He Guides Me | Bellevue

·28 min·2 clips

David wrote Psalm 23 after a life of highs and lows, revealing how to view God when you're unsure.

Scott Beckenhauer opens the sermon by greeting the church and recapping the 'Summer in the Shepherd' series, which explores Psalm 23 through the life of David. He reads Psalm 23 aloud with the congregation, a practice rooted in church history. The focus today is on verse 3b: 'he guides me along the right path for his name's sake,' which Beckenhauer breaks into two parts: being on the right path and God putting his reputation at stake. He shares a personal anecdote about sledding on the Bellevue East Hill as a child, where his sister ignored warnings and hit a ramp, symbolizing the dangers of choosing the wrong path. The sermon then delves into 1 Chronicles 21, where Satan incites David to take a census of Israel's fighting men, an act of pride. Joab, David's commander, questions this, but David proceeds, leading to God's punishment. Beckenhauer explains that David's ego-driven decision contrasts with God's role as a shepherd who defines the path. He discusses three statements about God's name: it defines the path, is at stake, and is greater than human names. The story continues with God offering David three punishment options, including a plague that kills 70,000, but God shows mercy by relenting. Beckenhauer connects this to God's covenant with Abraham in Genesis 15, where God alone walks through the animals, foreshadowing Jesus's sacrifice. He argues that God's commitment to his name ensures trustworthiness, even when humans fail. The sermon concludes by applying these lessons to daily life, urging listeners to follow Jesus's path, influence others, and engage in practices like Bible reading and life groups. Beckenhauer ends with a prayer and a call to sing 'Bless God,' emphasizing pilgrimage with Jesus.

As heard by us

Psalm 23 becomes a vivid warning about ego, guilt, and the tracks leaders leave behind.

Psalm 23 frames this sermon as a way to read David's uneven life, from Saul's pursuit to the late confidence the speaker links with the psalm. The core image is concrete: a shepherd's path can be trusted because the shepherd has already gone ahead.

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Why you'd press play

You want Psalm 23 to feel like a path the shepherd has already walked.

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