A Psalm from Experience, Ps.23
Intro
1. Read Psalm 23 silently.
2. The diff betw stating something that is true and knowing from experience that something is
true. Ps 23 is such a statement. It’s a Ps many know by heart and others know by experience. It
is a masterpiece of poetry, but even more significant, it is one of the deepest, personal
expressions of testimonial truth in the Bible (truth born from experience).
3. There are intense testimonial truths in Scripture…where truths about God and life and the
future erupt from a personal experience with God. Is 6, Job 38-42, 2 Cor.12, Dan 7-12, Rev.1-22.
Sometimes those personal experiences with God are immediate (a one time event) and
sometimes they are over a lifetime.
4. Reading Ps.23 sometimes takes you to a place of hope and peace. It is read at an appropriate
occasion and like good medicine it brings healing. It is a pill for a problem. It does serve that
purpose but for David it was something much truer and more significant than a comforting
statement.
5. When David write this Psalm?
a. Some think this is the musings of David the shepherd boy who sees an analogy of
earthly shepherds and our Heavenly shepherd
b. Others think it comes from David the King who was caught up in a moment of worship
and divine inspiration.
c. I think it’s a declaration of an old man who has experienced God through a lifetime of
trouble and triumph. The depth and maturity of Ps leads me to believe that is was
written near the end of his life. Most people don’t write something so profound and
personal and powerful from limited experience. It comes from a long history in God.
d. In movies, sometimes they begin with the last scene of a person’s life or experience. The
person will be doing something profound and saying something important and then
they go back and tell the story of how they got to that place. I believe the same with
this song. There is a huge and long history behind it.
6. The old hymns, Amazing Grace and It Is Well, were written out of the author’s personal
experience with God. There is a story behind those songs. Understanding their stories deepens
the significance of the words. It moves them from being true to being profound. I believe the
same of this song that David wrote.
7. There are many ways to look at this Psalm – Interpretive (what does it mean); Personal (what
does it mean to me); Pastoral (how do I pray it for others or minister to others) or Testimonial
(how I have experienced God). Last week, Keith brought testimonial truth…how he has
experienced God. Likewise, I believe it’s the way we have to approach this Psalm. It is David’s
experience with God.
8. Today, I want you to enter into David’s world, not as an observer or listener, but as David.
David’s life was one of the messiest and most blessed; it was a life that was disastrous & difficult
and yet most amazing & miraculous in the entire Bible.
The Story behind the Song (Ps are songs)
1. David experienced vicious warfare – 1 Sam.17
a. As an officer in Saul’s army – 1 Sam 17 (David has killed 10’s of thousands)
b. As the commander of Israel’s troops – 1 Sam.18
c. The warfare back then was barbaric…hand to hand…wounded left to die…massive
infections…
d. 2 Sam 2-5 – war between Israel (led by Ishbosheth) and Judah( led by David, 3.1) which
lasted 7 years
e. 2 Sam 5 – defeated the Jebusites who lived in Jerusalem and continued his warfare
against the Phil
f. 2 Sam.8 – Many military victories that killed 40,000+
g. 2 Sam.10 – Killed 40K Ammonite soldiers
h. 2 Sam 22 – David almost killed in battle against the Phil.
i. He easily was directly involved in 100K enemies of Israel being killed in warfare, plus the
loss of his own troops.
j. You can see the toll this takes on David as you read of his response to the deaths of Saul,
Jonathan, Abner and Absalom
k. David suffered from PTSD. 40+ years of active warfare had taken a deep toll on him.
2. David experienced extreme hardship
a. 1 S 18 & 19 – Saul trying to kill David with a spear on two occasion
b. 1 S 21 – David running for his life from Saul
i. One moment he is the chosen commander of Israel’s armies and the next he is
the escaping outlaw with a bounty on his head.
c. 1 S 21.12-22.1- David acting like a madman so he isn’t killed by the Phil
d. 1 Sam 22 - The murder by Saul of people who were being kind to David
e. 1 Sam.23-24 – David fighting the Philistines and then fleeing from Saul
f. 1 Sam.25 – David intends to kill Nabal for his insolence
g. 1 Sam.26.1-4 – David pursued by Saul
h. How does constant and extreme conflict effect you? Especially, conflict with former
close allies?
3. David experienced moral failure
a. 2 Sam.11 – Committed adultery with Bethsheba and then had her husband killed during
a battle.
b. 2 Sam.12 – publicly rebuked by Nathan
c. 2 Sam 24/1 Ch 21 – David’s sin of pride and unbelief led the deaths of 70,000 Israelites
d. You’re David. 70K people died b/c of your sin. How do you come to grips with that? I
don’t know if anyone has ever killed a person either in warfare or defense or on
accident, but it has to be a challenge
4. David experienced family conflict
a. 2 Sam.6 - His wife, Michal, rejects David
b. 2 Sam 13 – David’s children: a daughter, Tamar, is sexually assaulted by Amnon, her
half-brother, who then he is murdered in a revenge killing by Tamar’s brother, Absalom.
c. 2 Sam 13-14 – Absalom runs away from his father which led to the death of a half-son
who was the perpetrator at the hands of his half-brother, Absalom.
d. 1 K 1-2 – His son, Adonijah, tries to take the throne from Solomon and Solomon has him
put to death
e. We see that David was not a disciplinarian and he tended not to address difficult issues
in his family. He would just push people aside.
5. David experienced political insurrection
a. 2 Sam 15 – Absalom contrives an insurrection against his father, David, and for a time is
the ruler of Israel. He summons to join him for the hunt for his father and his father’s
troops. A battle ensues and David defeats his son’s army and his son is killed.
b. 2 Sam 20 – Sheba, a Benjamite, summons the men of Israel to revolt against David
which they do. Eventually, Sheba is cornered in a city and killed.
c. How do you manage a gov’t when people w/in your own household are gunning for
your position…when people are not loyal to you, but only desire to see their agenda
done.
6. David experienced Satanic temptation – 2 Sam24/1 Chron 21. One of the very few times in the
OT where Satan is mentioned.
7. David experienced personal betrayal
a. The betrayal of King Saul who said he would not harm David – 1 Sam.24, 26
b. The betrayal of the city leaders of Keilah – 1 Sam 23
c. The betrayal of a key advisor, Ahithophel – 2 Sam.15
d. The betrayal of his sons Absalom and Adonijah both who tried to assume the throne of
their father – 2 Sam 15-17 (insurrection), 1 K 1 -2 (pretension).
e. The betrayal of troops and generals who supported Absalom rather than David – 2 Sam
15
f. The betrayal of key leaders and generals who supported David’s son Adonijah as King
rather than David’s choice, Solomon – 1 K 1.
g. Have you ever had someone close to you betray you…turn on you…reject you…how
does that affect your personal walk with God.
Conclusion
Throughout his life, David experienced both the power of God’s presence and the deepest wells of
depression. The love of God poured through him and the vilest of sins were committed by him. You can
hear and feel his heart throb in both joy and agony in the Psalms.
Yet, Psalm 23 stands apart. This Psalm is his story.
If you asked David today, “David, tell me your testimony…tell me how God has worked in your life…what
has God done for you” He would say, “Interpretive Reading of Ps.23”.
The purpose of this message is not to say: Look at everything David experienced and you’re whining
about your life? Come on, get over it!
The purpose of this message is to say: What David experienced -the shepherding heart of God- is
available to everyone here. The revelation of the Lord being our shepherd is not exclusive to people who
have it all together and who are living a worshipful and godly life. It is available also to those like David
who are living on the ragged edge of life where the torrent of sin and hardship collide with the streams
of purity and hope. In that collision, one can find that the Lord is your shepherd.
Jesus is here today ready to give that revelation for he said of himself, “I am the Good Shepherd.”
Take 3 – 5 minutes and encounter Him in this Psalm. If you’re in a good place, then pray for those who
aren’t.
What David experienced is what we can each experience.