This video helps give us the context of understanding Psalm 23:
Read Psalm 23:1-6
Title: “I Am the Good Shepherd”
Psalm 23:1
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
Let’s just look at the verse, what stands out to you? It’s only 9 words but what do you see?
Here is a few of my observations:
A. LORD is in all capital letters.
B. The LORD is described as a shepherd.
C. The shepherd is MY shepherd, a possessive term.
D. Because B my needs are provided for.
These are four good observations. Let’s unpack them.
A. Whenever we see LORD In all capital letters, we know it is translating YHWH, Hebrew name of God revealed to Moses (Ex. 3:13-15). Yahweh is the personal name of God revealed in the Old Testament. As God reveals his name to Moses he is emphasizing that he is the self-existing creator and sustainer of everything that exists and sovereign over all of history. His very name proclaims that he is the “one true God.”
B. Shepherd is a role very familiar to David as he began as a shepherd of his father’s sheep. How do you envision the role of a shepherd? David, having lived the life of an Ancient Near Eastern (ANE) shepherd would have had very tangible ideas for him to describe God as a shepherd. The modern Bedouin shepherds are the closest example of an ANE shepherd we have today. A Bedouin shepherd does not drive the sheep but leads them and they follow. A Bedouin shepherd’s primary concern is the welfare of the flock and due to the mountainous wilderness terrain, they are constantly on the move for food and water. The LORD as Shepherd is concerned about the welfare of you and me. We will be unpacking his provision and protection throughout this series.
C. David describes the LORD as “my shepherd,” a possessive term that describes a relationship (John 10:14, 27). A Bedouin shepherd spends time with their sheep, talking over them, and singing to them. The sheep trust their shepherd and follow his voice. As shepherds gather in the wilderness and their flocks mingle together, the shepherds do not worry about losing their sheep to another shepherd. Why? Because his sheep know his voice and when it is time to leave, he will sing their song or call out to his sheep and they will follow him. A relationship with the LORD as your shepherd means you will trust and follow his voice.
D. “I shall not want,” or “I will not lack,” means everything I need is provided for me by my shepherd. The Bedouin shepherd in the wilderness provides the context for understanding this psalm. The shepherd leads the flock to the place of provision for their daily needs. Not tomorrows, but today. Following the shepherd daily is enough for what you need today. “Want” can be misunderstood to think of an overabundance rather than the essentials. “I shall not want/lack my daily supply” is what is intended here. There is a difference in our understanding of “want” and “need.” Often I have to correct people when they say, “I need __________!” You fill in the blank, but the express a desire of something they want to have, but they really don’t need it. “I need the new Xbox” or “I need the new iPhone” are examples of desires that are not necessary. God promises to meet our daily needs and sometimes he grants us our superfluous desires as a provision of his kindness to us. However, in our prosperity we need to be cautioned against taking our eyes off of the Shepherd for our daily needs.
In conclusion, Yahweh is a relational God who set his affection on his sheep and promises to provide daily needs and protection to his sheep.
Side Note:
One more historical note about the ANE understanding of “shepherd.” Although David, who was a shepherd, uses the pastoral language of a Bedouin shepherd with his sheep, he is also speaking to a big reality that is not as transparent to our modern readers. “Shepherd” is also a term used in the ANE for a Divine King. The Egyptians despised shepherds, yet they adopted the hieroglyph of a “Shepherd’s staff” to represent the divine pharaoh, their king who thought he was a god. Other nations would call their leader a shepherd king when they began to believe he was a god. The ANE people would readily recognize the double meaning of the phrase. In a very real sense, king David is saying that Yahweh is his God and King, he is a Divine King who cares for his kingdom.
As we continue to study Psalm 23, we will see how Jesus Christ is the ultimate fulfillment of these verses.
Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me” (John 10:14). Do you see how Jesus just claimed to be God? Psalm 23 “The LORD is my Shepherd” and Jesus’ “I am the good shepherd” put together is in essence Jesus saying, “I am Yahweh.” Including the kingship language of shepherd, Jesus is claiming to be the divine King and LORD. He also includes his relationship with his sheep. “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:27–28).
When you choose to follow Jesus Christ as your Shepherd, you are acknowledging that you need to follow him for your daily needs. You need to follow him for your salvation. He is King. He is God. And he is enough. Not only does Jesus promise to lead you to your daily provision and protect you, but he promises to forgive and save those who believe (John 1:12; Rom. 10:9-10). He promises eternal life (John 10:10, 27-28), that starts now and last forever. Jesus is clear that his sheep belong to him and are eternally secure in him.
Jesus is the LORD, who is my shepherd and king, and because he died, was buried, and rose again, I have everything I need in this life (daily) and the next (eternally). Do you believe that?
Hebrews 13:20–21
Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
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