Meditating on "The Lord is my Shepherd"
A Bible Study on Psalm 23:1
Psalm 23 is one of the most known Bible passages in the world. And it is well-known not just among Christians; even the non-Christians seem to know about this passage. But why is that the case?
I’ve reasoned that it could be the comfort that this psalm provides, as many have found it to give solace especially when they have lost a loved one; it could also be the assurance of God’s care especially in the mundane day-to-day activities; or many other reasons. But I like this psalm because it paints a graceful picture of a God who is willing to take care of us.
In this edition, we’ll look at the first verse, and in the following editions, we’ll look at the rest.
The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. (Psalm 23:1)
The title ‘The Lord’ indicates the uniqueness of the Lord of Israel. He is the covenant God of Israel. He is not a generic god of the other ancient contemporary nations.
The Israelites knew what shepherds did. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and many more—All these people were shepherds part-time or full-time. They knew how to take care of their sheep.
What’s interesting is that David was himself a shepherd. He knew what the needs of the sheep were. In the care of a good shepherd, a sheep doesn’t lack anything. A good shepherd provides the food, water, and all the necessities of his sheep. Therefore, the sheep do not lack anything.
Similarly, our Good Shepherd (John 10:11ff), namely Jesus, never sleeps nor slumbers (Psa. 121:3), takes great care of us (1 Pet. 5:6-7), and provides for all of our needs (Matt. 6:25-34). What an amazing God we serve!
What most of us don’t immediately realize is that if God is our Shepherd, then we are His sheep. Do you know what are the characteristics of sheep?
“Sheep are basically helpless creatures who cannot survive long without a shepherd, upon whose care they are totally dependent…Sheep are essentially dumb animals that do not learn well and are extremely difficult to train. They do not have good eyesight, nor do they hear well. They are very slow animals who cannot escape predators; they have no camouflage and no weapons for defense such as claws, sharp hooves, or powerful jaws.
Furthermore, sheep are easily frightened and become easily confused. In fact, they have been known to plunge blindly off a cliff following one after another. Shepherds in Bible times faced incredible dangers in caring for their sheep, putting their own lives at risk by battling wild animals such as wolves and lions who threatened the flock.” (Source)
It’s incredible how the Psalmist David can pack so many things in such few words! Reflect on all the good things that our Shepherd has done for you and praise Him.
PS: If you want me to write more such Bible Studies on the rest of Psalm 23, you can reply ‘Psalm 23’ to this email. Until next time, keep studying the words of our Shepherd.
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