TREASURES FROM GOD'S WORD: Week 1 to April 7, 2024, “Jehovah is my Shepherd”, Prepared Discourse.

TREASURES FROM GOD'S WORD: April 1-7, 2024, “Jehovah is my Shepherd”, Prepared Discourse. 

“Jehovah is my Shepherd” (10 mins.)

Psalm 23 is one of the best-known and most beloved psalms in the Bible. It only has 6 verses and reading it at a normal pace like poetry, it can take about 55 seconds to read, but it has a powerful description that lifts the spirits of anyone who is going through difficult problems, as it describes the beautiful relationship between God and His servants

He only uses six descriptive images, starting from the shepherd to the staff. David, who was the composer of it, being already a very old person, sat down to remember his ideas from when he was a young shepherd, and compared him to Jehovah in that way.

This work of Psalm 23 is so well known that it has been translated into hundreds of languages ​​and has been used in a variety of contexts, from religious services, weddings, funerals, and even included in three famous works of art in today's cinema. All of them framing and remembering the role of God in relation to the protection of his servants.

And that is what we are going to talk about in this section of Treasures of the Bible, with the title: "Jehovah is my shepherd" the opening words of this Psalm 23, let's talk about three particularities in relation to Jehovah and us. Let's see how Jehovah guides us, how he protects us and how he feeds us. Let's start with the first, as Jehovah guides us. Let us please read Psalm 23 verses 1-3.

LET'S READ PSALMS 23:1-3.

Jehovah is my Shepherd. I will lack nothing. 2 He makes me rest in grassy meadows and leads me to resting places where water abounds. 3 Renew my strength. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

In the scriptures many titles are attributed to Jehovah, but one of the most tender is being a shepherd. To better understand why this designation is so appropriate, it is worth knowing two things. First the nature or what the sheep are like, and second the tasks and qualities that a good shepherd should have.

In the Bible we can highlight certain characteristics that are given to the sheep, as a gentle, defenseless animal that easily shows affection to the touch that the shepherd gives it. A writer who raised sheep for many years said: "Sheep do not take care of themselves as one might think; they require more than any other kind of livestock, infinite attention and meticulous care."

Therefore, they need a shepherd who is loving, who cares about them in order to survive. Here we have the description of three images that David uses, that of the shepherd representing Jehovah as a shepherd who takes care of his sheep, providing them with food, rest and protection.

When he speaks of green pastures, he is representing the abundance of food and God's provision for his servants. And the still waters have to do with the peace and tranquility that God offers when the sheep are on the pasture resting under the loving care, under the observation of this shepherd, so that nothing changes in terms of the peace that they already feel in peace of mind and protect them from any situation that may affect and endanger their health, both physical and, representing their servants, their spiritual health.

That confidence that we observe in verse 1, that Jehovah is the shepherd, gives us confidence that Jehovah will provide everything necessary so that we do not lack anything, both in the physical sense, because Jehovah offers it that way. Jesus indicated having everything basic to exist if we put the Kingdom first.

And the following verses give three reasons in support of such trust that Jehovah leads, protects, and nourishes. Without a doubt, a beautiful description of Jehovah, that he is our shepherd, who guides us. Let's look at the second point, Jehovah protects us. Let's now read Psalm 23 verse 4.

LET'S READ PSALMS 23:4.

Even though I walk in the valley of deep darkness, I will fear no evil, because you are with me; Your rod and your staff give me security.

This verse mentions the fourth image that David describes, a valley of deep darkness. What is it referring to? To the difficult moments in the life of a servant of God, but even in those moments, God is present like a shepherd who is carefully observing his sheep. And this psalm and this verse 4 are particular, because David goes from treating Jehovah like himself, when he says Jehovah is my shepherd, to treating him like you, when he talks about your rod and your staff.

There is a more intimate relationship that David refers to here. Why? Because the situation demands it, since it is in deep darkness, where a sheep can easily be scared, it is where the relationship with Jehovah becomes most intimate when we turn to Jehovah in prayer.

And he uses the expression rod and staff, as weapons of defense, on the part of the shepherd to take care of his sheep. And this is how Jehovah has offered to protect his servants from any difficult situation. Even demonic or human, Jehovah is willing to end that pressure or danger towards his servants.

Of course, it does not free us from every calamity, but when we feel scared like a sheep, Jehovah acts to immediately calm us down and show that he is there to protect us, even if the fear or the situation that terrifies us remains.

Therefore, even in those dark moments of our lives, Jehovah is our shepherd who accompanies us and protects us. Let's now look at Psalm 23:5 and see the third point, Jehovah feeds us.

LET'S READ PSALMS 23:5.

You prepare a table for me before my enemies. You cool my head with oil; my cup is very full.

Like a shepherd caring for his sheep, Jehovah is a generous provider who, so to speak, entertains his servants with a banquet. How does he do it? Through biblical publications, such as magazines, videos, the Bible, all the material we have today, audiovisual and written on paper, constantly feeds us. What more can we expect from a God like Jehovah.

If we see the scene represented here in our Activities Guide, Jehovah is like that, he takes care of the most defenseless, he takes care of those who feel afraid, the new ones, the students of the Bible who are just being born in the truth, He carries them, protects them, because they know that they need that warmth of love, to feel the appreciation of their shepherd, and although we say that Jehovah is not physically with us, but he uses his shepherds to show how much they appreciate us.

When we go through difficult times, a serious illness, an emotional situation that becomes increasingly complicated, the death of a family member, when these good shepherds are there comforting us, encouraging us, using the word of God, it is as if the same shepherd Jehovah, providing us with that affection, that loving care.

That is why it is worth asking: How does Jehovah take care of me? There are many ways and we want to appreciate them, but it is proven that David's words, being an aging man, also apply to us. "Jehovah is our shepherd, we will lack nothing." Let us never stop being in those beautiful arms of care and protection from Jehovah.