1(大衛的詩。)耶和華是我的牧者,我必不至缺乏。2他使我躺臥在青草地上,領我在可安歇的水邊。3他使我的靈魂甦醒,為自己的名引導我走義路。4我雖然行過死蔭的幽谷,也不怕遭害,因為你與我同在;你的杖,你的竿,都安慰我。5在我敵人面前,你為我擺設筵席;你用油膏了我的頭,使我的福杯滿溢。
6我一生一世必有恩惠慈愛隨著我;我且要住在耶和華的殿中,直到永遠。Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. Psalm 23:6
The psalm 23 began with a buoyant, "The LORD is my shepherd!" and it closes with an equally buoyant, positive note. The sheep is utterly satisfied. He is saying, "Boy, I love it here! Nothing will get me out of this outfit! You see, I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever."
這詩篇以屬天的開始,「耶和華是我的牧者!」 並以同樣屬靈的喜樂音調結束。羊完全心滿意足,說:「天啊!我住在愛裡!什麼都不會讓我脫下這套義服!你看,我將永遠住在耶和華的殿裡。」
We have come full circle with the sheep giving a statement of composure and contentment. In Ephesians 2:19, the house is defined as the family of God, of which Jesus is the Head.
我們與羊同樣生活在愛裡,充滿了平安和喜樂。在以弗所書2:19中,房屋被定義為上帝的家,耶穌是其中的頭。
19這樣,你們不再作外人和客旅,是與聖徒同國,是神家裡的人了;
Do our neighbors see us as being contented, happy, at peace? Do they see the effects of our intimate relationships with God in our lives? Are we good witnesses for His way? That is the question we are to ask ourselves as the psalm ends.
我們的鄰居是否認為我們在平安中感到滿足、幸福?他們是否在我們的生活中看到了我們與上帝親密關係的影響?我們是祂的好見證嗎?這是我們在詩篇結束時要問自己的問題。
The sheep proclaims, "I will dwell in the presence of the LORD forever," concluding this poem of praise and thanksgiving of the sheep for his shepherd. The sheep had experienced life in the shepherds care, and he wanted more of it! That thought should be a guiding beacon for us the remainder of our lives, as long as they might be—that it is our fervent desire to dwell in the presence of the Lord always.
羊們宣稱:「我將永遠住在耶和華面前。」這首詩羊群讚美牧羊人。綿羊在牧者的照料中雖經歷了水火,卻享有喜樂平安的生命,他希望得到更多!這種思想應該成為我們一生的引導,只要我們活著,那就是我們家熱切渴望永遠住在主面前。
Re. From:John W. Ritenbaugh