The Lord is My Shepherd
As we as a church have just wrapped up John 10, where Jesus describes Himself as the Good Shepherd, I’ve also finished reading A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by Philip Keller, and I already want to re-read it. It is a beautiful book, and I cannot recommend it enough to any Christian in any walk of life. Keller, an experienced shepherd and pastor, carefully unpacks David’s famous psalm by vividly describing all the ways shepherds care for their sheep and how each of those ways provides a perfect picture of how our Lord cares for us. Below is a synopsis of his commentary. Consider it a foretaste of the richness to be found in Keller’s book. May it encourage your faith and affection towards the Lord as it has mine, and spur you to read the book for yourself.
The Lord is My Shepherd
A sheep’s lot depends on who owns and cares for it. We could ask for no better caretaker than the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ. We belong to Him because He is the all-powerful maker and ruler of heaven and earth, who owns all things. He chose to bring us into being and took special care to make us. We belong to Him too because though we rebel against Him, He died for us, to restore us to His grace and benevolent care. The Shepherd lays down His life for His sheep. Now we are His, bought with an incredible price. As His flock, He delights to care for us by interceding for us and guiding our steps by His Spirit. What other shepherd can claim that He has made us and has given His life in our place?
I Shall Not Want
To say “I shall not want” means to experience complete contentment and satisfaction in the Good Shepherd’s care. It is to know that when Jesus calls Himself the Good Shepherd, that He puts His reputation on the line in how well He cares for us. This does not mean that we can expect for lack or need to never come our way under His care, but it is, even in the midst of those things, to have no desire apart from Christ’s management of our lives. As our Maker and our Redeemer who gave His life in our place, we can trust that He always has our good in mind.
He Makes Me Lie Down in Green Pastures
For sheep to be able to lie down, they must be free from fear, strife, irritation, and hunger. Their shepherd’s protection and provision is what grants them these things. His nearness brings them peace and allows them to lie down rather than frantically move about. The same is true for us. We require our Shepherd’s nearness to truly be at peace. When we face anxieties, fear of the unknown, feelings of inadequacy, or a lack of contentment, Christ’s presence made real by the Spirit is what brings peace and allows us to rest. He’s taken us from the “pasture” of sin and death to the “Promised Land” of His presence, sown with the seed of His truth and grace, where we can experience an enduring, restful peace.
He Leads Me Beside Still Waters
A good shepherd leads his sheep to the best, most pure and fresh drinking water. He’s attentive to the fact that the water he provides is free from parasites, dirt, and other impurities. Just as sheep need water to live, our souls need to drink in order to be quenched. Our Good Shepherd also knows where the best water can be found, and that’s in communion with Him. Jesus says, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink, and out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” May we not forsake this fountain of living water for broken cisterns that leave us thirsty. Drinking daily from Him by His word and in prayer is like drawing from a well that can never be emptied.
He Restores My Soul
Even though we live under the Shepherd’s care, there are times that our souls need restoration. We may feel frustrated, helpless, depressed, in a crisis. When we do, our Shepherd doesn’t become exasperated with us, but tenderly and patiently restores us. He seeks out the lost one from the many because of His love for each of us. As He restores us, He shows us what is truly of value in our life. Sometimes, His restoring work is the pruning discipline of helping us shed off that which weighs us down, like heavy, dirty wool from a sheep. When freed from the weight of our sinful habits and idolatrous tendencies, we experience the tranquility of His care once again.
He Leads Me in Paths of Righteousness for His Name’s Sake
Sheep are notoriously stubborn. They constantly prefer to assert their own way over that of their master’s. Once again, we humans are quite similar. We cling to our old ways and try to bend Christ to our desires. But, Christ calls those who follow Him to deny themselves and to take up their cross daily. Those who are led by Christ are trained in self-denial as they seek to love and obey Him. To walk along His path means to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. It means to submit our wills and desires to Him, our Shepherd, so that He may lead us on paths of obedience.
Though I Walk Through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, I Will Fear No Evil, For You Are With Me
It’s common practice for shepherds at times to lead their sheep out of the pastures and into lush fields at the top of a mountain. This journey begins with long walks through valleys as this is the least strenuous path to the summit. However, the valley is also where predators, storms, and other dangers abound. Our Shepherd, according to His purposes, may lead us through times of darkness, disappointment, or distress. But, we need not fear, for He is with us in the midst of it all. Let us experience the unmatched intimacy to be had as we walk through difficulty with our Shepherd. And, let us rest assured that He who works together all things for our good knows the mountain tops to which He is leading us. Though the journey may be painful, He strengthens and encourages us and promises to keep us until the end.
Your Rod and Your Staff, They Comfort Me
A shepherd uses two primary tools when tending his flock. The first is his rod, a sign of his authority over the flock. It’s what he uses to defend against predators and to discipline the sheep when they go astray. Our Shepherd’s “rod” is His Word. It is what He uses to search our hearts and correct us when they become wayward. It’s also the weapon He’s provided to combat the temptations and lies we face. A shepherd’s second tool is his staff, an extension of his care and compassion for the flock. His staff has a large hook that he uses to pick up his sheep when they’re stuck and to pull them close to himself for safety. He will also use the staff to nudge his sheep when they stray from his paths of safety. Our Shepherd’s “staff” is His Spirit, our Comforter. The Spirit makes the truth of Christ plain to our hearts so as to lead us on the right path and draw us closer to Him. What comfort our Shepherd’s word and Spirit give as He uses them to guard us, direct us, and draw us near.
You Prepare a Table Before Me in the Presence of my Enemies
In the Psalm, the “table” refers to the mountaintop that the shepherd has been leading the sheep to (sometimes, literally called “table lands”). He goes before them to make sure it’s safe and habitable for them before leading them there. Our Shepherd has gone before us, anticipating any “enemies,” or dangers we will face, and helps us to cope with them. He was made like us in every way, and was tempted and suffered much as a man, yet without sin. Because of this, he intimately knows our condition and how to care for us. He knows the enemies we face in sin, Satan, and our own selves, and gives us victory over them. In hearing of our Shepherd’s table, we can’t help but also think of the Lord’s Supper. His body was broken and His blood shed to prepare us for communion with Him. Now that we have been forgiven, we can enjoy His company forever.
You Anoint My Head With Oil, My Cup Overflows
A careful shepherd mixes ointments and oils to protect and soothe his sheep from pests, infections, and illness. We, like sheep, face many annoyances, distractions, and frustrations in life. Our Good Shepherd is aware of them all and provides us with His Spirit to anoint our hearts and minds as we respond to these things. We must allow the Spirit to guide our thoughts and desires and to produce His fruit in us. Only by His daily anointing will we learn to think on what is true, honest, just, pure, and honorable, and to set our minds on Christ.
Surely Goodness and Mercy Shall Follow Me All the Days of My Life
The psalmist’s estimation of the Good Shepherd’s care for him is found in this verse. Regardless of what happens in his life, he says “surely,” that is always and all the time, goodness and mercy will follow him. There’s no desire in him to leave the care of his Master because in Him goodness and mercy are to be found. We can have the same assurance in our Shepherd, even if it’s hard to recognize because He proves His care for us time and time again. He has given us goodness and mercy in giving Himself for us and continues to give us these things through union with Him. Upon giving us continual goodness and mercy, He intends for us to me a conduit of these things for others. Goodness and mercy are to follow us in that we leave a trail of it behind us, blessing the Lord as we extend peace, forgiveness, contentment, joy, and love to others.
And I Shall Dwell in the House of the Lord Forever
Having enjoyed the pastures and still waters of the shepherd’s provision, the comfort of his rod and staff, the soothing of his oil; having followed the shepherd’s leading on paths he’s determined and experiencing his intimate, faithful care even in dark valleys, the psalmist simply says, “I never want to leave his care.” He delights and even boasts in the shepherd’s care for him. Our Good Shepherd is worth boasting in too. We boast in His constant provision for us, how He’s transformed our hearts and minds, how He’s faithful to see us through trial and tribulation. He gives us every reason to be satisfied in Him and to not want to leave. Part of living in our Shepherd’s house is knowing that we cannot hide from Him, that we are always under His gaze and diligence. For some, this may be seen as oppression or imprisonment. But for us, it is great joy to have perfect union with the Lord and to be thoroughly known and loved by Him. We live before the face of God now, though His features are dim, in anticipation of seeing His face one day. And when that comes, we will be like Him and will dwell with Our Shepherd forever.
Cover image: Landscape With a Herd by Charles Emile Jacque
