THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD! REALLY?
Psalms 23 where the statement “the Lord is my Shepherd” was made in the Bible, is a very popular and interesting passage.
A lot of people can recite it even without looking at their Bibles. But do we fully understand what David was saying? Well let me explain what David meant.
Psalms 23(NIV)
1.The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2.He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,
3. He refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.
4. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, 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 overflows.
6. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
WHAT DID DAVID MEAN?
Psalms 23:1
The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall lack nothing.
This is the most important verse in the whole of chapter 23. If you miss what David was saying here you miss everything.
To have a full understanding of this verse, we must first know who a shepherd is, so who is a Shepherd? A Shepherd is a person who tends or takes care of sheep, especially a grazing flock.
In saying “The Lord is my Shepherd” David simply meant;
a) You are the one that takes care me.
b) You are the one that tells me WHERE TO GO AND I FOLLOW.
c) You are the one that brings me back to the right path when I am going astray.
d) When you give me an instruction or direct me I don’t refuse because you are wiser and you know what and where is best for me.
e) As I do all that, I know for sure that I won’t lack anything because when I FOLLOW YOU , you know where all the things I need are.
Most times we love to claim the blessings and benefits of the chapter but ignore our responsibility to follow and obey. If you don’t follow and obey, you definitely can’t enjoy the blessings that come with it. The blessings are in the instructions. A sheep who refuses to follow the Shepherd and goes astray should be ready to defend itself when there’s trouble.
God has His role as our Shepherd, He will take care of us, defend us and provide for us, but we have our role to play as the Sheep as well, we are to follow Him and do all He tells us to do. We NEED to OBEY the INSTRUCTIONS of our SHEPHERD . Psalms 23:1 if well understood and followed is what gives access to Psalms 23: 2–6.
In JOHN 10:27–29 Jesus says “My sheep know and listen to my voice ; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no-one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me is greater than all; no-one can snatch them out my Father’s hand.”
BENEFITS OF BEING IN GOD’S FLOCK AND LISTENING TO VOICE;
- PROVISIONS
1.The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2.He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, - DIVINE DIRECTIONS
3. He refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. ( God has the blue print of your life, He has a plan for you and only when you are in His flock and follow His instructions will you walk in it.) - PROTECTION
4. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, 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 overflows. - GENERAL LIFETIME SUCCESS
6. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
To enjoy the blessings and benefits of Psalms chapter 23, play your part, listen, follow and obey your Shepherd.
