How Shepherds Bring Peace - Psalm 23

BBCC Bible Study Notes

How Shepherds Bring Peace — Psalm 23

December 15, 2024 · Pastor Samuel Sutter

Introduction

Shepherds exist because peace doesn't. The presence of a shepherd is an acknowledgment that the sheep face real dangers they cannot handle alone.

I. Shepherds in the Christmas Story

The shepherds who appear in the Christmas story were in Bethlehem — the city of David — and that is no accident. David himself began as a shepherd before he became king. When Saul doubted the young David before his fight with Goliath, David pointed to his experience protecting the flock:

"But David said to Saul, 'Your servant has been keeping his father's sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear…'" (1 Samuel 17:34–36, NIV)

II. God as Our Shepherd (Psalm 23)

"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever." (Psalm 23:1–6, NIV)

That Yahweh is "shepherd" is consistent with claims elsewhere that he is "king" — ancient Near Eastern monarchs also described themselves as shepherding their people. It is especially significant that David, who understood himself to be the shepherd of Israel, should speak of Yahweh as "my shepherd." This is a way of acknowledging that Yahweh is the power behind the throne of David and, in reality, the true king of Israel. (Wilson)

The focus of "I shall not want" is not on desiring something but on lacking something needed. The psalmist does not mean that Yahweh gives us everything we desire. Rather, those who trust in Yahweh as sheep do in a shepherd will never lack for whatever they truly need. In the verses that follow, the psalmist illustrates how the shepherd-God supplies abundantly all that his trusting people require. (Wilson)

III. Jesus, the Good Shepherd

Jesus connects himself directly to this shepherd tradition. He is the fulfillment of everything the shepherd imagery in the Psalms and the Old Testament pointed toward. The presence of the shepherd is what brings peace and security to the sheep — and so it is with Jesus among his people.

IV. Conclusion: Finding Peace in Jesus

Jesus, our Good Shepherd, saves his sheep. Through faith in him we find security, provision, and ultimately, peace. The first step toward peace with God is to recognize that there has been a conflict — to admit that even the good things we have done have often been done to assert our independence from our Creator. When we confess that we cannot save ourselves and rest wholly on what Jesus has done, we have finally made peace with God. (Keller)

And that peace does not stop with us. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells his disciples that they can be "peacemakers" (Matthew 5:9). Those who have made peace with God have learned how to admit flaws and weakness, how to surrender pride, and how to love without needing to control every situation. Christians should be fanning out into the world as agents of reconciliation — among families, neighbors, races, and classes. Christmas means the increase of peace, both with God and between people, across the face of the world. (Keller)

BBCC Verse of the Week — Psalm 23:6 (NIV)

"Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever."

Discussion Questions

1. David's credibility as a fighter came from his experience as a shepherd defending his flock. What does that tell us about how God prepares people for larger roles through faithful work in smaller ones?
2. Psalm 23 moves from green pastures and still waters to the valley of the shadow of death — and the tone doesn't become fearful. What is the reason given, and what does that mean for how we face difficult seasons?
3. Wilson notes that "I shall not want" is about lacking what we need, not about getting everything we desire. How does that distinction change the way you read God's promise of provision?
4. Keller says peacemakers are people who, through making peace with God, have learned new skills that defuse conflict with others. Where in your relationships right now might those skills be most needed?