Part 1 – Who Exactly Are the Psalm 23 Sheep?

This Article is part of a multi-part Study Series called Psalm 23 Explained.

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever. Psalm 23:1-6 (KJV)

Psalms 22, 23 and, 24 constitute ‘the shepherd Psalms’ relating to sequential Biblical truth, prophetically.

  • Psalm 22 – refers to the “Good Shepherd” who suffered to be the redeemer of ISRAEL, giving His life for the “sheep (v22; cf. Jn 10).
  • Psalm 23 – refers to the “Great Shepherd” who is “With” the believers of ISRAEL in their Tribulation trials.
  • Psalm 24 – refers to the “Chief Shepherd” who actually then ‘appears’ to save believing ISRAEL in His 2nd coming; (cf. 1Pet. 5:4).

Thus, Psalms 22, 23, and 24 form a Prophetic trilogy addressing core truths regarding Christ coming as the Messiah and Redeemer of Israel to ultimately set up His Millennial Kingdom on earth.

What About Today’s Gentile Grace-Believing Members of “The Body of Christ”?

We will detail the Psalm 23 verses later in Part 3. First, we need to establish some Biblical facts. It is not commonly realized among Christians today but the Biblical truth is that the members of the Gentile “body of Christ” today are saved under Paul’s “gospel of the grace of God” (Act 20:24). We have a very different relationship with our Lord than Israel. We as members of “His body” are never considered by God the Father or the Lord Jesus Christ as His flock, fold, or sheep.

We of “the body of Christ” today are Not Israel so Psalms 22, 23, and 24 concern Israel and have nothing to do with us. Though not mentioned specifically within these Psalms, their events are explained in Paul’s epistles to the Gentile “body of Christ” which is Set in a Time BETWEEN Psalms 22 and Psalm 23.

- Psalm 22 – Read it and you can’t help seeing how it refers to the time of the Saviors, death, burial, and resurrection while still under the Israel’s Prophetic and Law Programs. This is followed by a brief time of the reoffer of the King and His Kingdom but Israel rejects Him yet again, By the stoning of Stephen to death (Acts 7:58) Israel became “fallen,” “cast away,” and “blinded,” remaining apostate (Rom. 11:10-15, 25).

THEN, almost immediately after the time of Psalm 22 Jesus from heaven Saves Paul (Acts 9) and through Paul as “the Apostle to the Gentiles,” He INSERTS today’s unprophesied Gentile “dispensation of the grace of God.” Today’s pure grace age will end with the Rapture of “the body of Christ” to dwell “eternal in the heavens” (Philip. 3:20-21, 2Cor. 5:1b) The Rapture will simultaneously initiate the transition into the 7-year Tribulation period’ for Israel and all those of humanity that will remain on earth after the Rapture.

- Psalm 23 is the time of “Jacob’s [Israel’s] Trouble,” with God’s vengeance and wrath poured out upon rebellious Israel and the rebellious world in the terrible 7-year Tribulation Period. The believing souls of Israel will be in the valley of the shadow of death” of Antichrist and yet be ‘comforted’ by Him as He leads them to “green pastures” and “the still waters.”

Living today between Psalm 22 and 23, we see how that today’s Gentile age of God’s ‘pure Grace’ that ends with ‘the Rapture’… immediately precedes:

  • the 7-yr. Tribulation period that ends with Christ’s 2nd coming to Save the believers of Israel
  • which is to be followed by Christ’s Millennial Kingdom on earth,
  • which then ends with the Final Judgement of all the dead;
  • then comes the Eternal Kingdom on the “new earth” that has long been promised to Israel.

Now, considering Psalm 23, the Bible is filled with language that portrays only some of God’s people as His ‘sheep’ and the LORD as their “Shepherd.” This people group is ‘the Nation of Israel.’ Psalm 23 is a prophetic Psalm of David concerning the 7-Year Tribulation period’ wherein the Nation Israel’ is in the “presence of her enemies” which have been organized by Antichrist, against God and His people Israel and His Holy City Jerusalem.

A careful study of the many sheep and shepherd Bible passages will reveal that the sheep and shepherd metaphor in Scripture only refers to the believers of ‘the Nation of Israel,’ – never referring to the grace believers of “the body of Christ” during today’s age of “the gospel of the grace of God” (Eph. 3:2).  

When God by Moses led Israel out of Egypt, they became as His ‘sheep’ that He led to find water and food in the wilderness while journeying to the promised Land of Canaan.

Thou [God] leddest thy people [Israel] like a FLOCK by the hand of Moses and Aaron.” (Psalm 77:20)

“But [the Lord] made his own people to go forth like ‘SHEEP,’ and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.” (Psalm 78:52)

It was the shepherd’s responsibility to physically provide for and protect the sheep until He led them into their promised land. If the Lord’s “sheep” of the Nation Israel became separated from God or the land that he gave them, they were considered ‘lost sheep.’ Thus, we have these words from Jesus of Nazareth;

he [Jesus] answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (Matt. 15:24 (KJV)

Jesus of Nazareth came when Israel had apostatized [fallen away, spiritually and morally], they had spiritually departed from the Lord, and many were scattered throughout the ancient world. Thus, Jesus came as Israel’s ‘good shepherd’ saying:

I am the good ‘SHEPHERD’: the good ‘shepherd’ giveth his life for the [lost] sheep [of Israel].” (John 10:11)

Israel was ‘lost,’ but they had always been God’s ‘sheep” since the time that He led them out of Egypt. (Exo. 19:5). Jesus of Nazareth came the first time a little more than 2,000 years ago to gather Israel together and bring them to greener pastures of the long-promised ‘kingdom of God on earth.’

When Jesus came, He knew there would be wolves among the sheep. These wolves were false teachers and unbelieving leaders and rulers of Israel who were not lost sheep; they were what Jesus referred to as “ravening wolves” (Matt 7:15). It was only to the believing remnant of Israel’ that Jesus gave the name “little flock,” saying;

“Fear not, Little Flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32)

Jesus made it clear that He was not sent to minister to Gentiles from His statements in Matt. 15:24, 10:5-6.

“These twelve [apostles] Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go NOT into the way of the GENTILES, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: 6 But Go Rather To The Lost Sheep of The House Of Israel. Matt. 10:5-6 (KJV)

Paul later confirmed Jesus Christ’s terrestrial ministry to Israel while He was on earth.

“Now I [Paul] say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the CIRCUMCISION [Israel, not the Gentiles] for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers [of Israel]:” (Romans 15:8)

Seeing this, we can say the Gentiles were not and are not Jesus’ Lost SHEEP. If you are a believer today, you’ve never been a “sheep” unto the Lord. Only Israel could be His “SHEEP.” They were “lost” and considered as ‘found’ only if and when They Hear The Voice of The ‘Shepherd King,’ Christ Jesus, and Follow Him.

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:” (John 10:27 (KJV)

Thus, the Gentiles have never been nor are they nor will they ever be God’s “sheep” or “flock.”

  • The Gentiles were never included in God’s covenants of promise” for Israel, nor to have any specific land or green pastures.

“That at that time ye [Gentiles, v1] were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:” (Eph. 2:12 (KJV)

  • The Gentiles were never promised the physical protection and blessing of Israel (unless they became proselytes to Israel and its Prophetic program).

By contrast… the Gentiles of “the body of Christ” today are only temporarily at home all over this world. Paul says we are Christ’s “ambassadors” while we remain on earth and away from our ‘forever home

 in the heavenly places(Phili. 3:20, 21, Eph. 1:3).

“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; 21 who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.” (Philippians 3:20-21 (NASB)

“Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.” (2 Corinthians 5:20 (KJV)

Thus, the Gentiles are not prophesied to be gathered into one land or place on earth as do “the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” We the Gentile believers of “His Body” today are the “members in particular” of “His body” on earth today… until the Rapture takes us to dwell forever in and “reign” in heaven with Christ (2Tim. 2:12, 2Cor 5:1b).

Paul, as our “Apostle to the Gentiles” (Rom. 11:13), refers to the Lord’s people as the ‘new creatureof 2 Cor. 5:17, which is ‘the church, the Body of Christ,’ (Eph 1:22b-23a). Thus, Paul does not refer to us as sheep,’ nor does Paul, our one Apostle, refer to Christ as our ‘Shepherd.’

Today, during today’s age of “the dispensation of the grace of God,” Israel is ‘lost,’ ‘fallen,’ ‘cast away’ and ‘blinded,’ Israel is set aside for a time during today’s Gentile age of the pure “grace of God.”

NOTE: You may want to read my study titled: “The Fold, The Flock & The Body of Christ” – go to; http://www.artlicursi.com/articles/fold-flock-body-christ .