The Lord is my Shepherd
By J.B. Hixson, Ph.D
02/01/2021
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. (Psalm 23:1)
The 23rd Psalm is one of the most famous passages of Scripture in the Bible. Even the casual Bible reader is familiar with the poetic words of this Psalm written by that shepherd-boy-turned-King, David. So famous is this Psalm that it is one of the most memorized passage in the entire Bible. It is not surprising that Psalm 23 holds a special place of prominence in God’s Word, for contained within its six short verses are several incredible promises of God that bring hope, confidence, and joy to the reader.
To fully appreciate these words of comfort written by David, it is important to understand the context. At the time of writing, David was the King of Israel. However, before being anointed King, David had been a shepherd. Having spent many nights wandering the hillsides around Jerusalem, David knew the value of a shepherd to the sheep. When he sat down to pen the words of this Psalm he was reflecting on his own relationship with God, and he realized that God, like a good shepherd, was always there to provide for him and care for his needs.
He begins his song with one Hebrew word: YHWH. In the ancient Hebrew language, there were no vowels. YHWH later became written as Yahweh. It is the personal name for God. It is used more than 6,800 times in the Old Testament to refer to the one, true God, the Creator of the universe. Unlike Elohim, the formal name for God, or Adonai, the informal name for Lord, Yahweh is the personal, intimate name for God. It could refer to no other God. It was uniquely the Lord’s name.
In the Hebrew culture a name said a lot about a person. One’s name reflected his character and personality. So too with the name Yahweh. It means, “I am that I am.” David knew that God is Who He says He is and that He will always be true to His name. In David’s day, the Jewish people so revered the name Yahweh that they would not vocalize it. When reciting the Scriptures, they would say Adonai whenever the word Yahweh appeared. In our English Bibles the word LORD (all caps) signifies the name Yahweh.
When David sings about the LORD in this Psalm it is none other than Yahweh, the sovereign Creator of the universe. Yet, David goes on to say that Yahweh is his personal shepherd. The word “my” indicates that David knew that the Lord was interested in him personally. David was not just part of a larger flock in God’s view. Rather, God cared about David individually. With such individual attention, David could be certain that all of his needs would be met.
What a powerful opening to a beautiful psalm. We need to be reminded that the Lord God of the universe cares personally about each one of His children. Like a good shepherd He makes sure that all of our needs are met. You can take comfort in knowing that there is no need you will ever face that God cannot and will not meet in your life. So, roam the hills of life; wander the peaks and valleys; but know that all the while, your Shepherd is watching you ready to protect you from the enemy or gently nudge you back onto the right path if you get a little off. Thank you, Lord, for being our Shepherd!
02/01/2021
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. (Psalm 23:1)
The 23rd Psalm is one of the most famous passages of Scripture in the Bible. Even the casual Bible reader is familiar with the poetic words of this Psalm written by that shepherd-boy-turned-King, David. So famous is this Psalm that it is one of the most memorized passage in the entire Bible. It is not surprising that Psalm 23 holds a special place of prominence in God’s Word, for contained within its six short verses are several incredible promises of God that bring hope, confidence, and joy to the reader.
To fully appreciate these words of comfort written by David, it is important to understand the context. At the time of writing, David was the King of Israel. However, before being anointed King, David had been a shepherd. Having spent many nights wandering the hillsides around Jerusalem, David knew the value of a shepherd to the sheep. When he sat down to pen the words of this Psalm he was reflecting on his own relationship with God, and he realized that God, like a good shepherd, was always there to provide for him and care for his needs.
He begins his song with one Hebrew word: YHWH. In the ancient Hebrew language, there were no vowels. YHWH later became written as Yahweh. It is the personal name for God. It is used more than 6,800 times in the Old Testament to refer to the one, true God, the Creator of the universe. Unlike Elohim, the formal name for God, or Adonai, the informal name for Lord, Yahweh is the personal, intimate name for God. It could refer to no other God. It was uniquely the Lord’s name.
In the Hebrew culture a name said a lot about a person. One’s name reflected his character and personality. So too with the name Yahweh. It means, “I am that I am.” David knew that God is Who He says He is and that He will always be true to His name. In David’s day, the Jewish people so revered the name Yahweh that they would not vocalize it. When reciting the Scriptures, they would say Adonai whenever the word Yahweh appeared. In our English Bibles the word LORD (all caps) signifies the name Yahweh.
When David sings about the LORD in this Psalm it is none other than Yahweh, the sovereign Creator of the universe. Yet, David goes on to say that Yahweh is his personal shepherd. The word “my” indicates that David knew that the Lord was interested in him personally. David was not just part of a larger flock in God’s view. Rather, God cared about David individually. With such individual attention, David could be certain that all of his needs would be met.
What a powerful opening to a beautiful psalm. We need to be reminded that the Lord God of the universe cares personally about each one of His children. Like a good shepherd He makes sure that all of our needs are met. You can take comfort in knowing that there is no need you will ever face that God cannot and will not meet in your life. So, roam the hills of life; wander the peaks and valleys; but know that all the while, your Shepherd is watching you ready to protect you from the enemy or gently nudge you back onto the right path if you get a little off. Thank you, Lord, for being our Shepherd!
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