God as shepherd

Shepherd as a title for God

Psalm 80:1 KJV 1900

Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, Thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; Thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth.

See also Ge 49:24; Ec 12:11

God’s people are his flock

Israel is God’s flock

Psalm 95:7 KJV 1900

For he is our God; And we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice,

See also Ps 79:13; Ps 100:3; Je 50:7; Eze 34:31

The church is God’s flock

1 Peter 5:2 KJV 1900

Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;

See also Lk 12:32; Ac 20:28–29

The tasks undertaken by God the shepherd

The shepherd leads and guides

Psalm 23:2–3 KJV 1900

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

See also Is 40:11

The shepherd provides

Psalm 23:1 KJV 1900

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

See also Ge 48:15; Ps 23:5–6; Ho 4:16; Mic 7:14

The shepherd protects

Psalm 28:9 KJV 1900

Save thy people, And bless thine inheritance: Feed them also, and lift them up for ever.

See also Ge 49:23–24

The shepherd saves those who are lost or scattered

Jeremiah 31:10 KJV 1900

Hear the word of the Lord, O ye nations, And declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, And keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock.

See also Ps 119:176; Is 53:6; Eze 34:11–16; Mt 18:12–14

The shepherd judges

Ezekiel 34:17–22 KJV 1900

And as for you, O my flock, thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I judge between cattle and cattle, between the rams and the he goats. Seemeth it a small thing unto you to have eaten up the good pasture, but ye must tread down with your feet the residue of your pastures? and to have drunk of the deep waters, but ye must foul the residue with your feet? And as for my flock, they eat that which ye have trodden with your feet; and they drink that which ye have fouled with your feet. Therefore thus saith the Lord God unto them; Behold, I, even I, will judge between the fat cattle and between the lean cattle. Because ye have thrust with side and with shoulder, and pushed all the diseased with your horns, till ye have scattered them abroad; Therefore will I save my flock, and they shall no more be a prey; and I will judge between cattle and cattle.

See also Je 23:1; Zec 10:2–3; Zec 11:16; Mt 25:32–46

God gives shepherds to be leaders over his people

He gives David’s line

Ezekiel 34:23 KJV 1900

And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd.

See also 2 Sa 5:2; Ps 78:70–72; Eze 34:23–24; Eze 37:24; Mic 5:4; Mt 2:6

He gives individual leaders

Is 44:28; Is 63:11

He gives faithful leaders

Jeremiah 3:15 KJV 1900

And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.

See also Je 23:4; 1 Pe 5:2–4