The Lord is My Shepherd
The Lord is My Shepherd
Psalm 23. Few chapters in the Bible are so well known as Psalm 23. “It has dried many tears and supplied the mold into which many hearts have poured their peaceful faith.”1 These words have brought comfort in the
David could have stopped in verse 1 but elaborates on God’s shepherding in
midst of pain, have been recited at countless funerals and have often been
verses 2-5. It is as if the joy and thrill of knowing God were too much, and
the last words of a dying man.
he had to say more. Being one of God’s sheep means peace, sustenance, life, guidance, comfort and provisions.
I would like to invite you look at this passage with us and find comfort in its meaning.
Psalm 23:2—He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. Psalm 23:1—A PSALM OF DAVID. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
Sheep rarely lie down. Fear of predators, fighting within the flock, flies and
Never did a boy say to his father, “When I grow up I really want to be a
even feed themselves. A flock lying down in peace means a good shepherd is
shepherd.” The work was rough, demanding and loathsome. Sheep are slow
nearby. He ensures they have all they need, wants them to graze in the
and defenseless making them easy prey. They wander out of sight, fight
greenest pastures and drink from the stillest waters.
gnats all keep them on alert. So helpless are these animals they can hardly
amongst themselves, startle easily, fall over, and pick up disease quite readily. Israel has few green areas and not many slow-moving streams. It is a dry Shepherds have a lonely and tiresome existence of living with their flock day
land, not ideal for sheep. Therefore, shepherds had to toil to irrigate their
and night. From head to toe they would become filthy to save these animals
pastures, break up the hardness of the land, remove rocks and stones, and
and keep them healthy. The sacrifice was enormous, which is why tending
plant grains—all of this just to make the land suitable.
sheep was deplorable (cf. Gen 46:34). It became a hand-me-down job passed to the youngest son in most families.
Imagine a flock in a barren a land under the hand of a cruel shepherd. Their existence would be miserable and bitter. Such a picture is not far off from
Is it not humbling that God would care for man like a shepherd who loves
the lives led by so many. Enslaved by their own sinful desires, they cannot
his sheep? How much more does He care for the believer? We are slow to
break free to ever experience peace nor do they know what they need in life.
listen or learn, prone to wander, fight amongst ourselves, sin against Him
The pastures of this world are hard and filled with mirages of water. Only
and pick up spiritual diseases of every kind. That the God who is enthroned
the Shepherd knows where to lead us to find joy and peace forevermore.
in majesty, wholly self-sufficient and powerful would stoop down to bless us is humbling. That He would send His Son to save is beyond words.
Jesus said, “Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28). Look to Him for the waters and lush pastures your
“I shall not want.” David enjoyed God’s shepherding in his life. Of course,
soul needs to find rest.
he still wanted other things, but his joy was not tied to them. His treasure is God Himself. He has this relationship—what good thing does he still lack (cf. Psa 84:11)? His needs are met, and his heart is at peace regardless of what happens in life. David maintained a sense of wonder that, “I get to be one of God’s sheep.” He was rightly called a man after God’s own heart (cf. Acts 13:22).
Psalm 23:3a—He restores my soul. The shepherd “restores” his sheep or keeps bringing them back. He knows how readily sheep endanger their lives. Older or heavier ones can roll over unable to roll back. Some may wander off and become lost. If they are to live, the shepherd must bring his flock back to health and safety time after time again. He must be faithful, or they will die.
Illinois The Lord is My Shepherd Ancient Israel rarely had a leader who brought them back from spiritual destruction. Their leaders often encouraged them to stray, and so, the people were afflicted or tormented. They were utterly miserable (cf. Zech 10:2). Such is always the result of wandering from the Lord. If He is the source of joy, anything outside of Him will leave us disappointed.
John 14:2-3—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? 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. As a shepherd, Christ has gone before His flock to prepare a place for them to reside eternally. The preparations have been made, and He invites every person to come.
Psalm 23:3b-4—He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 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. Sheep are creatures of habit, walking the same paths even after the grass has
Psalm 23:6—Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
been devoured. Their habits can undermine their survival and ruin the
David understood shepherding. He knew sheep, and he humbly came to see
shepherd’s land. It was in his best interest to lead them elsewhere.
himself as one under God’s care. Knowing the heart of God, he was certain that goodness and mercy would be his forever (cf. Rom 8:28). More literally,
The sheep grazed between the highlands and lowlands depending on the
he says these blessings would pursue or chase after him relentlessly
time of year. Valleys were part of the route. Though having a nicer grade and more water, they were darker and easier for predators. Only the shepherd’s
What does the heart of a believer look like? I think we have an example of it
staff and rod, his close protection, could ease their fears.
here with David. He sinned sometimes very grievously and wandered from the Lord more than once, but he always came back. The goodness and
God has a plan for His people, but it often involves pain. Sometimes He
mercy of God pursued him as he says in this final verse, and likely these
leads us through the long valleys of life and keeps us there for a time. It is
meant more to him after falling into sin than beforehand. David loved God,
only in knowing that He is good and nearby that we will find comfort and
came to rejoice in God and grew in his hatred of wandering away in sin.
have peace. The Shepherd truly is good, and the more His sheep know of Him, the more they love Him and want to follow. They humbly realize how much they need
Psalm 23:5—You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. A table? This was not a literal table for sheep to crowd around and eat. It was a figurative one. The shepherd prepared the tableland or highlands for his sheep in advance of their coming. He would remove all poisonous plants, drive out predators and clear debris from any sources of water. After all preparations, the shepherd brought his sheep to the highlands and rubbed oil on their heads to protect from flies. It was his goal to provide an idyllic land for his sheep where their every need was supplied, and they had no reason to be distracted or worried. It could be said that the shepherd went ahead of his sheep to ensure the suitability of their next home.
Him and how much joy there is in belonging to Him (cf. Psa 100).
1 Alexander MacLaren, “The Psalms,” in The Expositor’s Bible (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1893), 1:226. 2 See Phillip Keller’s work entitled, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23. Keller wrote this devotional from his personal experiences as a shepherd.
Psalm 23. Few chapters in the Bible are so well known as Psalm 23. “It has dried many tears and supplied the mold into which many hearts have poured their peaceful faith.”1 These words have brought comfort in the
David could have stopped in verse 1 but elaborates on God’s shepherding in
midst of pain, have been recited at countless funerals and have often been
verses 2-5. It is as if the joy and thrill of knowing God were too much, and
the last words of a dying man.
he had to say more. Being one of God’s sheep means peace, sustenance, life, guidance, comfort and provisions.
I would like to invite you look at this passage with us and find comfort in its meaning.
Psalm 23:2—He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. Psalm 23:1—A PSALM OF DAVID. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
Sheep rarely lie down. Fear of predators, fighting within the flock, flies and
Never did a boy say to his father, “When I grow up I really want to be a
even feed themselves. A flock lying down in peace means a good shepherd is
shepherd.” The work was rough, demanding and loathsome. Sheep are slow
nearby. He ensures they have all they need, wants them to graze in the
and defenseless making them easy prey. They wander out of sight, fight
greenest pastures and drink from the stillest waters.
gnats all keep them on alert. So helpless are these animals they can hardly
amongst themselves, startle easily, fall over, and pick up disease quite readily. Israel has few green areas and not many slow-moving streams. It is a dry Shepherds have a lonely and tiresome existence of living with their flock day
land, not ideal for sheep. Therefore, shepherds had to toil to irrigate their
and night. From head to toe they would become filthy to save these animals
pastures, break up the hardness of the land, remove rocks and stones, and
and keep them healthy. The sacrifice was enormous, which is why tending
plant grains—all of this just to make the land suitable.
sheep was deplorable (cf. Gen 46:34). It became a hand-me-down job passed to the youngest son in most families.
Imagine a flock in a barren a land under the hand of a cruel shepherd. Their existence would be miserable and bitter. Such a picture is not far off from
Is it not humbling that God would care for man like a shepherd who loves
the lives led by so many. Enslaved by their own sinful desires, they cannot
his sheep? How much more does He care for the believer? We are slow to
break free to ever experience peace nor do they know what they need in life.
listen or learn, prone to wander, fight amongst ourselves, sin against Him
The pastures of this world are hard and filled with mirages of water. Only
and pick up spiritual diseases of every kind. That the God who is enthroned
the Shepherd knows where to lead us to find joy and peace forevermore.
in majesty, wholly self-sufficient and powerful would stoop down to bless us is humbling. That He would send His Son to save is beyond words.
Jesus said, “Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28). Look to Him for the waters and lush pastures your
“I shall not want.” David enjoyed God’s shepherding in his life. Of course,
soul needs to find rest.
he still wanted other things, but his joy was not tied to them. His treasure is God Himself. He has this relationship—what good thing does he still lack (cf. Psa 84:11)? His needs are met, and his heart is at peace regardless of what happens in life. David maintained a sense of wonder that, “I get to be one of God’s sheep.” He was rightly called a man after God’s own heart (cf. Acts 13:22).
Psalm 23:3a—He restores my soul. The shepherd “restores” his sheep or keeps bringing them back. He knows how readily sheep endanger their lives. Older or heavier ones can roll over unable to roll back. Some may wander off and become lost. If they are to live, the shepherd must bring his flock back to health and safety time after time again. He must be faithful, or they will die.
Illinois The Lord is My Shepherd Ancient Israel rarely had a leader who brought them back from spiritual destruction. Their leaders often encouraged them to stray, and so, the people were afflicted or tormented. They were utterly miserable (cf. Zech 10:2). Such is always the result of wandering from the Lord. If He is the source of joy, anything outside of Him will leave us disappointed.
John 14:2-3—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? 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. As a shepherd, Christ has gone before His flock to prepare a place for them to reside eternally. The preparations have been made, and He invites every person to come.
Psalm 23:3b-4—He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 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. Sheep are creatures of habit, walking the same paths even after the grass has
Psalm 23:6—Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
been devoured. Their habits can undermine their survival and ruin the
David understood shepherding. He knew sheep, and he humbly came to see
shepherd’s land. It was in his best interest to lead them elsewhere.
himself as one under God’s care. Knowing the heart of God, he was certain that goodness and mercy would be his forever (cf. Rom 8:28). More literally,
The sheep grazed between the highlands and lowlands depending on the
he says these blessings would pursue or chase after him relentlessly
time of year. Valleys were part of the route. Though having a nicer grade and more water, they were darker and easier for predators. Only the shepherd’s
What does the heart of a believer look like? I think we have an example of it
staff and rod, his close protection, could ease their fears.
here with David. He sinned sometimes very grievously and wandered from the Lord more than once, but he always came back. The goodness and
God has a plan for His people, but it often involves pain. Sometimes He
mercy of God pursued him as he says in this final verse, and likely these
leads us through the long valleys of life and keeps us there for a time. It is
meant more to him after falling into sin than beforehand. David loved God,
only in knowing that He is good and nearby that we will find comfort and
came to rejoice in God and grew in his hatred of wandering away in sin.
have peace. The Shepherd truly is good, and the more His sheep know of Him, the more they love Him and want to follow. They humbly realize how much they need
Psalm 23:5—You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. A table? This was not a literal table for sheep to crowd around and eat. It was a figurative one. The shepherd prepared the tableland or highlands for his sheep in advance of their coming. He would remove all poisonous plants, drive out predators and clear debris from any sources of water. After all preparations, the shepherd brought his sheep to the highlands and rubbed oil on their heads to protect from flies. It was his goal to provide an idyllic land for his sheep where their every need was supplied, and they had no reason to be distracted or worried. It could be said that the shepherd went ahead of his sheep to ensure the suitability of their next home.
Him and how much joy there is in belonging to Him (cf. Psa 100).
1 Alexander MacLaren, “The Psalms,” in The Expositor’s Bible (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1893), 1:226. 2 See Phillip Keller’s work entitled, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23. Keller wrote this devotional from his personal experiences as a shepherd.
