David was a skilled shepherd. He had tended his father’s flock as a young boy and later shepherded the nation of Israel (Psalm 78:72). Therefore, when he penned the words of Psalm 23, he was using an imagery that he was all too familiar with. He had provided for the sheep under his care, protected them from the bear and the lion, tenderly cared for them, etc, and now looked to God as His shepherd. Notice that in this Psalm, David doesn’t just refer to God as shepherd but rather refers to Him as ‘My Shepherd.’ The shepherdhood of God is something that we must have a personal experience of. It is not enough to know that He is a shepherd; one must experience Him as such at a personal level. The Psalm then proceeds to declare that because we have a shepherd, therefore we shall not want. In other words, the Shepherd will take care of all our needs – provision, protection, rest, peace, comfort, etc.

The Lord Jesus, in John 10, appropriates this title on Himself. Yet He goes even further and calls Himself not just a shepherd but the Good Shepherd. He contrasts one who is the true shepherd of the sheep and one who is merely hired to take care of the sheep. When trouble comes, the hireling runs away while the Good Shepherd lays His life down for the sheep. Of course, He was speaking of the cross where He would lay His life down for our sake. He further highlights the danger that lurks for the sheep with the thief who comes to steal, kill, and destroy. But He contrasts that with Himself, who has come that we may have life and have it in abundance (John 10:10). Jesus, our good and great Shepherd came and lay His life down for us in order that we enjoy the abundant life. The only question is, can we say like David, ‘The Lord Jesus is my shepherd?’

1. Do you have a personal experience of God as your shepherd?