The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want. (Psalm 23:1)
Psalm 23 is perhaps the most famous and beloved of all of the psalms. Many a person has had their life of faith filtered through it. Most of us memorized this portion of God’s Word as a child and it has carried us through life.
The psalm was likely written at the end of David’s life as he looked back over all that God had done for him. David had been a shepherd as a boy and so the imagery was very real to him. He saw Jehovah as having been a very faithful Shepherd to him through all his life.
Let us take a close look at Psalm 23 and see if we can have an even more clear understanding of what it meant to its first hearers, and what it can mean to our souls. We will focus today on the very first phrase. The Lord is my shepherd.
Who is the LORD? He is Jehovah, the special personal name of God that speaks of His promises. Jesus is Jehovah, God incarnate among us. He is also the Good Shepherd (John 10:11).
The relationship that we can have with God as child to Father, or as sheep to Shepherd came from the mind of God. How comforting it is that God cares about me and wants to care for me as a Father and as a Shepherd. This should bring great joy to my soul! Just like sheep, I am weak, defenseless, and foolish. I need a shepherd.
David knew from first-hand experience the role of shepherd and sheep. Yet though he was a shepherd, he is speaking here as a sheep. He knows how sheep are to be rightly treated, and is therefore bold to say, “The LORD is my shepherd.”
What claim does Jesus have upon me as my Shepherd? He has three claims. First, He created me. He is the Creator of all things, and deliberately chose to create me. When I look up into the night sky and realize that there are billions of stars, each created by God and named by Him, I am humbled. By the same token, when I lift a handful of dirt, and realize that it teems with hundreds of organisms, all created and directed by the same God, I fall before Him in wonder and amazement. He created me for His purpose and pleasure.
Second, He has provided for my redemption. He bought me with the incredible price of His own blood. Because of His sacrificial death, He is entitled to say: I am the Good Shepherd; the Good Shepherd gives His life for the sheep (Jn 10:11). He took upon Himself the penalty for my rebellion—all we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way, and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. (Is 53:6)
The third reason Jesus is worthy to be my Shepherd is that He cares for me. He deeply desires that I come under His benevolent care. Sheep, more than any other class of livestock, require endless attention and meticulous care. They cannot and do not care for themselves. The shepherd has literally to give himself daily for the sheep, and this Jesus willingly does. We will see in this psalm that Jesus provides, protects, propels and punishes those He loves.
David is able to say with confidence—the Lord is my shepherd! It is in the present tense so it is a continuous relationship. How sad it is in this world that so many people do not have a good shepherd. What a joy it is to know that the Lord Jesus can always be your Shepherd! Is He your Shepherd? If not, come to Him today and He will take you in!