I.         The Lord provides Relationship.

1. First, let’s look at what David DIDN’T write. He didn’t write “the Lord is a shepherd.” He didn’t write “The Lord is THE shepherd.” He wrote “The Lord is MY shepherd.” In that statement he is showing a personal relationship with God.

2. David knew that since he had his personal relationship with God, he would have everything he could ever need. So, he wrote his feelings in this statement, “… I shall not want.” That word ‘want’ can also be translated as lacking. So what David is saying is that, “I shall not lack.”

3. In verse 2 it says that he makes us to lie down in green pastures. But the thing about sheep is that they will not lay down unless they are met with four specifications.

1. They must be free from all fear.

2. They must be separated from the other sheep.

3. They must be free from pests.

4. They must be completely free from hunger.

The shepherd gives the sheep everything they need to be in peace, all they have to do is act on it. The same thing with God, he gives us everything we need to get salvation, the question is… will you accept it. And if you have already accepted it, what are you doing about it?

II.       The Lord provides his Presence.

1. “I will never leave thee or forsake thee.” God will always be there when we need him. Sometimes it might feel like he left us, but he is still there, waiting to make his grand entrance into your troubles.

2.  The last time my family went to Florida, we went to this comedy show. After the show, they had a little souvenir shop. So my brother went to play with their magnets they were selling while the rest of us were at the counter a couple feet away talking with someone. So, my brother all of a sudden started to cry, turns out that he didn’t see us there and he thought we left him. But we were there all the time. The same thing with God, we may not see him or hear him and think that he abandoned us, but in reality, he is right there.

III.     The Lord provides Protection

 1. Protection is one of the many things that God gives us. “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…” Notice that it says ‘SHADOW of death.’ A shadow isn’t dangerous; all it is is a danger sign. Like the shadow of an angry dog, the shadow can’t bite you. It can only show you what MIGHT bite you if you make the wrong move. While we are walking down the valley of the shadow of death, God protects us and leads us through and out of the valley.

2. David mentions the tools of a shepherd. The rod and the staff, the rod was shorter than the staff and the shepherd watching the sheep would learn to throw the rod with great accuracy. Whenever a predator would come to carry off a lamb, the shepherd guarding the sheep would through the rod and make the animal drop the lamb. Also, when the shepherd sees a lamb wandering away, he would throw that stick in front of the lamb and it would run back to its flock. But sometimes a sheep would walk away from the flock without the shepherd noticing, so the shepherd would leave his flock and go find that little lost lamb. When he found it, he would break its leg, pick it up, and bring it back to the right path. God sometimes has to do that with US as well. We walk off the paths of righteousness and God will discipline us and bring us back to the path intended for us to be on.

IV.      The Lord provides Peace.

1. “He sets a table before me, in the presence of mine enemies…” What David is trying to say is that God will give us peace in the hardest of times. Enemies? Why did David put the word enemies in there? Because most of us have enemies right? We have enemies, both physically and spiritually. They are all around us, surrounding us. But God gives us peace.

V.        The Lord provides Rejoicing.

            1. “My cup runneth over…” Say that God has this cup in Heaven, and it is a HUGE cup. On the side it has your name and it says “So-and-so’s life cup.” So God picks up his bucket marked “Blessings,” and he pours it into your cup. And he keeps pouring…. Pouring…. Pouring…. Pouring, until it suddenly overflows with blessings, but he keep pouring and pouring… His blessings just never stop. He just keeps sending blessing after blessing after blessing, until his glory is almost too much to bear. Most of you have already experienced God’s overwhelming love and mercy. But the question is… why? Why does God send all of these blessings? Why does God send all of this love? What is with all of this mercy? Why? The answer is, because he loves us. We are his sheep and he is our shepherd. The REAL question that we should ask is… do I really know this Great Shepherd? If you don’t, then there is no time like the present. God is waiting for you to come back. He has his rods and staffs ready to bring you back to the path of righteousness. Don’t wait for one more minute, by then it might be too late.