There are many great psalms in the book of Psalms, but three stand out especially at this time of year: Psalms 22, 23, and 24. David wrote them out of the struggles and realities of his own life, yet many have seen in them a deeper fulfillment in Christ—His suffering, His rest in death, and His triumph.
Psalm 22 takes us to the cross. There we hear the words Jesus cried out in His suffering: “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” Many believe that as He hung upon the cross, Christ not only quoted the opening line of Psalm 22, but drew attention to the whole psalm, which so vividly anticipates the suffering of the Messiah.
Psalm 24 is often understood as a psalm of triumph and ascension. “Lift up your heads, O ye gates.” It is the song of the conquering King returning in victory.
But what of Psalm 23?
Especially in this season, Psalm 23 seems to stand between the suffering of Psalm 22 and the triumph of Psalm 24. It is the psalm of trust, the psalm of rest, the psalm of the Shepherd in the valley.
David writes as a shepherd who knows what it is to be shepherded: “The LORD is my shepherd.” That alone is remarkable. The shepherd is being shepherded by the LORD.
And here the psalm opens before us in a deeper way. In John 10, Jesus calls Himself the Good Shepherd. David, imperfect though he was, served as a type of Christ. As shepherd-king, he was called to care for Israel, to defend the flock, and even to risk his life for others. In this, David points beyond himself to Christ, the true Shepherd-King, who came to shepherd His people and lay down His life for the sheep.
So when we read Psalm 23, we hear not only David’s confidence in God, but also a deeper echo of Christ Himself in His humanity. The Good Shepherd, while on earth, was Himself being shepherded by the Father. He lived in trust. He walked in obedience. He rested in the care of the One who sent Him.
That is why the words strike us so deeply: “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me.”
David knew something of danger, fear, and death. But Christ walked into that valley more fully than David ever could. He entered Gethsemane. He endured the cross. He passed into the silence of the tomb. Yet He is not only the One who walks through the valley—He is the One who has authority over it, as He demonstrated when He stood before the tomb of Lazarus and called him back to life. The Father was with Him, and as Jesus called Lazarus from the grave, the Father called the Good Shepherd from the grave.
“Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”
The shepherd carried both rod and staff. The rod was a weapon of protection against beasts and enemies. The staff was an instrument of guidance, rescue, and care. Both speak of the faithful presence of God. The Lord not only defends His sheep; He leads them, rescues them, and keeps them.
And because Christ, the Good Shepherd, walked through death for us, we who belong to Him may live without fear. He prepares a table before us in the presence of our enemies. He anoints our heads with oil. Our cup runs over. In the midst of a hostile world, covenant blessing is still ours because of Him.
So Psalm 23 is not merely a funeral psalm, though it has rightly comforted mourners through the centuries. It is a resurrection hope psalm. It is the song of the One who passed through death under the care of His Father and now gives life to His people.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and because the Good Shepherd laid down His life for me, I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
This Easter season, we remember that Christ lived, died, was buried, and rose again. He rested in the grave from the work of redemption He had accomplished, and on resurrection morning He triumphed over death. Because He gave His life, we receive life. Because He entered the valley, we need not fear it. Because He rose, we shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
Amen.
Pastor Lester Bentley 