Sunday, December 5, 2010

Nov 6th Psalm 23

The Hebrew title for the book of Psalms is Tehilim, meaning "songs of praise." Individual psalms are called Mizmor. Psalm 23 is Mizmor Kaf Gimmel, revealing the middot (attributes) of God as the Good Shepherd.

Verse 1 Adonai Ro'i "The LORD my shepherd" Gen 49:24, God is described as "The Shepherd, the Rock of Israel." If God is the Shepherd, then His followers are the sheep of His pasture (Psalm 100:3). The church has no authority to ordain pastors-only God does. Most pastors are hirelings (John 10:12) and not called by God. Biblical leadership is by example and Jesus should be the senior Pastor of every church. A good shepherd protects the sheep from the wolves, the priority of the hireling is always himself.
Lo echsar "I shall not lack" We shall not lack God's provision, God sees and fully understands our needs.
Attribute: Adonai Yireh The LORD will provide

Verse 2 Bin'ot deshe yarbitzeini, 'al-mei menuchot yenahaleini "He leads me resting beside comforting waters, He makes me lie down in pastures of grass." Paul uses the "God of all comfort" (2 Cor 1:3). Comforting Waters is the Holy Spirit. In Israel pastures are green and sometimes brown. Sometimes blessings are abundant and other times He gives us just what we need to get by.
Attribute: Adonai Shalom the God of Peace

Verse 3 Nafshi yeshoveiv "He restores my soul" shuv comes from the word teshubah meaning to turn back to God through repentance. The LORD calls His sheep back to the right path. He causes my soul to repent.
Attribute: Adonai Rof'ekha The LORD your Healer
yancheini ve-ma'gelei-tzedek le-ma'an shemo "He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His Name's sake" ma'al is a track or trench created by herds driven by the shepherd. Proverbs 18:1 A man who isolates himself seeks his own desires-we seek to gratify our old nature. Church is a rehab center for sinners. What the Lord does first He does for His namesake, the good He does is as if for Himself. It's the right path for the sake of His glory. Fellowship with the righteous.
Attribute: Adonai Tzidkeinu The LORD our Righteousness

Verse 4 Gam ki-eilekh be-gei tzalmavet lo-'ira ra, ki-attah immadi, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for you are with me." be-gei tzalmavet we might walk within a death-like valley of shrouded darkness we will fear no evil come upon us since we know the LORD is always present. A shadow tells us something is near, stay by the shepherd.
shivtekha u-mish'antekha heimmah yenachamuni "Your rod and Your staff comfort me" The rod comes first, it's correction for our protection. The verb is speaking of a state or condition of comfort.
Attribute: Adonai Shammah God who is there (Ezekiel 48:35)

Verse 5 Ta'arokh lefanai shulchan neged tzoreri "You prepare a table before me in front of my enemies" shulchan against the who causes me trouble or grief. The Lord's Supper is a testamoney and shadow of what He shall do.
Attribute: Adonai nissi the LORD my banner or miracle, a nes is triangle shaped banner and nes also refers to a miracle.
dashanti va-shemen roshi, kosi revayah "You anoint my head with oil, my cup overflows" The phrase dashanti va-shemen roshi means "you fatten my head with oil." Since fat animals were considered healthiest, and fat was regarded as the best part of the sacrifice (Psalm 20:3), the head of the follower of the Lord is said to be anointed with oil as a blessing of God. Present yourself as a sacrifice. The overflowing cup of blessings (1 Cor 10:16). The Holy Supper is called "the cup of the Lord (1 Cor 10:21), In 1 Cor 11:25, the cup is called "the new covenant in My blood." The cup of salvation(Psalm 116:13).
Attribute: Adonai Yireh The LORD will Provide

Verse 6 Akh tov va-chesed yirdefuni kol-yemei chaiyai "Certainly, goodness and mercy will pursue me all the days of my life" His goodness and unfailing love pursue me-run after, to track as a hunter might track prey, take captive. God is relentless in His care and love for His sheep. Kol-yemei chaiyai all of my days is in this life. God will hunt His followers with the truth of His goodness and unfailing love all our days on earth. Yielding to the love of God causes you to return to the "house of the LORD."
ve-shavti be veit-Adonai le-orekh yamim "I will dwell in the house of the LORD for the length of days" This is a Hebrew idiom for the best is yet to come, orekh yamim both lives-a covenant on earth and for eternal peace, rest, and joy with the Almighty God.

Shelosh Esrei Middot (Ex. 34:6b), the listing of the nine attributes (middot) of God's mercy: Adonai, Adonai, El Rachum ve-chanun, Erekh apayim, ve-rav-chesed ve-emet "The LORD, the LORD God full of love and gracious, long suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy, forgiving iniquity is a picture of the Fruit of the Spirit-the attributes of those who follow the LORD under His care.

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