The Lord Is My Shepherd

Well, it's happening again. I'm being chased by Bible verses, hunted down by spiritual thoughts and bombarded with the same Biblical premise over and over again. This past Sunday, I began teaching a short series on the Lord our Shepherd. Ever since then, I can't escape passages, messages and songs about the topic. It's popped up in my daily Bible reading. It's been manifest in my devotional reading. The songs on the radio are proclaiming the message over and over again. To tell you the truth, it's downright humorous.

 That being said, I felt strongly led to re-post an earlier entry on this very topic: the Lord our Shepherd. It wasn't that terribly long ago that I made the initial post, but I just can't escape the feeling that the Lord wants me to post it again today. So, who knows? This post may be just for you. Either way, I hope you will enjoy it and be encouraged by it.

Getting to Know God: Jehovah Rohi

Today we're going to wrap up our study on the names of the Lord with what is perhaps the most personal name attributed to Him: Jehovah Rohi, the Lord my shepherd. As I understand it, shepherds have a very personal relationship with their sheep. Not only does a shepherd know each sheep by name, but he is also acutely aware of the personality, weakness, and quirk of each individual sheep. He knows them better than they know themselves. And as the shepherd, he has a huge responsibility to care for those sheep because, let's face it, sheep can't exactly take care of themselves. They're not the brightest animal among God's creation, now are they? (And of all the creatures God could relate us to, which one does He choose? That doesn't say much for our intelligence, now does it?)

The fact is that sheep are helpless. Unlike many other animals, sheep have no natural means of protection. No claws or sharp teeth or stink spray. Not only that, but they are navigationally challenged (a bit like myself), making it difficult to find good pasture or clean water. They don't have any enhanced senses, so they are easily preyed upon by wolves and other wild animals. Helpless, completely helpless! And yet, anytime I see a field of sheep, they look so content and peaceful. Why? Because they are. As long as the shepherd is nearby, they feel safe, and a good shepherd never leaves his sheep.

Psalm 23 is probably one of the most familiar Bible passages of all time, and it paints a beautiful picture of the Lord's role as the Shepherd in our lives. Penned by David, a man who knew a thing or two about shepherding, this psalm begins with today's name: "The Lord is my Shepherd". And on the heels of that statement, David proclaims, "I shall not want."

As a young child, I was confused by that verse, for in my immature understanding, I took the verse to mean that David didn't want the Lord as his shepherd. I was too young and uneducated at that time to realize that the word "want" here is not defined as "desire" but rather as "need, require, or lack". So, in fact, what David is saying is this: "Because the Lord is my shepherd, I don't need anything else. There is nothing I lack." And then he proceeds to explain that statement in great detail:

vs. 2 - He maketh me to lie down in green pastures. - The Shepherd provides rest.
vs. 2 - He leadeth me beside the still waters. - The Shepherd provides refreshment.
vs. 3 - He restoreth my soul. - The Shepherd provides salvation.
vs. 3 - He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. - The Shepherd provides guidance. vs. 4 - Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. - The Shepherd provides peace and safety.
vs. 4 - For thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. - The Shepherd provides companionship and correction.
vs. 5 - Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies. - The Shepherd provides nourishment.
vs. 6 - Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. - The Shepherd provides blessings above and beyond what we can ask or think.
vs. 7 - Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. - The Shepherd provides the fruit of the Spirit by which we can live our lives.
vs. 7 - I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. - The Shepherd provides a hope for the future.

 Let's face it, the psalmist could have simply said, "The Lord is my Shepherd. 'Nough said!" But he didn't. Instead, he made sure that there could be no misunderstanding. He spelled it out so that even the most ignorant or naive among us could understand. If the Lord is our Shepherd (and if you're saved, He is), then He's truly all we need. No matter what comes our way, He will provide. Just like the shepherd, God loves His sheep and is willing to do everything in His power to care for us. We've already established that there is no limit to His power, so what does that mean for us? It means there is no need too great, no situation too dire, no foe too frightening and no wanderer forsaken. It means we're taken care of. It means the Shepherd is all we need!