“Bible promises: I shall dwell”
Psalm 23:6
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus.
American author Madeleine L’Engle tells the story about a house party that took place one night at a big English country house where, after dinner, people gave recitations, sang, and used whatever talent they had to entertain the company. And this particular year, a famous actor named Charles Laughton was among the guests.
Now Laughton had played a wide range of both classical and modern roles, from Shakespeare to Mutiny on the Bounty to The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Of him, fellow actor Daniel Day-Lewis said, “He was probably the greatest film actor who came from that period of time. He had something quite remarkable. His generosity as an actor; He fed himself into that work. As an actor, you cannot take your eyes off him.”
And after a number of others had already performed, he stood up to recite, of all things, the words of Psalm 23, the Bible’s best-loved psalm of all. As you can imagine, his rendition was excellent. When he finished, there was much applause.
Then later that night, someone happened to notice a little great aunt dozing in the corner. She was deaf as a post and had missed out on most of what was going on. Still, the other guests encouraged her to stand up and recite something like everyone else had done. So she stood up, and in her quavery old voice, to everyone’s surprise, she spoke the very same psalm. She said, “The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want,” and went on to the end of the psalm. When she finished, there were tears in many eyes.
Later, one of the guests approached the famous actor, and said, “You recited the psalm absolutely superbly! It was incomparable! So why were you so moved by that funny, little old lady?”
Laughton answered, “I know the psalm. She knows the Shepherd.”
It’s easy to say that Psalm 23 is the best known and best loved psalm of all. In the words of Charles Spurgeon, “Psalm 23 is what the nightingale is among birds…for it has sung sweetly in the ear of many a mourner in his night of weeping, and has bidden him hope for a morning of joy.”
And in his book Pray like a Gourmet: Creative Ways to Feed Your Soul, author David Brazzeal wrote, “As a kid, I was taught that if you opened the Bible in the middle, you’d probably land on the book of Psalms. And near the middle of everyone’s favorite, the 23rd, there is this line: ‘You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.’ I don’t know how many times I’ve read or recited this Psalm without pondering what that line actually means, but here is my take on it. When things are a bit tense, when life is not going at its best, when the potential for disaster is just around the corner, when your enemies are all around you--and even staring you down!--that’s when God lays out the red-checkered picnic cloth and says, “Oooo, this is a nice place. Let’s hang out here together for a while…just you and Me.’”
It’s easy to say that among the wide range of animals, both wild and domestic, sheep are among the most valuable. They provide us with meat to eat and wool to wear. In some places, many even drink their milk and make cheese.
But in spite of all the good qualities for which sheep are so well known, there’s another side. They depend entirely on us for protection. They’re very timid. A sheet of paper blown by the wind will frighten them. A thunderstorm can throw them into a panic. While crossing a stream, they could drown without a struggle. Fire can destroy a whole flock, because they’re too afraid to flee.
And strangely enough, the Lord, in His Word, often calls us sheep. Isaiah wrote, “We all like sheep have gone astray, and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all (Isaiah 53:6). Jesus said in the book of John, “My sheep hear My voice; I know them, and they follow Me” (John 10:27). And He said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep” (John 10:11).
Now in the closing verse of the psalm, after the Lord has made us lie down in green pastures and led us beside still waters, after He’s brought us through the valley of the shadow of death, comforted us with His rod and staff, prepared a table in the presence of our enemies, and anointed our head with oil, there’s one more verse, one more promise. We find in the very last verse of the psalm: “And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:6).
Here we find a sheep so completely satisfied, so fully content, and so “at home” with his shepherd that he simply wouldn’t want it any other way. In these words he seems to say, “Why would I want to go anywhere else? I have everything I need--green pastures, still waters, and good, safe paths. And even when I endure a time of trial and testing, whatever it may be, my Shepherd is there, leading, guiding, and protecting me. And as He defends me from anyone or anything that might harm me, His blessings overflow.
“And now that He’s taken me through the mountain passes and up onto the high tablelands of the summer range, now it’s time to go home. He’s been with me through the spring, the summer, and the fall, with all their troubles, their dangers, their disturbances, and their disappointments, but now it’s time to go home. And there I shall dwell in His house forever.”
Notice those words--”I shall dwell.” There’s not a doubt in my mind. The Lord is my Shepherd and there’s no way I want to be anywhere else.
And where shall I dwell? In the house of the Lord!
That’s what Jesus said in John 14: “In My Father’s house are many mansions…I go there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with Me that you also may be where I am” (John 14:2-3).
And how long shall we dwell in the Father’s house? He said, “I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:6). Now just for a few weeks and not just for a few years. Forever and ever and ever. It’s the place we were made for. It’s where we belong.
That’s what John wrote in his book of Revelation: “Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God forever and ever. Amen! Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their Shepherd; He will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes” (Revelation 7).
Ever heard of a “bummer lamb”? It’s a lamb that, for some reason or another, has been rejected by its mother or can’t be fed. And unless the shepherd steps in to help it, it will die, rejected and alone.
As you can imagine, it’s pretty tough to be a bummer lamb. The mother will go so far as to try to smother it or shoulder it into a fence to drive it away. She might even kick it to cause it to die.
As one shepherd wrote, “Bummer lambs create a lot of work for time-pressed farmers with larger flocks and acreage to tend to. They need this care because bummer lambs do not always make it. They’re often weak because they have a problem that prevents them from thriving, birth defects that are impossible to see. And often, they don’t show any symptoms of a problem until it is too late.”
No wonder they call it a “bummer lamb”!
But when a good shepherd sees a bummer lamb, he’ll take it from the flock and he’ll hold it in his arms. He’ll feed it from his hand and let it sleep on his chest.
So instead of being a “bummer lamb,” all of a sudden it becomes the “shepherd’s lamb.” Then when it’s strong enough to be brought back into the flock, whenever the shepherd comes to lead the flock, the first sheep to greet him is the “shepherd’s lamb.”
Why? Because that one sheep, out of all the other sheep, knows his voice, knows his words, and knows his care.
Have you ever seen a picture of Jesus holding a lamb? Can you guess what kind of lamb it is? It’s a bummer lamb!
If you think about it, aren’t we just that--”bummer lambs”? We’re born with the fatal curse of Adam’s sin, original sin, that prevents us from being accepted by God or anyone else. As Paul wrote to the Romans: “There is no one righteous, no, not one” (Romans 3:10). And he wrote, “All have sinned, and all fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
But before it was too late, without any merit or worthiness in us, Jesus, the Good Shepherd, came and took us into His arms and took the time to save us.
For after thirty-three years of life on earth, and six hours one Friday, He gave His life to save us.
So what comfort we can find in the words of Psalm 23: “I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:6).
A pastor by the name of Charles Fuller announced that he would speak the following Sunday on heaven. During the week, he received a letter from an old man who was very ill. This is what it said…
“Next Sunday you are to talk about ‘Heaven.’ I’m interested in that land because I’ve held a clear title to a bit of property there for over fifty-five years. I didn’t buy it. It was given to me without money and without price. But the donor purchased it for me at a tremendous sacrifice.
“For more than half a century, I’ve been sending material out of which the greatest architect and builder of the universe has been building a home for me, which will never need to be repaired because it will suit me perfectly and will never grow old.
“Termites can never undermine its foundation for it rests upon the Rock of Ages. Fire cannot destroy it. Floods cannot wash it away. No locks or bolts will ever be placed on its doors, for no thief will ever break in and steal.
“There’s a deep valley of shadows between the place where I am and that to which I shall journey in a very short time. I cannot reach my home in the city of God without passing through it. But I am not afraid, because the best friend I have ever had went through the same valley alone, a long, long, time ago, and drove away all the gloom. He has stuck by me through thick and thin since we first met so long ago, and I hold His promise never to leave me nor forsake me. He is with me, so I shall not lose my way.
“I hope to hear your sermon on heaven next Sunday from my home, but I have no assurance that I shall be able to do so. My ticket to heaven has no date marked for the journey, no return coupon, and no permit for baggage. I am ready to go and shall meet you there some day.”
Because the Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not lack any provision of needs in my life. I shall not lack nourishment, because He makes me lie down in green pastures. I shall not lack rest or refreshment, because He leads me beside still waters. I shall not lack forgiveness or reconciliation, because He restores my soul. I shall not lack a right relationship with God, because He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. As I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for He encourages me and gives me hope. I shall not lack for a constant companion and Friend, because He is with me. I shall not lack guidance or protection, because His rod and His staff reassure and comfort me. I shall not lack honor or respect, because He prepares a table before me even when my enemies gather ‘round. The troubles, irritations, and annoyances of life will never bring me alarm, because He anoints my head with oil. I shall never lack joy, because my cup overflows. I shall not lack satisfaction or contentment, because His goodness and loving kindness pursue me every day of my life. And I shall not lack the assurance of eternal security, because I will dwell in His house forever.”
And that’s a promise!
Almighty God, heavenly Father, You are our Good Shepherd and we are Your poor, lowly sheep. Thank You for having such mercy on us and for providing more than we could ever need. And grant that as we endure the trials and troubles of this life, You may continue to lead and guide us until, finally, You bring us to our eternal home. This we ask by Your grace and for the sake of our Savior Jesus. Amen