Background:
(BKC) It was also a common metaphor in the ancient Near East, as many kings compared themselves to shepherds in their leadership capacity.
(ZIBBC) When describing the authority and care exercised by a deity or a king who represents the gods, the metaphor of a shepherd was natural in the ancient Near East.
Thus, the metaphor of shepherd was a royal one, with connotations of strong leadership but tender care
v.1 a statement about his life with his covenant God, but also this is a psalm about what a life of no lack or want looks like, a life of satisfaction in God:
The LORD stands for the name, Yahweh, the name God told Moses when He made the covenant with the nation Israel. The God who made covenant with David has fulfilled His promises: He is their shepherd and provides all His needs. (ZIBBC) the metaphor of shepherd was a royal one, with connotations of strong leadership but tender care.v.1 The LORD is my shepherd,
I lack nothing.
The rest of the psalm explains what does "lack nothing means."
Pic #1 a shepherd and his sheep
(ZIBBC) Hammurabi (ca. 1750 B.C.), who wrote that he received kingship from the gods (see comments at Ps. 72:1), claims that he fulfilled his royal duty as a shepherd by providing the people with “pastures and watering places,” having “settled them in peaceful abodes
v.2-3 both physical and spiritual needs are met.
靈魂/精神(Lui)=(BDB) emotions and feelings
路=(BDB) course of action, or life
為自己的名/為了他自己之名的緣故(Lui)="He restores...He leads...for the sake of his reputation." God did these according to His character, Who is faithful to His covenant.
Summary: a well satisfied live is a life with God as our leader who provides us with both phy and sp needs. Do you have your emotions refresh and walk in the right path of life?
Pic #2 A king in special moment, with danger, in plain sight of his enemies
v.4-5 The "lack nothing" also applies to the time of dangers. "Even when I..."就使我行於 (Lui)
v.4 我雖然行過死蔭的幽谷，
也不怕遭害，
因為你與我同在；
你的杖，你的竿，都安慰我
The way the LORD meets the need is by His presence. "For You are with me; your rod and your staff reassure me." Note, the pronoun changed from "He" to "you." In other words, the personal relationship with the LORD, the confident that God will be faithful to you, becomes the power to go through the trouble times.
(NET) it refers to the way in which a shepherd uses his implements to assure the sheep of his presence and calm their nerves. The underlying reality is the emotional stability God provides the psalmist during life threatening situations.
Background of v.5: (BKC) In this verse the scene changes to a banquet hall where a gracious host provides lavish hospitality. Under this imagery the psalmist rejoiced in the Lord’s provision. What was comforting to David was that this was in the presence of his enemies
v.5 在我敵人面前，你為我擺設筵席(NET) The reality behind the imagery is the Lord’s favor. Through his blessings and protection he demonstrates to everyone, including dangerous enemies, that the psalmist has a special relationship with him.
你用油膏了我的頭=(BKC) The image of anointing the head with oil, which was refreshing and soothing, harmonizes with the concept of a gracious host welcoming someone into his home.
Summary: A satisfied life is one with God's presence in our special moment who continues to be there. We are emotional stable.
He did not just protect us, but demonstrated that in front of our enemies with our special relationship with Him.
Are you emotionally stable in all situation?
Conclusion: we cannot help ourselves, but we have God pursuing us
v.6 我一生一世必有恩惠慈愛隨著我，
我且要住在耶和華的殿中，直到永遠！
Surely your goodness and faithfulness will pursue me all my days,
and I will live in the LORD’s house for the rest of my life.
The goodness and faithfulness will chase after David like the enemies do. 恩惠慈愛隨著我 慈愛=(NET) "Faithfulness"=loyalty,” “commitment” and “devotion.”
=“is not merely an attitude or an emotion; it is an emotion that leads to an activity beneficial to the recipient.” He explains that an act of חֶסֶד is “a beneficent action performed, in the context of a deep and enduring commitment between two persons or parties, by one who is able to render assistance to the needy party who in the circumstances is unable to help him- or herself.”
Reflection: The satisfaction in having God in our lives is provided in this Psalm. The question is are we satisfied with God as David did? If yes, God is our joy, then He should be our #1, or the pursuit of our lives. 我且要住在耶和華的殿中，直到永遠！
How?
"The coronavirus is not unique as a call to repentance. In fact, all natural disasters—whether floods, famines, locusts, tsunamis, or diseases—are God’s painful and merciful summons to repent...What does repentance mean? The word in the New Testament means a change of heart and mind. Not a superficial change of opinion, but a deep transformation so that we perceive and prize God and Jesus for who they really are. Jesus described the change like this: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. (Matt. 22:37)... we all have treated Jesus as less desirable than money and entertainment and friends and family. The reason all of us deserve to perish is not a list of rules we have broken, but an infinite value we have scorned—the infinite value of all that God is for us in Jesus Christ."
(Piper, "Coronavirus and Christ.")
https://www.desiringgod.org/books/coronavirus-and-christ?
Audrey
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