The LORD is My Shepherd

Every word of God is pure, and there is great significance in all God has written.  We may not always understand the meaning or personal application of a passage, but we can know the truth conveyed by the word of God is immutable and powerful like He is to transform us and our perspective.

This morning I landed on one of the most familiar passages of the Bible, one often reserved for funerals and memorial services:  Psalm 23.  The beauty of the lyrics to this psalm of praise to God are best appreciated and comprehended by those for whom Jesus Christ is our Good Shepherd (John 10:11, 14).  Every word was instructive to me and is packed with significance as I considered the opening sentence which reads, "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want."  This is solid ground of faith which remains unshakable forever, thus a fitting passage to read in regards to all who placed their trust in God during their pilgrimage on earth.

The:  a definite article that denotes a particular thing that is already known, in this case "refers to things or people when only one exists at any one time."

LORD:  yhwh, the proper name of the God of Israel, the eternal, living, almighty God and Creator of all things.

Is:  a verb the expresses existence or state of being.  It speaks of something that is presently true.

My:  a personal pronoun that indicates possession of something.

Shepherd:  a person who leads, tends, protects and provides for the needs of sheep.  In ancient Israel shepherds guided their sheep to find pasture where they could eat, drink and rest.

I shall:  "shall" is a verb in the future tense that expresses confident intent and expectations.

not want:  to "want" is to lack, decrease or be empty.  David expressed the opposite of being in want, having all needs presently and for all time supplied by God.

In this introduction the psalmist David has all confidence today and into the future because God was his shepherd.  By faith in the almighty God David and all who trust in Jesus Christ have everything we need for an abundant life now and for all eternity.  I encourage you, dear reader, to consider the implications of each word and the awesome truth revealed that Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd who knows His sheep.  There are many who have been called "lord," "my lord," and those who have worked as shepherds, but there is only one LORD God, the Good Shepherd who provides rest for those who trust in Him today and always.  In Jesus we find provided all things that pertain to life and godliness.

I leave you with the words of Jesus in John 10:11-14:  "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. ¹² But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. ¹³ The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. ¹⁴ I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own."  Since there is no one good but God, Jesus is right to identify Himself as the good shepherd being the only begotten Son of God.  By faith in Jesus we have rest for our souls, for He is ours and we are His.