Psalm 23: 1-3 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters; He refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for His Name’s sake.
The relationship between a shepherd and his sheep is unique. It is not used randomly in Scripture to illustrate the relationship between Christ and Christians. I believe it was specifically chosen for its relevance. Sheep are prey animals, timid, skittish, and hard to handle when frightened. They need protection. Sheep recognize human faces and can remember them for years. They can recognize shepherds.
Shepherds are necessary to herd, protect, and feed the sheep. The Shepherd provides! Sheep that are not shepherded become very unpredictable and are easily lost. Without a shepherd to guide them, they may wander in circles or even go in the wrong direction. They need to be led. They are also more likely to become prey for predators. They need shelter. The shepherd must keep them together and moving in the right direction. They need unity and course correction.
Do you see the similarities? The Lord is indeed our Shepherd. He takes excellent care of us, his sheep. His care is shown in five critical areas in the first three verses of the 23rd Psalm.
The Lord is my shepherd; I lack nothing.
The Shepherd provides for his flock. He provides food, shelter, and direction—three things we could not adequately find ourselves. Knowing that the shepherd can provide and believing that he will are two very different things. Sheep trust their shepherd thoroughly and without question. Human "sheep" have a problem: we gain knowledge faster than we gain trust. I believe this is where the Lord applies childlike faith. (Matthew 18:3; Mark 10:15) A child grasps her parent's hand and willingly follows without question. When lost, a child runs to the side of his parent. We can proclaim, "I lack nothing," if the Lord is truly our shepherd.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
The phrase "he makes me lie down" in Hebrew has a combined meaning that can be understood as our shepherd provides the opportunity to recline or stretch oneself out on new grass. The Lord knows when we need rest and commands us to do so. Sunday is a weekly reminder of how God builds an opportunity to rest each week. Rest is a commandment (Exodus 20:8-11), so in this sense, the Lord "makes me" rest!
He leads me beside quiet waters,
Some things bring us peace, rest, and tranquility; some are almost universal for human beings. YouTube videos of waterfalls, pastures, babbling brooks, and quiet ponds draw hundreds of millions of views. People wanting stress relief pull up these videos and let them play while they work, rest, or try to sleep. Almost everyone would appreciate green pastures and quiet waters for peace and rest. The psalmist is aware of this and uses it as an illustration to help us appreciate the Lord's personal care. He leads us to the relief we need. We’re human. We are weak, stressed, tired, discouraged, and overwhelmed. Our Lord and shepherd knows this, and he offers rest all along the way.
He refreshes my soul.
Our shepherd cares for us not only physically but also spiritually. Physical refreshment is only partially satisfying when our spiritual battles are draining us. Rest and quiet cannot relieve our burden when our walk with Christ falters or our soul becomes fragile. Our soul receives refreshment from the only One who can truly do it, our Shepherd and Savior.
He guides me along the right paths for His Name’s sake.
The Lord assures our path. He has a plan and purpose for each of us to follow along the right path, His path. Sheep often wander from the path because they don’t know it or become distracted. We need a shepherd to provide for us, rest, calm, and lead us. He does these for us because he is a loving shepherd, but more importantly, it is his for his glory. He is glorified when his loving care for his sheep is displayed repeatedly.
In these opening verses of Psalm 23, our shepherd provides assurance, rest, peace, and direction. He provides total care for us and his glory. We are true sheep, lost without a shepherd, but nowhere are we safer and better provided for than with Jesus.
Meditation Points
What kind of sheep are you?
In what ways do you make your Shepherds’ day tougher?
Meditate on a time that you experienced resting in green pastures and quiet waters or had your soul refreshed. Thank the Lord again for this blessing.
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