Psalm 23
Week 3: He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake
1 The, Lord, is my Shepherd; I do not lack.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside peaceful waters.
3 He restores my soul; He leads me in paths of righteousness, not for my earning it, but for His name’s sake
Jesus refreshes our soul and restores our life in his mercy and love. One way a sheep becomes cast down is if its wool gets too thick and heavily matted with mud, burrs, and other debris. With all the extra weight it is much easier for the sheep to become cast down. It is literally weighed down with its own wool. Wool in Scripture represents your old self. It is significant that no high priest was ever allowed to wear wool when he entered the holy of holies. This spoke of self-effort, pride, and self-focus.
That’s why it’s so important for the shepherd to shear the sheep. He takes off the old self and the new self is revealed. Although the sheep doesn’t enjoy the process, once the shepherd has removed the old wool and the weight has been removed the sheep leaps with joy at his new found freedom from the weight he carried and his new self is revealed. Once its been sheared its not as easily cast down.
The process of being restored: As soon as a shepherd reaches a cast down sheep, it gives its undivided attention and care. He patiently and tenderly turns it over on its side and put it back on its feet. As the sheep leans against the Shepherd for support, the good shepherd rubs its legs to restore the circulation. This often takes quite a bit of time. Once the sheep begins to walk it often stumbles and staggers and often falls down again. T he Shepherd tenderly p icks it back up and speaks to the sheep in a comforting tone. Little by little, the sheep regains its strength and the shepherd leads it back to the pasture. He restores the sheep to the flock and to Himself. It rejoins the others, set free from its frustrations and fears, given another chance to live.
Sheep are creatures of habit. If left to themselves they will follow the same trails until they become ruts; graze the same hills until they turn into desert wastes, pollute their own ground until it is corrupt with disease and parasites. A Sheep that goes its own way is left to the consequences of its own destructive habits. They gnaw the grass to the ground until the roots are damaged and the land becomes infertile and barren. Their head and body becomes infected with worms, pests, and scab. They become thin and sickly.
For the Shepherd’s sake because His sheep represent his character, he knows the greatest single safeguard to keep this from happening is to keep the sheep on the move. They can’t be kept on the same ground too long. The owner’s name and reputation depends on how effectively and efficiently he keeps his sheep moving into wholesome, new fresh forage. Some deliberately lead their sheep onto fresh range almost every day. Whenever the Shepherd opens the gate into a fresh pasture the Sheep are filled with excitement at the prospect of finding fresh feed.
Proverbs 14:12: There is a way that seems right to a man, but the end of his own way is death. Just like natural sheep, when we take control of our own lives we end up in ruts and self-destructive habits. We often cling to thinking patterns, belief systems, lies that ultimately bring destruction in our lives. Sin is a man going his own way, taking on his own opinion, and the end is always destruction!
How blessed we are to have a shepherd who promises to lead us and guide us out of our own unprofitable ruts and into His paths of righteousness
Psalm 25:4-5 4 Show me the right path, O Lord; point out the road for me to follow. 5 Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long, I put my hope in you. NLT
Proverbs 3: 6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
Psalm 16:8-11 (The Message): 7-8 The wise counsel God gives when I'm awake is confirmed by my sleeping heart. Day and night I'll stick with God; I've got a good thing going and I'm not letting go.
9-10 I'm happy from the inside out, and from the outside in, I'm firmly formed. You canceled my ticket to hell— that's not my destination! 11 Now you've got my feet on the life path, all radiant from the shining of your face. Ever since you took my hand, I'm on the right way.
The paths of righteousness are the paths of life: freedom in Christ.
Ephesians 1:12-14 (The Message): 11-12It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone. 13-14It's in Christ that you, once you heard the truth and believed it (this Message of your salvation), found yourselves home free—signed, sealed, and delivered by the Holy Spirit. This signet from God is the first installment on what's coming, a reminder that we'll get everything God has planned for us, a praising and glorious life.
The fact that the journey of Israel from Egypt to Canaan is meant to be a picture of the individual Christian's life further emphasizes this point of God's guidance for us. God not only redeems me "out of Egypt," but He leads me "through the wilderness." Even when I choose to leave the paths of righteousness to "wander in the wilderness," God's plan for my life is not thwarted. Although my sin and selfish decisions mean that there will be "holding patterns" and "course corrections" in God's plan for my life, He never gives up on me or on His plan! (Read Philippians 1:6.)
The bottom line of God's desire for all of us, of course, is that we become more and more conformed to the image of Christ. (See Romans 8:28,29.) All paths of righteousness lead in that direction. You can be sure that everything in God's plan for your life is always working together toward that glorious goal.
Not for my earning it
The enemy of our soul wants you to focus on your failures and weaknesses. Shame and condemnation keeps many sheep on their backs. The Holy Spirit is there to comfort us, reminding us of who we are and whose we are. We are His sheep and Jesus is our great Shepherd, He came to pull us out of our sin and our wayward ways and lead us into paths of righteousness not because we’ve earned it but because of His mercy and love toward us.
My failures and weaknesses is what qualifies me for the undeserved favor and grace of God.
Ephesians 2:4-10: 4But God--so rich is He in His mercy! Because of and in order to satisfy the great and wonderful and intense love with which He loved us, 5Even when we were dead (slain) by [our own] shortcomings and trespasses, He made us alive together in fellowship and in union with Christ; …it is by grace (His favor and mercy which you did not deserve) that you are saved… 6And He raised us up together with Him and made us sit down together [giving us joint seating with Him] in the heavenly sphere [by virtue of our being] in Christ Jesus 7He did this that He might clearly demonstrate through the ages to come the immeasurable (limitless, surpassing) riches of His free grace (His unmerited favor) in [His] kindness and goodness of heart toward us in Christ Jesus. 8For it is by free grace (God's unmerited favor) that you are saved delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ's salvation) through [your] faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [of your own doing, it came not through your own striving], but it is the gift of God; 9Not because of works [not the fulfillment of the Law's demands], lest any man should boast. [It is not the result of what anyone can possibly do, so no one can pride himself in it or take glory to himself.] 10For we are God's [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live].
For His name’s sake
For His names sake means maintaining ones reputation- His character-His glory- His opinion of us is manifested for the world to see His goodness of heart toward us. He is faithfulness to His promises, A God of His word- a covenant sealed with His blood.
Psalm 79:9 Help us, O God our Savior, for the glory of your name; deliver us and forgive our sins for your name's sake.
Psalm 109:21 But you, O Sovereign LORD, deal well with me for your name's sake; out of the goodness of your love, deliver me.
Psalm 143:11For your name's sake, O LORD, preserve my life; in your righteousness, bring me out of trouble.
Jehovah Yahweh is the covenant name of God. The God who keeps His promise
The names of God reveals Who He is and what He has promised us in Christ
Jehovah Rohi: The Lord is my Shepherd: Psalm 23:1
Jehovah Jireh: The Lord is my provider Psalm 23:1
El Shadai: The God who is more than enough for all my needs: The all sufficient One
Jehovah Shalom: The Lord my Peace Psalm 23:2
Jehovah Rapha: The Lord my healer Psalm 23:3
Jehovah Tsidkenu: The Lord my righteouseness Psalm 23:3
Hebrews 13:20-21:20Now may the God of peace [Who is the Author and the Giver of peace], Who brought again from among the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, by the blood [that sealed, ratified] the everlasting agreement (covenant, testament), 21Strengthen (complete, perfect) and make you what you ought to be and equip you with everything good that you may carry out His will; [while He Himself] works in you and accomplishes that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ (the Messiah); to Whom be the glory forever and ever.