This is a lesson I prepared for a Sunday School class series titled, “Desperate People of the Bible.” The lessons are meant to be a mix of teaching and interactive discussion in the group. This is an outline of my presentation that guided the teaching and discussion.
Psalm 23
Desperate People – Sunday School Winter 2025
Sunday School Lesson | February 23, 2025
For the lesson today, we’re going to look at the familiar Psalm 23 in maybe an unfamiliar way. This Psalm has been a source of tremendous comfort and encouragement in the midst of my own personal desperation and I know I am probably not alone in this area. During the last holiday season from Thanksgiving to Christmas, I spent every day meditating on a portion of this Psalm. I wrote 9 journal entries during this time that helped me take my ongoing meditations throughout the day and brought them to the Good Shepherd as a personal prayer. I am still reaping the benefits of this deep engagement.
Psalm 23 is a beautiful Psalm of the goodness of God in the lives of his people. A Psalm of meeting us exactly where we are and providing the tender sweet mercies we so desperately need.
Verse 1
The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.
- This sentence is the foundation of the entire psalm. It is essential that we understand what the psalmist is saying here, because everything that follow builds upon this one vital sentence.
- I want you to take a minute and reflect on how these 9 simple words meet you in your desperation. What is the psalmist telling himself and us about our circumstances, our doubts, and our fears?
- The Lord is
- My Shepherd
- Not be in want
- Knowing that all my needs are met by this perfect, loving, sovereign, personal, and present Shepherd, I can rest safe and secure in his care. Meaning… I shall not want. I will lack nothing at all.
Verse 2–3
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
- I want you to take a minute and think about these four sentences with your personal desperation in mind. Pick out one thing that speaks to, or encourages you, or challenges you.
- Makes me because I am resistant and hesitant. (Story of the green lawn in front of Parliament that was inviting me to rest, but I only saw as something pretty to walk across to get to where I was going.)
- Still waters evoke calmness and refreshing in this busy world.
- He restores, refreshes, and revives our heart. He brings vitality and health to our weary and broken life.
- Remember… It’s not about me. It’s not about you. It’s about Jesus.
Verse 4
Even 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.
- Being that these paths of righteousness are to shape and mold me to be more like my Savior, then I must necessarily walk through the valley beside the mountain where the deep darkness lies. A deep darkness where evil and death lurk. The deep darkness of the valley, which will inevitably bring about a sense of fear and trembling into my heart.
- No fear because Jesus is with us.
- As we are led through the valley, the sight of our Good Shepherd going before us with both his rod of discipline and protection along with his staff of gentle care and guidance will bring great joy and encouragement to our hearts. It is the holy use of his rod and staff in our lives that gives us confidence, trust and fearlessness as we follow his leadership down the paths of righteousness for his glory.
Verse 5
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
- It staggers me to really ponder what this is saying. As I am walking through the valley of deep darkness, the difficult and lonely times of my life when I feel most defeated and most unworthy to be near my Shepherd, this is when my loving Savior tells me to stop and recline at table with him. It is in these moments of deep darkness, when I am surrounded by my enemies that Jesus knows I need his presence most. So he prepares a table before me. It is overwhelming to contemplate this wonderful news. In the midst of my trials, struggles, heartaches, pain, suffering, depression, apathy, and waywardness, Jesus simply invites me to join him for a meal. A moment of refreshing. A renewal of my spirit.
- The Psalmist speaks to the Shepherd as he remembers that it is the Shepherd who anoints him with oil. It’s a wonderful picture of the extravagant generosity, care, and grace of the Good Shepherd as he lavishes these good things on his sheep. Even as he is reclining at table with the Shepherd in the presence of his enemies, the Psalmist tells us that the Shepherd anoints his head with a fragrant oil. An oil that brings healing to his physical body both through care and refreshment of his skin along with the reviving aroma he takes in through his senses.
- It wasn’t just a refreshing for that singular moment, it was a refreshing from the Shepherd to overflowing, meant to carry him onward in his journey.
Verse 6
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
- After five verses describing the presence of the Shepherd Lord leading and caring for his sheep and the Psalmist in particular, the Psalmist summarizes all he has spoken of by reminding himself of the steadfast love of the Lord for his children. The goodness and mercy of the Lord will be with him all the days of his life and when this life is finished, the Psalmist will be in the presence of the Lord as he dwells with him in heaven above. The paths of righteousness that the Shepherd is leading him will take him through both the mountain tops and the valley lows. He will lead him through the brightness of day and the shadow of deep darkness. In every step along the path, the goodness and mercy of Christ is there all the days of his life. And when the path is completed and the time has come to enter the destination, the Psalmist reveals that he will be in the house of the Lord forever – for days without end!
Verse 1 – Talking to himself
Verse 2–3 – Talking about the Shepherd
Verse 4–5 – Talking to the Shepherd
Verse 6 – Talking to himself