Thanksgiving - 2023

Temple Baptist Church - 11-26-2023

Psalm 23

 

Introduction:

 

A.  As we continue to be “thankful” concerning the blessings of God upon His people, in my devotions on Thanksgiving morning, Psalm 23 was one of the chapters that was in line for reading. 

 

B.  As I read for the “umpteenth” time this wonderful Psalm, it was as fresh and exciting to me as the first time I heard it.  I guess you could say that it says it all.

 

C.  For the “umpteenth and one time,” I want to look at it this morning.  The best way to read it is one word at a time but that in itself would take a lot more time than we had this morning.  So, I want to give to each of us what we should be thankful for today.

 

1.  “The LORD”  A wonderful Saviour is Jesus our Lord!  Jehovah God, the Almighty, the Self-Existing One, the Eternal One, Jesus Christ in the Old Testament, the Creator and Sustainer of all things, our Lord and Saviour, High Priest, Advocate, Mediator, and Coming King!  Says it all: LORD!

 

2.  “The LORD is my Shepherd”  Thank the Lord this morning for our salvation.  My sheep hear my voice and I know them!  I hear His Voice this morning as I read God’s Word.  I am glad that I am His and He is mine!

 

3.  “I shall not want”  Thank the Lord for His vast supply.  We are indeed blessed with all blessings in Christ Jesus.  In a right way, we have need of nothing this morning because every good gift and every perfect gift cometh down from the Father of Lights!

 

4.  “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures”  Maketh because sheep are not really all that smart.  Sometimes, we overlook the “green pastures” in which we feed and live and look for “greener pastures.”  Preachers are the worst in the world for do such.  There are times when we just need to lie down in our wonderful pasture and learn to rest.

 

5.  “He leadeth me beside the still waters”  Sheep do not like running water as they are skittish.  Thank the Lord for quiet places of refreshment.  Leaning to relax and enjoy the blessings of God in peace.

 

6.  “He restoreth my soul”  “Restoreth” is in a present perfect tense as the Lord continues to restore the fallen, failing, and unfaithful!  Thank the Lord for His compassionate love for His kids!  He never gives up on us.

 

7.  “He leadth me in the paths of righteousness for His name sake”  Thank the Lord that He will never lead us in a wrong way to a wrong place.  You can trust the path or race that God has intended for you personally.  He has never led this preacher wrong!

 

8.  “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil”  Death is the door that we must walk through to get to our eternal state with God.  Thank the Lord that there will be no fear of the other side of that valley because we know what awaits us.

 

9.”For thou are with me, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me”  Thank the Lord that He will both lead in this life and protect in death.  We will have peace in death because He will be with us.  Peace, peace, wonderful peace.

 

10.  “Thou anointest my head with oil”  The oil of gladness; the oil—a type of the Holy Ghost.  Thank the Lord for the precious Holy Spirit that He has given to us and will always be in us.

 

11.  “My cup runneth over”  Thank the Lord for the joy of salvation from the first to the last.  When your cup runneth over, the saucer gets the blessing.

 

12.  “Surely goodness and mercy”  God is good all the time and His mercy is new every morning.  Thank the Lord for His goodness and mercy with neither being deserved.

 

13.  “Shall follow me all the days of my life”  Thank the Lord that His goodness and mercy will FOLLOW us, not lead us.  Oft times we are not all that we should be for Christ but where we walk, goodness and mercy will follow.

 

14.  “And I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.”  Thank the Lord for our short home but praise God for our long home!  This world is not our home but there is one that awaits that will be eternal.

 

Conclusion:  As the choir sang last Sunday morning, “I’ve got so much to thank Him for!” 

 

Psalms 100:4-5  Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.  (5)  For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.