The Shepherd: Verse 1

Psalm 23 (NASB 95)

A Psalm of David.

1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

2 He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters.

3 He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.

4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil;

My cup overflows.

6 Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Introduction

David was a shepherd. As a young boy he learned to care for and protect the sheep. The shepherding life was one he was familiar with.

In a stroke of irony, David pens this psalm not as a shepherd but as a sheep

Thru the Bible Vol. 17: Poetry (Psalms 1–41) (Revelation of the Sanctuary of the Shepherd’s Soul)

sheep are stubborn, hardheaded, and pigheaded animals. Besides that, they are dirty and filthy.” I said, “That’s a picture of the human race

The Psalms: Language for All Seasons of the Soul (My Cup Overflows (Psalm 23:5))

Psalm 23 naturally divides into two sections: verses 1–4, which image God as a shepherd, and verses 5–6, which image God as a host.

The Lord is my shepherd

The shepherd was responsible for the care of the sheep, including but not limited to:

Food

Water

Safety and security

Shelter

Medical attention

Direction

Instruction

Correction

Attention

David does not merely call the LORD a shepherd but MY Shepherd. There’s a difference

Society says that we are all God’s children. Not so. We are all God’s creation. His children know Him, obey Him, and hear his voice!

The Psalms: Language for All Seasons of the Soul (Conclusion > Chapter Three: The Psalms and Faith/Tradition (C. Hassell Bullock))

a Shepherd who walks among his sheep and guards them well.

The Psalms: Language for All Seasons of the Soul (The Lord Provides Our Abundance)

in the ancient Near East, “shepherd” was a metaphor for the king

John 10:11 NASB 95

11 “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.

John 10:14 NASB 95

14 I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me,

1 Peter 2:25 NASB 95

25 For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.

1 Peter 5:4 NASB 95

4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

I shall not want

Translations are sometimes confusing:

NASB95—I shall not want. (0% difference)

ESV— I shall not want. (9% difference)

NRSV— I shall not want. (0% difference)

NKJV— I shall not want. (9% difference)

HCSB— there is nothing I lack. (39% difference)

NIV84— I shall not be in want. (8% difference)

NIV— I lack nothing. (24% difference)

The idea is not that we will not have “wants”—as in the modern understanding—but that we will want for nothing, or rather, we will have need of nothing.

Our Shepherd is able to provide for all our needs (see Phil 4:19)

The Psalms: Language for All Seasons of the Soul (The Lord Provides Our Abundance)

The Shepherd has brought us to his home where his provisions go beyond the necessities of life.

Conclusion

God knows how to care for his creation better than any person, group, or government.