I’m sure you are all familiar with the 23rd Psalm. It is so often quoted and most of us memorized it as children. It is the Psalm of comfort and peace. It is often read at funerals.
It begins with “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.” So many times we find ourselves in the state of “want”. We plan our lives and expect things to turn out according to those plans.
Life isn’t always like that. There are many things that can happen and our plans change. Sometimes they are for the good and sometimes not. That is life.
Psalm 23 portrays God as a good shepherd, feeding (verse 1) and leading (verse 3) His flock. The “rod and staff” (verse 4) are also the implements of a shepherd. Some commentators see the shepherd imagery pervading the entire psalm. It is known that the shepherd is to know each sheep by name, thus when God is given the analogy of a shepherd, He is not only a protector but also the caretaker.
God, as the caretaker, leads the sheep to green pastures (verse 2) and still waters (verse 2) because He knows that each of His sheep must be personally led to be fed. Thus, without its Shepherd, the sheep would die either by a predator or of starvation, since sheep are known for their stupidity.
The Lord is my Shepherd
What we have to remember is that our Lord is our Shepherd. He is with us and guiding us throughout every minute of our life. Isaiah 43:1 tells us that He has called us by name. He knows us better than we know ourselves. You can call on the Good Shepherd. He will guide you and protect you.
