The Lord is My Shepherd

Psalm 23 is one of the most well-known passages in the Bible, rivaled only by John 3:16. But there’s a danger to familiarity – when we know something so well, we can stop really listening to what it has to say, like a song we’ve sung so many times that we never consider what the lyrics mean. So our goal over the next two weeks will be to strip away the familiar veneer and chew on this beloved psalm one verse at a time, so that we can truly consider the gravity of what it declares.

This morning, I want to start with that first verse that we know so well:
“The Lord is my shepherd, I have everything I need.” Or as most of us memorized it, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.”

It’s important to remember that, as famous and well known as these words are, they were penned by a real person, a guy named David who happened to be the most famous King in Israel’s history. But he didn’t start out as a king. When we first meet him in the Bible, he is out tending his father’s flocks. That’s right. As a kid, David was a shepherd. So it’s no coincidence that when he was searching for an analogy to describe his relationship with God, he would choose to call God his shepherd.

And that means David identified as one of the sheep.  Which is an interesting choice, because sheep can’t take care of themselves. They have no claws or horns to defend themselves. They aren’t fast enough to run from predators, they aren’t smart enough to feed and care for themselves. Sheep are, by nature, dependent creatures, and it is the shepherd’s job to lead and guide, protect and provide for them.  That means that the flock’s well-being is directly tied to the quality of the shepherd caring for it.

Psalm 23 is an emphatic declaration of David’s complete and utter trust in his shepherd. Just consider the opening line: “The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not be in want.”

As the king of Israel, David could have said, “The Lord is OUR shepherd.”
But he didn’t. Instead, he declared, “the Lord is MY shepherd.”  It’s a much more personal statement, and the Psalm as a whole has the feel of a sheep resting contentedly under his shepherd’s care. And because God is caring for him, David declares, “I shall not be in want.”

Now, I’ll admit that this could sound like a bit of an overstatement, as if David is suggesting that he has no desires beyond what God gives him. But that’s not what he’s saying. There’s a huge difference between wanting something and being in want. Remember, it’s the shepherd’s job to provide for the needs of his flock; however, that doesn’t mean the shepherd will or should always give the sheep everything they want. Imagine if I gave my boys everything they wanted? We’d be eating ice cream at every meal. To give into our children’s every whim is the best way to ensure that they will be fat, unhealthy and spoiled. And in the same way, a good shepherd recognizes the difference between what his sheep want and what they truly need. Every one of us want things that could hurt us, and a good shepherd will protect us from them. A good shepherd will tell us “No” from time to time.

Perhaps we should paraphrase the opening this way: “The Lord is my Shepherd; He gives me what I need so I shall not be in want.” David experienced this first hand. He saw God’s hand of guidance, provision and protection throughout his life, in both the good times and the hard ones (and let’s not forget that David had plenty of hard ones). He spent years on the run from Saul. He had moments of doubt when it seemed like God had abandoned him and destruction was just around the corner (just read the Psalms, which are full of his cries of frustration and disappointment). He had some painful moments when he fell flat on his face into sin. Yet even then, his Shepherd didn’t abandon him. Rather, God met him in the midst of his mistakes and led him out of bondage to sin and guilt. David could say with confidence that “the Lord God is MY Shepherd, I shall not be in want.”

Can you say that?

As you survey the pathway of your life, the twists and turns, the triumphs and the disappointments, can you see God’s hand of guidance?

Can you see the ways that he has protected you from things you wanted, but ultimately needed to avoid?

And can you see the ways He’s provided for you?

I sure can. Though life hasn’t always gone the way I would have expected, I can see God’s sure hand of guidance and protection all along the way. At times He’s led me with a clear, loving ‘No,’ and my life is better for it. Sometimes He’s led me with the rod of discipline, to get my attention and set me on the path of righteousness again. And sometimes He’s just flat out blessed me beyond what I could have ever imagined.

So the Lord is a worthy, capable shepherd. But he’s more than that. He’s also our rightful owner. After all, He created us and sustains our every breath. And He paid the price to buy us out of slavery to sin. He is our rightful owner, yet he doesn’t force His ownership upon us. He allows us to choose whether or not we want him as our Shepherd. He allows us to choose whether we will follow His lead.

So I ask you again, is the Lord Your Shepherd?
Have you chosen to submit your life to His care?

A lot of times we treat this like a one-time decision – whether to pray the prayer or not – but the truth is that following our Shepherd is a daily decision. Every day and every circumstance is an opportunity to declare our faith, through both our thoughts and our actions. Will we take up our cross and follow Him, or will we choose to chart our own course, running after the things that we think we need to be happy and fulfilled?

I think Joshua said it best: “Choose this day whom you will serve.” Choose this day whom you will place your trust in and follow. God is the rightful ruler of your life, the only one who has both a claim and a capability to guide your steps through this sin-scarred world. But He still gives you a choice. So choose whom you will serve. As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord. Why?

Because the Lord is my shepherd, 
and I have everything I need.