Typically I approach Psalm 23 from the standpoint of the sheep, looking to God (or Christ) as my shepherd. After all, it begins, “The Lord is my shepherd.”

Yet as an elder who is to imitate Christ and “shepherd God’s flock,” there’s a sense in which Psalm 23 offers me--and you, elder--a secondary reading from the shepherd’s standpoint. Yes, our primary reading of Psalm 23 should always be as a sheep. But those of us who are elders should also look to Psalm 23 to learn what the posture of our hearts for our congregations should look like.

Specifically, we should ask the Lord to teach us

· To destroy all ambition for praise and recognition.

· To set aside cultural conceptions of leadership. And instead…

· To center our hearts on helping members of the church to NOT WANT by leading them to look to the sufficiency of the Chief Shepherd in all things.

· To give us the ability to help them LIE DOWN IN GREEN PASTURES and LEAD THEM BESIDE QUIET WATERS, such that interactions with us would leave them feeling refreshed and rested in the gospel.

· To walk away from our time with members of the flock, and have them feeling like their SOULS have been RESTORED, as if the evidence of our presence in the room is someone’s restored soul.

· To help LEAD THEM IN PATH’S OF RIGHTEOUSNESS for the Chief Shepherd’s NAME’S SAKE—and never be party to their sin or stumbling.

· To remind, comfort, and equip them to walk through THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH, FEARING NO EVIL because they know the Chief Shepherd is WITH THEM.

· To use the ROD AND STAFF of pastoral authority TO COMFORT THEM, such that they can look back on past exercises of our authority and remember that good came, protection came, growth came when their elders wielded that rod and staff.

· To PREPARE A TABLE FOR THEM IN THE PRESENCE OF THEIR ENEMIES, not promising them prosperity now, but reminding of their hope amidst adversity now.

· To remind them that God has marked them off as HIS ANNOINTED ONES, because they are united to the Annointed One. They are special to him!

· To sit under our teaching and find themselves continually looking down into THEIR CUP of the gospel and rejoicing at how it OVERFLOWS.

· To PURSUE them WITH GOODNESS AND MERCY.

Furthermore, if husbands are to love their wives as Christ loves the church, should we husbands not pursue our wives with the same Psalm 23 shepherd-like regard?

And if we are to imitate the shepherd-like love of God for his children, does Psalm 23 not provide us as fathers (mothers, too) with a job description?