Bible Study Notes 4/1/2025

WORD ALIVE! BIBLE STUDY ©2025

Journey in the Psalms: Prayer, Praise and Promise

Concord Baptist Church of Boston in Milton – Conley Hughes, Jr., Senior Pastor

Quiet Time: Tracy M. Summer, Psalms: An All-In-One Study on God’s Song Book

Lesson 7 - Part 1

Tues., 1 April 2025

Lesson 7, Part 1  “Protection and Provisions of God.” – Psalm 23 is the most read psalm in the entire Scriptures. There is little doubt Psalm 23 – most definitely a psalm of David, is valued for its promise of provisions and protection from God. The  psalm offers assurance by letting the reader know that during life’s most vulnerable times, we are protected, and our needs will be met. Physicians and professionals in medical science report that the trauma many people experience in which they suffer fear, anxiety, and depression can be attributed to some environmental factors. Events of death; sickness; or, episodes of unanticipated natural events; violence, or a sudden disruption in a person’s normal pattern of life, could all echo a need for protection. We all need a place of refuge and safety during time of upheaval, In Psalm 23, David gives us a description of how he has learned to cope with life’s events. David himself a shepherd and son of a shepherding clan, is intimately familiar with both the nature of sheep, and the value of a good shepherd who tends sheep. David believes the Lord “is” the Shepherd who protects His flock (people) and provides them with physical and spiritual resources they need, to sustain their lives. On another occasion David said of faithful worshipers: “Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us  and we are His. We are His people, the sheep of His pasture.” (Psalm 100:3, NLT). God will always protect His people. The assurance of God’s abiding presence will cause all who trust Him to have an insatiable desire… to seek worship and sanctuary with Him. All earthly desires are subordinate to seeking fellowship with God.

Verses &  Observation for Psalm 23:1-6:

Observe         Interpret     Apply

(1)  – The Lord’s relationship with David.

(2)  – The Shepherd who sustains us.

(3)  – The Shepherd who restores and directs us.

(4)  – The Shepherd who comforts.  

(5)  – Blessings despite danger and attack.

(6)  – Assurance of God’s presence at all times.

Key Idea:

What We Believe!

1. “Your word is a lamp to my feet  and a light to my path!”  - Psalm 119:105

Key Verses:

Psalm 23:1, NKJV 1 “The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want.

Psalm 23:2, NKJV

 2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.

Psalm 23:3, NKJV

 3 He restores my soul. He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.

Psalm 23:4, NKJV

 4 Yes, though I walk through the valley of the shadows of death, I will not fear evil, for You are with me. Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me...

Psalm 23:5, NKJV

5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil. My cup runs over.

Psalm 23:6, NKJV

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Reading Further:

John 10: 7b; 8-12; 14-15; 17-18, NLT

7b “So He explained to them: “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who came before me were thieves and robbers. But the true shepherd did not listen to them. 9 Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. 10 The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. 11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices His life for the sheep. 12 A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will abandon the sheep because they don’t belong to Him and He isn’t their shepherd… 14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and they know me, 15 just as my Father knows me   and I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep…

17 The Father loves me because I sacrifice my life so I may take it back again. 18 No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded.