The Lord My Shepherd

According to the Cambridge dictionary a Shepherd is an individual whose job is to take care of sheep and move them from one place to another: especially in a kind, helpful, and careful way.

 I shall not want. I do not want, I cannot want; I never shall want with such a Shepherd as I have. He will provide for me; nay, more, God himself is my provision. All I need I have, for "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want." I cannot provide for myself, but I shall not want. Famine may come, and others who have no God to go to, may pine and perish, but in the worst season I shall not want, for "The Lord is my shepherd."
- C. Spurgeon

Verse 1

The first verse of the 23rd Psalm introduces us to an Individual whose job it is to take care of us, to be kind to us, to be helpful to us and to ensure that we move from one place to another safely. And because of this we have no reason to want. The Shepherd is responsible for seeing to all our needs. It is His responsibility to figure out what we are going to eat, what we will wear and where we will be sheltered.

“The Lord is My Portion…” Lamentations 3:24

Verse 2

The Shepherd causes us to find rest and comfort. The removes the anxieties that we may carry and puts them on Himself so that we may enjoy a life of calm and safety. The Shepherd leads us into rest. A rest that we can only obtain if we keep our eyes on Him, a rest that is given to us if we do not stray but keep Him in our sight.

“Most assuredly, I say to you, I am The Door of the sheep… I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.” John 10:7, 9

Verse 3

After He has led us into rest, He then leads us into the paths that open to righteousness. In Philippians 3:9 it says “… not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith.” When we allow ourselves to be led (through faith) by the Shepherd, He gives us some of His faith. He teaches us how to do right and to be good. Bringing about renewed strength and power for our souls to continue in the ways presented to us.

“And when He brings out His own sheep, He goes before them; and the sheep follow Him, for they know His voice.” John 10:4

Verse 4

The paths we are going to walk will not always be easy but because He is by our side, He teaches us how to navigate them. When we are in the ‘valley of the shadow of death’ we have no reason to be afraid. Our defender goes with us, He is even in the darkest part of the valley; ready to strike down anything formed against us. We will be hard-pressed on every side, but we will not be crushed. We will be perplexed, but not in despair. We will be persecuted but He will never forsake us, and we will be struck down, but we will not be destroyed. This is all because there is One that goes before us, and as a result, we will come out at the other side and claim victory. Sometimes He will lead us to a place that seems like an impasse, just remember this: The Israelites thought that they hit one at the Red Sea, but He made a way where there seemed to be no way; He parted the Red Sea.

“I am The Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd gives His life for the sheep.” John 10:11

Verse 5

The Shepherd is in the business of supplying to our needs even in the presence of those who despise us, those who will our demise. He has a store house of blessings waiting to be claimed. We cannot number all the things He has consistently done for us; when we try, we find that His goodness overflows. We have seen his boundless Love portrayed in our lives, and we can testify that indeed – He is the Good Shepherd.

“And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one Shepherd.” John 10:16

Verse 6

The last verse of Psalm 23 assures us with confidence that the goodness and the mercy of this Shepherd continuously chase after us. This calm reassurance makes it possible for us to continue in this journey; knowing that come what may, we have a provider, a protector, a friend, a saviour and a Shepherd. The verse closes with telling us where our place is – in the house of The Lord Our Shepherd.

“My sheep know My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.” John 10:27-28

In closing I would like to borrow some words from Mr. Charles Spurgeon to drive the point of Psalm 23 home.

It is well to know, as certainly David did, that we belong to the Lord.

There is a noble tone of confidence about this sentence. There is no “if” nor “but,” nor even “I hope so;” but he says, “The Lord is my shepherd.” We must cultivate the spirit of assured dependence upon our heavenly Father. The sweetest word of the whole is that monosyllable, “My.” He does not say, “The Lord is the shepherd of the world at large, and leadeth forth the multitude as his flock,” but “ The Lord is my shepherd;” if he be a Shepherd to no one else, he is a Shepherd to me; he cares for me, watches over me, and preserves me.

– C.H. Spurgeon on Psalm 23