Psalm 23's Trinity

Over the next few days we’ll take a hard look at Psalm 23 and the deeply entrenched trinitarian truth presented therein. We tend to look at Scripture through the lens of Christ. In doing so we fail to see the full doctrine of Holy Trinity, thus missing the fullness of God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

v.1 “The LORD is my shepherd I lack nothing.”

The word “LORD” is the English translation of the Hebrew “YHWH.” That deeply personal name of God is first found in Genesis 2:4, “…in the day YHWH Elohim established the heavens and the earth.”

Creation reminds us of the eternally relational nature of God as Father (will), Son (obedience), and Holy Spirit (power/presence) established in Genesis 1:26-27, “Let us make humanity in our image and likeness…"

YHWH, or LORD, should always remind us of God’s essence as eternally relational Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) –AND– God’s lavish love for humanity in creating the heavens and the earth to give us an unfathomable PERSONAL relationship with Elohim, the Almighty Creator of the entire cosmos! Thus, YHWH (LORD) = humanity’s collective exclusive personal relationship with God Almighty.

To identify with YHWH, i.e. the “LORD” as “my shepherd” means that we not only see Jesus but the fullness of Holy Trinity. Through Psalm 23 we simultaneously recognize YHWH’s perfect leadership, our personal inability & desperate need for it, and the desire and ability for it to be accomplished through God’s power. When we surrender to the LORD’s shepherd-ship we truly “lack nothing,” because God provides everything needed in terms of:
1) the perfect plan/will for our lives (Father)
2) the desire for perfect obedience to glorify God (Son), and
3) the power & presence of God to perfectly accomplish those things (Holy Spirit).

v.2 “He brings me to stretch out in grassy pastures – besides quiet waters he leads me.”

When we allow YHWH, the LORD, our good shepherd, to work His will for our lives and lead (Father) us – He indeed obediently (Son) brings (Holy Spirit) us to “stretch out in grassy pastures” (God’s PRESENCE). This is NOT NOT NOT prosperity gospel. This does NOT mean that YHWH brings us to a place of worldly wealth, health, and abundance. It means that when we, like slow, dependent, dim-witted sheep, allow ourselves to be brought from a broken relationship of independence, sin, and death and into a reconciled relationship with God – then we come to the ONLY place where real, authentic, lush, plentiful, abundant LIFE happens – in the presence of our LORD.

In leading me to a place “beside quiet waters” it does not mean that I will be free from the flash-floods of life – quite the contrary. What it does mean is that when they do come that, I – unlike the sheep who have no shepherd or those who follow false shepherds that lead astray and scatter in the face of adversity – I have the LORD as my shepherd and He will (and in fact already has!) lead, rescue, and restore me COME WHAT MAY!

v.3 “He restores my soul. He guides me in the deep paths of righteousness for the purpose of his Name.”

The reason why I lack nothing, am brought “to stretch out in grassy pastures,” am led “beside quiet waters,” enjoy security, abundance, restoration, and am guided “in deep paths of righteousness” is NOT primarily or exclusively for my personal benefit, but “for the purpose of his Name.”  I am not brought into right relationship with God and immediately taken to heaven BECAUSE my stretched out, grassy pasture, quiet-waters life as the LORD’s sheep who follows in the deep paths of righteousness are “for the purpose of his Name.”

Following after the LORD, my shepherd, makes my life a living testimony of God’s inherent and eternal goodness, worthiness, and deity, thus it automatically lifts up the LORD’s name and leads others into the flock and family of God – Father (will), Son (obedience), and Holy Spirit (power & presence).

Tune in tomorrow for more on Psalm 23!

Blessings,

-Kevin