서론
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简体中文
英文原文
Many of David's psalms are full of complaints, but this is full of comforts, and the expressions of delight in God's great goodness and dependence upon him. It is a psalm which has been sung by good Christians, and will be while the world stands, with a great deal of pleasure and satisfaction. I. The psalmist here claims relation to God, as his shepherd, Ps 23:1. II. He recounts his experience of the kind things God had done for him as his shepherd, Ps 23:2,3,5. III. Hence he infers that he should want no good (Ps 23:1), that he needed to fear no evil (Ps 23:4), that God would never leave nor forsake him in a way of mercy; and therefore he resolves never to leave nor forsake God in a way of duty, Ps 23:6. In this he had certainly an eye, not only to the blessings of God's providence, which made his outward condition prosperous, but to the communications of God's grace, received by a lively faith, and returned in a warm devotion, which filled his soul with joy unspeakable. And, as in the foregoing psalm he represented Christ dying for his sheep, so here he represents Christians receiving the benefit of all the care and tenderness of that great and good shepherd.
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The Divine Shepherd
简体中文
神圣的牧者
大卫的诗篇。
¹ 耶和华是我的牧者，我必不至缺乏。
² 他使我躺卧在青草地上，领我在可安歇的水边。
³ 他使我的灵魂苏醒，为自己的名引导我走义路。
⁴ 我虽然行过死荫的幽谷，也不怕遭害；因为你与我同在；你的杖、你的竿都安慰我。
⁵ 在我敌人面前，你为我摆设筵席；你用油膏了我的头，使我的福杯满溢。
⁶ 我一生一世必有恩惠慈爱随着我；我且要住在耶和华的殿中，直到永远。
大卫从三个极安慰人的前提出发，在本诗中得出三个极安慰人的结论，并教导我们也如此行。我们因盼望而得救，这盼望不至于羞愧，因为它根基稳固。基督徒的本分就是在主他们的神里面勉励自己；我们在此受指引，既从他与我们之间的关系，又从我们对他按此关系所施恩惠的经历中得着鼓励。
一、从神是他的牧者，他推断自己必不至缺乏任何于他有益之物（诗23:1）。请看：1. 神对信徒极大的看顾。他是他们的牧者，他们可以如此称呼他。大卫自己曾作牧人；他从「乳养小羊」之后被取来（诗78:70、71），所以凭经历知道好牧人对羊群所怀的挂虑与柔情。他记得羊何等需要牧人，又何等有福能有一位熟练而忠信的牧人；他曾冒生命危险救回一只羊羔。因此他借此说明神对他百姓的看顾；我们的救主所说的「我是羊的牧人；好牧人」（约10:11），似乎正是引用此事。作以色列牧者、作全教会牧者的那一位（诗80:1），也是每一个个别信徒的牧者；最卑微的也不在他的鉴察之外（赛40:11）。他将他们收入他的圈中，然后看顾他们、保护他们、供养他们——比以看守羊群为业的牧人更殷勤、更恒久。神若作我们的牧者，我们就当如羊一般——无害、温柔、安静，在剪毛的人面前无声，甚至在宰杀的人面前也无声；既驯良有用，又合群；我们当认得牧者的声音，并跟随他。2. 信徒对神的极大信心：「耶和华若是我的牧者、我的喂养者，我就可以断定自己必不至缺乏任何真正必需、真正于我有益之物。」大卫若是在登基之前——虽已定意将得王位——写此诗，他比任何人都更有理由担忧缺乏。他曾差人为他向拿八求食，又曾亲自向亚希米勒求食；然而当他想到神是他的牧者，就能放胆说：「我必不至缺乏。」凡在神养顾之下、以他为喂养者的，不必担忧饥饿。这话所暗示的比所明说的更多——不仅「我必不至缺乏」，更是「我必蒙供应一切所需；我若没有所愿的一切，便可断定那或者不适合我，或者于我无益，或者到了时候我必得着」。
二、从神向他尽了善牧之职，他推断自己在所能遭遇的最大危险艰难中也不必惧怕遭害（诗23:2-4）。他亲历了神同在与看顾之益，因此期待在自己最需要时也必享其益。请看：
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活着的圣徒的安慰。神是他的牧者、他的神——一位凡事都全然充足的神。大卫如此经历了他，我们也是如此。请看圣徒作为神草场之羊的福乐。〔1〕他们安置妥当：「他使我躺卧在青草地上。」我们从神美善的手得着今生的支持与安慰，从他得日用的饮食，正如从父那里。对恶人而言，再丰盛的也不过是一片干草地，因为他只在其中尝到悦感官的滋味；但对敬虔人而言，他在一切享受中尝到神的良善，并凭信心回味——虽然他在世上所有不多，却是青草地（诗37:16；箴15:16、17）。神的典章是青草地，在其中为一切信徒预备了粮食；生命之道是新人的营养。它是婴孩的奶，是羊的草场，永不荒芜，永不枯竭，永不焦干，永远是信心可牧放的青草地。神使他的圣徒躺卧——他赐他们心中安静和知足，无论境遇如何；他们的灵魂在他里面得安息，因此使每一片草地都成为青草地。我们既蒙赐典章的青草地，就当不以为仅仅经过其中为足，而当躺卧其中，常住其中：「这是我永远安息之处。」惟有常常借着恩典的途径，灵魂才得喂养。〔2〕他们引导妥善。以色列的牧者如引导羊群一般引导约瑟；每一个信徒也都在同样的引导之下：「他领我在可安歇的水边。」以神的美善为粮的人，必跟随他的指引；他以他的护理、以他的话语、以他的圣灵引导他们，按他的旨意为他们安排万事至善，又按他的命令调度他们的情感与行动，将他们的眼目、道路和心志引向他的爱。他所领他们到的安静水边，不仅为他们提供可悦的景象，更在他们干渴疲乏时提供多次清凉的饮水，多次苏醒的安慰。神不仅为他百姓预备食物和安息，也预备清爽与欢乐。神的安慰、圣灵的喜乐，就是这些安静的水——圣徒被领到其旁的溪流，它们从活水的泉源流出，使神的城欢喜。神领他的百姓，不是到那腐臭积污的静水，不是到翻腾的海，也不是到急湍奔流，而是到潺潺静水；因为安静却流动的水，最合那些向神涌流却又静默而流的灵。他们所受的神圣引导在此脱去比喻（诗23:3）：「他……引导我走义路」——走本分之路；在其中他以他的话指教我，又以良心和护理引导我。这些是众圣徒所愿被引导其中、被保守其中、永不偏离的道路。也惟有行在义路中的人，才被引到安慰的静水之旁。本分之路才是真正可悦之路。「公义的效验乃是平安。」在这些路上我们若非神引导我们进入、又在我们其中引导，便不能行走。〔3〕他们患病时得帮助：「他使我的灵魂苏醒。」[1] 「我迷路时，他使我归回。」没有别的受造物比羊更快迷失，它如此容易走迷，又如此不善于找回路途。最好的圣徒也察觉自己易于「如迷失的羊走迷」（诗119:176）；他们失了路，转入旁径；但当神指示他们的错，赐他们悔改，将他们领回本分之路，他就是使灵魂苏醒；若非如此，他们必永远流荡、归于无有。大卫犯了一罪之后心受责备，又犯一罪之后神差拿单来告诉他「你就是那人」——神使他的灵魂苏醒。神或可容许他的百姓陷入罪中，却不容他们久在其中。[2] 「我病时他医治，我衰弱时他复兴，使那快要离去的灵魂苏醒。」他是「医治你的耶和华你神」（出15:26）。我们若非信靠，早必多次昏厥；正是好牧者保守我们不至昏厥。
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请看临终圣徒的勇气（诗23:4）：「我既一生如此经历神的良善——在六次患难中、在第七次中——我也永不失信于他，即便在最末的极端也是如此；何况他至今为我所行的一切，并非因我的功劳或功德，纯粹是『为他的名』——为成就他的话、履行他的应许、为他自己属性及其与百姓关系的荣耀。所以那名仍要作我的坚固台，并要使我确信：那一生引导我、喂养我的，至终必不撇弃我。」这里：
〔1〕假设迫近的危险：「『我虽然行过死荫的幽谷』，即虽然我身处死亡之险，虽然在危险之中——深如幽谷、暗如阴影、可怕如死亡本身」；或更恰当地说：「虽然我在死亡的拘禁之下，内心已受了死亡的判决，有充分理由看自己为一个将死之人，我仍然安然。」患病的人、年迈的人，有理由看自己为在死荫的幽谷之中。这里有一个词听起来实在可怕，就是「死」——这是我们都必遇见的，「那争战不能免役」。但即使在患难的假设中，有四个词减轻了它的可怖：死确实在我们面前；但 [1] 它不过是死的「阴影」；其中并无实质的恶；蛇的影不能咬人，刀的影不能杀人。[2] 它是死荫的「幽谷」——确实深、确实暗、确实泥泞；但幽谷多结果子，死本身对神的百姓也多结安慰之果。[3] 它不过是这谷中的「行」——一段温柔可悦的行走。恶人被赶出世界，他们的灵魂被索取；圣徒却以行走进入另一个世界，正如他们欣然告别此世一样。[4] 它是「行过」其中——他们不会在这谷中失丧，必安抵对面的香料之山。
〔2〕这危险被轻看、被夸胜——并有充分的根据。死亡是「威武的君王」，但对基督的羊却不然；他们并不比那定为宰杀之羊更颤抖。「即使『行过死荫的幽谷，我也不怕遭害。这些事没有一样能动摇我。』」请注意，神的儿女可以迎接死的使者，并以圣洁的安然与平静接受其召唤。「吃奶的婴儿可以在此毒蛇的洞口玩耍」；那借恩典已断奶于此世的孩童，可以伸手放在这毒蛇的洞上——向死亡发出圣洁的挑战，如保罗所说：「死啊，你的毒钩在哪里？」这信心有充分的根据：[1] 因为对神的儿女而言，死并无害；死不能使我们与神的爱隔绝，因此它不能加害我们实在的损害；它杀身体，不能害灵魂。其中既无可伤，何必可怕？[2] 因为圣徒在临终时刻有神恩典的同在；他那时在他们右手边，因此他们何必动摇？好牧者不仅引导，更护送他的羊经过幽谷——在那里有猛兽、贪婪的狼出没的危险；他不仅护送他们，更在他们最需安慰之时安慰他们。他的同在必安慰他们：「你与我同在。」他的话与圣灵必安慰他们——「你的杖、你的竿」，指牧者的杖，或指利未记27:32中羊经过其下被数点的杖，或指牧者用来赶走那要分散或撕咬羊群的狗的杖。圣徒临终时得安慰，因为神认识他们（「他认识属他的人」），他必斥责仇敌，他必以他的杖引导他们、以他的竿扶持他们。福音被称为「基督能力的杖」（诗110:2），其中已够圣徒临终时得安慰，并且在他们「底下是永久的膀臂」。
三、从神如今赐他的厚恩，他推断他慈爱的恒久与永远（诗23:5、6）。在此我们可见：
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他何等高举神向他施的恩惠（诗23:5）：「『你在我敌人面前为我摆设筵席』；你为我预备了关乎生命和敬虔的一切，关乎身体和灵魂、关乎时间和永远的一切所需。」神对他一切百姓就是如此厚赐的恩主；他们当大大述说他的大恩，如大卫在此所行。他承认：〔1〕他有方便的饮食——摆设的筵席，盛满的杯，饥有粮、渴有饮。〔2〕这是为他仔细而欣然地预备的。他的筵席不是随手摆上的，而是「为他」摆设的。〔3〕他不受限量——他蒙赐丰盛：「『我的福杯满溢』——够我自己，也够我的朋友。」〔4〕他不仅有所需，更有装饰和喜乐：「你用油膏了我的头。」撒母耳膏他作王，这是更进一步恩惠的确据；但这更是神赐他丰盛的一例，或暗指款待贵宾时用油膏他们的头（路7:46）。有人甚至以为他仍以自己为一只羊，却如那「穷人家的母羊羔」（撒下12:3），吃他自己的饭、喝他自己的杯、躺在他怀中——神的孩子不仅被这样高贵地看待，也被这样温柔地看顾。为他们身体、灵魂，为今世和来世，都预备了丰盛。护理若没有在肉身生命上如此厚赐我们，那么属灵祝福若不补足，便是我们自己的过错了。
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他何等确信神恩惠的持续（诗23:6）。他曾说（诗23:1）：「我必不至缺乏」；如今他说得更肯定、更全面：「我一生一世必有恩惠慈爱随着我。」他的盼望升高，他的信心因运用而坚固。请注意：〔1〕他所期待于自己的是——恩惠和慈爱，一切怜悯的溪流都从那源头流出：赦罪之怜悯、保护之怜悯、扶持之怜悯、供应之怜悯。〔2〕它赐下的方式：它「随着我」，如磐石流出的水随着以色列人在旷野的营；它要随我进入一切境地、一切情形，常预备妥当。〔3〕它的持续：它要随我「我一生一世」，直到末了；因为神所爱的，他就爱到底。〔4〕它的恒常：「我一生一世的日子」，如日之必至；它「每早晨都是新的」（哀3:22、23），如每日赐给以色列人的吗哪。〔5〕它的确定：「必有。」这正如真理之神的应许那般稳固；我们「知道我们所信的是谁」。〔6〕这里展望到将来境界中福乐的完全。有人如此解读末了一句：「恩惠慈爱既一生一世随着我在地上，那末了之后，我必迁往更好的世界，『住在耶和华的殿中，直到永远』——住在我们天上父的家中，那里有许多住处。『我已有的，我大得满足；我所盼望的，我更得满足。』这一切，再加上天堂！我们事奉的实在是一位好主人。」
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他何等坚决地决意紧贴神和他的本分。我们将末了一句读作大卫与神的约：「『我且要住在耶和华的殿中，直到永远』（只要我活着），我要趁有所是的时候赞美他。」我们当如仆人住在他家中——那情愿在门框上锥穿耳朵、永远事奉他的仆人。神对我们的善若如晨光，越照越明直到日午，我们对他的善就不可如早晨的云雾、速散的甘露。那要以神家中之肥甘为满足的，当紧贴其中的本分。
英文原文
The Divine Shepherd
A psalm of David.
¹ The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
² He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
³ He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
⁴ 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.
⁵ Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
From three very comfortable premises David, in this psalm, draws three very comfortable conclusions, and teaches us to do so too. We are saved by hope, and that hope will not make us ashamed, because it is well grounded. It is the duty of Christians to encourage themselves in the Lord their God; and we are here directed to take that encouragement both from the relation wherein he stands to us and from the experience we have had of his goodness according to that relation.
I. From God's being his shepherd he infers that he shall not want anything that is good for him, Ps 23:1. See here, 1. The great care that God takes of believers. He is their shepherd, and they may call him so. Time was when David was himself a shepherd; he was taken from following the ewes great with young (Ps 78:70,71), and so he knew by experience the cares and tender affections of a good shepherd towards his flock. He remembered what need they had of a shepherd, and what a kindness it was to them to have one that was skilful and faithful; he once ventured his life to rescue a lamb. By this therefore he illustrates God's care of his people; and to this our Saviour seems to refer when he says, I am the shepherd of the sheep; the good shepherd, Joh 10:11. He that is the shepherd of Israel, of the whole church in general (Ps 80:1), is the shepherd of every particular believer; the meanest is not below his cognizance, Isa 40:11. He takes them into his fold, and then takes care of them, protects them, and provides for them, with more care and constancy than a shepherd can, that makes it his business to keep the flock. If God be as a shepherd to us, we must be as sheep, inoffensive, meek, and quiet, silent before the shearers, nay, and before the butcher too, useful and sociable; we must know the shepherd's voice, and follow him. 2. The great confidence which believers have in God: "If the Lord is my shepherd, my feeder, I may conclude I shall not want any thing that is really necessary and good for me." If David penned this psalm before his coming to the crown, though destined to it, he had as much reason to fear wanting as any man. Once he sent his men a begging for him to Nabal, and another time went himself a begging to Ahimelech; and yet, when he considers that God is his shepherd, he can boldly say, I shall not want. Let not those fear starving that are at God's finding and have him for their feeder. More is implied than is expressed, not only, I shall not want, but, "I shall be supplied with whatever I need; and, if I have not every thing I desire, I may conclude it is either not fit for me or not good for me or I shall have it in due time."
II. From his performing the office of a good shepherd to him he infers that he needs not fear any evil in the greatest dangers and difficulties he could be in, Ps 23:2-4. He experiences the benefit of God's presence with him and care of him now, and therefore expects the benefit of them when he most needs it. See here,
1. The comforts of a living saint. God is his shepherd and his God—a God all-sufficient to all intents and purposes. David found him so, and so have we. See the happiness of the saints as the sheep of God's pasture. (1.) They are well placed, well laid: He maketh me to lie down in green pastures. We have the supports and comforts of this life from God's good hand, our daily bread from him as our Father. The greatest abundance is but a dry pasture to a wicked man, who relishes that only in it which pleases the senses; but to a godly man, who tastes the goodness of God in all his enjoyments, and by faith relishes that, though he has but little of the world, it is a green pasture, Ps 37:16, Pr 15:16,17. God's ordinances are the green pastures in which food is provided for all believers; the word of life is the nourishment of the new man. It is milk for babes, pasture for sheep, never barren, never eaten bare, never parched, but always a green pasture for faith to feed in. God makes his saints to lie down; he gives them quiet and contentment in their own minds, what ever their lot is; their souls dwell at ease in him, and that makes every pasture green. Are we blessed with the green pastures of the ordinances? Let us not think it enough to pass through them, but let us lie down in them, abide in them; this is my rest for ever. It is by a constancy of the means of grace that the soul is fed. (2.) They are well guided, well led. The shepherd of Israel guides Joseph like a flock; and every believer is under the same guidance: He leadeth me beside the still waters. Those that feed on God's goodness must follow his direction; he leads them by his providence, by his word, by his Spirit, disposes of their affairs for the best, according to his counsel, disposes their affections and actions according to his command, directs their eye, their way, and their heart, into his love. The still waters by which he leads them yield them, not only a pleasant prospect, but many a cooling draught, many a reviving cordial, when they are thirsty and weary. God provides for his people not only food and rest, but refreshment also and pleasure. The consolations of God, the joys of the Holy Ghost, are these still waters, by which the saints are led, streams which flow from the fountain of living waters and make glad the city of our God. God leads his people, not to the standing waters which corrupt and gather filth, not to the troubled sea, nor to the rapid rolling floods, but to the silent purling waters; for the still but running waters agree best with those spirits that flow out towards God and yet do it silently. The divine guidance they are under is stripped of its metaphor (Ps 23:3): He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness, in the way of my duty; in that he instructs me by his word and directs me by conscience and providence. Theses are the paths in which all the saints desire to be led and kept, and never to turn aside out of them. And those only are led by the still waters of comfort that walk in the paths of righteousness. The way of duty is the truly pleasant way. It is the work of righteousness that is peace. In these paths we cannot walk unless God both lead us into them and lead us in them. (3.) They are well helped when any thing ails them: He restoreth my soul. [1.] "He restores me when I wander." No creature will lose itself sooner than a sheep, so apt is it to go astray, and then so unapt to find the way back. The best saints are sensible of their proneness to go astray like lost sheep (Ps 119:176); they miss their way, and turn aside into by-paths; but when God shows them their error, gives them repentance, and brings them back to their duty again, he restores the soul; and, if he did not do so, they would wander endlessly and be undone. When, after one sin, David's heart smote him, and, after another, Nathan was sent to tell him, Thou art the man, God restored his soul. Though God may suffer his people to fall into sin, he will not suffer them to lie still in it. [2.] "He recovers me when I am sick, and revives me when I am faint, and so restores the soul which was ready to depart." He is the Lord our God that heals us, Ex 15:26. Many a time we should have fainted unless we had believed; and it was the good shepherd that kept us from fainting.
2. See here the courage of a dying saint (Ps 23:4): "Having had such experience of God's goodness to me all my days, in six troubles and in seven, I will never distrust him, no, not in the last extremity; the rather because all he has done for me hitherto was not for any merit or desert of mine, but purely for his name's sake, in pursuance of his word, in performance of his promise, and for the glory of his own attributes and relations to his people. That name therefore shall still be my strong tower, and shall assure me that he who has led me, and fed me, all my life long, will not leave me at last." Here is,
(1.) Imminent danger supposed: "Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, that is, though I am in peril of death, though in the midst of dangers, deep as a valley, dark as a shadow, and dreadful as death itself," or rather, "though I am under the arrests of death, have received the sentence of death within myself, and have all the reason in the world to look upon myself as a dying man, yet I am easy." Those that are sick, those that are old, have reason to look upon themselves as in the valley of the shadow of death. Here is one word indeed which sounds terrible; it is death, which we must all count upon; there is no discharge in that war. But, even in the supposition of the distress, there are four words which lessen the terror:—It is death indeed that is before us; but, [1.] It is but the shadow of death; there is no substantial evil in it; the shadow of a serpent will not sting nor the shadow of a sword kill. [2.] It is the valley of the shadow, deep indeed, and dark, and dirty; but the valleys are fruitful, and so is death itself fruitful of comforts to God's people. [3.] It is but a walk in this valley, a gentle pleasant walk. The wicked are chased out of the world, and their souls are required; but the saints take a walk to another world as cheerfully as they take their leave of this. [4.] It is a walk through it; they shall not be lost in this valley, but get safely to the mountain of spices on the other side of it.
(2.) This danger made light of, and triumphed over, upon good grounds. Death is a king of terrors, but not to the sheep of Christ; they tremble at it no more than sheep do that are appointed for the slaughter. "Even in the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil. None of these things move me." Note, A child of God may meet the messengers of death, and receive its summons with a holy security and serenity of mind. The sucking child may play upon the hole of this asp; and the weaned child, that, through grace, is weaned from this world, may put his hand upon this cockatrice's den, bidding a holy defiance to death, as Paul, O death! where is thy sting? And there is ground enough for this confidence, [1.] Because there is no evil in it to a child of God; death cannot separate us from the love of God, and therefore it can do us no real harm; it kills the body, but cannot touch the soul. Why should it be dreadful when there is nothing in it hurtful? [2.] Because the saints have God's gracious presence with them in their dying moments; he is then at their right hand, and therefore why should they be moved? The good shepherd will not only conduct, but convoy, his sheep through the valley, where they are in danger of being set upon by the beasts of prey, the ravening wolves; he will not only convoy them, but comfort then when they most need comfort. His presence shall comfort them: Thou art with me. His word and Spirit shall comfort them—his rod and staff, alluding to the shepherd's crook, or the rod under which the sheep passed when they were counted (Le 27:32), or the staff with which the shepherds drove away the dogs that would scatter or worry the sheep. It is a comfort to the saints, when they come to die, that God takes cognizance of them (he knows those that are his), that he will rebuke the enemy, that he will guide them with his rod and sustain them with his staff. The gospel is called the rod of Christ's strength (Ps 110:2), and there is enough in that to comfort the saints when they come to die, and underneath them are the everlasting arms.
III. From the good gifts of God's bounty to him now he infers the constancy and perpetuity of his mercy, Ps 23:5,6. Here we may observe,
1. How highly he magnifies God's gracious vouchsafements to him (Ps 23:5): "Thou preparest a table before me; thou hast provided for me all things pertaining both to life and godliness, all things requisite both for body and soul, for time and eternity:" such a bountiful benefactor is God to all his people; and it becomes them abundantly to utter his great goodness, as David here, who acknowledges, (1.) That he had food convenient, a table spread, a cup filled, meat for his hunger, drink for his thirst. (2.) That he had it carefully and readily provided for him. His table was not spread with any thing that came next to hand, but prepared, and prepared before him. (3.) That he was not stinted, was not straitened, but had abundance: "My cup runs over, enough for myself and my friends too." (4.) That he had not only for necessity, but for ornament and delight: Thou anointest my head with oil. Samuel anointed him king, which was a certain pledge of further favor; but this is rather an instance of the plenty with which God had blessed him, or an allusion to the extraordinary entertainment of special friends, whose heads they anointed with oil, Lu 7:46. Nay, some think he still looks upon himself as a sheep, but such a one as the poor man's ewe-lamb (2Sa 12:3), that did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom; not only thus nobly, but thus tenderly, are the children of God looked after. Plentiful provision is made for their bodies, for their souls, for the life that now is and for that which is to come. If Providence do not bestow upon us thus plentifully for our natural life, it is our own fault if it be not made up to us in spiritual blessings.
2. How confidently he counts upon the continuance of God's favours, Ps 23:6. He had said (Ps 23:1), I shall not want; but now he speaks more positively, more comprehensively: Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. His hope rises, and his faith is strengthened, by being exercised. Observe, (1.) What he promises himself—goodness and mercy, all the streams of mercy flowing from the fountain, pardoning mercy, protecting mercy, sustaining mercy, supplying mercy. (2.) The manner of the conveyance of it: It shall follow me, as the water out of the rock followed the camp of Israel through the wilderness; it shall follow into all places and all conditions, shall be always ready. (3.) The continuance of it: It shall follow me all my life long, even to the last; for whom God loves he loves to the end. (4.) The constancy of it: All the days of my life, as duly as the day comes; it shall be new every morning (La 3:22,23) like the manna that was given to the Israelites daily. (5.) The certainty of it: Surely it shall. It is as sure as the promise of the God of truth can make it; and we know whom we have believed. (6.) Here is a prospect of the perfection of bliss in the future state. So some take the latter clause: "Goodness and mercy having followed me all the days of my life on this earth, when that is ended I shall remove to a better world, to dwell in the house of the Lord for ever, in our Father's house above, where there are many mansions. With what I have I am pleased much; with what I hope for I am pleased more." All this, and heaven too! Then we serve a good Master.
3. How resolutely he determines to cleave to God and to his duty. We read the last clause as David's covenant with God: "I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever (as long as I live), and I will praise him while I have any being." We must dwell in his house as servants, that desired to have their ears bored to the door-post, to serve him for ever. If God's goodness to us be like the morning light, which shines more and more to the perfect day, let not ours to him be like the morning cloud and the early dew that passeth away. Those that would be satisfied with the fatness of God's house must keep close to the duties of it.
大卫的许多诗篇满了抱怨,本篇却满了安慰,以及因神大良善而来的喜悦表达、对他的倚靠。这是一篇善基督徒已经歌咏、且在天地尚存之时必仍要歌咏的诗,带来极大的喜乐与满足。本篇结构如下:一、诗人在此宣告自己与神的关系——他是他的牧者(诗23:1);二、他记念神作他牧者为他所行的恩事之经历(诗23:2,3,5);三、由此他推论自己必不至缺乏(诗23:1)、必不惧怕灾祸(诗23:4)、神必不以怜悯离开他、丢弃他,故他决意不以本分离开神、丢弃他(诗23:6)。他在此必然不仅注目于神护理的福分——这些使他外面光景亨通——更注目于神恩典的赐予,借活泼的信心领受,以热烈的敬虔回应,使其灵魂充满说不出来的喜乐。正如前篇他将基督描绘为为他羊舍命,此处他描绘基督徒领受那位大而善之牧者一切顾念与慈柔的益处。