
Loading summary
A
Welcome to the Daily Blade. The word of God is described as the sword of the spirit, the primary spiritual weapon in the Christian's armor against the forces of evil. Your hosts are Joby Martin and Kyle Thompson, and they stand ready to equip men for the fight. Let's sharpen up.
B
Welcome back to the Daily Blade. We're going to be in Psalm 23 all week long, actually for two weeks. So in case you hadn't picked up on my style, I don't know that I'll do this every single time, but I'm a verse by verse just Bible teacher. So the majority of the time when it's me is I'm just going to dive into some scriptures for an entire week or two weeks or however long it takes us. And today we're going to talk about one of the most familiar passages. Even if you're new to Bible study, you've heard of the 23rd Psalm. I mean, if you've ever been to a funeral, you've heard the 23rd Psalm. I think it's very, very, very misunderstood oftentimes because we read so much of ourself into it. Read it. I'll read it in the esv. One of the things, I memorized it in the King James, so sometimes it's even hard to get the words right because my memory takes over. But here we go. Psalm 23. 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. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. And 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. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil. My cup overflows. And surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Those are some beautiful, beautiful words. Now, King David was a shepherd. He knows very intimately about what this means. And one of the most remarkable things that most of us just read right over is the first half of a sentence. The Bible says, the Lord is my shepherd. Do you realize how radical this is? If you could see the text. I don't know if you can see it. You're probably just listening. But if you, when you get home, you look up the 23rd Psalm and it will say, the Lord, capital L, capital O, capital R, capital D is my shepherd. That is the covenant name of God. That is the name Yahweh. It's called in Hebrew the tetragram. It's really just four letters. In Hebrew, they did not have vowels, so it was just those four letters. In English, we would say Yahweh. And this is the covenant name that God gives to Moses at the burning bush when maybe you've heard the story. If not, I'm sure we'll covered it. Sometimes Moses is on the run. He thinks he's done for. His life's kind of a train wreck. He's working for his father in law, of all things. So, you know, he can't be like, in the center of God's will. And he's tending sheep out in the back pasture. And one day he sees a burning bush. But the bush is not consumed. It wasn't necessarily out of order for a bush to be on fire, but the thing's not burning up, so he goes to check it out. And from within the bush, God speaks and he says, Moses, Moses, take off your shoes, for you are on holy ground. And Moses takes off his shoes. And God gives him this command. Moses, I'm going to send you to go to Pharaoh because I've heard the cry of my people and I want you to tell Pharaoh, let my people go. And after giving some excuses, eventually Moses says, all right, well, if I'm going to do this, and they say, who sent me? Then what is your name that I can say on behalf of. Who am I telling Moses? Am I telling Pharaoh to let my people go? And God says, you tell them my name is Yahweh. We translate it, I am that I am. It's a tough translation. Or I be what I be. The name in and of itself is supposed to, in Hebrew, is supposed to sound like breathing. To breathe in, to breathe out. Yahweh, that God is as close as your next breath. And he is reality. Just like without air, you won't live, without God, there is no existence. And this is God's covenant name. It's a really big deal. The Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, the One in whom all glory, all honor, all respect, all worship should be aimed at the one who created us, made us, has a plan for us, and one day will judge us. The Lord is his name. And yet David wants us to know that God communicates to us. The Lord, creator of heaven and earth, is my shepherd. We're going to talk about this this week. But being a shepherd, I know people think it's awesome because of, like, paintings from Bible books or in Christian history. But it was a very, very, very lowly position where the shepherd took care of sheep which were not worth much at all. And it was a very, very intimate thing. And so this God of the universe, this king, this judge, wants to be your shepherd. The Lord is my shepherd. Let me ask you, is he yours? Is he yours? Do you just know about him, or do you know him as shepherd, one that would care for you, know you, love you, and be willing to lay down his life for you? This is what the 23rd Psalm is all about.
A
Thank you for listening to today's episode. Before you go, if you want to help, equip other men for the fight, share this podcast around and leave us a five star rating and review. Stay sharp.
Summary of Podcast Episode #39: Joby Martin – Faith and Assurance in God's Promises
Released on February 24, 2025
Podcast Information
In Episode #39 titled "Faith and Assurance in God's Promises," hosts Joby Martin and Kyle Thompson delve deep into Psalm 23, exploring its profound significance and relevance to modern Christian life. This episode serves as the first installment in a two-week series dedicated entirely to dissecting and understanding this beloved passage.
Reading and Initial Insights
Kyle Thompson begins the episode by emphasizing the familiarity of Psalm 23, noting its widespread recognition, especially in solemn settings like funerals. He remarks, “I think it's very, very, very misunderstood oftentimes because we read so much of ourselves into it” (00:19). Kyle reads the Psalm from the English Standard Version (ESV):
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters... I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
Understanding “The Lord is My Shepherd”
Joby Martin takes a deep dive into the opening line of the Psalm: “The Lord is my shepherd.” He highlights the radical nature of this declaration, especially considering God’s grandiosity as the Creator of the universe. Joby points out, “The Lord, capital L, capital O, capital R, capital D is my shepherd” (02:15), emphasizing the use of God’s covenant name, Yahweh.
God’s Covenant Name
Joby explains that Yahweh, represented by the tetragrammaton (YHWH) in Hebrew, signifies God’s eternal and self-sustaining nature—“I am that I am” (03:05). This name underscores God’s presence as essential as breathing: “Yahweh, that God is as close as your next breath. And he is reality. Just like without air, you won't live, without God, there is no existence.”
Moses and the Burning Bush
To illustrate the depth of Yahweh’s name, Joby recounts the story of Moses at the burning bush. He explains how God revealed His name to Moses: “Moses, my name is Yahweh” (04:20). This revelation was pivotal for Moses to carry out God’s mission to free the Israelites, highlighting the intimate and personal nature of God’s relationship with His people.
Lowly Yet Majestic
Kyle shifts the focus to the role of a shepherd in ancient society, describing it as a "very, very lowly position" (04:50). Shepherds were responsible for the care and protection of sheep, an occupation that required patience, dedication, and intimate knowledge of each sheep’s needs.
Intimacy and Care
Joby emphasizes the profound intimacy implied in God identifying Himself as a shepherd. “This God of the universe, this king, this judge, wants to be your shepherd” (05:10). He challenges listeners to consider whether they truly know God as a caring shepherd who loves them deeply and is willing to lay down His life for them.
Faith and Trust
The hosts encourage listeners to reflect on their personal relationship with God. Kyle asks, “Is he yours? Do you just know about him, or do you know him as shepherd, one that would care for you, know you, love you, and be willing to lay down his life for you?” (05:30). This rhetorical question serves as an invitation to deepen one’s faith and assurance in God's promises.
Living with Assurance
Joby reassures listeners that by trusting in God as their shepherd, they can navigate life’s challenges with confidence. The Psalm’s assurances of provision, guidance, and protection are presented as foundational truths that sustain believers through trials and uncertainties.
In wrapping up the episode, Kyle and Joby reaffirm their commitment to unpacking Psalm 23 over the next week. They invite listeners to join them in this journey of faith, promising deeper insights and practical applications to strengthen their walk with God.
Closing Quote: “A shepherd knows each sheep intimately, and so does God. He wants to personally guide and protect you every step of your life.” – Joby Martin (05:20)
Psalm 23’s Profound Meaning: Beyond its poetic beauty, Psalm 23 encapsulates the essence of God’s relationship with His people through the metaphor of a shepherd.
Yahweh’s Significance: Understanding God’s covenant name enriches the comprehension of His eternal and sustaining presence in believers’ lives.
Personal Relationship: The episode challenges listeners to move beyond mere knowledge of God to a deep, personal relationship characterized by trust and assurance.
Practical Faith: By viewing God as a shepherd, believers can find comfort and guidance in applying His promises to everyday situations.
Episode #39 of The Daily Blade offers a rich and engaging exploration of Psalm 23, blending theological insights with practical applications. Joby Martin and Kyle Thompson effectively encourage listeners to deepen their faith and trust in God's unwavering promises, making this episode a valuable resource for anyone seeking to strengthen their spiritual walk.