The good shepherd

One of the most famous psalms in the Bible is Psalm 23, which begins: “The Lord is my shepherd.” It was written by King David who knew something about shepherds because when he was a boy, he had to look after his father’s sheep.

Now you may think that being a shepherd is a pretty easy job, but it’s not. Sheep are not the smartest animals in the world by a long shot. They are actually pretty dumb. Although sheep usually live in flocks with other sheep, they often wander away because they are not paying attention. That makes them easy prey for wild animals like lions and wolves.

So, when David says that the Lord is his shepherd (and also the shepherd of us all), then he must also think that he and we are quite a lot like not-so-smart sheep. We don’t always pay attention to our shepherd either. Let’s see what David says the Good Shepherd is like.

Aren’t you glad?

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” This is an old-fashioned way of saying that if the Lord is your shepherd, you will have everything you need.

“He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul.” Green pastures have plenty of good grass for the sheep and still waters are safe to drink from.

So, this means that the Lord knows just what we need.

“He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake.” The Good Shepherd makes sure that the paths that the sheep use to follow him are safe and won’t get them into trouble.

“Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff – they comfort me.” When sheep walk through a dangerous valley or a dark canyon where they could be attacked by predators, the shepherd has a rod or a club to beat away dangerous beasts. He holds his tall staff (a crooked walking stick) high above his head so the sheep can always see that the shepherd is in front of them. In the same way, we can trust that God is always with us, even in very difficult times.

“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.” In Old Testament times, if someone poured sweet-smelling perfumed oil on your head, it was a sign of honour, respect and great friendship. So, David is saying that the Good Shepherd doesn’t treat us like dumb sheep, but like important people whom he loves.

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long.” If the Lord is our Shepherd, it will be as if we are living safely in the Good Shepherd’s house with him, just as the shepherd led his sheep safely to the sheepfold at night. The sheepfold is a fenced enclosure built of big stones. Once the sheep were all inside for the night, the shepherd slept in front of the sheepfold’s opening so that no predator could get into the sheepfold without waking him up.

Aren’t you glad you can be a sheep in the Good Shepherd’s flock? I am!