*"Psalm 23 is so ordered by the Spirit, as to apply to a dying Christ, or a saint who follows His footsteps, or the preserved remnant. It does not consider the sufferings as from God, or from man, nor those of the faithful, save as mere facts and occasions of Jehovah's care. Its subject is:Jehovah, my Shepherd, the constant, unfailing care exercised by Him"-J. N. D.*

This gem of song, rich in its setting, placed as it is between the Psalm of the cross (Ps. 22) and the Psalm of the kingdom glory (Ps. 24), contains the most blessed and complete picture of happiness and satisfaction possible.

Luther used to compare it to the "nightingale"-a bird of small size and not attractive, but whose melody is thrilling.

It contains but six verses, but many a costly library could be better spared than this short song. Those fond of disputing authorship (merely occupied with the letter of the Word) have challenged, without any reason, the assignment of it to David. Who so fitted to write of shepherd and sheep as the one who, from his earliest youth, tended and cared for his father's flock ? God reminded David that He took him from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over His people, over Israel (2 Sam. 7:8).

We often speak of the "Shepherd Psalm," but there are really three in this setting. Psalm 22 is the "Good Shepherd Psalm." In John 10 the Lord says, "I am the Good Shepherd, the Good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep." Psalm 23 is the psalm of the "Great Shepherd." See Hebrews 13:20. In the psalm which follows we have the "Chief Shepherd" appearing in glory (1 Pet. 5:4).

It will be readily conceded that, in its primary application. Psalm 23 is the voice of the Messiah. He, as Man, fully identified with the remnant of Israel, owns Jehovah as Shepherd. That which was the comfort of the Messiah will be the support and comfort of His people in days of darkness, when the shadow of death is upon them.

But in John 10 the Lord speaks of Himself as the Shepherd of Israel-"the Good Shepherd" who gave His life for the sheep, and not for Israel only, but for the :other sheep not of this fold," of whom He said, "Them also I must bring and there shall be one flock, one Shepherd" (John 10:16). Here through grace we can claim a part, and appropriate this lovely psalm and make its expression of confidence our own.

The Person of Jehovah, and not what He gives, is the comfort of the heart. The Blesser, and not the blessing is the theme of this beautiful song. It begins with a note of confidence:"The Lord is my Shepherd." The Lord, Jehovah of the Old Testament, Jesus our Lord, of the New Testament, is the Blessed Man of Psalm 22, who took the sinner's place, and bore the sinner's judgment upon the cross. The forsaken Man of that psalm is the risen, exalted and glorified Man of Psalm 24.This blessed One, faith can say, is my Shepherd. But to intelligently use these words, it is essential to know the meaning of that agonizing cry of Psalm 22, "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" We must be able to look back to the cross, as the place where the Saviour-Substitute bore our sins, drinking the cup of judgment in all its bitterness, before we can say, "The Lord is my Shepherd."

With such a Shepherd, whose love is unchanging, and whose care is infinite, the Psalmist can confidently say, "I shall not want." This surely is no small thing, in a world of need, where everything is transient and bears the stamp of death! But with such a Shepherd, faith cannot be over confident; and the assurance flows, not from what we are but from what He is. His faithful love can never fail His own.

"He maketh me to lie down in green pastures (pastures of tender grass); He leadeth me beside still waters." The alternative reading beautifully says, "waters of quietness."

There is no unsatisfied desire, for "He satisfieth the longing soul and filleth the hungry with good things." No hungry sheep will lie down in green pastures, but the satisfied sheep lies down to ruminate. Spiritual blessings are His people's portion, the "finest of wheat" is the food given to His sheep, and so He delights to fill the soul with a satisfying portion and cause us to rest in His love.

But waters of quietness too are His providing, so that we not only have plenty but also peace.

"He restoreth my soul." Another translation reads, "He reviveth my spirit." Who is there among the Lord's people that has not, at times, grown weary of the way? Circumstances may, at times, weigh us down, and the spirit grows faint. But He, blessed be His name, knows our weaknesses, and His "strength is made perfect in weakness." Our moment of extremity is His opportunity-Then, alas, we are sometimes like Israel who forsook "the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water." Perhaps we have turned to the world in our folly, seeking satisfaction of heart in the things of earth, and our disappointed hearts have found the waters of Marah bitter indeed.

"I tried the broken cisterns, Lord,
But. ah, the waters failed!
E'en as I stooped to drink they fled,
And mocked me as I wailed."

Our best times spiritually, are moments of danger, unless we are kept near the Lord, for the enemy ever seeks to mar any little .testimony to Him. Think of those favored disciples, listening to that marvelous discourse of John 14, IS and 16, and after closing that blessed season of communion with singing a hymn, they, that very day, forsook Him and fled. "Yet He abideth faithful," and the Shepherd restores their souls!

"He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His Name's sake." Oh, to know more of His leading, that our feet may run in the way of His precepts and glorify His Name.

"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me."How many have found support and comfort in these precious words, in the presence of death. But this assurance is needed at all times, for we are all walking "through the valley of the shadow of death;" indeed, it is what this world is to the believer. Death's stamp is upon everything here, but we know the One who has taken His lonely solitary way, and met death in all its terror. NOW the sting has gone, and the grave is robbed of victory for the believer, only the shadow remains, and on the other side of the valley is everlasting sunshine-a morning without a cloud! And we can say, "I will fear no evil, for THOU ART WITH ME." What more can we wish? His company is our support. However dark the way and narrow the path., He is with us and the goal is sure.

Does the enemy intimidate .the sheep (for we know what timid creatures sheep are, easily frightened), faith can add, "Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." The rod is used by the Eastern shepherd for defense, and the staff to guide into the fold. The believer can ever count upon protection and guidance until home is reached.

But there are enemies in the way, difficulties to be overcome. What of these? "Thou prepares! a table before me in the presence of mine enemies, Thou anoint-est my head with oil, my cup runneth over." Our Shepherd is our Helper and can protect and guide, sustain and feed, in spite of all that the enemy may seek to do. Further, He anoints the head with oil (the oil of gladness, Ps. 45:7), and the heart filled to overflowing runs over, like an overflowing cup. How often did we seek, in those dark days of unbelief, to fill our hearts with the vain things of this poor world, only to find as Solomon said, "All is vanity and vexation of spirit, and no profit under the sun" (Eccles. 2:11). The heart never satisfied, the conscience never at rest, the cup never filled, is the unvarying experience of this world's votaries. Until the heart finds safe anchorage in the love of the Good Shepherd, there never can be an overflowing cup.

The future is as certain and sure as the past. The Psalmist closes with these words of triumph :"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever."

The heart is confident in Jehovah Himself, so that all the circumstances of the way, the powers of evil, and our own inherent weakness, are but the occasion for the display of Jehovah's power.

"Goodness and mercy.. .all the days of my life." We cannot always count upon the constancy of our dearest friends, but this we know, the goodness and mercy of the Lord can be counted upon until the end, and the end is but the beginning.

"We shall dwell in the Father's house forever!"

"For the path where our Saviour is gone
Has led up to His Father and God,
To the place where He's now on the throne,
And His strength shall be ours on the road.

"Till then, 'tis the path Thou hast trod,
Our delight and our comfort shall be;
We're content with Thy staff and Thy rod,
Till with Thee all Thy glory we see."

J. W. H. Nichols