THE LORD MY SHEPHERD

“The Lord is my shepherd, I Iack nothing.” Psalm 23:1

We all love this psalm. Even people who don’t acknowledge God in their lives know it and, of course, it will be read or sung at their funeral one day.

Funny how some of the most profound and meaningful passages in the Bible land up as funeral dirges for many people; they read as “funeral” Scriptures – nothing more. Like Psalm 23, and John 14!

This is David’s most well-known and loved psalm. When did he write it? Since he was a shepherd from boyhood, we tend to associate it with the days when he sat around strumming his harp and watching the sheep. But the life of a shepherd wasn’t one long lazy day in the sun. He had work to do and David was familiar with all the tasks that fell to the shepherd.

There were those times, however, when his work was done for a while. Then he would sit on a grassy spot where he could watch the sheep and let his mind wander. What did he think about? Perhaps his gazed roamed around the beauty of the scene before him; the tiny creatures scurrying through the grass, the blue of the sky, the soft white clouds floating overhead, the rippling water of a nearby stream.

He heard the birds twittering in the trees, the call of an eagle high above him, the cooing of a dove, the rustle of a mouse in the undergrowth. He felt the warmth of the sun on his back, the dampness of the dew in the early morning. Perhaps, in utter contentment he would lie back for a moment, gaze into the infinite heavens and think, “God’s in His heaven and all’s right with the world.”

He would think of his home, his parents, his siblings, the privileges, the love and laughter of a family, the hearty meal he would enjoy when the sheep were safely penned for the night. Inevitably his mind would turn to the God who created all the beauty around him and blessed him with all the privileges he enjoyed. He would strum his harp and sing praise to the God of his ancestors, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Many is the time, as king of Israel, David would reflect on his boyhood and the years that followed and marvel at the way God had led, provided for and protected him – just like a shepherd! He had been a fugitive from the murderous jealousy of King Saul. He had sheltered in caves, slept under the stars, taken refuge in foreign territory, eaten off the land and, like Robin Hood, led a band of “merry men” who were fiercely loyal and, at times, fearlessly courageous to protect and care for their leader. 

As he reflected on his life with all its twists and turns, the realisation dawned on him that Yahweh was to him what he had been to his sheep; first his father’s flock which he had led and guarded with his life, even taking on fearsome predators like lions and bears; then the nation of Israel which was God’s flock entrusted to him. Over the years, God had been a shepherd to him. Had he ever been left to fend for himself, abandoned and hopeless? No! God had always been there, watchful and attentive to his every need, answering his every cry for help.

David “enquired of the Lord” at every turn, even when he failed grievously, and the Shepherd was always beside him, rescuing, leading, forgiving and being what a shepherd was, everything he needed. Not only did he lack nothing; he also had the reassurance that, in company with his Shepherd, he would never be “diminished”.

Included in the Hebrew word for lack or want is the idea that those who live in close association with God will never become less than who they are. God wants not only to sustain us; He wants us to increase. David put in negative terms what God would say positively. “As long as you remain with me and allow me to shepherd you, I will make you much more of a person than you are now. I will help you reach your full potential.”

The best grass, the safest resting places, the clearest streams, the greatest opportunities are what the shepherd looks for to create the environment for His “sheep” to grow, to become strong and productive. In the end, it’s the shepherd who gets the credit for being the best shepherd for His sheep.

Acknowledgement

Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.