The Sheep Praise the Shepherd

Please, stay with me as this post is a bit longer than normal. May you find it a blessing.

Photo by kailash kumar on Pexels.com

“The Lord is my shepherd …

“Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree,

that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness:

by whose stripes ye were healed.

For ye were as sheep going astray,

but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.”

1 Peter 2:24,25

I shall not want …

“But my God shall supply all your need

according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus …

He that spared not his own Son,

but delivered him up for us all,

how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?”

Philippians 4:19; Romans 8:32

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures…

“For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven,

and giveth life unto the world …

Therefore, being justified by faith,

we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ…

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness:

for they shall be filled.”

John 6:33; Romans 5:1; Matthew 5:6

He leadeth me beside the still waters…

“There is a river,

the streams thereof shall make glad the city of God,

the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.

God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved:

God shall help her, and that right early …

And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal,

proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb…

And the Spirit and the bride say, come.

And let him that heareth say, Come.

And let him that is athirst come.

And whosoever will,

let him take the water of life freely.”

Psalm 46:4,5; Revelation 22:1,17

He restoreth my soul…

“And you hath he quickened*,

who were dead in trespasses and sins…

But God, who is rich in mercy,

for the great love wherewith he loved us,

Even when we were dead in sins,

hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved.)

And hath raised us  together, and made us sit together

in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:”

Ephesians 2:1,4-6 [*quickened = made alive]

He leadeth me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake …

“Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come,

he will guide you into all truth:

for he shall not speak of himself;

but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak:

and he will shew you things to come.

He shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.”

John 16:13,14

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 …

“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed;

for I am thy God:

I will strengthen thee;

yea, I will help thee;

yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness…

O death, where is thy sting? 

O grave, where is thy victory?

The sting of death is sin;

and the strength of sin is the law.

But thanks be to God,

which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Isaiah 41:10; 1 Corinthians 15:55-57

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies…

“The meek shall eat and be satisfied:

they shall praise the LORD that seek him:

your heart shall live for ever …

Then Jesus said unto them,

Verily, verily, I say unto you,

Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man,

and drink his blood ye have no life in you.

Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood,

hath eternal life;

and I will raise him up  at the last day …

All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD:

and all the kindreds of the nations

shall worship before thee.

For the kingdom is the LORD’s’

and he is the governor among the nations.”

Psalm 22:26; John 6:53,54; Psalm 22:27,28

Thou anointest my head with oil…

“Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ,

and hath anointed us, is God;

Who hath also sealed us,

and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts …

And he that keepeth his commandments

dwelleth in him, and he in him.

And hereby we know that he abideth in us,

by the Spirit which he hath given us.”

2 Corinthians 1:21,22; 1 John 3:24

my cup runneth over…

“What shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits toward me?

I will take the cup of salvation,

and call upon the name of the LORD…

Who forgiveth all thine iniquities;

who healeth all thy diseases;

Who redeemeth thy life from destruction;

who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;

Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things;

so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s…

But this man [Jesus] because he continueth ever,

hath an unchangeable priesthood.

Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost

that come unto God by him,

seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.”

Psalm 116: 13; Psalm 103:3-5; Hebrews 7:24,25

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life …

“Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness

and forbearance and longsuffering;

not knowing that the goodness of God

leadeth thee to repentance …

Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing;

thou hast put off my sackcloth,

and girded me with gladness;

To the end that my glory

may sing praise to thee, and not be silent.

O LORD my God,

I will give thanks unto thee for ever.”

Romans 2:4; Psalm 30:11,12

“But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting

upon them that fear him,

and his righteousness unto children’s children …

But we had the sentence of death in ourselves,

that we should not trust in ourselves,

but in God which raiseth the dead:

Who delivered us from so great a death,

and doth deliver:

in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;”

Psalm 103:17; 2 Corinthians 1:9,10

And I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.” Psalm 23

“As for me,

I will behold thy face in righteousness:

I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness …

For we know that

if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved,

we have a building of God,

an house not made with hands,

eternal in the heavens …

Beloved, now are we the sons of God,

and it doth not yet appear what we shall be:

but we know that,

when he shall appear,

we shall be like him;

for we shall see him as he is.”

2 Corinthians 5:1; Psalm 17:15;1 John 3:2

Finale to the Sheep’s praise of the Shepherd

Reading music isn’t her forte but playing it is. The songs she sings and plays flow like a river from her soul to the keyboard and out of her mouth in a blessed range from low to high. When she sings to her Shepherd of Psalm 100, one might wonder if the keyboard will hold up as her fingers travel from one end to the other. Joy fills the air as the words ring out.

“Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.

Serve the LORD with gladness:

come before his presence with singing.

Know ye that, the LORD he is God:

it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves;

we are his people,

and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving,

and into his courts with praise;

be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

For the LORD is good;

his mercy is everlasting:

and his truth endureth to all generations.”

As I typed the words, music filled my heart with praise. I hope it blesses your heart, and as we enter his courts for worship, may we do so with thanksgiving and praise. Have a blessed weekend.