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 the doctrine of the providence of God as the general context of the Psalm, how that David by experience found God to be merciful and gracious towards him and therefore was he ever confident of His continued love and watchful care over him. And this is essential to our daily life and activity, even to know that whatsoever happens to us is the course and direction which our heavenly and loving Father hath ordained, and that being justified by the blood of the Son, we are beloved in Him and therefore taken care of by God more scrupulously and carefully than any human father in this world can boast. For David does not mean only to say that God takes care of us as pertaining to the flesh, but that all good things are ours through Christ our true Shepherd. For we must also remember that although David knew not Christ as being fully exhibited in the glories of the gospel which we now have in the new covenant, yet he looked forward to them, and the substance of his faith was the same as ours, as Augustine and Henry have said concerning this Psalm. Therefore as this Psalm speaks of God’s providence and care for us, it must by necessity be according to the gospel of Jesus Christ, for it is certain that we cannot be beloved and taken up into the arms of God’s watchful care except we be forgiven and justified before Him as we said previously, concerning the intimate connection of this passage with Rom. 5:1. And therefore whatsoever comfort this passage affords us, it must be through Jesus Christ our Shepherd and Mediator, for without Him, the wrath of God is upon us all. We must remark then upon this point that David next makes, for as we have said that God’s bounty is not limited to the things in this life, (though it may include them for our refreshment and ease,) so it must be that He takes care of us according to our spiritual needs. For inasmuch as we proclaim the principles of the gospel, that if we are to be saved we must be elected, Christ must lay down His life a sacrifice for us, must drink the wrath of God on our behalf, purchase for us all things necessary for our salvation including the gifts and graces of the Spirit, so this is chiefly and particularly what is meant here by the providence of God. So as David saith, “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” while this may pertain to the things of this life that we are in need of for daily sustenance, that is not chiefly what is to be understood, but the more hidden and spiritual world is more particularly to be noted and understood. So then we see an easy transition to the next part where David saith, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me” which could not be properly understood except that he was confident that God would be His God beyond death, as it is written, “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee” and again, “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?” Verily then as we believe it, we know certainly that David also believed in the resurrection and expected that God’s goodness towards Him extended beyond this mortal coil, which could not have but afforded him significant comfort and joy. Let us then as David bear in mind that Christ shall be with us in life and unto death and that He will bear us up in His arms and deliver us to His Father who sent the Son for our salvation, that we might be delivered from death. And let us keep this also in mind that we bear no hard thoughts towards him on behalf of the many grievances we suffer but commit it to Him who is always righteous and loves His people dearly, even to their dying breath and beyond the grave.

Calvin,
True believers, although they dwell safely under the protection of God, are, notwithstanding, exposed to many dangers, or rather they are liable to all the afflictions which befall mankind in common, that they may the better feel how much they need the protection of God. David, therefore, here expressly declares, that if any adversity should befall him, he would lean upon the providence of God. Thus he does not promise himself continual pleasures; but he fortifies himself by the help of God courageously to endure the various calamities with which he might be visited. Pursuing his metaphor, he compares the care which God takes in governing true believers to a shepherd’s staff and crook, declaring that he is satisfied with this as all-sufficient for the protection of his life. As a sheep, when it wanders up and down through a dark valley, is preserved safe from the attacks of wild beasts and from harm in other ways, by the presence of the shepherd alone, so David now declares that as often as he shall be exposed to any danger, he will have sufficient defense and protection in being under the pastoral care of God. We thus see how, in his prosperity, he never forgot that he was a man, but even then seasonably meditated on the adversities which afterwards might come upon him. And certainly, the reason why we are so terrified, when it pleases God to exercise us with the cross, is, because every man, that he may sleep soundly and undisturbed, wraps himself up in carnal security. But there is a great difference between this sleep of stupidity and the repose which faith produces. Since God tries faith by adversity, it follows that no one truly confides in God, but he who is armed with invincible constancy for resisting all the fears with which he may be assailed. Yet David did not mean to say that he was devoid of all fear, but only that he would surmount it so as to go without fear wherever his shepherd should lead him. This appears more clearly from the context. He says, in the first place, I will fear no evil; but immediately adding the reason of this, he openly acknowledges that he seeks a remedy against his fear in contemplating, and having his eyes fixed on, the staff of his shepherd: For thy staff and thy crook comfort me. What need would he have had of that consolation, if he had not been disquieted and agitated with fear? It ought, therefore, to be kept in mind, that when David reflected on the adversities which might befall him, he became victorious over fear and temptations, in no other way than by casting himself on the protection of God. This he had also stated before, although a little more obscurely, in these words, For thou art with me. This implies that he had been afflicted with fear. Had not this been the case, for what purpose could he desire the presence of God? Besides, it is not against the common and ordinary calamities of life only that he opposes the protection of God, but against those which distract and confound the minds of men with the darkness of death. For the Jewish grammarians think that צלמות, tsalmaveth, which we have translated the shadow of death, is a compound word, as if one should say deadly shade. David here makes an allusion to the dark recesses or dens of wild beasts, to which when an individual approaches he is suddenly seized at his first entrance with an apprehension and fear of death. Now, since God, in the person of his only begotten Son, has exhibited himself to us as our shepherd, much more clearly than he did in old time to the fathers who lived under the Law, we do not render sufficient honor to his protecting care, if we do not lift our eyes to behold it, and keeping them fixed upon it, tread all fears and terrors under our feet.

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Therefore seeing that the faithful in times past ever relied on God as their comfort and support, let us do likewise, coming before Him to worship in true faith, confident that He will bless us by His word.

Opening Prayer.

Intro.

Thomas Watson Discourse on Catechising.

**’If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled.’ – Col 1:13.**

Intending next Lord’s day to enter upon the work of catechising, it will not be amiss to give you a preliminary discourse, to show you how needful it is for Christians to be well instructed in the grounds of religion. *’If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled.’*

**I. It is the duty of Christians to be settled in the doctrine of faith.**

**II. The best way for Christians to be settled is to be well grounded.**

**I. It is the duty of Christians to be settled in the doctrine of faith.**

It is the apostle’s prayer, *1 Peter 5:10*, ‘The God of all grace stablish, strengthen, settle you.’ That is, that they might not be meteors in the air, but fixed stars. The apostle Jude speaks of ‘wandering stars,’ in *verse 13*. They are called wandering stars because, as Aristotle says, ‘They do leap up and down, and wander into several parts of the heaven; and being but dry exhalations, not made of that pure celestial matter as the fixed stars are, they often fall to the earth.’ Now, such as are not settled in religion will, at one time or another, prove wandering stars; they will lose their former steadfastness and wander from one opinion to another. Such as are unsettled are of the tribe of Reuben, ‘unstable as water,’ *Genesis 49:4*; like a ship without ballast, overturned with every wind of doctrine.

Beza writes of one Belfectius, that his religion changed as the moon. The Arians had every year a new faith. These are not pillars in the temple of God, but reeds shaken every way. The apostle calls them ‘damnable heresies.’ *2 Peter 2:1*. A man may go to hell as well for heresy as for adultery. To be unsettled in religion argues a lack of judgement. If their heads were not giddy, men would not reel so fast from one opinion to another. It also argues lightness. As feathers will be blown every way, so will feathery Christians. *Triticum non rapit ventus inanes palae jactantur* (Cyprian). Therefore, such are compared to children. *Ephesians 4:14*, ‘That we be no more children, tossed to and fro.’ Children are fickle—sometimes of one mind, sometimes of another; nothing pleases them long. So unsettled Christians are childish; the truths they embrace at one time, they reject at another. Sometimes they like the Protestant religion, and soon after they have a good mind to turn Papists.

1. **It is the great end of the word preached, to bring us to a settlement in religion.**

*Ephesians 4:11-14*, ‘And he gave some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the edifying of the body of Christ; that we henceforth be no more children.’ The word is called a hammer, *Jeremiah 23:29*. Every blow of the hammer is to fasten the nails of the building; so the preacher’s words are to fasten you the more to Christ; they weaken themselves to strengthen and settle you. This is the grand design of preaching: not only for the enlightening, but for the establishing of souls; not only to guide them in the right way but to keep them in it. Now, if you are not settled, you do not answer God’s end in giving you the ministry.

2. **To be settled in religion is both a Christian’s excellence and honour.**

It is his excellence. When the milk is settled it turns to cream; now he will be zealous for the truth and walk in close communion with God. And it is his honour. *Proverbs 16:31*, ‘The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness.’ It is one of the best sights to see an old disciple; to see silver hairs adorned with golden virtues.

3. **Such as are not settled in the faith can never suffer for it.**

Sceptics in religion hardly ever prove martyrs. They that are not settled hang in suspense; when they think of the joys of heaven, they will espouse the gospel, but when they think of persecution, they desert it. Unsettled Christians do not consult what is best, but what is safest. *The apostate,* says Tertullian, *seems to put God and Satan in balance, and having weighed both their services, prefers the devil’s service, and proclaims him to be the best master: and, in this sense, may be said to put Christ to open shame* (*Hebrews 6:6*). He will never suffer for the truth, but be like a soldier who leaves his colours and runs over to the enemy’s side; he will fight on the devil’s side for pay.

4. **Not to be settled in the faith is provoking to God.**

To espouse the truth, and then to fall away, brings an ill report upon the gospel, which will not go unpunished. *Psalm 78:57-59*, ‘They turned back, and dealt unfaithfully. When God heard this, he was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel.’ The apostate drops as a windfall into the devil’s mouth.

5. **If you are not settled in religion, you will never grow.**

We are commanded ‘to grow up into the head, even Christ,’ *Ephesians 4:15*. But if we are unsettled, there is no growing: ‘the plant which is continually removing never thrives.’ He can no more grow in godliness who is unsettled than a bone can grow in the body that is out of joint.

6. **There is great need to be settled because there are so many things to unsettle us.**

Seducers are abroad, whose work is to draw away people from the principles of religion. *1 John 2:26*, ‘These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.’ Seducers are the devil’s factors; they are of all others the greatest felons who would rob you of the truth. Seducers have silver tongues that can put off bad wares; they have a sleight to deceive, *Ephesians 4:14*. The Greek word there is taken from those that can throw dice and cast them for the best advantage. So seducers are impostors, they can throw the dice; they can so dissemble and sophisticate the truth that they can deceive others.

Seducers deceive by wisdom of words, *Romans 16:18*, ‘By good words and fair speeches they deceive the hearts of the simple.’ They have fine, elegant phrases, flattering language, whereby they work on the weaker sort. Another sleight is a pretence of extraordinary piety, that so people may admire them and suck in their doctrine. They seem to be men of zeal and sanctity and to be divinely inspired, and they pretend to new revelations. A third cheat of seducers is laboring to vilify and nullify sound orthodox teachers. They would eclipse those that bring the truth, like black vapours that darken the light of heaven; they would defame others so that they themselves may be more admired. Thus the false teachers cried down Paul so that they might be received, *Galatians 4:17*.

The fourth cheat of seducers is to preach the doctrine of liberty: as though men are freed from the moral law, the rule as well as the curse, and Christ has done all for them, so they need to do nothing. Thus, they make the doctrine of free grace a key to open the door to all licentiousness. Another means to unsettle Christians is persecution, *2 Timothy 3:12*. The gospel is a rose that cannot be plucked without prickles. The legacy Christ has bequeathed is the CROSS. While there is a devil and a wicked man in the world, never expect a charter of exemption from trouble. How many fall away in an hour of persecution! *Revelation 12:4*, ‘There appeared a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns; and his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven.’ The red dragon, by his power and subtilty, drew away stars, or eminent professors, that seemed to shine as stars in the firmament of the church.

To be unsettled in good is the sin of the devils, *Jude 6*. They are called ‘morning stars,’ *Job 38:7*, but ‘falling stars’; they were holy, but mutable. As the vessel is overturned with the sail, so their sails, being swelled with pride, were overturned, *1 Timothy 3:6*. By unsettledness, men imitate lapsed angels. The devil was the first apostate. The sons of Zion should be like Mount Zion, which cannot be removed.

**II. The second proposition is that the way for Christians to be settled is to be well grounded.**

‘If ye continue grounded and settled.’ The Greek word for grounded is a metaphor that alludes to a building that has the foundation well laid. So Christians should be grounded in the essential points of religion and have their foundation well laid.

Here let me speak to two things:

1. That we should be grounded in the knowledge of fundamentals. The apostle speaks of ‘the first principles of the oracles of God’ (*Hebrews 5:12*).

In all arts and sciences, logic, physics, mathematics, there are some *praecognita*, some rules and principles that must necessarily be known for the practice of those arts. So, in divinity, there must be the first principles laid down. The knowledge of the grounds and principles of religion is exceedingly useful.

(1.) Else we cannot serve God aright. We can never worship God acceptably unless we worship him regularly; and how can we do that if we are ignorant of the rules and elements of religion? We are to give God a ‘reasonable service’ (*Romans 12:1*). If we understand not the grounds of religion, how can it be a reasonable service?

(2.) Knowledge of the grounds of religion enriches the mind. It is a lamp to our feet; it directs us in the whole course of Christianity, as the eye directs the body. Knowledge of fundamentals is the golden key that opens the chief mysteries of religion; it gives us a whole system and body of divinity, exactly drawn in all its lineaments and lively colours. It helps us to understand many of those difficult things which occur in the reading of the word; it helps to untie many Scripture knots.

(3.) It furnishes us with armour of proof, weapons to fight against the adversaries of the truth.

(4.) It is the holy seed of which grace is formed. It is *semen fidei*, the seed of faith (*Psalm 9:10*). It is *radix amoris*, the root of love, *Ephesians 3:17*, ‘Being rooted and grounded in love.’ The knowledge of principles conduces to the making of a complete Christian.

2. This grounding is the best way to being settled: ‘grounded and settled.’ A tree, that it may be well settled, must be well rooted; so, if you would be well settled in religion, you must be rooted in its principles. We read in Plutarch of one who set up a dead man, and he would not stand. ‘Oh,’ said he, ‘there should be something within.’ So, that we may stand in shaking times, there must be a principle of knowledge within: first grounded, and then settled. That the ship may be kept from overturning, it must have its anchor fastened. Knowledge of principles is to the soul as the anchor to the ship, that holds it steady in the midst of the rolling waves of error, or the violent winds of persecution. First grounded and then settled.

**Use 1:** See the reason why so many people are unsettled, ready to embrace every novel opinion, and dress themselves in as many religions as fashions; it is because they are ungrounded. See how the apostle joins these two together, ‘unlearned and unstable,’ *2 Peter 3:16*. Such as are unlearned in the main points of divinity are unstable. As the body cannot be strong that has the sinews shrunk, so neither can that Christian be strong in religion who wants the grounds of knowledge, which are the sinews to strengthen and establish him.

**Use 2:** See what great necessity there is of laying down the main grounds of religion in a way of catechising, that the weakest judgement may be instructed in the knowledge of the truth, and strengthened in the love of it. Catechising is the best expedient for the grounding and settling of people. I fear one reason why there has been no more good done by preaching is that the chief heads and articles in religion have not been explained in a catechistical way. Catechising is laying the foundation, *Hebrews 6:1*. To preach and not to catechise is to build without a foundation. This way of catechising is not novel; it is apostolic. The primitive church had their forms of catechism, as those phrases imply, ‘a form of sound words,’ *2 Timothy 1:13*, and ‘the first principles of the oracles of God,’ *Hebrews 5:12*. The church had its *catechumenoi*, as Grotius and Erasmus observe. Many of the ancient fathers have written for it, such as Fulgentius, Augustine, Theodoret, Lactantius, and others. God has given great success to it. By thus laying down the grounds of religion catechistically, Christians have been clearly instructed and wondrously built up in the Christian faith, insomuch that Julian the apostate, seeing the great success of catechising, put down all schools and places of public literature and instructing of youth. It is my design, therefore (with the blessing of God), to begin this work of catechising next Sabbath day; and I intend every other Sabbath, in the afternoon, to make it my whole work to lay down the grounds and fundamentals of religion in a catechistical way. If I am hindered in this work by men, or taken away by death, I hope God will raise up some other labourer in the vineyard among you, that may perfect the work which I am now beginning.

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The Westminster Confession of Faith.
Lesson 1. An Introduction to the Confession. [1]
Communion with God the end of all pious learning.
John 17:3, 1 John 1:3

1. The end of all devotion and learning is communion with God.
1 John 1:3, 2 Pet. 1:3
i. By Knowledge.
Prov. 9:10-11
ii. By Wisdom.
Prov. 4
iii. By judgment.
Deut. 25:1, Ps. 37:30
iv. By holiness.
Heb. 12:14, Prov. 1:10-19, Eph. 4:17-32
v. By goodness.
Gal. 6:6-10

2. The means by which we are brought into nearer communion with God is making progress in the knowledge of the word of God where His will is revealed.
Rom. 12:1-2

3. There is no better tool then produced by the church for the accomplishing this end than this confession, the diligent study and apprehension of the truths contained herein being of indispensable value.

Conclusion.

Closing Prayer.

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