Daily Chapel

Date: 04-30-2021

Scripture Lesson:Psalm 23

Preacher: Silas Dose

Description: Reading: Psalm 23 Martin Luther commented on Psalm 23 saying, “Psalm 23 is a psalm of thanks, in which a Christian heart praises and thanks God for teaching it and leading it in right ways. Christians recognize that they are sheep, and their true Shepherd, Jesus, comforts and protects them in every need through his holy Word. With that Word, the Good Shepherd grazes us in fresh grass and at cool waters, while the table, cup, and oil are Old Testament references to divine worship.” We conclude our Good Shepherd week by reclining in the idealistic pastures with Jesus. Every Christian can say that Jesus is רֹ֝עִ֗י. What is particularly striking about Psalm 23 is that it comes after Psalm 22 (I know a radical thought!). Charles Spurgeon captured this important positioning: “The position of this psalm is worthy of notice. It follows the twenty-second, which is peculiarly the Psalm of the Cross. There are no green pastures, no still waters on the other side of the twenty-second psalm. It is only after we have read, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" that we come to "The Lord is my Shepherd." We must by experience know the value of blood-shedding, and see the sword awakened against the Shepherd, before we shall be able truly to know the Sweetness of the good Shepherd's care.” As we prepare to be shepherds of the cross and we feel that Psalm 22-like weight on our shoulders every time we put on our stoles, Psalm 23 leads us out of that dark valley into the waiting arms of our Good Chief-Shepherd. Speaker: Silas Dose Psalm: WELS Hymnal Project – Psalm 23 (E) My Shepherd is the LORD