Reading Psalms 23 can bring me great comfort. What
is a psalm? (An inspired poem or hymn)
The book of Psalms in the Bible: An Old Testament book that contains a
collection of psalms, many of which are about Christ. The book of Psalms is
quoted frequently in the New Testament. David wrote many of the Psalms. The
Psalms were written as praises to God. Many were set to music. (Guide to the
Scriptures | P Psalm.: Entry - The book of Psalms)
In Psalms 23:1-2, David acclaims:
"THE LORD is my shepherd;"
Display the picture: Jesus is the Good Shepherd
Jesus said: "I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
...and I lay down my life for the sheep." (John 10:14-5)
Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd. Symbolically, Jesus' followers are like
sheep whom He watches over. (Guide to the Scriptures | Good Shepherd.)
"And now I say unto you that the good shepherd doth call after you; and if you
will hearken unto his voice he will bring you into his fold, and ye are his
sheep" (Alma 5:60)
Have you ever thought of yourself as one of Christ's sheep?
Display the picture of the sheep.
Each one of you is very precious to Jesus. He promises to take care of you
like a shepherd cares for his flock of sheep.
How does a shepherd care for his sheep?
The sheep know the shepherd's voice, and they follow where he leads them.
He walks in front of them to show them where to go. The shepherd leads his
sheep to green pastures where they find good grass to eat. He also leads them
to water. At night he leads them back to the sheepfold, which is a walled or
fenced area or a cave where the sheep are safe from wild animals and thieves.
The shepherd stands guard at the entrance to the sheepfold and protects his
sheep. (34484, Primary 2, 23: Jesus Christ Is the Good Shepherd, Purpose,
119).
Display the scripture below the sheep, THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD.
In Psalms 23:1-2, David acclaims:
"THE LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green
pastures..."
What does "I shall not want" mean?
He will provide for us.
"For your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him."
(Matt. 6:8)
In what ways does the Lord provide for us?
STORY
The following is a story of a young married couple that was struggling
financially as they were working and trying to make it through graduate
school:
"We were running out of money fast, but hadn't paid our tithing. We talked
about it and realized that we wouldn't feel good about getting behind in our
tithing so that Sunday we paid it. We'd have more money on Saturday, but by
Wednesday I had trouble finding anything to fix the children for lunch.
There was no bread. I didn't even have any yeast or baking powder.
Overwhelmed, I called on the Lord: "We gave all our money for tithing," I
said. "Please don't let us go hungry." I had just risen from my knees when a
knock came at my door. My neighbor was there with a loaf [of bread] she wanted
to give us because it just wouldn't fit in her freezer. With tears in my eyes,
I told her she had just answered my prayer." (Susan Spackman, "Surviving as
Married Students," Ensign, July 1980, 34.)
How was this couple blessed for following Jesus? Did He provide for them?
If we are humble and hearken to our Shepherd's voice He will lead us to green
pastures and still peaceful waters.
"Be thou humble; and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand, and give
thee answer to thy prayers." (D&C 112:10)
What does it mean to be humble? (teachable, soft-hearted, trusting, willing to
follow)
In Psalms 23:2 -3, David sings:
". . . he leadeth me beside the still waters."
and ". . . he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake."
How does the Lord lead us?
Display "He leadeth me" on the board. Write underneath this heading the
following as you discuss them with the children: by His Example, by the Holy
Ghost, by His commandments, by the scriptures, by His living prophet.
By His Example
The prophet Nephi counseled his people: Follow "the example of the Son of the
living God. ... Wherefore, do the things which I have told you I have seen
that your Lord and your Redeemer should do; for, for this cause have they been
shown unto me, that ye might know the gate by which ye should enter. For the
gate by which ye should enter is repentance and baptism by water; and then
cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost." (2 Nephi 31:16
- 17)
As we learn more about Jesus' life and the things that He did, we will know
better how to follow His example.
By the Holy Ghost
" And I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I
should do."
(1 Nephi 4:6)
Many times we are guided by the whisperings of the Spirit to our hearts,
trusting their answers as Nephi did. Jesus will guide us through the
promptings of the Holy Ghost.
By His Commandments
"I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that
the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall
prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth
them." (1 Nephi 3:7)
His commandments are tried and true guides along the path Jesus walks. We can
know as we do that which he has commanded us that we are following Jesus.
By the Scriptures
"Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the
words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do." (2 Nephi 32:3)
By His Living Prophet
"[Christ] spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the
world began" (Luke 1:70)
"...my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine
own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same." (D&C 1:38)
What happens if there comes a time when we choose to not listen to Christ's
voice and wander away from Him?
Alma spoke of wandering sheep: "O ye ... [who] have gone astray, as sheep
having no shepherd, notwithstanding a shepherd hath called after you and is
still calling after you, but ye will not hearken unto his voice" (Alma 5:37-
38)
Christ taught about how concerned He was with each of his precious wandering
sheep in the following parable.
"What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not
leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost,
until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his
shoulders, rejoicing....Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the
presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth." (Luke 15:4 -
10)
"Behold, he sendeth an invitation unto all men, for the arms of mercy are
extended towards them, and he saith: Repent, and I will receive you. Yea, he
saith: Come unto me" (Alma 5:33 - 34)
When we repent, He lovingly brings us back to His paths and restores us to His
flock.
In Psalms 23:3, David sings: "He restoreth my soul"
In a very real way Jesus is the one who can restore our wandering souls back
to the presence of God. He said: "I am the good shepherd, ...and I lay down my
life for the sheep." (John 10:14-5)
Jesus laid down his life for each of us. Through His Atonement, He "walk [ed]
through the valley of the shadow of death," and "fear[ed] no evil" as he
suffered for each of our sins, pains, sicknesses and trials. He suffered so
greatly, so he would "be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he
may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their
infirmities." (See Psalms 23:4 and Alma 7:11-12) He suffered greatly
during the atonement for each of us personally, so he could perfectly
understand and love us. With perfect and complete mercy He leads us along and
will never forsake us.
When we walk with God, we can say, as David did, "Yea, though I walk through
the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me;
thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." (Psalms 23:4)
"The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?" (Psalm 27:1).
Jesus has walked the path before us. There is nothing we need to fear so long
as He is our Shepherd.
And as we persevere down the path, walking with our Shepherd, we can say:
"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will
dwell in the house of the LORD for ever." (Psalms 23:3 - 6)
Where is the Lord leading us? Home to Him and to our Heavenly Father, to share
with them eternal life.
If we hearken to the voice of our shepherd, "if we shall press forward,
feasting upon [his guiding word], and endure to the end, behold, thus saith
the Father: Ye shall have eternal life" (2 Nephi 31:20), "which gift is the
greatest of all the gifts of God." (D&C 14:7)
May each of us this week have Him to be our shepherd, listen to his call and
follow his guiding voice.
Close with your testimony. If there is time, sing Hymn #108, "The Lord is My
Shepherd"