The 23rd psalm is one of the most beautiful, insightful and endearing portion of scriptures. And here in the very first verse of the psalm starts with such a sublime statement that literally leaps at you, wraps around your heart lifting it up reassuringly.
As a young man, David was a shepherd before being anointed king of Israel. So when he says the Lord is “my Shepherd”, he speaks from experience and from the viewpoint of the sheep. David knows all too well how vulnerable a sheep is without a shepherd. And he knows the tender care that a good and faithful shepherd gives his flock. As Jesus said, "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep" (John 10:11 ).
From the passage we learn two important covenant realities: first, that the Lord is the believer’s shepherd, i.e., Jehovah-Rohi in Hebrew; and second, that the Lord is the believer’s provider, or Jehovah-Jireh. But what is more powerful and vital to our faith walk is to know the Lord not just as “our” shepherd, but as “my” personal shepherd to lead me, guide me, provide for me, and protect me!
The Lord who is “my shepherd” is Jehovah – the covenant-keeping , self-existent One who needs nothing but possesses everything, the I Am, the one who is here and never elsewhere or otherwise engaged! Knowing the Lord in a one-to-one personal relationship gives you the platform to say with confidence “I shall not want” of anything good and necessary to me because my God supplies all my need in due time (Psalm 84:11 )!
