Faith Scripture:

Romans 1:16-17 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

As we follow Jesus and walk in "Everyday Faith," this series is designed to help you get free and walk in life more abundantly.

John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

The Everyday Faith Steps:

• Born-again – Saved
• Water Baptized
• Holy Spirit Activated
• Healed and Set Free
• In Community
• Contributing
• Personal Growth
• Reproducing

Psalm 23:1 “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.” 

LORD – Jehovah "the existing One" or Self-Existent or Eternal One 

Today, we explore one of the most remarkable prophetic sequences in the Old Testament: Psalms 22, 23, and 24. These three psalms form a divine trilogy that prophetically unfolds the central events of the Gospel — the crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ. 

Written by David approximately 1,000 years before Jesus, the Holy Spirit moved him to write words that reach far beyond his own life and point directly to the Messiah. 

Psalm 22 is the Cross. It outlines the suffering and death of Jesus. 

This Psalm is the most detailed prophecy of the crucifixion in the Old Testament. Jesus Himself quoted its opening line while hanging on the cross, declaring that the entire Psalm was being fulfilled in Him. 

Psalm 22:1 — “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 

Jesus’ fourth word from the cross. 

Matthew 27:46 “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, 'Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?' that is, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? 

Psalm 22:6-8 “But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by mankind and despised by the people. 7 All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads;8 “He trusts in the Lord; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!” 

The crowd and chief priests mocked Jesus exactly this way while He was on the cross. 

Matthew 27:39-43 39 And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads, 40 and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” 41 So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying, 42 “He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43 He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” 

Psalm 22:14 “I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted within me.”

This describes the physical trauma of crucifixion. Severe dehydration, dislocated shoulders from hanging, heart strain, and all the other complications we learned about in the Blood series. 

John 19:33-34 “But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34 But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water. 

Psalm 22:15 “My mouth is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth.” 

John 19:28 “28 After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” 

Psalm 22:16 “Dogs surround me, a pack of villains encircles me; they pierce my hands and my feet.” 

This is remarkable because crucifixion or the piercing of hands and feet was not practiced in David’s time. 

Luke 24:40 “And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. “ 

John 20:25 “So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.” 

Psalm 22:17 “All my bones are on display; people stare and gloat over me.” 

Luke 23:35 -36 “And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!” 36 The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine.” 

Psalm 22:18 “They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.” 

John 19:23-24 “When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic.[d] But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom, 24 so they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.” This was to fulfill the Scripture which says, “They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.” 

But something shifts Psalm 22:22-31. There is a sudden shift from agony and suffering to celebration and declaration. God has not hidden His face. 

22 I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you: 

23 You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him, and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel! 

24 For he has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, and he has not hidden his face from him but has heard, when he cried to him. 

25 From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will perform before those who fear him. 

26 The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the Lord! May your hearts live forever! 

27 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, 

and all the families of the nations shall worship before you. 

28 For kingship belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations. 

29 All the prosperous of the earth eat and worship; before him shall bow all who go down to the dust, even the one who could not keep himself alive. 

30 Posterity shall serve him, it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation; 

31 they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn, that he has done it. 

Hebrews 2:11-12 points to the victory that would come after the suffering! 

Hebrews 2:11-12 “For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, 12 saying, “I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.” 

The entire Psalm moves from agony to triumph, showing that the cross was not defeat — it was the starting place of victory. 

Psalm 23 is The Resurrection. Jesus is “The Good Shepherd” who Lives, Cares for, and Protects His Sheep. 

Immediately after the suffering of Psalm 22, we move into the Confidence of God’s perfect plan in Psalm 23. This is the voice of the risen Christ, the Shepherd who laid down His life and took it up again. 

Psalm 23:1 “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” 

John 10:11, 14 Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep… I know my sheep and my sheep know me.” 

Hebrews 13:20 “The God of peace… brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep.” 

Psalm 23:2 “He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes (restores) my soul.” 

John 21:15-17 After His resurrection, Jesus gently restored and recommissioned Peter by the sea. 

After Peter denies Jesus 3 times, Jesus asks him 3 questions to restore him. "Do you love me?" 

Psalm 23:3 “He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.” 

John 16:13 and Romans 8:14 The Holy Spirit, sent by the risen Christ, now guides believers. 

Psalm 23:4 “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.” 

Matthew 28:20 “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” 

Jesus walked through death and came out victorious. We no longer need to fear the Valley because the one who defeated the Valley of death is with us in it. Since He is victorious, we are victorious. 

Psalm 23:5 “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.” 

Luke 24:30-43 The risen Jesus ate with His disciples (a victory meal) in the presence of the powers that tried to destroy Him. He ate it with his disciples in front of death, sin, religious powers, and political enemies. 

You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.” 

Hebrews 1:9 describes the anointing and overflowing joy of the exalted Christ. 

Hebrews 1:9 “You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.” 

Psalm 23:6 “Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” John 14:1-3 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God;[a] believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. "

Psalm 24 is The Ascension and Enthronement of the King of Glory. This Psalm is a victorious procession. It describes the King returning to heaven after completing His redemptive work. 

Psalm 24:3 “Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place?” 

Hebrews 4:14 “We have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God.” 

Hebrews 9:24 “Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands… he entered heaven itself.” 

Psalm 24:4 “The one who has clean hands and a pure heart…” 

Hebrews 7:26** — “Such a high priest truly meets our need — one who is holy, blameless, pure…” 

Psalm 24:7-10 “Lift up your heads, you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in! Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle… He is the King of glory.” 

Acts 1:9-11Jesus ascended bodily into heaven while the disciples watched. 

Ephesians 4:8-10 “When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people.” 

Philippians 2:9-11 “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name…” 

1 Timothy 3:16 “He was taken up in glory.” 

Revelation 5:8-13 8 And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9 And they sang a new song, saying,  “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, 10 and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” 

11 Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” 

13 And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” 

This Psalm trilogy is overwhelming when you know it was written 1000 years before the birth of Christ, but it describes the Crucifixion, Resurrection, and Ascension with pinpoint accuracy. 

• Psalm 22 shows us that Jesus died for us. He is our substitutionary sacrifice. 
• Psalm 23 shows us that he is still living for us in this present day, with love for us, power in us, and eternal life awaiting us. 
• Psalm 24 shows us Jesus is reigning for us as our advocate and coming King. 

Because of His great and completed work, we can have full assurance of salvation, peace in trials and traumas, and confident hope for the future. 

If you have never placed your trust in Jesus, the crucified, risen, and ascended King, Jesus invites you today: “Come to me.” For believers, it is time to live with boldness and confidencce. Our Shepherd is alive. Our King is on the throne.