“He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters,” verse 2.
David now sets out the proof of the wonderful provision of the Lord. It was no idle boast that he made in verse 1.
I. THE PROVISION OF THE LORD IS THE VERY BEST
- The benefits the Christian enjoys are of the Lord. ‘He maketh me . . .’ He leads and guides our steps. What we enjoy here is but a tiny foretastes of eternity’s provisions, Rev 7:17, 21:6.
- The benefits are of the highest quality. ‘Green pastures’ — ‘tender grass’! Fit for the youngest to eat!
- We are made to lie down in such comforts. Eze 34:14, John 10:9. ‘Lie down’, this denotes permanence, lasting provision!
- The plural ‘pastures’ shows that there is a plenteous supply. No matter what circumstances arise provision abounds for the people of God. Widows, 1 Kings 17:13-16; 2 Kings 4:7. The Lord can move us into new pastures when it seems that hunger is coming! “And I will sever in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there; to the end thou mayest know that I am the LORD in the midst of the earth,” Exodus 8:22.
II. PEACE AND REFRESHMENT IS ALSO PROVIDED.
“Waters of rest and quietness.” There are very few if any who do not like the sound of water flowing!
- The voice of the Lord is like the sound of water. “His voice was like a noise of many waters, Eze 43:2. “His voice as the sound of many waters,” Rev 1:15.
- There is a multiplicity of sounds. There is a word for each one!
- Above all there is the voice of peace and comfort. “I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints,” Psalm 85:8.
- Of course, water provides refreshment. A human being can only last about 3 days without water! Likewise, we are in constant need of the ‘water of life’ supplied by the Lord. “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,” Revelation 22:1. We are urged to drink, Isaiah 55:1. Christ is the source. “He would have given thee living water,” John 4:10.