Focus: The Shepherd's Presence

Text: Ps.23:4

"Thou art with me."

Interestingly, our text is at the very middle of Psalms 23 in the original, meaning that it is the key message of the chapter.

Both at the beginning and at the end of the chapter we find YHVH or Yahweh, and here also at the center we find Him. What a critical and vital middle!

David is the sheep of this psalm, and he is experiencing, cherishing, and confidently confessing to the reality of Yahweh's presence amid the gloom or the dark place.

The sheep extremely desires and treasures the presence of the shepherd. The sheep is helpless and defenseless without the shepherd.

The sheep needs the constant company of the shepherd.

So David is saying in essence, 'You - YAHWEH - are with me.' As I go through rough and tough times, You - YAHWEH - are with me. As I face the ups and downs of life, You - YAHWEH - are with me. As I walk through the darkest places of life or come to the critical junctures of life where decisions are hard to make, You - YAHWEH - are with me. As I go through different stages of life - infancy, adolescence, middle age and old age - and move from the cradle to the grave, I am absolutely sure that you - YAHWEH - are with me. Your presence is my assurance. In your presence I find fullest joy and limitless pleasure.

There's nothing the sheep cherishes most as the shepherd's presence. God tells Joshua, and by extension, us, "Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest" - Josh.1:9.

Thank you Jesus! Hallelujah!

by Bishop Moses E. Peter