substitute, Psalms 23 Christ is seen as a Shepherd, and in Psalms 24, Christ is seen as Sovereign (superior to others).
• In Psalms 23, a psalm that we as Christians are very familiar with gives us…

1. The secret to a happy life – (verses 1-3) When Jesus is Lord of your life, you’ll want no other. My soul is full of life, green as in growing and maturing. I am at peace with God. He leads me in the right direction.
2. The secret of a happy death – (verse 4) When I come to experience death I will not be afraid because I know you are with me.
3. The secret of a happy eternity – (verses 5, 6) God has prepared me for a place at the table in the marriage supper of the Lamb. God has anointed my life with oil, and helped me to live in the overflow of goodness and mercy ensuring a life with the Lord forever.

• Many of the great Jehovah titles are set firmly in Psalm 23.
• When you carefully read through the Psalms you will find “Jehovah/Yahweh” there as… Jehovah – Jireh, Jehovah – Niossi, Jehovah – Rophi, Jehovah – Shalom, Jehovah – Tsidkenu, and Jehovah – Shammah.
• God has many names. Each name has a specific meaning and describes the character of God, the essence of God, the importance of God and the necessity of God.
• Let us examine these names briefly and understand what each name means.

I. Jehovah – Jireh

  A) The Lord will provide

• Genesis 22:14…And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, in the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.
• Because of Abraham’s faithfulness, God provided a lamb as a sacrifice to replace his son.
• When we prove faithfulness to God, He always provides when we are in need.
• Jesus commanded His chosen 12 not to take anything with them on their journey in Matthew 10:9…Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, 10) Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat.
• Jesus commanded them to do this so that they would be examples that share their experiences with others that they meet along the way in their journey.
• God our heavenly Father has always provided for His own (Himself, His Son Jesus, The Holy Spirit and His family (His angels, cherubims, seraphims, and those who believe in Him and His Son Jesus Christ).
• Fathers on earth are to provide for their family by getting a job that will help feed them, clothe them, and take care of their medical needs. A father is to also provide spiritual aide by knowing the things of God and living an example that is pleasing to God and his own family.
• Paul in this chapter is talking to the elders in the church that were neglecting the widows of the church. I Timothy 5:7…And these things give in charge, that they may be blameless. 8) But if any (man, father or husband) provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel (lost, unsaved person).
• God provides not only our needs but our wants. God sees the needs of His children and provides the need. God saw that we needed to be wise like Him so He gave us His Words to read and understand the wisdom of God and His instructions for a happy and fulfilled life.
• God saw our sinful state and provided a Saviour to remove that sin.
• God saw the need to be rescued from eternal damnation in hell, so he provided grace, forgiveness and mercy if we accept His Son.
• Pastors are shepherds of God’s flock. They are responsible for your souls, your behavior, your spiritual growth and maturity.
• God provides, fathers are to provide for their families, and pastors are to provide spiritually for their sheep (members).

II. Jehovah – Nissi

  A) The Lord is my banner

• What do we mean by “The Lord is my banner?”
• The word banner is described as … 1) a piece of cloth with a design, motto, slogan, etc. that is attached to a pole or hung from a wall or something and used as a battle standard. 2) a flag. 3) a headline across a newspaper page. 4) a long strip of cloth or paper with an advertisement or greeting on it.
• Look at Jehovah in Exodus 17:15…And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovahnissi: 16)For he said, Because the LORD hath sworn that the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.
• The hands and rod of Moses acted as a “banner” that represented a nation worth fighting for and a country or land where God (Jehovahnissi) endorsed it.
• When I see the word banner I think of our country the grand ole U.S.A. I think of the song “The star spangled banner” written by Francis Scott Key. I think of what it means to me as a patriot of America and what it stands for.
• The sad thing is, that my heart has changed because our country has changed. Our country was founded on God’s providence for His people who wanted to have a land that worshiped God freely and not a land that worshiped the king and queen of England.
• Our country used to have good moral values and upheld the truths written in God’s word, and now our country has denounced God, ties with Israel, God’s 10 Commandments, public prayer, and Christian’s right of speech concerning the things of God.
• May I say also that my allegiance has always been first to the God I serve and to a country that served God and trusted in God. It no longer is the later. But the former remains because God has always been a banner worth holding up and claiming allegiance to.
• If I pledge allegiance to any flag in America, it would be the Christian flag.

III. Jehovah – Rapha

  A) The Lord that heals

• Exodus 15:26…And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.
• In this application of “healing,” God promises healing to Israel if they do as God commands. God says that I will not let the diseases of the world plague my people so long as they do as they are commanded.
• Some commentators apply this verse to Israel only at this particular time. Although this may be true, I also believe that God is not a God of double standards.
• Here in this verse is an application of a “physical healing,” I further believe that God is a God of “spiritual healing” also.
• Look at James 5:15…And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. 16) Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
• The “prayer of faith”…in God and through God we can be healed.
• Go to God in prayer for healing physically and spiritually.
• God to your pastor for support in prayers to be healed. Then James tells us to go to God in prayer for one another in order that we may be healed from our spiritual faults.
• Children and wives should be able to go to their husband and father for healing advice who then in turn goes to God in prayer for wisdom and knowledge as how he should lead his family.

IV. Jehovah – Shalom

  A) The Lord sends peace

• Judges 6:23…And the LORD said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die.  24) Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it Jehovahshalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
• God is a God of peace as Jesus (God in the flesh) reminds us in John 14:27… Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
• God’s peace comes to us as soon as we have accepted His Son as our personal Savior through the Holy Spirit of God which is also called the “comforter.”
• John 14:16…And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
• Note Jesus saying that His Father (God) will give us “another Comforter.” The word “another” means that there are two comforters. Two that will give peace to our hearts. The other one is the Holy Spirit.
• A father, pastor or leader is supposed to give comfort to his followers, family or perish. We learn this from God and our Lord as an example.

V. Jehovah – Tsikenu

  A) The Lord our righteousness

• Jeremiah 23:6…In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
• The word “righteousness” is the same as the word “justification.” It is the judicial action of God which pardons the sins of all those who believe in His Son Jesus Christ.
• The Lord is Jesus Christ who died on the cross to pay for our sins so that we will be acceptable in the sight of God our father.
• Christ is “head” of the church just as Fathers are “head” of the family to treat every member of the church and family in righteousness.
• If you are Christian and “head/leader” of the church, your family, your job, or your country, it is your duty to lead in the righteousness of God.
• He (God) is our righteousness and without Jesus Christ in our life we stand naked in our sin before a holy God who abhors sin

VI. Jehovah – Shammah

  A) The Lord is there

• Ezekiel 48:35…It was round about eighteen thousand measures: and the name of the city from that day shall be, The LORD is there.
• The reason for the words “the LORD is there” is because in the study of Ezekiel you will find in chapters 8-11 where the Glory of God had left due to sin and in 44:1, 2 God had returned to the city, and to the Temple where God was abandoned.
• Wouldn’t it be great if we could look at Wichita of America Kansas and say… “The LORD is there!”
• Let me ask you today… Is the Lord there? In your heart, in your home, in your church, at your workplace, in your conversations, and among your thoughts?
• If you believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Moses, then you must know His many names of Jehovah and make them applicable to your life.
• Is the Lord (Jehovah) your Shepherd?
• Are you attending His house of worship regularly? Are you reading his Word regularly? Are you in prayer to God daily? Do you seek out new deaf souls to win for Christ? If your answers are No to these questions, then ou are lying to yourself when you say He is your Shepherd.
• Today is the day to repent and get your heart right with god and make Him your Shepherd.

  B) The significance of the names of God in scripture

• In America, our names are like labels that distinguish one person from another. Many people have nicknames that are based upon character or habits. In scripture (the Bible), the names of God are like portraits and promises of God.
• In the Bible, a person’s name not only identified them but also stood for something specifically. With God, His names meant something specifically and show us His authority and power.

 

 

Blessed are those who can say…  “The Lord (Jehovah) Is My Shepherd”