INTRODUCTION

Psalm 23:1-6

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures;

He leads me beside the still waters.

3 He restores my soul; He leads 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 You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs 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 forever. (NKJV)

THE GOOD SHEPHERD PROTECTS

Psalm 23:6

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. (NKJV)

1. He promises us goodness

Glory = What someone is famous for

Exodus 33:18-19

And he said, “Please, show me Your glory.” 19 Then He said, “I will make all My goodness pass before you...” (NKJV)

An attribute is something that God is, not something God does.

Psalm 119:68

You are good, and do good; Teach me Your statutes. (NKJV)

James 1:17

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. (NKJV)

2. He promises us mercy

Psalm 101:1

I will sing of mercy and justice… (NKJV)

Justice = Giving you what you deserve

Mercy = Not giving you what you deserve

Psalm 32:2

Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no deceit. (NKJV)

Romans 4:3

For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” (NKJV)

Romans 4:22

And therefore “it was accounted to him for righteousness.” (NKJV)

2 Corinthians 5:19

that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them… (NKJV)

2 Corinthians 5:21

For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (NKJV)

Sin has a solution, and His name is Jesus!

3. He promises us eternal life

Psalm 23:6

...and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. (NKJV)

1 John 2:25

And this is the promise that He has promised us—eternal life. (NKJV)

Our Good Shepherd will not only lead us through this life, but He’s going to lead us all the way home!

APPLICATION

Isaiah 53:7,

"He was led as a lamb to the slaughter." (NKJV)

Mark 15:33

Now when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. (NKJV)

Ezekiel 34:12

As a shepherd seeks out his flock on the day he is among his scattered sheep, so will I seek out My sheep and deliver them from all the places where they were scattered on a cloudy and dark day. (NKJV)

CONCLUSION

Psalm 23:6

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.” (NKJV)

The Good Shepherd provides for us, and He protects us and then He backs it all up with a promise to us!