Psalm 23 Devotional:

GNV: 1 Because the Prophet had proved the great mercies of God at divers times, and in sundry manners, he gathereth a certain assurance, fully persuading himself that God will continue the very same goodness towards him forever.

A Psalm of David.

23:1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

4 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.

5 Thou dost prepare a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou dost anoint my head with oil; and my cup runneth over.

6 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.

Previously we saw in the Psalm the doctrine of the providence of God, that God dearly careth for us, and evermore promiseth to be our guide and shepherd. Therefore doth David say, “The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.” we also noted that this Psalm is restricted from heretics and unbelievers, even as the scriptures are covenantal and exclusive by nature, and it is not for every man to take what he will from the holy word and leave the rest. For if we are to be accounted as true Christians before God, we must take God at His word, and believe the whole of it. For it is not possible to deny God His right of sovereignty and dominion, or Christ His full satisfaction for sin, or the Spirit His powerful work of regeneration and maintain a profession of faith, for these are essential to the Godhead, and scripture falls to the ground if they be not upheld. We therefore brethren, if we are to receive true comfort from the word amidst our trial and affliction, must believe the word of God and fall before Him in reverent confidence, knowing that He will lead and guide us to the end of our days, even as it is written, “Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself. Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.” Therefore we must take the LORD to be our only refuge and shelter and come to Him alone for guidance and comfort. We saw also that inasmuch as we are fed by the word and led into green pastures by the shepherds God has put over us, we are moreover supplied with the grace of the Spirit that we might profit therein. See then the effect of hearing the word with grace. “He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” David found the word of God to be comfort for his weary soul, and a certain and effectual compass to direct him in the paths of righteousness, even as it is written, “In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul.” and again, “This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me.” and again, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” and again, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” so that we know assuredly what the prophet meaneth when he saith, “he restoreth my soul”. For by affliction our spirits are made weary, and by the encouragement of the word they are restored again. David found this to be so by experience, and so do all the people of God. So David saith again in another place, “My soul fainteth for thy salvation: but I hope in thy word.” and so the people of God who find their rest and comfort and hope in him, rather than complaining at the disposal of providence which may be hard or cause great grief or suffering on their part, yet may they ever say that God leads them in upright paths, inasmuch as whatsoever is done to them is for their benefit, and they may rejoice that all the works of God are in righteousness, and for His own name’s sake, that we may neither complain at providence or boast in the works which we have been led to by His loving hand. So then assuredly when God leadeth us into green pastures, and beside the still waters, that is the preaching of the gospel blessed with the dew of heaven from above, truly our soul may take its delight in God and boldly say with all the godly, “thy word is my comfort and delight, and by it my soul is restored, and led in the paths of righteousness for thy name’s sake.”

Calvin,
As it is the duty of a good shepherd to cherish his sheep, and when they are diseased or weak to nurse and support them, David declares that this was the manner in which he was treated by God. The restoring of the soul, as we have translated it, or the conversion of the soul, as it is, literally rendered, is of the same import as to make anew, or to recover, as has been already stated in the 19th psalm, at the seventh verse. By the paths of righteousness, he means easy and plain paths. As he still continues his metaphor, it would be out of place to understand this as referring to the direction of the Holy Spirit. He has stated a little before that God liberally supplies him with all that is requisite for the maintenance of the present life, and now he adds, that he is defended by him from all trouble. The amount of what is said is, that God is in no respect wanting to his people, seeing he sustains them by his power, invigorates and quickens them, and averts from them whatever is hurtful, that they may walk at ease in plain and straight paths. That, however, he may not ascribe any thing to his own worth or merit, David represents the goodness of God as the cause of so great liberality, declaring that God bestows all these things upon him for his own name’s sake. And certainly his choosing us to be his sheep, and his performing towards us all the offices of a shepherd, is a blessing which proceeds entirely from his free and sovereign goodness, as we shall see in the sixty-fifth psalm.

Dickson,
He goeth on numbring the benefits following from the fore∣said relation; partly shewing what experience he hath had, partly assuring himself what further to find. Whence learn, 1. As the Shepherd provideth good and wholesome pasture for his sheep, and a place of safety and rest, with the commodity of all needfull refreshment of calme running waters: So doth the Lord furnish the food of life to the believer with quiet rest, and satisfaction of timous consolation, by his word and Spirit: He maketh me lie down in green pastures, &c. 2. It is possible through the evill that is in us, we fall in decay of graces, in sicknesses of divers sorts; yea, and that we wander away from the Shepherd, and the society of the flock sometime. In which case we should perish, if our carefull Lord did not apply himselfe to our necessities, to relieve us; for it is he that restoreth our soul. It is he that reclaimeth us from our wandrings: it is he that di∣recteth us, and keepeth us from going on still in by-paths. He leadeth me, saith he, in the paths of righteousnesse. 3. It is not for any good we deserve, or have done, or can do, for which he taketh such care of his weak and foolish children. It is for the glory of his free-grace, constant love, and sworn covenant, even for his own Names sake.

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Therefore seeing that God is so good to us as to lead us in paths of righteousness, not for any merit or work of ours but grace for grace, let us come before Him with glad hearts, delighting in his worship and hearkening to his word.

Opening Prayer.

Intro. What are the fundamentals of the faith?

Although some of the orthodox hold to more, others to fewer articles of faith, they do not differ in reality, but only in the words and manner of proposing them. Some bring them into more general and summary classes; others classify them more particularly and as to parts (kata merē). Hence some limit the foundation of salvation to the sole truth concerning Jesus Christ as our crucified Redeemer from 1 Cor. 2:2; this however, embraces many others. Others limit it to the two concerning the knowledge of God and of Christ from Jn. 17:3. Others again extend them to four heads, theoretical as well as practical; others to six. But they all agree in these fundamental articles: the doctrines concerning the sacred Scriptures as inspired (theopneustō), being the only and perfect rule of faith; concerning the unity of God and the Trinity; concerning Christ, the Redeemer, and his most perfect satisfaction; concerning sin and its penalty —death; concerning the law and its inability to save; concerning justification by faith; concerning the necessity of grace and of good works, sanctification and the worship of God, the church, the resurrection of the dead, the final judgment and eternal life and such as are connected with these. All these are so strictly joined together that they mutually depend upon each other. One cannot be withdrawn without overthrowing all the rest.
(Turretin)

Thomas Manton’s Epistle to the Christian Reader.
Lesson 33. The necessity of reaffirming the fundamentals.

Parents have so used them to be unruly, that ministers have to deal but with too few but the unruly. And it is for want of this laying the foundation well at first, that professors themselves are so ignorant as most are, and that so many, especially of the younger sort, do swallow down almost any error that is offered them, and follow any sect of dividers that will entice them, so it be but done with earnestness and plausibility. For, alas! though by the grace of God their hearts may be changed in an hour, (whenever they understand but the essentials of the faith,) yet their understandings must have time and diligence to furnish them with such knowledge as must stablish them, and fortify them against deceits. Upon these, and many the like considerations, we should entreat all Christian families to take more pains in this necessary work, and to get better acquainted with the substance of Christianity. And, to that end, (taking along some moving treatises to awake the heart,) I know not what work should be fitter for their use, than that compiled by the Assembly at Westminster; a Synod of as godly, judicious divines, (notwithstanding all the bitter words which they have received from discontented and self-conceited men,) I verily think, as ever England saw. Though they had the unhappiness to be employed in calamitous times, when the noise of wars did stop men’s ears, and the licentiousness of wars did set every wanton tongue and pen at liberty to reproach them, and the prosecution and event of those wars did exasperate partial discontented men to dishonour themselves by seeking to dishonour them; I dare say, if in the days of old, when councils were in power and account, they had had but such a council of bishops, as this of presbyters was, the fame of it for learning and holiness, and all ministerial abilities, would, with very great honour, have been transmitted to posterity. I do therefore desire, that all masters of families would first study well this work themselves, and then teach it their children and servants, according to their several capacities. And, if they once understand these grounds of religion, they will be able to read other books more understandingly, and hear sermons more profitably, and confer more judiciously, and hold fast the doctrine of Christ more firmly, than ever you are like to do by any other course. First, let them read and learn the Shorter Catechism, and next the Larger, and lastly, read the Confession of Faith.

Thus far he, whose name I shall conceal, (though the excellency of the matter, and present style, will easily discover him,) because I have published it without his privity and consent, though, I hope, not against his liking and approbation. I shall add no more, but that I am, Thy servant, in the Lord’s work,
Thy servant, in the Lord’s work, THOMAS MANTON

1. The problem of unruly hearers.
i. Unprepared to hear the word.
ii. False notions of the church.
iii. False opinions taken for authority.

2. The cause of unruly listeners.
i. Want of laying the foundation.
ii. What is the foundation?
iii. The means of grace and the necessity of preaching among the essentials of the faith.

3. Repetition of the main articles of Christianity is not superfluous but necessary.
i. Reading of scripture daily.
ii. Memorizing and reciting the catechism.
iii. Reading the scripture proofs after each question.
iv. Comparing it to the doctrine.

4. If Parents are to instruct their children in the fundamentals they must themselves be instructed.
i. By the hearing of the word preached.
ii. By diligent reading.
iii. By prayer.
iv. By careful instruction.

5. The grace of God is necessary for all this.
i. The sovereignty of God.
ii. The effect of grace.
iii. Good works and good leadership. [Eph. 4:29]

6. This preface and letter leads to a conclusion.
If children are to be raised to the glory of God, and it is for want of knowledge that minsters deal with the unruly, if knowledge of the fundamentals would certainly establish them in the faith by the grace of God, then the Westminster Confession and catechisms are invaluable tools for the Christian, effectual for the building up the house of God.

7. The devil used the English Civil War as a means to stop men’s hearts against the grace of God.
i. Anglicanism the new popery.
ii. The influence of the King.
iii. The influence of Laud and the Anglican church.
iv. Division among professing Protestants and the authority of preaching.

8. Let us be on guard therefore and not stop our ears at the truth, but continue where these godly men left off, raising our children as godly and reformed, that they may shine as lights in this world of darkness.
[Phil. 2:14-16, Matt. 5:11-16]
i. To be materially successful is not to shine.
ii. To be highly capable and intelligent is not to shine.
iii. To have great charisma and influence is not to shine.
iv. To be filled with the knowledge of God and able to resist the temptations of the world and the heresies of the false church is truly to shine.
v. The use of the confessions in this.

Conclusion.

Closing Prayer.

YouTube Audio: https://youtu.be/FOfQCukNpww