Consider this:
Psalm 105:37-45
“He brought them forth also with silver and gold: and there was not one feeble person among their tribes. [38] Egypt was glad when they departed: for the fear of them fell upon them. [39] He spread a cloud for a covering; and fire to give light in the night. [40] The people asked, and he brought quails, and satisfied them with the bread of heaven. [41] He opened the rock, and the waters gushed out; they ran in the dry places like a river. [42] For he remembered his holy promise, and Abraham his servant. [43] And he brought forth his people with joy, and his chosen with gladness: [44] And gave them the lands of the heathen: and they inherited the labour of the people; [45] That they might observe his statutes, and keep his laws. Praise ye the Lord.” (KJV)
Also consider Psalm 78, Psalm 104 in light of God meeting the needs of His people.
We will continue our study of David’s psalm by focusing on verse 2.
The first part says, “He makes me lie down in green pasture.”
Notice that the subject is in the third person.
Also observe the strong personal tone of the Psalm:
a. “He” ”me”
b. “I” “my”
It does not say that the shepherd makes us to lie down in green pastures and the shepherd leads us beside the quiet water. He makes me, Dan, lie down in green pastures and He leads Dan beside quiet waters. You can add your name there to make it personal to you.
The word “makes” seems to imply the element of coercion. Does the verb involve coercion? NO
What is the sense of the verb?
The Hebrew word means, “to cause to be.” The shepherd causes his sheep to lie down, not forcing them to lie down.
“Makes” is qualified by “lie down” and “in green pastures,” indicating the “what” and the “where” of the action of the verb.
These terms are figurative of the shepherd with whom the Psalm begins.
What is the connection of the expression “to lie down,” especially in the figurative sense?
The idea is of rest, the shepherd settling down the sheep after feeding. The idea is resting after a long walk, or from our cares. I don’t know about you, but after feasting on dinner at Thanksgiving and Christmas, I’m ready for a nap.
Jesus said, “Come to me all you who are heavy laden and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28) As we sit at His feet, we receive His rest. What are we heavy laden with? With the cares of this world. I have learned over the years that when you come to Him and cast all of your cares over on Him, that He is quite capable of dealing with them better than I can do, and I can rest in Him.
Did you know that despite all the circumstances that go on in your life, with your family, finances, ministry, all that is happening in the world, you can live a carefree life. That’s when you enter into the rest, knowing that you are in good hands. No stress, no worry, and I can focus on Him.
I think of Mary in Luke 15 sitting at the feet of Jesus. She was resting, while her sister Martha was in a panic to get dinner on the table. I don’t think Jesus really cared at that point in time about dinner. He had someone who was interested in hearing from Him.
Why does Yahweh, like a shepherd make His sheep “to lie down?”
To rest. To revive us from our exhaustive labors, both physically and spiritually.
It is only as we are resting from our exertions that we can quiet our minds to hear Him speak to us. “Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)
What are the “green pastures”
Where are they?
What is really behind these metaphors?
The Lord has His sheep lie down in green pastures and enjoy an ideal resting place, an oasis.
Metaphorically, the growth of this tender grass is compared with the rule of a just king.
It is a place to rest and be fed.
The verbs suggest gently persuasion, a shepherd patiently, persistently encouraging His sheep to the place where their hungers and thirsts will be less severe and milder.
In David’s day “green pastures” were oases, places in the desert toward which shepherds led their thirsty flocks.
Left to themselves sheep would wonder off into the wilderness and die.
The picture here is not of sheep grazing and drinking, but a rest, lying down, stretched out to use David’s words.
Picture this in your mind. Rolling hills with lush, green grass, plenty of shade, and a flowing river. You have just finished your picnic lunch and now you are stretched out under a shade tree taking a nap. Relaxed, your belly full, you just enjoy the peace and quiet.
Exodus 15:13
"In Thy lovingkindness Thou hast led the people whom Thou hast redeemed;
In Thy strength Thou hast guided them to Thy holy habitation.” (NASB)
I don’t know if this has crossed you mind, but how did the sheep get to the green pastures?
The scene is one of tranquility, satisfaction, and rest.
What are those “green pastures” and “quiet waters?”
Where are they?
What is the reality behind these metaphors?
God Himself is our true pasture.
In the Exodus, God is leading Israel to “green pastures,” the land of Canaan.
In the story of Martha and Mary, Mary is at rest in the “green pastures,” at the feet of Jesus.
He is our pool of quiet water. He is our true nourishment and living water. If we do not take Him in, we will starve.
There is a hunger in the human heart that nothing but God can satisfy.
There is a thirst that no one but He can quench.
How do we “graze” on Him and “drink” Him in?
Once more we’re confronted with symbolism.
What do the metaphors mean?
The process begins, as all relationships do, with a meeting.
Psalm 42:1,2
“As the deer pants for the water brooks,
So my soul pants for Thee, O God.
[2] My soul thirsts for God, for the living God;
When shall I come and appear before God? “ (NASB)
Where can I go and meet with God?
Are we willing to prepare ourselves to meet Him?
He responds to the slightest approach, but we’re only as close as we want to be.
Deuteronomy 4:29
"But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and all your soul.” (NASB)
He calls us, but then He waits for our answer.
Our progress toward Him is determined by our desire to engage Him in a personal way, to know Him.
Do we want God or not?
If we do, we must be willing to make the effort to respond to Him.
Conditions for sheep to lay down.
It is almost impossible for sheep to lie down unless 4 requirements are met:
1. They are free from fear.
A flock that is restless discontented, always agitated and disturbed, never do well.
The same is true of people.
In the Christian life, there is no substitute for the keen awareness that the Shepherd is nearby.
There is nothing like Christ’s presence to dispel the fear, the panic and the terror of the unknown.
It is the “unknown”, the “unexpected” that produce the greatest panic.
In the midst of our misfortunes there suddenly come the awareness that He, the Christ, the Good Shepherd is there.
It makes all the difference.
Rest returns and I can relax.
It is the knowledge that my Master, my Friend, my Owner has things under control even when they may appear calamitous.
This gives me great consolation, repose, and rest.
2. Free from friction with others.
The second source of fear from which the shepherd delivers His sheep is that of tension, rivalry, and cruel competition with the flock itself.
In every animal society there is established an order of dominance or status within the group.
A vivid and accurate picture of the process is given to us in Ezekiel 34:15-16 and 20-22.
Because of this rivalry, tension, and competition for status and self-assertion, there is friction in a flock.
The sheep cannot lie down and defend their rights and contest the challenge of the intrusion.
The shepherd’s presence makes all the difference in the flock’s behavior.
The struggle for self-assertion and self-recognition goes on.
Most of us fight to be “top sheep.”
We butt and quarrel and compete to “get ahead” and in the process people get hurt.
The picture in the Psalm shows us God’s people lying down in quiet contentment.
On of the outstanding marks of a Christian should be a serene sense of gentle contentment
Philippians 4:11:
“Not that I speak from want; for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.”
It is the Shepherd’s presence that puts an end to all rivalry.
In our human relationships, when we become acutely aware of being in the presence of Christ, our foolish, selfish snobbery and rivalry will end.
It is the humble heart walking quietly and contently in the close and intimate companionship of Christ that is at rest, that can relax, simply glad to lie down and let the world go by.
When my eyes are on my Master, they are not on those around me.
This is my place of peace.
To be thus, close to Him, conscious of his abiding presence made real in my mind, emotions, and will by the indwelling gracious Spirit, is to be set free from fear of my fellow man and whatever he might think of me.
3. The freedom of fear from the torment of parasites and insects is essential to the contentment of the sheep.
The shepherd must be among his charges daily, keeping a close watch on their behavior.
As soon as there is the least evidence that they are being disturbed, he must take steps to provide them with relief.
Always uppermost on his mind is the aim of keeping his flock quiet, contented, and at peace.
When my eyes are on my Master, they are not n those around me, This is the place of peace.
To be thus, close to Him, conscious of His abiding Presence, made real by the indwelling, gracious Holy Spirit is to be set free from fear of my fellow man and whatever he might think of me.
I would much rather have the affection of the good Shepherd than occupy a place of prominence in society.
In Scripture, the Holy Spirit is often symbolized by oil, by that which brings healing and comfort and relief from the harsh and abrasive aspects of life.
The gracious Holy Spirit makes real in me the very presence of Christ.
He brings quietness, serenity, strength, and calmness in the face of frustrations and futility.
He applies His healing, soothing, effective antidote of His own Person and presence to my particular problem.
There immediately comes into my consciousness the awareness of His dealing with the difficulty in a way I had not anticipated.
When I turn to Him and expose the problem to Him, allowing Him to see that I have a dilemma, a difficulty, a disagreeable experience beyond my control, He comes in to assist.
Often a helpful approach is simply to say aloud, “O Master, this is beyond me, I can’t cope with it, it’s bugging me, I can’t rest, please take over.”
4. To produce the condition necessary for sheep to lie down there must be freedom from the fear of hunger.
Green pasture did not just happen by chance.
Green pastures were the product of tremendous labor, time and skill in land use.
Green pastures were the result of :
Clearing rough, rocky land.
Deep plowing and careful soil preparation.
Seeding and planting special grains and legumes.
Irrigating with water and husbandry with care the crops of forage that would feed the flocks.
All of this represented tremendous toil, skill, and time for the careful shepherd.
If his sheep were to enjoy green pastures amid the brown and barren hills, it meant he had a tremendous job to do.
Green pastures are essential to success with sheep.
A hungry, ill-fed sheep is ever on its feet, on the move, searching for another scanty mouthful of forage to try to satisfy its gnawing hunger.
Such sheep are not contented, they do not thrive, and they are no use to themselves or to their owners.
They languish and lack vigor and vitality.
How He works to clear the life of rocks of stony unbelief:
How He tries to tear out the roots of bitterness.
He attempts to break up the hard, proud human heart that is set like sun-dried clay.
He then sows the seed of His own precious Word, which, if given half a chance to grow will produce rich crops of contentment and peace.
He waters this with the dews and rain of His own presence by the Holy Spirit.
He tends and cares and cultivates the life, longing to see it become rich and green and productive.
It is indicative of his unrelenting energy and industry of an owner who wishes to see His sheep satisfied and well fed.
It all denotes my Shepherd’s desire to see my best interests served.
His concern for my care is beyond my comprehension.
At best all I can do is to enjoy and revel in what He has brought into effect.
This life of quiet overcoming; of happy repose; of rest in His presence, of confidence in His management is something few Christians ever fully enjoy.
Because of our own perverseness we often prefer to feed on the barren ground of the world around us.
But the Good Shepherd has supplied green pastures for those who care to move in onto them and there find peace and plenty.
He Leads Me Beside the Quiet Waters
The Hebrew word for “lead is “nahal.”
Its meaning includes:
Leading someone by the hand
To lead someone who is helpless
To lead someone who needs to be guided aright
The root of the word specifically is connected with what a shepherd does in leading a pregnant ewe. He is very gentle and caring and makes sure she doesn’t trip over a rock.
How to do you lead a blind person? How do you lead a child? How do you lead a pregnant woman? You take them by the hand and guide them in the right direction.
The verb “leads” seems to suggest a contrast to the idea of being driven.
What is involved in the Shepherd’s leading the Psalmist?
a. Leading the psalmist in a specific direction.
b. The shepherd knows where he is going and takes the sheep there.
c. Showing them the direction to go in.
d. The Spirit saying, “This is the way, walk in it.”
Why does the Shepherd “lead” instead of “drive?”
a. Nobody likes to be forced to go somewhere they don’t want to go.
b. When you lead someone, you gently take him or her to the place you want him or her to go.
A couple of years my church went to a ranch here in the city of Chesapeake for a weekend retreat. We broke up into groups and each group had a guide. He showed us where we were going for various events. He knew where to go. We didn’t. So in order for us to get where we needed to be, we had to follow him. He didn’t get behind us with a cattle prod and drive us to the event area, but he went out in front and told us to follow him. We eventually got to where we were supposed to be.
Do we sometimes think that Jesus doesn’t know where He is going? We are the ones who have no clue where we are going in this life. We think we do. Jesus is not going to come up behind you with a cattle prod and drive you in the direction He wants you to go. No, but He will say to you, “follow Me.” We are the ones who have the choice on which way to go. I will say this, the path that He chooses for you to follow may not be the one you want to walk in, but since He knows the way and knows what He is doing, it would be to our advantage to just follow Him.
The path to the green pastures and still waters may take you through the valley of the shadow of death. But He is still leading the way. It may take you through a wilderness for a period of time. I have heard it said that that from Eqypt to the Promised Land was an 11 day journey. Because of the stubbornness of the people it took them 40 years. They traveled in circles for 40 years. Can you imaging what they might have thought at seeing the same scenery over and over again.
I don’t the time frame for each circle around the desert, but passing the same old cactus plant year after year would have caught my attention after about the second or third time.
The Israelites had no clue how to get to the Promised Land. But God did. They probably would have gotten lost trying to go back to Egypt.
“Beside the still waters” indicates where the Psalmist is led.
Note that “beside” is used instead of “to.”
The marginal reading for “still waters” is “waters of rest?”
Is the word translated “still” is a description of the quality of the waters, the effect of the waters, or both? It is the effect of the waters. It is the opposite of turbulent, storm tossed waters.
Why should the Shepherd lead His sheep “beside still waters?”
Still waters, or calm waters, have a soothing, or peaceful effect. Have you ever gone to a lake, or river, or any body of water that looks like glass because it is so calm? It does have a peaceful effect.
Turbulent waters do not have a soothing effect. When we have a storm around here, the Chesapeake Bay has high waves crashing on the beach. Water crashing against the rocks makes a lot of noise. It’s violent and sometimes scary.
Sheep won’t stay around turbulent waters, it spooks them.
Thus far the Psalmist seems to have suggested that the Divine Shepherd meets the basic needs of sheep: pasture, rest, and water. (Matthew 6)
Exodus 15:13
"In Thy lovingkindness Thou hast led the people whom Thou hast redeemed;
In Thy strength Thou hast guided them to Thy holy habitation.” (NASB)
I don’t know whether you have thought about this, but when you are leading someone you are always out in front of them. If you are driving them, you are behind them.
I want you to take a minute and picture this in your mind. You are standing on top of a mountain looking down at the ground below. You see a strange sight. Out in front of a large group of people traveling through the wilderness you see this cloud moving forward. Behind the cloud you see a single man, and behind the single man you see a multitude of people. The cloud is leading the people, not behind them pushing them. The man is following the cloud, and the people are following the man.
Wherever that cloud goes, the people go. God is leading them.
Psalm 77:20
“Thou didst lead Thy people like a flock,
By the hand of Moses and Aaron.”
Psalm 80:1
“Oh, give ear, Shepherd of Israel,
Thou who dost lead Joseph like a flock;
Thou who art enthroned above the cherubim, shine forth!”
The key or the clue to where water can be obtained lies with the shepherd. It is He who knows where the best drinking places are. In fact, very often He is the one with much effort and industry has provided the watering places. And it is to these spots that He leads the flock.
An animal is made aware of water by thirst. You and I know that. Thirst indicates the need of the body to have it water supply replenished from a source outside itself.
Just as the physical body has a capacity and need for water, so Scripture points out to us clearly that the human personality, the human soul has a capacity and need for the water of the Spirit of the eternal God.
When sheep are thirsty they become restless and set out in search of water to satisfy their thirst.
If not led to the good water supplies of clear, pure water, they will often end up drinking from the polluted potholes where they pick up internal parasites.
In precisely the same manner, Christ, our Good Shepherd, made it clear that thirsty souls of men and women can only be fully satisfied when their capacity and thirst for spiritual life is fully quenched by drawing on Himself.
Matthew 5:6
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” (NASB)
John 7:37-39
“Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. [38] "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, 'From his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.' " [39] But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” (NASB)
“To drink” in spiritual terminology, simply means “take in” or “to accept” or “to believe.”
That is to say, it implies that a person accepts and assimilates the very life of God in Christ to the point where it becomes a part of him.
The difficulty in all of this is that men and women who are “thirsty” for God (who do have a deep inner sense of searching and seeking, who are in quest of that which will completely satisfy) often are unsure of where to look or really what they are looking for.
Their inner capacity for God and divine life is desiccated and in their dilemma they will drink from any dirty pool to try and satisfy their thirst for fulfillment.
“He, the Good Shepherd”, leads me beside the quiet waters.
In other words, He alone knows where the still, quiet, clean, pure water is to be found that alone can satisfy His sheep and keep them fit and strong.
Water for the sheep came from three main sources:
Dew on the ground
Deep wells
Springs and streams
Sheep by habit rise just before dawn and start to feed.
In the Christian life it is of more than passing significance to observe that those who are often the most serene, most confident and able to cope with life’s complexities, are those who rise up early each day to feed on God’ Word.
It is in the quiet, early hours of the morning that they are led beside the quiet, still waters where they imbibe the very life of Christ for the day.
This is much more than a figure of speech; it is a reality.
One comes away from these hours of meditation; reflection and communion with Christ refreshed in mind and spirit.
The thirst is slaked and the heart is quietly satisfied.
He loves to see me contented, quiet, at rest and relaxed.
He delights to know my soul and sprit have been refreshed and satisfied.
The irony of life, and tragic truth for most Christians is that this is not so.
It is often the case that they try, instead, to satisfy their thirst by pursuing almost every other sort of substitute.
For their mind and intellect, they will pursue knowledge, science, academic careers, vociferous reading or offbeat companions.
But somehow, their are always left panting and dissatisfied.
To appease the craving of their souls and emotions, men and women will turn to the arts, to culture, to music, to literary forms, trying to find fulfillment.
So often there are amongst the most jaded and dejected people.
They have tried drinking deeply from the wells of the world only to turn away unsatisfied, unquenched, in their soul’s thirst.
These are those who to quench this thirst in their parched lives, have attempted to find refreshment in all sorts of physical pursuits and activities.
Jeremiah 2:13
It is an accurate portrayal of broken lives; of shattered hopes, of barren souls that are dried up and parched and full of the dust of despair.
Among young people, the recourse to drugs, alcohol, and sex in a mad desire to assuage their thirst is classic proof that such sordid indulgences are no substitute for the Spirit of the living God.
These poor people are broken cisterns.
Amid of this chaos of a confused, sick society, Christ comes quietly as of old and invites us:
To come to Him
To follow Him
To put our confidence in Him
For He is who best knows how we can be satisfied.
He knows the human heart, the human personality, the human soul with its amazing capacity for God, can never be satisfied with a substitute.
Only the Spirit of life of Christ Himself will satisfy the thirsty soul.
Strange as it may appear on the surface, the deep wells of God from which we may drink are not always necessarily the delightful experiences we may imagine them to be.
Many of the places we may be led into will appear to us as dark, deep, dangerous and somewhat disagreeable.
But it simply must be remembered that He is there with us in it. He is very much at work in the situation.
It is the energy, effort and strength expended on my behalf that even in the deep, dark place is bound to produce a benefit for me. It is there that I discover He only can satisfy me. It is He who makes sense and purpose and meaning come out of situations which otherwise would be but a mockery to me.
Suddenly, life starts to have significance. I discover I am the object of His special care and attention. Dignity and direction come in the events of my life and I see them sorting themselves out into a definite pattern of usefulness.
All of this is refreshing, stimulating, invigorating.
My thirst for reality in life is assuaged and I discover that I have found that satisfaction in my Master.
There are always a percentage of perverse people who will refuse to allow God to lead them. They insist on running their own lives and following the dictates of their own wills. They insist they can be masters of their own destinies even if ultimately such destinies are destructive.
They don’t want to be directed by the Holy Spirit of God. They don’t want to be led by Him. They want to walk in their own ways and drink from any old source that they fancy might satisfy their whims. These people often try this pursuit or that with the casual comment, “So what? I can’t see that it’s going to do any harm!”
Proverbs 14:12 tells us that there is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.
Little do they appreciate that often there is a delayed reaction and that considerable time may elapse before the full impact of their misjudgment strikes home. Then suddenly they are in deep trouble and wonder why.
To offset these dangers and guard against them, God invites us to allow ourselves to be led and guided by His own gracious Spirit. The Holy Spirit was given to us to lead us into truth. He would come as a guide and counselor. Always He would lead us into the things of Christ.
He would make us see that the life in Christ is the only truly satisfying life. We would discover the delight of having our souls satisfied with His presence. It would be He who would become to us the very meat and drink that as His resurrection overcoming life was imparted to us by His Spirit each day. I would be refreshed and satisfied.
Are you dissatisfied with the way you are living your life today?
That can change the minute you let the Good Shepherd to take control of your life and lead you into all that He has for you.
