Psalm 23

I recently spoke with a college student facing serious health issues. She is dealing with pain, and despite visiting several doctors, she is still searching for a diagnosis and treatment. She shared that, until now, her life had felt like a storybook. This was her first real challenge. She acknowledged feelings of hopelessness, but her time in Scripture and reliance on God remained firm despite her current condition. She knew that God was in control and guiding her each day.

The patriarch Jacob described the days of his life as “few and difficult” (Gen. 47:9 NIV). Early on, deceitful actions compelled him to leave home, and he spent years in a strained family environment. He buried the love of his life and lived for twenty years believing his beloved son, Joseph, was dead. In God’s sovereign plan, Jacob and Joseph were miraculously reunited. When Jacob was near death, he declared that God “has been my shepherd all my life to this day” (Gen. 48:15).

Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob all understood the job of the shepherd. Guiding herds was their profession. Six hundred years later, Israel was still in the sheep herding business. God “chose David his servant and took him from the sheepfolds; from following the nursing ewes he brought him to shepherd Jacob his people, Israel his inheritance. With upright heart he shepherded them and guided them with his skillful hand” (Ps. 78:70-72).

Let’s consider one of David’s most beautifully written psalms—Psalm 23, known as The Shepherd’s Psalm.

Psalm 23:1a
The Lord is my shepherd….

David composed this psalm from the perspective of a sheep. The opening line confidently asserts a bold statement. The sheep declares: Let me tell you who my shepherd is. Allow me to share about the one who bought me, loves me, cares for me, sacrifices for me, nourishes me, and protects me. My shepherd—the one I follow, the one I trust, and the one I wholly depend on—is none other than Yahweh himself. He is the personal God who loves me with an everlasting love.

As Christians, we understand that Jesus is the Good Shepherd. He knows his sheep, and we know him. As our Good Shepherd, he sacrificed his life for us (John 10:14-15). Since the Lord is our shepherd, we find complete satisfaction in him.

Psalm 23:1
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want…

The Message interprets it like this: Yahweh, my shepherd! I don’t need a thing.[1] Here is a statement of contentment. God fulfills all my needs!

God meets my tangible needs, but he doesn’t stop there. As a shepherd, taking care of sheep is challenging. They wander away, and their thick wool can become tangled in thorny bushes. Sometimes, they roll onto their backs and can’t get up. They shiver in cold, stormy nights, and predators always lurk to make a meal of them. But the shepherd is there to address each concern, which is why the sheep can feel at peace.

Jesus said that troubles will occur in this world (John 16:33). Sometimes, we wander away, get tangled in sin, and shiver in the storms of broken bodies, broken relationships, and broken hearts. But when the Lord is my shepherd, he is present through every challenge and difficulty—even the ones I create myself.

Psalm 23:2
He makes me lie down in green pastures. 

Sheep can be quite stubborn, even high maintenance. They won’t lie down unless everything is just right. Here are a few intriguing facts about sheep.

First, sheep won’t lie down unless they are free from fear. They are defenseless, and their only means of protection is to run. Unfortunately, they aren’t very fast. But even so, they remain on their feet when scared. If one gets spooked and starts to run, the mob mentality takes over, causing all the sheep to flee. They become restless when frightened. Does that resonate with anyone?

One thing alleviates their fear: the presence of the shepherd. When he is near, all is well. The prophet Isaiah reminds us of this truth. He wrote, “So do not fear, for I am with you; don’t be dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isa. 41:10 NIV).

Second, sheep can’t rest unless they are free from tension. Chickens have a pecking order, cattle have a horning order, and sheep have a head-butting order. Although generally gentle creatures, a bullying sheep will try to drive other ewes away from the best grazing area. When a ewe lies down to rest, the bully will butt it with its head. Tension and restlessness in the flock arise whenever sheep start head-butting each other. But do you know what causes bullying sheep to stop? The presence of the shepherd.

Maybe you are experiencing tension. Another person is making life difficult. Relax in the presence of the Good Shepherd who says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28 NIV).

Third, sheep can’t rest unless they are free from hunger. That’s why the shepherd guides the flock to green pastures. Sheep eat and feel satisfied when the fields are fertile and lush. Afterward, they lie down and chew their cud. Ewes’ milk becomes rich and creamy from grazing in abundant pastures, allowing lambs to gain one hundred pounds within their first one hundred days of life. Just think about that—a 100-pound, three-month-old baby!

In Scripture, when we read about a land flowing with milk and honey, it refers to pasture lands so bountiful that livestock can produce rich dairy and bees can yield a steady flow of honey. Some meadows were naturally grassy, while others required preparation. One writer described the shepherd’s work in creating fertile pasture lands.

Green pastures were the product of tremendous labor, time, and skill in land use. Green pastures were the result of clearing rough, rocky land; of tearing out brush and roots and stumps; of deep plowing and careful soil preparation; of seeding and planting special grains…of irrigating with water and husbanding with care the crops of forage that would feed the flocks. All of this represented tremendous toil and skill and time for the careful shepherd. If his sheep were to enjoy green pastures amid the brown, barren hills, it meant he had a tremendous job to do.[2]

Green pastures don’t come to be without hard work, and neither do lives that bear spiritual fruit. It is the work of God. He removes the fear, tension, and frustrations that can lead to bitterness. We are like sheep, unable to clear the fields on our own. The Good Shepherd is at work so our lives can experience peace, calm, nourishment, and growth.

Let’s pick it up here next time.

PERSONAL TIME WITH GOD
Read Psalm 23. Read it in two or three different Bible translations. Read the psalm like you are engaging with it for the first time.

Talking to God
Thank God for being your Good Shepherd.

Have Questions?
Please respond with any questions about today’s reading or teaching. Our team is here to assist you as you explore God’s Word. Submit your question below, and they will reply soon.

LIFE MAP
Go to ronmoore.org/lifemap for an exercise that will help you discover how God is writing his story in you. I have included a life map of Joseph that will serve as an example.

JOB: GOD’S STORY IN OUR SUFFERING—Starting March 3.
Join me in studying the Book of Job as we gain an understanding of this powerful story. We’ll explore its relevant themes of faith, suffering, and resilience. Invite a friend (or two or three) to join us.

[1] Eugene Peterson, The Message: Psalms (Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 1994), 33.

[2] Phillip Keller, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1970), 45.