Introduction :
The LORD is my Shepherd, I shall not want.
This declaration, short and straightforward, carries profound meaning beyond its concise form. There are hidden gems within each word and phrase of this verse that are worth exploring:
Before we delve into verse 1, a little background on Psalm 23 and why it has become one of the most beloved Psalm for the believer.
In the New Testament, we see our Lord depicted as a shepherd in three distinct ways. First, in John 10, He is portrayed as the Good Shepherd who loves His sheep so deeply that He willingly lays down His life for them. Second, in Hebrews 13, He is referred to as the Great Shepherd who has conquered death and established an eternal covenant with His sheep. Finally in 1 Peter 5, He wears the mantle of the Chief Shepherd signaling His glorious second coming when the under-shepherds will give an account to Him.
Interestingly, we see a parallel in Psalm 22, 23, and 24, which are often referred to as the “Shepherd Psalms.” The 22nd Psalm portrays the crucifixion of the Good Shepherd, while the 24th Psalm depicts the majestic return of the Chief Shepherd as the “King of Glory.” Nestled between these two is Psalm 23, the most beloved among God’s chosen, which describes the Lord as the Great Shepherd who leads and protects the sheep until the end.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
The LORD (denoted by all caps in English Bibles) corresponds to the Hebrew phrase YHWH, which is the proper name of the God of Israel. This name is often translated as “Yahweh” or “Jehovah.”
While the names Elohim (the creator, ruler, and sustainer of the universe) and El-Shaddai (God Almighty who keeps His promises) appear frequently in Genesis, the introduction of the name Yahweh (YHWH) marks an important revelation of God’s personal name to His people. We first encounter this name in Exodus 3 when Moses inquires of God about His name, and God responds from the burning bush: “I AM WHO I AM.”
The LORD IS my shepherd; I shall not want.
The present tense verb “is” carries a weighty implication, underscoring the everlasting presence of God among His people. Yahweh, meaning “to be” signifies the ever-present nature of the great I AM.
To the Israelites, Yahweh is God’s “name for ever – a memorial for all generations.”God did not liberate the people of Israel from Egyptian bondage and abandon them in the wilderness. His presence went with them to the Promised Land.
Similarly, our Lord did not just redeem us from our bondage to sin and then leave us to fend for ourselves. His work did not end at the cross. The Bible tells He will sustain, sanctify and keep us blameless till the come of our Lord Jesus Christ (Hebrews. 12:2, 1 Corinthians 1:8, Philippians 1:6 ).
The LORD is MY shepherd; I shall not want.
The inclusion of the pronoun “my” makes this verse special. The Great IAM – the everlasting God, the Creator of heaven and earth and everything in it, is MY shepherd. He is not merely “a” shepherd, “their” shepherd or even “our shepherd” — the LORD is MY shepherd.
The LORD is my SHEPHERD ; I shall not want.
David, who himself was a shepherd, understood the vulnerability of sheep and the pivotal role played by the shepherd in their lives.
In 1st Samuel 17. he recounts his run-ins with wild beasts. When a lion or a bear had taken a lamb from the flock, David would go after it, strike it and rescue the lamb from its mouth. When the wild beast rose against him, he grabbed it by the beard and killed it.”
Throughout the Bible, we are consistently compared to sheep. We are not likened to mighty lions or fearless horses, or even ants that have the wisdom to gather and store food in due season. No, we are sheep – creatures that are utterly dependent on the Shepherd for our very survival.
While we may deceives ourselves into thinking we can manage just fine on our own, we remain oblivious to the fact that were are just sheep and our adversary is a roaring lion, constantly seeking to devour us (1st Peter 5:8)
If David, the giant-slayer, relied on the Lord and declared, “The LORD is my Shepherd”, it would be sheer folly for us to trust in our own ability or in the abilities of our fellow sheep.
The LORD is my shepherd; I SHALL NOT WANT
In a charmingly mixed-up rendition of the 23td Psalm, a young girl once said, “The Lord is my shepherd and that’s all I want.” And she was not far from the mark. The phrase “I shall not want” in Psalm 23:1 conveys the idea of “not lacking” or “not needing” anything in Hebrew.
The subsequent verses of this chapter are simply an expansion and elaboration of the verse :
The Lord is my shepherd and I shall not have any lack or need
I shall not lack peace
because He makes me lie down in green pastures and leads me beside still waters
I shall not lack hope
because He restores my soul.
I shall not lack a guide.
He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name sake.
I shall not lack confidence in challenging times.
because You, Lord, are with me
I shall not lack protection.
Your rod and staff, they comfort me.
I shall not lack nourishment. Even when my enemies seek to starve me to death.
because the Lord prepares a table for me in front of my enemies.
I shall not lack honor.
because You anoint my head with oil.
I shall not lack goodness and mercy all the days of my life.
And finally, I shall not lack an eternal home
because I will dwell in the house the Lord for ever.
Conclusion:
Sheep, though often regarded as dim-witted and foolish, are surprisingly smart. They recognize that a good shepherd is all the need. They know his voice and follow Him faithfully, paying no heed to the voice of strangers.
We, who are His sheep are not considered wise, mighty, influential or noble by the world. But God has chosen the foolish things and the weak things of the world to confound the wise and the mighty.
We who follow the Good Shepherd (and no one else) are not dim-witted. That’s being super smart!
MEME OF THE DAY
