by Ronnie Hewitt
Psalm 23 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 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 psalm, conceived in the mind of the Lord and inspired by the Holy Spirit, expresses His concern and diligent care for those who follow Him. They are the cherished objects of His divine love. He cares for each of us as a father and mother cares for their children and as a shepherd for His sheep.
Using a metaphor frequently found in the OT, David compares the Lord to a shepherd to illustrate His great love for His people. The Lord Himself adopted the same metaphor to express His relationship to His people (John 10:11-16; cf. Hebrews 13:20; 1Peter 5:4; Revelation 7:17). We are the Lord’s sheep. We belong to Him and are the special objects of His affection and attention. I pray that we take great comfort in knowing and experiencing this first-hand.