InHisCare Bible Study Community Group
I love to study God Word, so I create bible studies for personal study and for other to join me, if they like. My way of staying focus is to study Gods Word daily. I desire this group to become a place of haven for me to meet other Christian who like to pray and study Gods Word. I will share bible studies, prayers, and devotions I love. Please join me if you wish. Thank...
Bible Study: “A Study of Psalm 23 Verse by Verse”
Date: (2/20/15)
Week: # 2
Title: (He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.)
Prayer:
Father God in heaven, we praise You and honor You for who You are, You are our Shepherd, our Lord, our God, our Creator, and our all in all; Thank You for providing everything we need, and our desires that meet Your plan for our life. We are so grateful indeed. Thank You for this study to learn more of Who You are in Psalm 23. Give us this day our daily need to meet Your plans for our life. Shape and mode us as a potter does the clay in his hand. Help us to find that peace You give, not as the world, but as a loving Shepherd give to His sheep. Father, lead us beside the still waters, so we rest in Your presence, and give us that spiritual water our souls need today. Our desire is to learn more of You, live a knowledgeable life of You, and totally depend upon You eternally, in Jesus’ name we pray, amen.
This week is a short study, but very good material:
Text: Psalm 23:2, "He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters." It is A Testimony of Satisfaction.
This satisfaction came because David had an intimate relationship with Jehovah God. A sheep without a shepherd is in a very insecure position. Isaiah tells us, "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way;..." (Isa. 53:6). Human beings are very much like sheep. Psalm 100:3 lets us know that we are the sheep of his pasture.
When we study sheep we find that they are dumb, defenseless and directionless. No Christian deliberately determines to get away from God, but how like sheep we are. Sheep are very disturbable and dependantable.
The distance between the shepherd and the sheep determines the potential for danger. The greater the distance, the greater danger.
What is the nature of the shepherd? Notice the characteristics of the shepherd which the Scriptures compare to a type of Christ.
A shepherd is compassionate. See Matthew 9:36.
A shepherd gives gentle care to his flock of sheep. See Isaiah 40:11.
A shepherd displays much courage. See John 10:11-13.
So we see that the relationship between the sheep and the shepherd in the Bible is a picture of the relationship between Christ (the shepherd) and the believer (the sheep).
The knowledge of the shepherd's care for us gives us a deep sense of security and satisfaction. "He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: ..." Sheep graze from about 3:30 in the morning until about 10:00. They then lie down for three or four hours to rest. It is almost impossible to make sheep lie down while they are hungry. They will mill around and nibble on bits of grass until they have eaten sufficiently. Only when their stomachs are full will they find a quiet place and lie down.
Sheep lying down in green pastures is a picture of contentment and satisfaction.
"He leadeth me beside the still waters". Sheep will not drink from swiftly running water for a good reason: they are poor swimmers. If their wool coat became soaked with water the weight will pull the sheep under water. Instinctively sheep know this, so they will not go near swiftly running water. Sheep resting beside the still waters is a picture of peace and rest. The phrase "still waters" means waters of rest. This picture reminds us of Jesus who said, "Come unto me all you that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28).
Sheep need a time of serene quietness to ruminate - to chew their cud. When the sheep does this he is meditating on what he has eaten just as we meditate from the Word of God that we have eaten. We need to learn to cultivate the art of quietness. See Isaiah 30:15 and Psalm 46:10a.
One more point:
The green pastures and waters spoken of in this verse were often some distance apart and the shepherd would have to lead his flock to these places. They would travel from oasis to oasis. Notice the following –
He makes me… He leads me – Jesus our Shepherd is in the business of leading and bringing you to a place of rest. We often try to work things out in our little minds and end up working ourselves into a place of nervous exhaustion! We have to learn to sit back and thank Him once again. He makes me... He leads me. Now this place of rest is, first and foremost spiritually speaking, right in the midst of the problem. It doesn’t mean that anything outwardly has to change. What He is leading, guiding and teaching us is firstly about the inward change to the circumstance even if outwardly things remain the same. But we need to learn to lie down. We are smart enough to do this in the physical. When we get tired we take a rest. It makes sense. It works. But mentally and spiritually we can get really tired trying to work out all our problems and we don’t rest. We lie on our beds yet carry on the same thoughts inside. It leads to burn out, break downs and depression.
Lie down in green pastures… quiet waters – But thank Jesus our great Shepherd that He does bring us to green pastures and quiet waters. They are times, as the Psalm says, when He restores your soul spiritually. They are quiet waters… times when there are no waves and no troubles and you can feed and are restored. Thank God for such times! This feeding is symbolic of being fed spiritually with the word of God. (Heb 5:12-14)
The LORD will provide:
Genesis 22:13-14 "And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. (v.14) And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-Jireh: as it is said to this day, in the mount of the LORD it shall be seen."
Principal of Jireh is fulfilled in the New Testament for any need
Matthew 21:22 "And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive."
Philippians 4:19 "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus."
Conclusion: Verse 2 of Psalm 23 is a testimony of the satisfaction that comes as a result of the "provision" and "peace" that comes from our sheep/shepherd relationship with God.
Different Version: (NASB)
The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters. 3 He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil;
My cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
Word of the Week (# 2) Provider
1. the act of providing or supplying.
2. something provided or supplied.
3. an arrangement or preparation made beforehand, as to meet needs.
4. a clause in a law, legal instrument, etc., providing for something; stipulation; proviso.
5. provisions, supplies of food.
6. an appointment to an ecclesiastical office
God’s Name: God is Jehovah Jireh - The Lord will provide. (Geneses 22:13,14)
(The above names fit this Psalm perfectly. Note how each name is in this Psalm.)
“Father God, You have so many wonderful Names. May I search out the Scripture and really get to know You by Your Names. Each one has a special meaning and gives me deeper understanding to Who You are. Reveal Your character to me today. Amen.”
Question of the week: How does David illustrate the physical necessities that are provided by the Lord?
Questions:
1. Why did satisfaction come for David?
2. A sheep without a shepherd is what?
3. What does Psalm 100 has to say about a Shepherd?
4. If the sheep is too far from the shepherd what happens?
5. Name the characteristics of a shepherd that compare to Christ.
6. The sheep is who, and the shepherd is who?
7. How do this statement reflects a Christian’s life today? “They will mill around and nibble on bits of grass until they have eaten sufficiently. Only when their stomachs are full will they find a quiet place and lie down.”
8. What is the picture of a sheep lying down?
9. Why a sheep doesn’t go near swiftly waters?
10. What do still waters mean?
11. What dis Abraham call the place where he found a ram?
12. Our place of rest is called what?
Date: (2/20/15)
Week: # 2
Title: (He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.)
Prayer:
Father God in heaven, we praise You and honor You for who You are, You are our Shepherd, our Lord, our God, our Creator, and our all in all; Thank You for providing everything we need, and our desires that meet Your plan for our life. We are so grateful indeed. Thank You for this study to learn more of Who You are in Psalm 23. Give us this day our daily need to meet Your plans for our life. Shape and mode us as a potter does the clay in his hand. Help us to find that peace You give, not as the world, but as a loving Shepherd give to His sheep. Father, lead us beside the still waters, so we rest in Your presence, and give us that spiritual water our souls need today. Our desire is to learn more of You, live a knowledgeable life of You, and totally depend upon You eternally, in Jesus’ name we pray, amen.
This week is a short study, but very good material:
Text: Psalm 23:2, "He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters." It is A Testimony of Satisfaction.
This satisfaction came because David had an intimate relationship with Jehovah God. A sheep without a shepherd is in a very insecure position. Isaiah tells us, "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way;..." (Isa. 53:6). Human beings are very much like sheep. Psalm 100:3 lets us know that we are the sheep of his pasture.
When we study sheep we find that they are dumb, defenseless and directionless. No Christian deliberately determines to get away from God, but how like sheep we are. Sheep are very disturbable and dependantable.
The distance between the shepherd and the sheep determines the potential for danger. The greater the distance, the greater danger.
What is the nature of the shepherd? Notice the characteristics of the shepherd which the Scriptures compare to a type of Christ.
A shepherd is compassionate. See Matthew 9:36.
A shepherd gives gentle care to his flock of sheep. See Isaiah 40:11.
A shepherd displays much courage. See John 10:11-13.
So we see that the relationship between the sheep and the shepherd in the Bible is a picture of the relationship between Christ (the shepherd) and the believer (the sheep).
The knowledge of the shepherd's care for us gives us a deep sense of security and satisfaction. "He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: ..." Sheep graze from about 3:30 in the morning until about 10:00. They then lie down for three or four hours to rest. It is almost impossible to make sheep lie down while they are hungry. They will mill around and nibble on bits of grass until they have eaten sufficiently. Only when their stomachs are full will they find a quiet place and lie down.
Sheep lying down in green pastures is a picture of contentment and satisfaction.
"He leadeth me beside the still waters". Sheep will not drink from swiftly running water for a good reason: they are poor swimmers. If their wool coat became soaked with water the weight will pull the sheep under water. Instinctively sheep know this, so they will not go near swiftly running water. Sheep resting beside the still waters is a picture of peace and rest. The phrase "still waters" means waters of rest. This picture reminds us of Jesus who said, "Come unto me all you that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28).
Sheep need a time of serene quietness to ruminate - to chew their cud. When the sheep does this he is meditating on what he has eaten just as we meditate from the Word of God that we have eaten. We need to learn to cultivate the art of quietness. See Isaiah 30:15 and Psalm 46:10a.
One more point:
The green pastures and waters spoken of in this verse were often some distance apart and the shepherd would have to lead his flock to these places. They would travel from oasis to oasis. Notice the following –
He makes me… He leads me – Jesus our Shepherd is in the business of leading and bringing you to a place of rest. We often try to work things out in our little minds and end up working ourselves into a place of nervous exhaustion! We have to learn to sit back and thank Him once again. He makes me... He leads me. Now this place of rest is, first and foremost spiritually speaking, right in the midst of the problem. It doesn’t mean that anything outwardly has to change. What He is leading, guiding and teaching us is firstly about the inward change to the circumstance even if outwardly things remain the same. But we need to learn to lie down. We are smart enough to do this in the physical. When we get tired we take a rest. It makes sense. It works. But mentally and spiritually we can get really tired trying to work out all our problems and we don’t rest. We lie on our beds yet carry on the same thoughts inside. It leads to burn out, break downs and depression.
Lie down in green pastures… quiet waters – But thank Jesus our great Shepherd that He does bring us to green pastures and quiet waters. They are times, as the Psalm says, when He restores your soul spiritually. They are quiet waters… times when there are no waves and no troubles and you can feed and are restored. Thank God for such times! This feeding is symbolic of being fed spiritually with the word of God. (Heb 5:12-14)
The LORD will provide:
Genesis 22:13-14 "And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. (v.14) And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-Jireh: as it is said to this day, in the mount of the LORD it shall be seen."
Principal of Jireh is fulfilled in the New Testament for any need
Matthew 21:22 "And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive."
Philippians 4:19 "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus."
Conclusion: Verse 2 of Psalm 23 is a testimony of the satisfaction that comes as a result of the "provision" and "peace" that comes from our sheep/shepherd relationship with God.
Different Version: (NASB)
The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters. 3 He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil;
My cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
Word of the Week (# 2) Provider
1. the act of providing or supplying.
2. something provided or supplied.
3. an arrangement or preparation made beforehand, as to meet needs.
4. a clause in a law, legal instrument, etc., providing for something; stipulation; proviso.
5. provisions, supplies of food.
6. an appointment to an ecclesiastical office
God’s Name: God is Jehovah Jireh - The Lord will provide. (Geneses 22:13,14)
(The above names fit this Psalm perfectly. Note how each name is in this Psalm.)
“Father God, You have so many wonderful Names. May I search out the Scripture and really get to know You by Your Names. Each one has a special meaning and gives me deeper understanding to Who You are. Reveal Your character to me today. Amen.”
Question of the week: How does David illustrate the physical necessities that are provided by the Lord?
Questions:
1. Why did satisfaction come for David?
2. A sheep without a shepherd is what?
3. What does Psalm 100 has to say about a Shepherd?
4. If the sheep is too far from the shepherd what happens?
5. Name the characteristics of a shepherd that compare to Christ.
6. The sheep is who, and the shepherd is who?
7. How do this statement reflects a Christian’s life today? “They will mill around and nibble on bits of grass until they have eaten sufficiently. Only when their stomachs are full will they find a quiet place and lie down.”
8. What is the picture of a sheep lying down?
9. Why a sheep doesn’t go near swiftly waters?
10. What do still waters mean?
11. What dis Abraham call the place where he found a ram?
12. Our place of rest is called what?
Father God, bless my life to bear fruit for Your glory in my life, amen.
"He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters."
Father God in heaven, we praise You and honor You for who You are, You are our Shepherd, our Lord, our God, our Creator, and our all in all; Thank You for providing everything we need, and our desires that meet Your plan for our life. We are so grateful indeed. Thank You for this study to learn more of Who You are in Psalm 23. Give us this day our daily need to meet Your plans for our life. Shape and mode us as a potter does the clay in his hand. Help us to find that peace You give, not as the world, but as a loving Shepherd give to His sheep. Father, lead us beside the still waters, so we rest in Your presence, and give us that spiritual water our souls need today. Our desire is to learn more of You, live a knowledgeable life of You, and totally depend upon You eternally, in Jesus’ name we pray, amen.
What caught my attention in this version was the words “Quiet Waters.” It is so important to notice the different words, and then cross reference them, and look up the definition of that word to get a clear understanding what the verse is saying. Let’s look at it………….
Quiet: making little or no noise. "the car has a quiet, economical engine"
This is a place of peace and quiet before the Lord, like our daily quiet time with Him.
Scripture References:
Isaiah 30:15: New American Standard Bible (NASB)
15 For thus the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, has said,
“In repentance and rest you will be saved,
In quietness and trust is your strength.”
But you were not willing,
Footnotes:
Isaiah 30:15 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
Isaiah 30:15 Lit returning
Psalm 46:10: New American Standard Bible (NASB)
10 “Cease striving and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
Footnotes:
Psalm 46:10 Or Let go, relax
Psalm 46:10 Or Gentiles
Let’s read that again!
“The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters. 3 He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil;
My cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”
Now, let’s look at this week’s text………….. “He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters.” The word here is “Quiet waters” This is called digging deep! Quiet waters means still waters here. A place of refuge at any given moment. The Shepherd leads us into a place of peace daily. He is our (My) Shepherd!
God provide us with a quiet place of rest daily. This word is definitely important too. What do it means?
It means to make available; furnish: As a verb it means supply and support. As in our lesson today, the Lord is our Shepherd who supplies all our needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus our Lord. Philippians 4:19
Jehovah-Jireh means His provision shall be seen; Genesis 22:13, 14 says, “Then Abraham raised his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him a ram caught in the thicket by his horns; and Abraham went and took the ram and offered him up for a burnt offering in the place of his son. 14 Abraham called the name of that place The LORD Will Provide, as it is said to this day, “In the mount of the LORD it will be provided.”
How does David illustrate the physical necessities that are provided by the Lord?
- The Lord makes him to lie down in green pastures
- The Lord leads him besides the still waters
Please feel free to add your thoughts on this................
1. Why did satisfaction come for David?
David had a personal relationship with the Lord, his Shepherd.
2. A sheep without a shepherd is what?
A sheep without a shepherd is in a very insecure position.
3. What does Psalm 100 has to say about a Shepherd?
All Men Exhorted to Praise God. A Psalm for Thanksgiving.
“Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth. 2 Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before Him with joyful singing. 3 Know that the LORD Himself is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. 4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving And His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name. 5 For the LORD is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting And His faithfulness to all generations.”
This Psalm encourage us to praise the shepherd who is God. He is good, His lovingkindness last forever, and He is faithfulness to all His sheep and we can trust Him; and we should praise Him.
4. If the sheep is too far from the shepherd what happens?
The distance between the shepherd and the sheep determines the potential for danger. The greater the distance, the greater danger; We must stay close to our Shepherd Jesus at all time.
5. Name the characteristics of a shepherd that compare to Christ.
A shepherd is compassionate. See Matthew 9:36.
A shepherd gives gentle care to his flock of sheep. See Isaiah 40:11.
A shepherd displays much courage. See John 10:11-13.
6. The sheep is who, and the shepherd is who?
Christ is the Shepherd, and Christians who believes is the sheep.
7. How do this statement reflects a Christian’s life today? “They will mill around and nibble on bits of grass until they have eaten sufficiently. Only when their stomachs are full will they find a quiet place and lie down.”
When we study God’s Word we are eating to feed our spirit-man. When our spirit-man is full and has eaten sufficiently, then we can rest in God’s peace through His Word.
8. What is the picture of a sheep lying down?
Sheep resting beside the still waters is a picture of peace and rest. The phrase "still waters" means waters of rest. This picture reminds us of Jesus who said, "Come unto me all you that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28).
9. Why a sheep doesn’t go near swiftly waters?
Sheep are poor swimmers, and their wool coats became soaked with water, and weight them down when wet. It will pull the sheep under water. Spiritually speaking, our Shepherd keeps a watch on us to keep us safe from these kinds of danger. That is why it is good to study God’s Word.
10. What do still waters mean?
Still waters mean waters of rest. A time to rest! These quiet waters bring peace in our life, and these times when there are no waves and no troubles and you can feed your soul spiritually. These are restored times for the soul.
11. What did Abraham call the place where he found a ram?
Jehovah-Jireh (Genesis 22:14), which means my God will provide.
12. Our place of rest is called what?
Our place of rest is called Jehovah-Jireh too, and having a relationship with God that bring satisfaction to our soul because we believe and trust Him to supply all our need. When we need Him we can find a ram caught in a thicket by his horns. He will provide for us today. We must believe! We can enter into His place of rest.
Please share on these questions if you like..........
How does David illustrate the physical necessities that are provided by the Lord?
To me, there are many ways that God provides for His people (sheep). When I lay down at night, the Lord help me to sleep. I am so grateful! When I don't get a peaceful night sleep due to bad dreams, then I pray and talk to God, and my sweet sleep come back. When I can't get good sleep, I do not function good the next day, so I need a good night sleep. I can actually feel God when He is with me, I know that angels are encamped round about me too. That is a good feeling! This is when the Lord led me beside the still waters of peace. Peace in my mind, spirit, and soul. Years ago I had to take Tylenol PM every night to get to sleep, but that was not good for my organs I found out. I prayed and asked God to help me sleep without taking these pills, and He did. That was almost 15 years ago. I am so grateful to be delivered from taking medicine to sleep at night. He leads me beside the still waters through the night too.
Father God, thank You for hearing my prayers when I pray to You. Thank You for setting me free from things I can not control. Thank You for Your lovingkindness. Thank You for joy in my heart. Most of all, thank You for deliverance. Amen.