Psalm 23 - The Good Shepherd

Outline:

The Good Shepherd (v.1-4)

The Gracious Host (5-6)

The Good Shepherd

Psalm 23:1 ESV

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

Here David begins Psalm 23 with a metaphor. David’s metaphor describes the relationship between God and him. God is the Shepherd. David is the sheep.

Typically, David calls God “king” or “deliverer” to emphasize His power and authority. Other times David calls God his “rock” and “shield.” All of which seem distant.

However, here, David calls God his “shepherd” The job of a shepherd in the days of the Old Testament consisted of living with his sheep; guiding his sheep, protecting his sheep, and caring for their health.

Simply put, God’s title of shepherd describes his intimate love and care for his people.

David uses this metaphor because he was a shepherd when he was young. He fed and led his sheep. In 1 Samuel 16:11, Jesse tells Samuel that his young son, David, was “keeping his sheep.”

Moreover, David protected his sheep as well. In 1 Samuel 17:34-35, David tells Saul, “Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth.”

In Psalm 23, the Psalmist compares his relationship with God to the relationship between a sheep and its shepherd, which does not lack rest, guidance, or safety.