EXPLANATORY NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS (3)

Verse 2.—“He maketh me to lie down in green pastures,” etc. Not only he hath “green pastures” to lead me into, which shows his ability, but he leads me into them, which shows his goodness. He leads me not into pastures that are withered and dry, that would distaste me before I taste them; but he leads me into “green pastures,” as well to please my eye with the verdure as my stomach with the herbage; and inviting me, as it were, to eat by setting out the meat in the best colour. A meat though never so good, yet if it look not handsomely, it dulls the appetite; but when besides the goodness it hath also a good look, this gives the appetite another edge, and makes a joy before enjoying. But yet the goodness is not altogether in the greenness. Alas! green is but a colour, and colours are but deceitful things; they might be green leaves, or they might be green flags or rushes; and what good were to me in such a greenness? No, my soul; the goodness is in being “green pastures,” for now they perform as much as they promise; and as in being green they were a comfort to me as soon as I saw them, so in being green “pastures” they are a refreshing to me now as soon as I taste them. As they are pleasant to look on, so they are wholesome to feed on: as they are sweet to be tasted, so they are easy to be digested; that I am now, methinks, in a kind of paradise and seem not to want anything unless perhaps a little water with which now and then to wash my mouth, at most to take sometimes a sip: for though sheep be no great drinkers, and though their pastures being green, and full of sap, make drink the less needful; yet some drink they must have besides. And now see the great goodness of this Shepherd, and what just cause there is to depend upon his providence; for he lets not his sheep want this neither, but “he leadeth them beside still waters,” not waters that roar and make a noise, enough to fright a fearful sheep, but waters “still” and quiet; that though they drink but little, yet they may drink that little without fear. And may I not justly say now, “The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want”? And yet perhaps there will be want for all this; for is it enough that he lead them into green pastures and beside still waters? May he not lead them in, and presently take them out again before their bellies be half full; and so instead of making them happy, make them more miserable? set them in a longing with the sight, and then frustrate them of their expectation? No, my soul; the measure of this Shepherd’s goodness is more than so. He not only leadeth them into green pastures, but “he makes them to lie down” in them—he leads them not in to post over their meat as if they were to eat a passover, and to take it in transitu, as dogs drink Nylus; but, “he makes them to lie down in green pastures,” that they may eat their fill and feed at leisure; and when they have done, “lie down” and take their ease, that their after reckoning may be as pleasing as their repast.—Sir Richard Baker.

Verse 2.—“He leadeth me.” Our guiding must be mild and gentle, else it is not duxisti, but traxisti—drawing and driving, and no leading. Leni spiritu non durâ manu—rather by an inward sweet influence to be led, than by an outward extreme violence to be forced forward.... Touching what kind of cattle, to very good purpose, Jacob, a skilful shepherd, answereth Esau (who would have had Jacob and his flocks have kept company with him in his hunting pace), Nay, not so, sir, said Jacob, it is a tender cattle that is under my hands, and must be softly driven, as they may endure: if one “should over drive them but one day,” they would all die or be laid up for many days after. Gen. xxxiii. 13.—Lancelot Andrewes.

Verse 2.—“He leadeth me,” etc. In ordinary circumstances the shepherd does not feed his flock, except by leading and guiding them where they may gather for themselves; but there are times when it is otherwise. Late in autumn, when the pastures are dried up, and in winter, in places covered with snow, he must furnish them food or they die. In the vast oak woods along the eastern sides of Lebanon, between Baalbek and the cedars, there are there gathered innumerable flocks, and the shepherds are all day long in the bushy trees, cutting down the branches, upon whose green leaves and tender twigs the sheep and goats are entirely supported. The same is true in all mountain districts, and large forests are preserved on purpose.—W. M. Thomson.

Verse 2.—“Lie down”—“leadeth.” Sitting Mary and stirring Martha are emblems of contemplation and action, and as they dwell in one house, so must these in one heart.—Nathanael Hardy.

Verse 2.—This short but touching epitaph is frequently seen in the catacombs at Rome, “In Christo, in pace”—(In Christ, in peace). Realise the constant presence of the Shepherd of peace. “He maketh me to lie down!” “He leadeth me.”—J. R. Macduff, D.D.

Verse 2 (last clause).—“Easily leadeth,” or “comfortably guideth me:” it noteth a soft and gentle leading, with sustaining of infirmity.—H. Ainsworth.

Verse 2.—“Green pastures.” Here are many pastures, and every pasture rich so that it can never be eaten bare; here are many streams, and every stream so deep and wide that it can never be drawn dry. The sheep have been eating in these pastures ever since Christ had a church on earth, and yet they are as full of grass as ever. The sheep have been drinking at these streams ever since Adam, and yet they are brim full to this very day, and they will so continue till the sheep are above the use of them in heaven!—Ralph Robinson, 1656.

Verse 2.—“Green pastures ... beside the still waters.” From the top of the mound [of Arban on the Khabour] the eye ranged over a level country bright with flowers, and spotted with black tents, and innumerable flocks of sheep and camels. During our stay at Arban, the colour of these great plains was undergoing a continual change. After being for some days of a golden yellow, a new family of flowers would spring up, and it would turn almost in a night to a bright scarlet, which would again as suddenly give way to the deepest blue. Then the meadows would be mottled with various hues, or would put on the emerald green of the most luxuriant of pastures. The glowing descriptions I had so frequently received from the Bedouins, of the beauty and fertility of the banks of the Khabour were more than realised. The Arabs boast that its meadows bear three distinct crops of grass during the year, and the wandering tribes look upon its wooded banks and constant green sward as a paradise during the summer months, where man can enjoy a cool shade, and beast can find fresh and tender herbs, whilst all around is yellow, parched, and sapless.—Austin H. Layard, 1853.

Verse 2.—With guidance to “green pastures,” the Psalmist has, with good reason, associated guardianship beside “still waters;” for as we can only appropriate the word through the Spirit, so we shall ordinarily receive the Spirit through the word; not indeed only by hearing it, not only by reading it, not only by reflecting upon it. The Spirit of God, who is a most free agent, and who is himself the source of liberty, will come into the heart of the believer when he will, and how he will, and as he will. But the effect of his coming will ever be the realisation of some promise, the recognition of some principle, the attainment of some grace, the understanding of some mystery, which is already in the word, and which we shall thus find, with a deeper impression, and with a fuller development, brought home with power to the heart.—Thomas Dale, M.A., in “The Good Shepherd,” 1847.

Verse 2.—“Still waters;” which are opposed to great rivers, which both affright the sheep with their noise, and expose them to the danger of being carried away by their swift and violent streams, whilst they are drinking at them.—Matthew Poole.

Verse 2.—“Still waters;” Hebrew, “Waters of rests,” ex quibus diligunt oves bibere, saith Kimchi, such as sheep love to drink of, because void of danger, and yielding a refreshing air. Popish clergymen are called the “inhabitants of the sea,” Rev. xii. 12, because they set abroach gross, troubled, brackish, and sourish doctrine, which rather bringeth barrenness to their hearts, and gnaweth their entrails than quencheth their thirst, or cooleth their heat. The doctrine of the gospel, like the waters of Siloe (Isa. viii. 8), run gently, but taste pleasantly.—John Trapp.

Verse 3.—“He restoreth my soul,” etc. The subjects experimentally treated in this verse are, first, the believer’s liability to fall, or deviate even within the fold of the church, else wherefore should he need to be “restored?” Next, the promptitude of the Good Shepherd to interpose for his rescue. “He restoreth my soul.” Then, Christ’s subsequent care “to lead him in the paths of righteousness;” and, lastly, the reason assigned wherefore he will do this—resolving all into the spontaneousness, the supremacy, the omnipotence of grace. He will do all, “for his own name’s sake.”—Thomas Dale.

Verse 3.—“He restoreth my soul.” The same hand which first rescued us from ruin, reclaims us from all our subsequent aberrations. Chastisement itself is blended with tenderness; and the voice which speaks reproof, saying, “They have perverted their way, and they have forsaken the Lord their God,” utters the kindest invitation, “Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings.” Nor is the voice unheard, and the call unanswered or unfelt. “Behold, we come unto thee; for thou art the Lord our God.” Jer. iii. 22. “When thou saidst, Seek my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek.”—J. Thornton’s “Shepherd of Israel,” 1826.

Verse 3.—“He restoreth my soul.” He restores it to its original purity, that was now grown foul and black with sin; for also, what good were it to have “green” pastures and a black soul! He “restores” it to its natural temper in affections, that was grown distempered with violence of passions; for alas! what good were it to have “still” waters and turbulent spirits! He “restores” it indeed to life, that was grown before in a manner quite dead; and who could “restore my soul” to life, but he only that is the Good Shepherd and gave his life for his sheep?—Sir Richard Baker.

Verse 3.—“He shall convert my soul;” turn me not only from sin and ignorance, but from every false confidence, and every deceitful refuge. “He shall bring me forth in paths of righteousness;” in those paths of imputed righteousness which are always adorned with the trees of holiness, are always watered with the fountains of consolation, and always terminate in everlasting rest. Some, perhaps, may ask, why I give this sense to the passage? Why may it not signify the paths of duty, and the way of our own obedience? Because such effects are here mentioned as never have resulted, and never can result, from any duties of our own. These are not “green pastures,” but a parched and blasted heath. These are not “still waters,” but a troubled and disorderly stream. Neither can these speak peace or administer comfort when we pass through the valley and shadow of death. To yield these blessings, is the exalted office of Christ, and the sole prerogative of his obedience.—James Hervey.

Verse 3.—“He restoreth my soul:” Hebrew, “He bringeth it back;” either, 1. From its errors or wandering; or, 2. Into the body, out of which it was even departing and fainting away. He reviveth or comforteth me.—Matthew Poole.

Verse 3.—“Paths of righteousness.” Alas! O Lord, these “paths of righteousness” have a long time so little been frequented, that prints of a path are almost clean worn out; that it is a hard matter now, but to find where the paths lie, and if we can find them, yet they are so narrow and so full of ruts, that without special assistance it is an impossible thing not to fall or go astray. Even so angels, and those no mean ones, were not able to go right in these “paths of righteousness,” but for want of leading, went away and perished. O, therefore, thou the Great Shepherd of my soul, as thou art pleased of thy grace to lead me into them, so vouchsafe with thy grace to lead me in them; for though in themselves they be “paths of righteousness,” yet to me they will be but paths of error if thou vouchsafe not, as well to lead me in them, as into them.—Sir Richard Baker.