Taking a Closer Look at Psalm 23 - Part 2 of 2

   Who would have thought that Psalm 23 reveals 5 stages of the Lord's shepherding?  I know I didn't see it. In this post I'm continuing looking at these stages.  It amazed me to read that all these stages are both progressive and continual. Someone asked on the last post for some more elaboration, and so I am putting first Witness Lee's overview  of these stages on page 139 of chapter 11 of the Life-Study of Psalms:



my grandkids at a nearby park

This psalm also tells us that Christ's shepherding of us is in five stages. The first stage is of the pastures and the waters of rest (v. 2)....The second stage is the stage of the paths of righteousness (v. 3). The paths of righteousness indicate our walk. After we enjoy Christ, are filled up with Christ, and are nourished by Christ, we walk on the paths of righteousness. The third stage is the valley of the shadow of death (v. 4). The valley, the shadow, and death are not pleasant. Christ's shepherding leads us through the valley of the shadow of death. The fourth stage is the battlefield (v. 5), where we are fighting against the adversaries. At the battlefield a table, a feast, is spread for us. Finally, the last stage is to dwell in the house of God all the days of our life (v. 6)" (Lee, Witness. Life-Study of Psalms. Anaheim: Living Stream Ministry, 1993, Print).

      The 4th stage may sound a bit strange. After knowing the Lord in the valley, it  all of a sudden says God spreads a table before us in the presence of our enemies. When I read this, it made me think about Ephesians 6 and how the Lord equips the Body with the heavenly armor to stand against His enemy. 

    When we're at this stage, the Lord begins to show us that every day we're in a spiritual warfare, and  the Lord shepherds us to fight the battle with Him. I've realized that every day this battle starts as soon as my alarm clock goes off! 

      I was really touched with the 5th stage of the Lord's shepherding that brings us to dwell in His house. In Psalm 23:6  David proclaims "Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever."  The New Testament tells us that all the believers make up God's house.

  I didn't see before that God's shepherding has a destination and it's God's dwelling place.  Wow!  To think that all of this is pictured in Psalm 23!! That's why I like to read these Life-Studies on the Bible.





 You can listen to excerpts of Witness Lee's speaking the Life-Studies of Psalms on Life Study of the Bible  with Witness Lee.   You can also read the online Life-Study of Psalms and check out other resources available to enhance your study of the Bible on Living Stream Ministry's website. 

Others Posts on the Life-Study of Psalms:

What is the Focus of the Psalms?
How Does Psalm 8 Show Us God's Purpose in Creating Man?
Taking a Closer Look at Psalm 23 - Part 1 of 2
Taking a Closer Look at Psalm 23 - Part 2 of 2
Why is God's House Important in Psalms 25 -41?
Seeing the Divine Romance in Psalm 45
What Did the Psalmist Perceive in Psalm 73?
What are the Highways to Zion in Psalm 84?
Why Did the Psalmist Delight in God's Law in Psalm 119