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Psalm 23 1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. 3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 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. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever. |
诗篇23章 1 耶和华是我的牧人，我必不会缺乏。 2 他使我躺卧在青草地上，领我到安静的水边。 3 他使我的灵魂甦醒；为了自己的名，他引导我走义路。 4 我虽然行过死荫的山谷，也不怕遭受伤害，因为你与我同在； 你的杖你的竿都安慰我。 5 在我敌人面前，你为我摆设筵席；你用油膏了我的头， 使我的杯满溢。 6 我一生的日子，必有恩惠慈爱紧随着我；我也要住在耶和华的殿中，直到永远。 |
| SCRIPTURE INTRO |
经文介绍 |
| Psalm 23 is one of the best known passages of Scripture in all of the Bible. That’s good because the Psalm is so rich. But it’s also dangerous because when we know it so well, it’s so easy to skate across the surface of it, like a rock skipping along the surface of Long Lake. So, as we begin today I want to reflect on the first line of this Psalm to draw us into just how life-giving and rich this Psalm is for us. |
诗篇23章是圣经中我们最熟悉的经文之一。我们对它的熟悉度可以给我们带来好处，因为这首诗篇的内涵是如此的丰富，但也可以给我们带来危险–––我们在自以为已经把经文记得滚瓜烂熟的情况下很容易让我们对它的理解流于表面，就像打水漂时轻轻从湖面上划过的石子一样。所以在我开始讲道之前，我想通过解析这段经文的第一节来让我们意识到这篇诗篇的深度和对我们生命的重要性。 |
| 1. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. |
1. 耶和华是我的牧人，我必不会缺乏。 |
| The Psalmist, David, says the LORD is my shepherd. This is Yahweh. Israel’s covenant-keeping God. I am who I am. The one who was, who is, and is to come. The self-existent one who needs nothing from us. The one who created all things, and sustains all things, and rules over all things. That is who the LORD is. |
诗人大卫提到耶和华是我的牧人。他说的是耶和华：那以色列的守约之神；那自有永有并掌握着过去，现在，和未来的；那独立存在并且不需要我们任何东西的；那创造一切、维系一切、和掌管一切的–––这就是我们的耶和华神。 |
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| David says, the LORD is my shepherd. The sovereign LORD has taken on the role of the shepherd. The one who does the menial job of taking care of down and dirty sheep. The one who is out in the elements with the sheep, hands on with their dirt, and taking on their smell. Usually the youngest in the family would get this lack-luster job. And here the highest of the high stoops to the lowest of low to show his beloved what kind of Lord and King he is. |
大卫说耶和华是我的牧人。那至高的神已担起牧羊人的角色，做着看顾卑微肮脏羊群的卑贱工作，放下身段与羊群同出同入，衣上沾着它们的污垢，身上带着它们的膻气。通常是家里最小的成员会接手这份没戏的工作，但这里我们高于一切的至高者俯身服侍这卑微中的卑微，以此向祂所爱的子民展现祂是怎么样的一位主和王。 |
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| Lastly, David says the LORD is *my *shepherd. David uses the personal name of God, “Yahweh,” and then claims him as his own personal shepherd. David was an experienced shepherd himself. He was a shepherd of the family sheep while growing up. And then God placed him as a shepherd over his people. David knew how a good shepherd would handle his sheep. He had seen how the LORD had been a good shepherd to Israel all throughout their history and he had experienced the LORD as his good shepherd personally. |
最后，大卫说耶和华是我的牧人。大卫在这里使用了对上帝的个人称呼–––耶和华–––然后又紧接着宣称神为他个人的牧者。大卫自己就是一个有经验的牧羊人：从小为家里放羊，后来又被神指定为祂子民的牧者。大卫很清楚一个好的牧人会怎样照顾他的羊，他也见证了耶和华在以色列历史上扮演的好牧人角色，并亲身体会了神对他个人的牧养。 |
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| And as we will see, we can know the LORD as *our *shepherd and begin to plumb the depths of how trustworthy he is. |
我们即将会在讲道中看到，我们可以认耶和华为我们的牧人，并开始探究祂信实的深度。 |
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| PRAYER |
祷告 |
| Sovereign LORD, we come to you today needing your help to see you and to know you as our shepherd. Please come by your Spirit and reveal to us who you are. Help us to see the fullness of how you care for us so that we will trust you at all times, even and especially when we find it difficult to understand the ways you are guiding us and the paths you are leading us down. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen. |
至高的主，我们今天来到你的面前，需要你的帮助来看见你并认你为我们的牧人。请你借着圣灵临到我们，向我们显现你是一位何等伟大的神。帮助我们看见你看顾我们时丰富的恩典，让我们时刻信靠你，哪怕是，尤其是，在我们不能理解你对我们的带领方式的时候。我们奉耶稣的名求，阿门。 |
| SERMON INTRO |
讲道介绍 |
| Life is sometimes like a roller coaster and sometimes like a lazy river. Some of us really enjoy roller coasters. We love the thrill of the ups and downs, the twists and turns, the unexpected jolts that take our breath away. Others of us hate roller coasters. We would rather do something more predictable like ride along on the lazy river boat. |
生活时而像过山车，时而又像缓缓流淌的河。我们中有些人特别享受过山车：我们喜欢忽上忽下的刺激、弯弯扭扭的轨道和预料不到的颠簸。我们中有些人讨厌过山车：我们宁愿做一些更能预料的事，比如说乘坐一艘漂流在缓缓河上的小舟。 |
| Like it or not, we will ride the lazy river and the roller coaster in our lives. When life is like a lazy river, everything is content and at rest. There is peace as we coast along. When life is like a roller coaster it can be fun, it can be thrilling, as long as the roller coaster stays in control and on the track. |
但是不管我们喜不喜欢，我们这辈子总会有航行在缓流上和乘坐过山车的时候。当生活像大河一样慢慢流淌的时候，一切都很平静，我们在航行中感到平安。当生活像过山车一样的时候也有可能很好玩，很刺激，只要车厢好好地待在轨道上就行。 |
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FCF: But with all the twists and turns of life, it is easy to fly off the track. It becomes difficult to trust the one controlling this ride we call life. Psalm 23 will keep us on the track. It will bring us back to a place of trusting the Lord no matter what this life brings us. |
但随着生活的波折，我们很容易就会脱轨，因此信靠那掌控着我们生活旅程的那位会变得越来越困难。诗篇23章将帮我们守住正轨。它带领我们去信靠神，不管生活带给我们什么。 |
| We will see that… |
我们会看到： |
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Main point: Because the LORD is our Shepherd, we should trust him at all times. |
讲道要点：因为耶和华是我们的牧者，我们应当时刻信靠祂。 |
| I want to flesh this out for you in three main points from the text. Because the LORD is our Shepherd, we should trust him 1) when the provision is obvious, 2) when the valley is dark, and, 3) when the enemy is near. |
我会用经文的三个要点给你们做讲解。因为耶和华是我们的牧者，我们应在 1）当供应明显的时候、2）当山谷黑暗的时候，和 3）当敌人接近的时候 都信靠祂。 |
| When the provision is obvious |
1）当供应明显的时候 |
| There are times when the Shepherd’s provision for his sheep is obvious and here that obvious provision takes on two forms: rest and restoration. |
有的时候牧羊人对羊群的供应是明显的，而明显的供应有两种形式：安息和复甦。 |
| The Shepherd’s Rest |
牧人的安息 |
| Look at verse 2. |
我们来看看第2节 |
| “He [the LORD] makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.” |
“他【耶和华】使我躺卧在青草地上，领我到安静的水边。” |
| Now if you are a sheep, provision doesn’t get much more obvious than green grass and still waters. |
要是你是一只羊的话，你就会知道没有比青草地和静水更明显的供应了。 |
| The basic job of a shepherd is to lead the sheep to good pastures to feed on and good waters to drink. But David says this shepherd makes me not just feed on good pastures and drink good water, but he makes me lie down in green pastures and leads me beside still waters.
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一个牧羊人最基本的工作就是带领羊群到可供应它们饮食的草地上。但大卫说这位牧羊人不仅让我在上好的草地上和泉水旁饲食，他还让我躺卧在青草地上并领我到安静的水边。 |
| I read where a sheep herder said that it is not easy to get sheep to lie down. They are such timid creatures that they are troubled easily. And when they are troubled they do not lie down. They stand up. This sheep herder said the only way sheep will lie down is when these four conditions are met: |
我有一次读到一位牧羊人说让羊躺下来不是一件容易的事。因为羊是一种特别胆小的动物，所以它们很容易被惊动；而当它们被惊动的时候，它们绝对不会躺着–––它们会站起来。这位牧羊人说能让羊躺下来的唯一方法就是满足以下的四个条件： |
| They are free from fear |
它们不受恐惧的干扰 |
| They are free from tensions with other sheep |
它们不受羊群内部关系紧张的干扰 |
| They are free from flies or other pests bugging them |
它们不受蚊虫干扰 |
| They are free from hunger |
它们不受饥饿干扰 |
| So making a sheep lie down requires that these conditions are met. A good shepherd knows this and does what it takes to give the sheep what they need to be at rest. The next line continues this picture: He leads me beside still waters.
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所以要想让羊群躺下来，必须符合所有四个条件。一个好的牧羊人知道这些并且会尽力去给他的羊群提供能让他们安息的所需。接下来的经文继续描绘着这个场景：【他】领我到安静的水边。
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| To lead means “to escort with care.” Sometimes we might think of shepherds as harshly driving sheep along, but the leading here is a tender, careful leading to a place of rest beside still waters, which are literally “waters of rest.” |
这个 ”领“ 字的意思是 “谨慎地护送”。我们有些时候会认为牧人经常是在粗暴地驱赶着羊群，但这里的这位牧者确实温柔、细心地把羊带到静水旁的安息之处。 |
| So one obvious form of provision from a good shepherd is the rest he gives his sheep. Another form of a shepherd’s provision is the way he restores his sheep. |
所以一个好牧者供应的一个明显的形式就是他给羊群的安息。另外一个形式就是他复甦羊群的方法。 |
| The Shepherd’s Restoration |
牧人的复苏 |
| Look at verse 3. |
我们来看一下第三节 |
| “He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” |
“他使我的灵魂苏醒；为了自己的名，他引导我走义路。” |
| So what does this word “restore” mean? To reestablish it. To bring it back to the right place. So “restores my soul” literally means he “brings back my life.” |
所以 “复苏”这个词是什么意思呢？让它复苏，使它回归正确的位置–––“使我的灵魂苏醒” 的意思就是 “使我复活”。 |
| Some commentators think the phrase “He restores my soul” refers to when sheep needed help to get back on their feet, to be restored to an upright position. Sometimes sheep would lie down and then shift their weight. Sometimes they would shift their weight a little too much and get off balance to the point where they would find themselves upside down. |
有些注释家认为 “他使我的灵魂苏醒“ 指的是当羊需要帮助站起来，或，需要帮助回到直立的姿势。有些时候羊会在躺下后移动重心–––有些时候它们会因移动过多而失去平衡，使得它们四脚朝天。 |
| When a sheep finds itself upside down it is totally helpless. It cannot turn itself right-side up. If it stays upside down gases build up inside, circulation is cut off, and before long the sheep will die. What the sheep needs is a shepherd to come to the rescue. A good shepherd will keep his eyes open and run to the sheep in trouble. He will put it back on its feet and save its life. |
当一头羊四脚朝天的时候，它是彻底无助的–––它不能把自己翻过来。渐渐地，废气会在体内残留，血液循环会被切断，不久后这头羊就一命呜呼了。在这个时候这头羊就需要一个牧羊人来拯救它。一个好的牧羊人会留心看他的羊，并奔向遇到麻烦的羊。他会帮它们站起来，救它们的命。 |
| Sheep are also prone to wander. If a sheep were to wander off on its own it would be subject to all kinds of danger and likely be consumed by predators. Sheep need the guidance of a tender shepherd to keep them on the “right paths.” That’s literally what this says, “He leads me in ‘right paths’ for his name’s sake.” |
羊还特别容易走丢。一头落单的羊会有可能遇到各种危险，还很有可能会被食肉动物吃掉。羊群需要一位温柔牧者的引领才能待在 ”正道“ 上。这段经文说的就是这个：”为了自己的名，他引导我走义路。“ |
| When sheep are at rest and when sheep returned to right side up and on put on right paths, the provision of the shepherd is obvious. |
当一头羊得以安息和当一头羊被扶起来并且领到正路上时，这牧羊人的供应是很明显的。 |
| David’s Life with His Shepherd |
大卫的生命与他的牧者同在 |
| David knew this kind of provision from the LORD. David was a poor shepherd boy and the LORD put in him the palace. The LORD gave him lush riches as king of Israel and caused him to be at rest. But David sometimes got off track. You remember when David’s thinking got upside down and he decided he would build a house for the LORD. Then the LORD turned him right-side up and said “No, I’m going to build you a house.” So, the LORD put David on the right path. The path was really a promise to make the LORD’s name great and provide for David at the same time. |
大卫懂得耶和华这牧者般的供应。神把大卫这个穷牧人安置于宫廷，并冠他为以色列的王，给他各样的荣华富贵，使他得安息。但大卫还是时而会出轨。你应该记得当大卫的思想颠倒并打算为神造一座殿。然而，神却把他翻回来并告诉他：“不，我会为你筑一座宫殿。” 耶和华就这样使大卫回归正道，而这道正是主为高举自己的名而为大卫供应的承诺。 |
| In Psalm 22, David was lamenting his situation, but in Psalm 23, David has come to a place of trust. The LORD’s provision is not obvious because he can‘t see it in front of him in the moment. Some commentators think David is running for his life from Absalom here. But the LORD’s provision becomes obvious when David remembers his Shepherd and loads in all his Shepherd does for him. |
在诗篇22，大卫还在哀哭着他的处境，但在23章就找回了信心。耶和华对他的供应并不明显，因为他在当时并不能马上看见。有些注释家认为大卫正在因押沙龙的缘故而逃命，但当他想起他的牧者和这牧者为他所做的一切时，耶和华的供应就变得明显了。 |
| And Lord wants to do the same thing for us. |
然而神也想为我们做同样的事。 |
| Our Lives with Our Shepherd |
我们的生命与我们的牧者同在 |
| There are times in our lives when God’s provision is just so obvious. We’ve got food and drink. We are healthy and content. We’re getting back on track. Our thought life is good. We sense that God is leading us in right paths. We sense that God is making his name great. We can see very clearly that the Lord is working for his glory and our good. Life is good. When those times come, we should enjoy them. And we should look through them and praise God as the giver of life and breath and everything else. |
有些时候神对我们生活上的供应真的很明显。我们有足够的饮食；我们健康满足；我们回到正轨；我们的思想生活很美好。我们可以感觉神在带领我们走正道，可以感觉祂在高举自己的名–––可以明确地看见神的一切作为是为了祂的荣耀和我们的益处。生命是美好的。当这些光景降临，我们都应该享受。我们当透过它们，赞美神赐给我们生命、气息和一切所有的。 |
| But there are times when we are not at rest, but restless. We are not restored, but the life has been knocked right out of us. We are wandering off the right paths and in desperate need for our Shepherd to bring us back. |
但有些时候我们没有安息，却是不安。我们没有被复甦，相反却被打晕了。我们偏离了正道，迫切需要我们的牧人带我们回去。 |
| Isn’t this what Jesus has promised to do for us? In John 10:14 Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.” And again, in verse 27, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.” |
这难道不是耶稣应许要为我们所做的？在约翰福音10:14-15中耶稣说：”我是好牧人，我认识我的羊，我的羊也认识我。好像父认识我，我也认识父一样；并且我为羊舍命。“在27节中，祂又说：”我的羊听我的声音，我也认识他们，他们也跟随我。 我赐给他们永生，他们永不灭亡，谁也不能把他们从我手里夺去。“ |
| Jesus the Good Shepherd says again in Matthew 11:28-29, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” |
耶稣好牧人在马太福音11:28-29中再次说：”你们所有劳苦担重担的人哪，到我这里来吧！ 我必使你们得安息。我心里柔和谦卑，你们应当负我的轭，向我学习，你们就必得着心灵的安息。“ |
| Jesus is the good shepherd. He is leading us not just with a rod and a staff, but with his voice. He says to you who are restless and need your life restored, “Come, and I will give you rest.” Will you hear his voice? Will you follow him? Trust Jesus as the Good Shepherd and his provision will become obvious wherever you are. |
耶稣是好牧人。祂不仅用杖和竿带领我们，也用祂的声音。祂对你们这些焦虑不安，生命需要复苏的人说：”来，我会给你安息。“你会听祂的声音吗？你会跟从祂吗？信靠耶稣如那好牧人，祂的供应会变得明显，无论你在哪里。 |
| You will need to trust him all the more… |
你将需要更加信靠祂…… |
| When the valley is dark |
当深谷幽暗 |
| There is a change in the scenery in verse 4. The Psalmist has gone from the green pastures and still waters to valleys and deep darkness. That’s what the “valley of the shadow of death” is. It’s literally the valley of deep darkness. It’s a scary, gloom of darkness. |
第4节场景发生了变化。诗人从青草地和静水旁来到了低谷和幽深的黑暗。那就是所谓的”死荫的幽谷“。那真的是幽深黑暗的低谷，很吓人，阴沉沉的幽暗。 |
| Wait a minute. What happened to the shepherd? Isn’t the shepherd supposed to lead the sheep into green pastures and still waters? Where did he go? And how will the sheep handle this? They are such fearful creatures! Won’t they be so afraid? |
等会儿，这牧人怎么了？牧人难道不应该是带领羊群到青草地和静水旁的吗？他上哪儿去了？羊群怎么对付这个？它们是如此胆小的动物！难道它们不会吓死了吗？ |
| David says, “I will not fear.” Why? Because he knows that the shepherd has not left him. He knows the shepherd’s presence and the shepherd’s comfort. |
大卫说：”我不怕。“为什么？因为他知道牧人并没有离开他。他知道牧人的同在和牧人的安慰。 |
| The Shepherd’s presence |
牧人的同在 |
| The danger was real in the dark valleys near Bethlehem. There were robbers and predators lurking in the shadows. How could sheep travel through these dark valleys without being crippled by their fear? Answer: the shepherd was with them. |
耶路撒冷边上的幽谷中，危险是真实的。盗匪和野兽就潜伏在阴暗的角落里。羊群走过这幽暗深谷如何不被恐惧吓倒呢？答案：牧人与它们同在。 |
| And no doubt David knows there is much to fear. He had led sheep through dark valleys and probably had to fight off robbers and wild animals coming after the sheep. And he describes himself here as walking through a dark valley. How could he not fear? Again, the answer is the shepherd was with him. |
毫无疑问，大卫知道那里有很多可怕的事。他曾经带着羊群走过那幽谷，可能曾经和尾随羊群的盗匪或野兽交战过。在里他描写自己正在走过幽谷。他如何能不害怕？再说一遍，答案就是牧人与他同在。 |
| David knew this reality really well. He reminds us of God’s constant presence in some verses we’ve been memorizing as a church from Psalm 139: |
大卫很清楚知道这个现实。在我们教会背诵经文诗篇139中，大卫提醒我们神的同在： |
| Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? 8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! 9 If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, 10 even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. 11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,” 12 even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you. |
7 我到哪里去躲避你的灵？ 我往哪里去逃避你的面呢？ 8 如果我升到天上，你在那里；如果我在阴间下榻，你也在那里。 9 如果我展开清晨的翅膀，飞到海的极处居住， 10 就是在那里，你的手仍必引导我，你的右手也必扶持我。 11 如果我说：“愿黑暗遮盖我，愿我周围的亮光变成黑夜。” 12 但对你来说，黑暗也不算是黑暗，黑夜必如同白昼一样发亮， 黑暗和光明，在你看来都是一样的。 |
| The shepherd’s presence in the darkness makes all the difference. And with the shepherd’s presence comes his comfort. |
牧人在黑暗中的同在使境况大为不同。随着牧人同在而来的是祂的安慰。 |
| The Shepherd’s comfort |
牧人的安慰 |
| In verses 2 and 3 it’s clear who is doing the leading because it says right in the text “He leads me.” That’s the LORD. But when we get to verse 4 you can’t really tell who is leading until you get to the second half of the verse where David says, “your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” This is the shepherd’s rod and the shepherd’s staff. |
在第2和3节中，谁在带领是很显然的，因为经文说：”他领我。“那就是耶和华。但到了第4节你可能说不出是谁在带领，直到你读到这节的下半部分，大卫说：”你的杖你的竿都安慰我。“这就是牧人的杖和牧人的竿。 |
| A shepherd uses his rod as a weapon to protect the sheep against the robbers and predators. He uses his staff was as a weapon when needed, but he also uses it to guide and direct the sheep. |
牧人用他的杖作武器来保护羊群，驱赶盗贼和野兽。他需要的时候也可以用竿作武器，但他还会用竿来带领羊群。 |
| So the shepherd is the one who has led into this dark place. But he didn’t lead David there to leave him there. No, David says he walks *through *the dark valley. The Shepherd is leading him *through *to the other side, and he is using his rod and his staff. |
所以是牧人带领进入那幽谷。但祂并不是把大卫带到那里就捌下他不管了。不是的，大卫说祂陪着他行过死荫的幽谷。牧人带领他直到幽谷的另一头，而祂用的是杖和竿。 |
| But how are his rod and his staff comforting? The rod and the staff represent protection and guidance through the dangers of the dark valley. |
但祂的杖和竿如何安慰呢？杖和竿代表了保护和引导，渡过幽谷中的危险。 |
| David knew evil was on every side, but he was comforted by the LORD’s protection and guidance in the midst of it. The LORD comforted David to override his potential fear of the evil surrounding him. |
大卫知道四周都有恶者，但在其中他被耶和华的保护和引导安慰着。耶和华安慰大卫战胜被恶者围绕的恐惧。 |
| The presence of evil pushes sheep close to their shepherd. The Shepherd’s comfort in the presence of evil pushes fear far away. The Shepherd’s presence and comfort caused David to trust in him even when the valley was dark. |
恶者的包围让羊群更加靠近它们的牧人。牧人在恶者包围中的安慰让它们远离恐惧。牧人的同在与安慰让大卫信靠祂，哪怕幽谷黑暗。 |
| Christian’s Journey |
基督徒的旅程 |
| Maybe you’re familiar with classic, The Pilgrim’s Progress, by John Bunyan*. *Christian, in The Pilgrim’s Progress is making his way to the Celestial City. Along the paths he encounters all sorts of troubles, but he is convinced he is on the right path, so he stays the course even though others are turning back. He comes to the edge of the valley of the shadow of death. Two men meet him there and try to convince him to turn back. But he goes on with his sword in hand. |
也许你熟悉约翰·班扬的经典之作《天路历程》。在《天路历程》中，一位名叫基督徒的人在走向天城。沿途他遇到各种麻烦，但他确信自己走在正确的道路上，所以他一路前行，哪怕别人纷纷回头。他来到死荫的幽谷边缘。两个人在那里见到他，想劝他回头。但他手里握着剑继续走下去。 |
| He walks a very narrow path between a deep ditch on one side and a dangerous marsh on the other. King David had even fallen into the marsh at one point and had only gotten out by God’s mercy. It is so dark that Christain can’t even see where his next foot step will land. |
他走在一条窄路上，一边是万丈深渊，一边是吃人的泥沼。大卫王曾经落入那个泥沼，凭着神的怜悯勉强挣扎出来。这里非常暗，基督徒都看不见下一步脚该放在哪里。 |
| About half-way through he comes to the pit of hell itself. There are flames and smoke and sparks and hideous noises. His sword doesn’t work against them, so he prays out loud, “Oh Lord, I beseech thee, deliver my soul.” Evil things are coming at him and he thinks he might be ripped to shreds. He has half a thought that he might turn back, but then thinks he might be half-way through and that going back might be even worse than going forward. So goes on, saying, “I will walk in the strength of the Lord God.” Then he hears whispers of all kinds of horrible things. He is so confused that he thinks the whispers are coming from his own mind. |
在半路上他来到地狱的深渊。那里有烈焰浓烟，火星四溅，声音骇人。他的剑敌不过它们，于是他大声祷告：“哦，主啊，我恳求您，救救我的灵魂！”恶者向他扑来，他以为他就要被撕成碎片了。他在犹豫着要打退堂鼓，又想着已经走到这一半了，退回去比往前走只会更糟。所以，他继续往前，说，”我要靠着耶和华神的力量行走。“然后他听到各种可怕的低语。他摸不着头脑，一度以为那些低语是从自己的头脑里出来的。 |
| Then, after quite a long time, he hears a voice up ahead, saying, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.” And he gathers strength to keep going. Eventually morning dawns and he remembers Amos 5:8 “He has turned the shadow of death into morning.” In the light of day he looks back and can see clearly all the dangers he has come through. But he is not as afraid as he was before, because the things of darkness stay away from the light. But now he is more aware of the dark things and he is given strength and light to face even more dangerous trials ahead. |
接着，过了很长时间，他听到前方有声音说：”我虽然行过死荫的幽谷也不怕遭害，因为你与我同在。“他振作精神继续前行。晨光终于降临，而他想起阿摩司书5:8：”他使死荫变为晨光。“在日光之下，他回头看，能清楚地看到自己所走过的险境。但他不再像以前那么害怕，因为幽暗逃避光明。现在他对黑暗之事有更深的认识，并且有力量和光明来面对前方更危险的试炼。 |
| Your Journey as a Christian |
你作为一个基督徒的旅程 |
| Dear friends, do you see yourself in the character of Christian? You should, because his story is your story and my story. We all face dark valleys. Right now you might be staring death in the face. Or, maybe a series of events has left you so confused you don’t know the next step to take. You feel paralyzed and it’s hurting other people. Temptations to sin are all around you. You slip and feel you can hardly get back on track. Some of your friends have faced the darkness and decided they want no part of this journey of the Christian faith. They tell you to turn back too. You might even consider it sometimes. What’s it all worth anyway? But then you hear the piercing question of the Lord Jesus come to you, “Do you want to go away as well?” And with Simon Peter we answer, “Lord to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know that you are the Holy One of God” (John 6:67-69). |
亲爱的朋友们，你是否看到你自己有基督徒的品格？你应该看到，因为他的故事就是你我的故事。我们都面对着死荫的幽谷。也许你现在就和死亡面对面。或者，一连串事情让你困惑迷茫，不知道下一步该怎么走。你觉得瘫软无力，也让别人感到痛苦。罪的诱惑围绕着你。你滑倒了，感觉似乎再也爬不起来。你有些朋友经历过黑暗时刻，他们决定放弃基督徒的信心之旅。他们教你也一起掉过头来。你甚至可能还考虑过这样做。这到底值不值呢？而这时你听到主耶稣那个扎心的问题：“你们也想离去吗？”（约翰福音6:67）我们和西门彼得一同回答：“主啊，你有永生之道，我们还跟从谁呢？ 我们已经相信，并且知道你是 神的圣者。”（约翰福音6:68-69） |
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| Jesus walked through a darker valley than we will ever know. He could do this because he knew his Father was with him and the Sprit was helping him. So he was able to walk all the way to the cross to die for our sins and absorb God’s wrath for us. He walked all the way through the cross to the other side when morning dawned on the third day and he rose again. |
耶稣走过的幽谷比我们所知的还要黑暗得多。祂能这样行，是因为祂知道祂的父与祂同在，圣灵也在帮助祂。所以祂能够走到十字架上，为我们的罪而死，为我们承受神的烈怒。祂穿过十字架，径直走到彼岸，当第三天晨光降临，祂复活了。 |
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| Before Jesus ascended to heaven he told his disciples “I will be with you always, even to the end of the age.” And Jesus says that to you today. Jesus, the good shepherd, is with you. So dear friends as you walk through your dark valley, whatever it is, you can know his comfort. “For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too” (2 Corinthians 1:5). Jesus walked through the dark valley so that he could walk with us in the dark valley. You know his presence and his comfort in deeper ways than you ever would if he wouldn’t have led you into the valley. Trust your good shepherd when the valley is dark. Trust him to lead you through to the other side. |
在耶稣升天之前祂告诉祂的门徒：“我要常与你们同在，直到这世代的终结。”（马太福音28:20）而今天耶稣也同样对你这样说。耶稣好牧人与你同在。所以，亲爱的朋友们，当你走过幽谷，无论那是什么，你能知道祂的安慰。“我们既然多受基督所受的痛苦，就靠着基督多得安慰。”（哥林多后书1:5）耶稣行过死荫的幽谷，为要能够陪我们一同走过那幽谷。你能够更加深刻地经历祂的同在和祂的安慰，甚于祂若不曾领你进入那幽谷。当那幽谷漆黑一片时，请信靠你的好牧人。相信祂会带领你走到深谷的另一头。 |
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| When the enemy is near |
当敌人就在近旁 |
| In verse 5, the Shepherd also becomes a host. It sounds kind of strange unless you remember that the shepherd and sheep metaphor is supposed to lead us to greater trust in the LORD. That theme of trust is developed more as we see the shepherd’s welcome and the shepherd’s faithfulness. |
在第5节中，牧人也成了主人。这听起来有点奇怪，但你要记得，牧人与羊的比喻也只是要让我们更加信靠主。当我们看到牧人的款待和牧人的信实，信靠的主题进一步发展。 |
| The Shepherd’s welcome |
牧人的款待 |
| Look at verse 5. |
请看第5节 |
| *You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. * |
在我敌人面前，你为我摆设筵席；你用油膏了我的头， 使我的杯满溢。 |
| David knew the way his ancestors had tempted the Lord when they said “Can God spread a table in the wilderness?” (Psalm 78:19). In other words, can God really provide for us, even in this place? David’s answer is, “Yes!” God can spread out a table in any place he wants, including right under the noses of my enemies. In other words, God can and will provide for me even here. He will welcome me in as a guest at his table. He will soothe my parched head with his healing oil. The fragrance of the oil will fill the room and calm the senses. The abundance of the Shepherd’s table will overflow my cup. He will fill me up and satisfy me. It doesn’t matter how close the enemy is, my Shepherd will bring me in, keep me safe, and provide for more than all I need. Not only that but he will show his faithfulness still more. |
大卫知道他的祖先试探主说：“神可以在旷野摆设筵席吗？”（诗篇78:19）也就是说，在这种地方，神真的能供应我们吗？大卫的回答：“是的！”神可以在祂想要的任何地方摆设筵席，哪怕在敌人的鼻子底下。也就是说，神能够也愿意在此时此地供应我。祂会款待我如座上宾。祂会用治愈的膏油轻抹我的焦头烂额。膏油馨香盈室，沁人心脾。牧人筵席丰盛，我的杯满满溢出。祂会让我满足与饱足。不管敌人有多近，我的牧人会带领我，保护我，供应我超乎我所需的。不仅如此，祂还进一步显明祂的信实。 |
| Look with me at the Shepherd’s faithfulness in verse 6. |
请和我一起来看第6节牧人的信实。 |
| The Shepherd’s faithfulness |
牧人的信实 |
| Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever. |
我一生的日子，必有恩惠慈爱紧随着我；我也要住在耶和华的殿中，直到永远。 |
| Goodness and mercy are together here to show the character of the Shepherd. The shepherd is good and he is going to do good. The word for mercy is God’s covenant love and faithfulness. The shepherd is faithful and he is going to show his faithfulness. This Shepherd has made a covenant and has pledged himself to take good care of his sheep. This means he will not just lead them into what is good, but pursue them with his own goodness. That’s what David means when he says goodness and mercy shall follow me. It’s not some kind of random goodness and random mercy coming out of nowhere to find you and make your life pleasant in the way you want it to be. No. The source of the goodness and mercy is the Shepherd. While enemies may seek to hunt down the sheep to kill them, the shepherd hunts down the sheep to do them good and show them his faithfulness, not just once, but all he days of their life. |
恩惠慈爱一起来形容那牧人的品性。牧人本为善，祂所行的也是善。慈爱指的是神的守约之爱和信实。那牧人是信实的，祂所行也是信实。这位牧人立了约，发誓要照看祂的羊群。这意味着祂不仅要带领他们进入那美地，也要用祂自己的美善追求他们。这就是大卫所说的恩惠慈爱紧随着我。这不是从乌有之乡而来的随便什么恩惠或随便什么慈爱，碰巧遇上你，带来你随心所欲的快乐。不是的。恩惠和慈爱的源头就是那牧人。当敌人追随群羊伺机猎杀它们，牧人也追随着群羊给它们恩惠和慈爱，不只是一次，而是一生一世。 |
| David knows that at the end of those days, his shepherd will keep being faithful and spread out for him not only to a temporary table in the presence of his enemies but a forever table in the presence of his LORD. |
大卫知道在生命的末了，他的牧人也会保守祂的信实，不仅是在敌人面前摆设有限时间里的筵席，也会在他的主面前摆设永恒的筵席。 |
| Faithful Friends and Home Sellers |
忠信的朋友和卖房子 |
| When a faithful friend invites you over for dinner and you walk in the door and the smells of all the good cooking fill your nostrils, you feel welcome. You feel at home. |
当一位忠信的朋友邀请你去他家吃晚餐，你一进门，美食的香味扑鼻而来，你就感受到他的诚意。你感到很自在。 |
| That’s why realtors will tell faithful home sellers to bake some cookies or to put on some potpourri before potential buyers come to look at their house. You don’t leave your smelly shoes by the door so they smell that when they walk in. You whip out the welcome mat and put on the potpourri. When buyers walk into a house that smells like chocolate chip cookies or banana bread or cinnamon sticks or lavender, they find refreshment through their senses. It smells like maybe they have found a place to call home. All the better if you leave out some milk and cookies to satisfy them. |
这就是为什么房产中介要告诉忠信的售房者在看房者到来之前烤一些小甜饼，或放一些百花香混合香料。你不会把臭鞋子放在门边上，让他们一进门就被熏倒。你会在门口摆好欢迎地垫，洒上百花香。当买房的人一进门就闻到巧克力小甜饼、香蕉面包、桂皮卷或薰衣草的香味，他们就会感到神清气爽。那气味会让他们有找到家的感觉。如果你能把牛奶和小甜饼放在外面让他们享用就更棒了。 |
| Faithful God and Our Eternal Home |
信实的神与我们永恒的家 |
| Friends, we know this life is more than just buying and selling homes. It’s actually dangerous. The enemy is near. 1 Peter 5 tells us that our enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. But the hymn writer Martin Luther reminds us… |
朋友们，我们知道此生不仅是在买房和卖房。实际上我们的生命危机四伏。敌人就在近旁。彼得前书5告诉我们，我们的敌人，那恶者，像那吼叫的狮子遍地巡行，寻找可吞噬的人。但马丁路德写的赞美诗提醒我们： |
| …though this world, with devils filled,Should threaten to undo us, We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us: The Prince of Darkness grim, We tremble not for him; His rage we can endure, For lo, his doom is sure, One little word shall fell him. |
群魔虽然环绕我身，向我尽量施侵凌，我不懼怕，因神有旨，真理必使我得胜。幽暗之君虽猛，不足令我心惊，他怒我能容忍，日后胜负必分，主之片言必使他败奔。 |
| One word from God is above all earthly powers. That word has come to us through the person of Jesus. He is the word! Through him God has welcomed us around his table to satisfy us as with fat and rich food. Now we don’t live on bread alone but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. Jesus is the living bread that has come down from heaven, so we feast on him by taking in his word to us, digesting it by prayer and meditation. That way we can see his faithfulness to us. We can know his faithfulness to us. We know that he has not just welcomed us into God’s family, but he will welcome us into his heavenly home forever. |
从神来的片言，都胜过地上一切权势。那圣言来到我们中间，就是耶稣。祂就是圣言，就是道。透过祂，神迎接我们围坐在祂的筵席上，用膏腴美食让我们饱足。现在我们不单单靠食物而活，仍是靠着神口中所出的一切话。耶稣是来自天上的生命的粮，所以我们接受祂的话语是在享用祂的盛筵，并用祷告和默想来消化。这样我们能看见祂对我们的信实。我们可以知道祂对我们的信实。我们知道祂不仅是欢迎我们进入神的家，祂也将欢迎我们进入祂的天家，直到永远。 |
| Revelation 7 tells us of how Jesus will be our shepherd, guiding us to springs of living water and God will wipe away every tear from our eyes. Revelation 19 tells us of a great feast called the marriage supper of the lamb, where we will sit down and feast with the Lord Jesus forever. Revelation 21 tells us “the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.” |
启示录7章告诉我们耶稣将如何作我们的牧人，引导我们到生命泉边，神要抹去我们眼里的每一滴泪水。启示录19章告诉我们，有一个伟大盛筵，叫做羔羊之婚筵，我们要永远与主耶稣一同坐席。启示录21章告诉我们，“ 神的帐幕在人间，他要与人同住，他们要作他的子民。神要亲自与他们同在，要作他们的 神。”（第3节） |
| The Lord Jesus has promised to prepare a place for all those who trust him, that where he is, there we would be also. The church is a glimpse of that heavenly place right now. With all of its imperfections and failures and sin, the church is a place where Jesus welcomes us and all our sheepliness. A place where Jesus shows you his faithfulness, even when people or your earthly shepherds within the church fail you. Together we are to keeping pressing in close to the good shepherd who will never fail us. |
主耶稣已经应许为信靠祂的人预备地方，祂在哪里，我们也要在哪里。现在，教会是天上居所的瞥影。教会有很多不完美的地方，也有失败和罪恶，但教会是耶稣迎接我们以及我们的羊性的地方。耶稣在这里向你显示祂的信实，哪怕教会里的人或你地上的牧者会让你失望。我们一起向前不断靠近那从不辜负我们的好牧人。 |
| We should trust our shepherd when the enemy is near. We have an enemy for sure. We need to be aware of his schemes. We need to resist him firm in our faith. And yet, as we do, we need to remember that the devil is a defeated foe. He cannot keep us from reaching our eternal home. |
当敌人靠近时，我们当信靠我们的牧者。我们确实有敌人，我们需要知道牠的诡计。我们需要在信心中坚定地抵挡牠。而同时，我们需要记住，那恶者是被打败的仇敌。牠不可能阻挡我们到达那永恒的家。 |
| CLOSING |
结束语 |
| So, dear friends, we are about to walk away from the pasturelands of Psalm 23 and get back on the roller coaster of life. As we do let’s remember that the LORD is our shepherd so we will trust him at all times. |
所以，亲爱的朋友们，我们现在要离开诗篇23的青草地，回到人生的过山车。让我们记念，耶和华是我们的牧者，所以我们在一切时中都信靠祂。 |
| We have dark valleys to face, but Jesus will be with you and comfort you. Our enemy is near, but Jesus has spread out a table before us, to show he has conquered the devil through his body and blood. As we approach this table we remember that Jesus said his flesh is true food and his blood is true drink. In other words, there is a sweet time of nourishment for our souls and fellowship with him as we remember his broken body and shed blood on the cross for us. If you have not trusted in Jesus’ sacrifice for your sins on the cross, please let the tray pass and do not partake. But if you are placing all your trust in this Shepherd Savior and his sacrifice, you are welcome to eat and drink with us. |
我们要面对死荫的幽谷，但耶稣会与你同在，安慰你。我们的敌人就在近旁，但耶稣在我们面前摆设筵席，显明祂已经用祂的身体和宝血战胜了恶者。当我们来到这桌，我们记念耶稣说祂的肉是真粮，祂的血是真饮料。换句话说，当我们记念祂在十字架上身体为我们破碎，血为我们而流的时候，那就是滋养我们的灵魂，与祂亲密团契的时光。如果你还没有相信耶稣在十字架上为你的罪而牺牲，请把托盘传递下去，不要拿圣餐。如果你已经信靠这位牧人救主和祂的牺牲，欢迎你与我们一同吃喝。 |
| Benediction: Hebrews 13:20 |
祝祷：希伯来书13:20 愿赐平安的 神，就是那凭着永约的血，把群羊的大牧人我们的主耶稣，从死人中领出来的那一位， 21 在一切善事上成全你们，好使你们遵行他的旨意；又藉着耶稣基督在我们里面，行他所喜悦的事。愿荣耀归给他，直到永永远远。阿们。
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