The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want. (Psalm 23:1)
This is our second look at this wonderful psalm. Recall that this was written at the end of David’s life as he looked back over all that God had done for him.
Last time we considered the first part of verse 1: The Lord is my shepherd. Jehovah is the special personal name of God that speaks of His promises. We found out why He has the right to be our Shepherd. He is the Creator; He is the Redeemer; and He truly cares for his sheep.
Today we will focus on the second part of the first verse: I shall not want.
When we think of not wanting, we naturally think of physical and material provision.
But the term is much broader than that, for it speaks of utter contentment with the shepherd’s care. This embraces everything that could be a proper object of desire, whether temporal or spiritual; whether pertaining to the body or the soul; whether having reference to time or to eternity.
David also wrote: There is no want to them that fear him (Psalm 34:9). This reminds us that God is Jehovah-Jireh; the LORD will provide! In God, the believer has no needs! But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. (Phil 4:19)
When we consider David, it surely has to refer to more than the physical and material for he faced many hardships from enemies and family. This is true also of the great men and women of God in the Bible, including Elijah, Jonah, Ruth and Esther. This included our Savior also, who knew hunger, thirst, loneliness, pain, and sorrow. He told us that in this world we would have tribulation.
It is a dangerous false teaching that says that the believer will always have health and wealth. To the rich young ruler, Jesus pointedly said that he needed to sell his goods to the poor and come follow Him (Mark 10:21). Yet in spite of the many hardships we experience on this earth, we can still boldly say: I shall not want. We are to be contented with the care of the Good Shepherd.
It is not by the skillfulness of my hands or the size of my bank account that I shall not want, but it is because the LORD is my Shepherd!
If we know the Lord as our personal Savior, we should be completely satisfied with His management of our lives. Our Good Shepherd has learned the needs of His sheep by experience, for He was led as a sheep to the slaughter. He loves us for our own sake. He watches over us day and night. He is jealous for His own name. Blessed is the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. (Ps 68:19) He that keeps thee shall neither slumber nor sleep. (Ps 121:3)
We will never lack anything that is necessary. Yet, one of our worst problems is that we often think the grass is greener on the other side. We are not always content with what the Lord has provided for us.
Sadly, not everyone knows the Good Shepherd. They have an unconcerned shepherd who leaves his sheep to forage for themselves. He is not be careful to see that they have shelter and clean water. Such is the lot of those who have Sin and Satan for their taskmasters.
If you don’t know the Savior, come to Him today. You will know the joy of living under a Good Shepherd, whose care provides for all your needs.