The Lord is My Shepherd
Psalm 23 (NKJV)
The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
3 He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever.
This passage of Scripture is one of the most recognized and beloved ever written. David’s psalm paints a beautiful image of the Shepherd—God—leading the sheep—God’s people—beside still waters, a picture of deep peace. The Shepherd makes them lie down in green pastures, offering rest and restoration. And when the valley darkens and shadows of evil draw near, the sheep are reminded: the Comforter is near.
Passages like Psalm 23 bring comfort during life’s most troubling times. I believe it is the most frequently read scripture at funerals—and for good reason. Not long ago, we lost a precious man in our church. He was humble and full of love. At his graveside, the family asked me to read this psalm. As I began, the Peace of the Most High rested on all of us. Grief was still present, but so was peace—a peace that passes understanding.
How is it that, in our darkest moments, we can feel such peace?
Paul touches on this mystery in 1 Corinthians 1:
22 For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness,
24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. (NKJV)
Paul shows us that human wisdom and worldly logic cannot comprehend the peace and power of God. It is beyond intellect. It confounds both the sign-seeking Jew and the wisdom-loving Greek. But for us who believe, Christ—the crucified Shepherd—is the very power and wisdom of God. (1 Corinthians 1:24)
A flock of sheep begins to fear when it walks through a dark valley. Yet the presence of the Shepherd calms them. It is the nearness of the Shepherd—not the absence of danger—that brings peace. Often times we pray that the evil will go away. Our prayer and action should be for us to draw near to the Lord.
Today, we have the Comforter—the Holy Spirit—dwelling within us (John 14:16). The Shepherd is not far off; He is with us and in us. He leads us to still waters. He prepares green pastures. He restores our souls.
Truly, the Lord is my Shepherd—I shall not want. I shall not worry. I shall not fear. He is my Comforter!
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