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“The LORD is my Shepherd; I shall not want” (v. 1)

Psalm 23 is one of the most oft read, if not the most beloved of the psalms. Commonly known as “the Psalm of psalms,” this precious portion is often read to sick or afflicted souls, to comfort, to encourage, and to revive their faith. Taking the title from the first verse – “The LORD is my Shepherd,” many appropriately call it the “Shepherd’s Psalm.”

David, the author of the psalm, was once a shepherd boy tending the flocks of his father. Under a metaphor borrowed from scenes of pastoral life, with which he was familiar, David described God’s providential care in leading, refreshing, guiding, protecting and preserving his life. Having experienced God’s gracious dealings, David could confidently rely upon God’s love and perpetual favour.

It is my prayer that as we study this short psalm over the next few weeks, we will catch exciting glimpses of God’s special care for us who are His children. Some of the insights are gleaned from “A Shepherd looks at Psalm 23” by Phillip Keller, a former sheep owner. The author grew up in East Africa surrounded by simple native herdsmen whose customs closely resembled those of their counterparts in the Middle East. With firsthand experience in sheep management, Keller wrote as one who was intimately acquainted with the pathos and picturesque life of a shepherd.

“The LORD is My Shepherd”

“The Lord!” - Who is He? What is He like? Is He sufficiently qualified to be my Shepherd, my Master, my Sovereign God? If He is, then how do I come under His control? In what ways do I become the object of His constant concern and diligent care?

The psalmist commenced with a proud and happy affirmation: “Look at who my Shepherd is – the LORD.” Here, David was not speaking as the shepherd, though he was one, but as a sheep, in the flock of God.

He knew from firsthand experience that the happiness of any sheep depended much on the character of the owner. Sheep, more than any other creature, need diligent and meticulous care. The behaviour of sheep and human beings is similar in many ways – mob instincts, fears, stubbornness, foolishness, perverseness, proneness to wander. Under a careless shepherd, sheep would starve and suffer many hardships. In the care of another who is devoted, the sheep would flourish and thrive.

When David spoke of the LORD as his Shepherd, he was no doubt referring to Jehovah, the Lord God of Israel. This thought of God being the Shepherd of His people, is confirmed by Christ in the New Testament: “I am the Good Shepherd: the Good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep” (Jn. 10: 11). At Calvary, Christ demonstrated the deep desire of His heart to have men come to salvation and thus enjoy His benevolent care. Our Saviour gave His life to redeem us from sin and grant us eternal life through His atoning death upon the cross. We now belong to Him for we have been bought with a price (I Cor. 6: 19-20).

Keller shared of a humbling experience one night under the stars: “Looking up at the star-studded sky I remember that at least 250,000,000 X 250,000,000 such bodies – each larger than our sun, one of the smallest of the stars, have been scattered across the vast spaces of the universe by God’s hand. I recall that the planet earth, which is my temporary home for a few short years, is so minute a speck of matter in space that if it were possible to transport our most powerful telescope to our nearest neighbour star, Alpha Centauri, and look back this way, the earth could not be seen, even with the aid of that powerful instrument … Yet the staggering fact remains that Christ the Creator of such an enormous universe of overwhelming magnitude, deigns to call Himself my Shepherd and invites me to consider myself His Sheep – His special object of affection and attention. Who better could care for me?”

“I shall not want”

What a proud and bold statement! It expresses the sentiment of a sheep utterly contented with its owner and its lot in life. Looking at David’s life and the hardships he suffered as a hunted fugitive by his enemy Saul and later by his estranged son Absalom, one may wonder how he could boast of His Master’s care. How do we explain this paradox? David had put his trust in the Good Shepherd Who delighted in His sheep.

As mentioned earlier, the welfare of any flock is entirely dependent upon the character of the owner. Keller wrote about a heartless tenant shepherd on a neighbouring farm who neglected the sheep. These poor creatures were forced to gnaw away at bare brown fields and impoverished pastures, and to drink polluted, muddy water They fell prey to wild animals. In their thin, weak and diseased condition, they were a pathetic sight.

In contrast, our Lord is the selfless, sacrificial Shepherd Who came “that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (Jn. 10: 10). As His sheep, we can, like David, confidently declare that we are contented with our Master’s loving care and guidance. To Him no trouble is too great as He cares for His flock; He provides them with the richest pastures, clean water, protection from enemies and the diseases and parasites to which sheep are so susceptible. For Him there is no greater reward, no deeper satisfaction, than that of seeing to the well-being of His flock. He literally lays His life down for His sheep. (… to be continued)

- Pastor