Who Is Your Shepherd?

Psalm 23

This Sunday’s lectionary, the fourth Sunday of the Easter season, we return to Psalm 23, which we looked at once before, during Lent.  This time around, I would like to focus on the first verse - “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.”

Throughout Scriptures, mankind (especially believers) have been compared and referred to as sheep.  Sheep are not very bright, and are slow to learn anything, if they even learn at all.  They are also very stubborn, and they go astray very easily.  Most importantly, sheep need to have a shepherd to watch over and protect them.  Without that, they are easy prey for predators.  These are characteristics that are often typical of us, so comparing us to sheep is quite fitting.

Let’s look at the characteristic of sheep needing a shepherd.  Shepherds watch over the sheep, protecting them from animals that would harm them and from injury.  If they do get injured the shepherd will tend to their wounds.  When a sheep wanders off, which they will when given a chance, the shepherd will go out in search of them, bringing them back into the fold.  They also lead the sheep from one field to another, providing them with the best places to graze.  Sheep cannot find good and safe places on their own.

We all have a shepherd of one sort or another, one that we follow and allow to lead and direct our life.  We can follow and seek after attaining fame and fortune.  That can often lead us down a path we really might not wish to go down, where our ethics and morality could be jeopardized.  Another “shepherd” we can spend much of our time following after, can be political or national leaders.  It doesn’t matter whether right or left wing, either one can, and frequently does leave us sheep in bad shape.  Then there are the other “shepherds” who are false religious leaders.  These are very dangerous shepherds which can lead the sheep down the path to eternal destruction.

Who was David’s shepherd?  Is it the same one we have chosen to follow?  David very clearly states at the start of this Psalm that the LORD is his shepherd.  In the King James version of the Bible, when the word LORD is all in capital letters, it refers specifically to Yahweh, the name of God.  David is saying he has chosen Yahweh as his shepherd, and he is one of the sheep of His fold.

David knew that with Yahweh as his shepherd, he had everything he could ever want, and that all of his needs would be met.  “I shall not want.”  Yahweh is a shepherd who loves and cares for the sheep in His flock.  He is not a shepherd that is negligent in His care of His sheep, allowing them to wander off and get injured.  If they are stubborn, and wilfully wander away from His fold, this good shepherd diligently seeks them until He finds them, and then carefully picks them up and brings them back to the fold  (Luke 15:3-7).  Are any other shepherd that we could be following so loving and careful for their sheep?  Will they be protective of the sheep when an enemy comes around, ready to tear them to pieces?  He is protective of the sheep in His fold from all enemies, particularly the enemies of their soul.  Some other shepherds that we could be following will lead us down a path of destruction, but not this shepherd.  Nothing can touch His sheep without His knowledge.  He will always lead us into safe and abundant pastures.

There are no other shepherds who will care for us as this one.  He is our Good Shepherd.  One who willingly laid down His life for us (John 10:11-15).  Who is your shepherd?  Whose fields are you grazing in?  Be sure it is a shepherd who loves and cares for you, who will protect you, not just in this life, but through all of eternity.  The only shepherd who is like that is the one David chose, and that is the LORD, Yahweh.  Be sure you are His sheep and in His fold.  If you are, He will care for us both now and forever.