Introduction: A Psalm for Every Season
(Start with a gentle and compassionate tone.)
Psalm 23 is a passage we turn to in every season of life—in times of peace, in moments of fear, and especially in the valley of grief. It’s a familiar passage that offers not just comfort, but a profound and unshakable hope. Today, as we remember the life of [Deceased’s Name], we find our comfort not in a philosophy or a platitude, but in a person: the Lord, our Good Shepherd.
Point 1: The Good Shepherd Guides Us (vv. 1-3)
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.”
- A shepherd’s primary job is to provide. The psalm begins by declaring that because the Lord is our Shepherd, we will “not want.” He provides for every need: physical rest in “green pastures” and spiritual peace beside “still waters.”
- But beyond provision, He provides guidance. He “leads me” and “restores my soul.” The life of [Deceased’s Name] was a journey guided by the Lord. In every season—the good times and the challenging times—He was their guide, providing and restoring them. This is the promise for our loved one: they were never alone, and they are now fully restored in the presence of the Shepherd.
Point 2: The Good Shepherd Walks with Us Through the Valley (v. 4)
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
- The psalm doesn’t promise we will avoid the valleys of life; it says we will walk through them. The valley of the shadow of death is a part of the human experience. It’s the darkest and most frightening part of our journey.
- But here is the core of our hope: we don’t walk through it alone. The Shepherd is “with me.” His “rod and staff” are symbols of protection and guidance. The rod is for fending off predators; the staff is for drawing straying sheep back to safety.
- For our loved one, the promise was that Jesus was with them in their final moments. And for us, the grieving, He is with us now, in this valley of sorrow. We do not fear, because His presence brings a peace that passes all understanding.
Point 3: The Good Shepherd Welcomes Us Home (vv. 5-6)
“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
- The psalm concludes not in the valley, but in the house of the Lord. The shepherd becomes a host, preparing a banquet. This is an image of celebration, of victory. The enemy—death—is defeated, and a feast is prepared.
- The final promise is the greatest of all: we will “dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” This is not a temporary visit but an eternal home. [Deceased’s Name] has now entered that home. They are no longer a pilgrim but a resident. They are safe and at peace, in the loving presence of the Lord.
Conclusion: Rest in the Arms of the Shepherd
- So as we leave this place, we don’t leave with a sense of finality. We leave with a sense of hope and peace. We are comforted by the fact that the life of our loved one was watched over by a Good Shepherd. And we have the promise that one day, we will be with them again, in the eternal home that Jesus has prepared for us.
- Let us find rest in this truth: The Lord is our Shepherd, and our loved one is safe in His arms, where goodness and mercy will follow them forever. Amen.
Celebrate & Remember Funeral Pastor 