Psalm 23:1 “The Lord is My Shepherd”

Psalm 23:1 “The Lord is my Shepherd.” 

A few years ago I read Phillip Keller’s book, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, and it was groundbreaking for me. With his actual experience as a sheep owner and rancher, he wrote from his knowledge of the intimate details of a flocks’ daily care. Over the next twelve weeks, I’ll share my reflections, quotes from his book, and some other favorite resources.

In the intro of his book, Keller writes, “...the beautiful relationships given to us repeatedly in Scripture between God and man are those of a father to his children and a shepherd to his sheep.”

I’m in a season raising small children who marvel when the sheep at the zoo say “baa.” Just like all sheep need a caretaker, our children need their parents. As I tend to our own figurative “flock” of kiddos, I hear God reminding me of His care for me. When I’m praying for extra patience with our kids, I’m reminded of His overflowing patience for me. When I’m unable to meet all of my children’s needs at once, I’m reminded of His presence everywhere, with all of His children, at the same time. 

Keller explains, “Sheep do not ‘just take care of themselves’ as some might suppose. They require, more than any other class of livestock, endless attention and meticulous care.” He continues, “Our human fears and timidity, our stubbornness…are parallels of profound importance.”

When I interrupt my kids’ playtime for dinner, I know they need to fuel their bodies with food. When they don’t want to go to bed, I try to explain how rest is best. They see from their limited perspective and can’t imagine why the fun should stop for food or sleep. I keep up with my kiddos’ glasses, put bandaids on their bug bites, and feed them breakfast — I know their daily needs. 

But how much more does our Shepherd know all our needs? How much more does our Shepherd understand the why behind what’s best for us? In our human limitations, what a gift it is to know the Author of life who sees the finished woven tapestry. 

What or who does God have you tending right now? How does that relationship deepen your understanding of our Shepherd’s care for us?

Seek Rural Reminders

In the weeks to come, we will study the difference between a rod and a staff or why a shepherd anoints sheep with oil: rural reminders that point us to qualities of our Shepherd. 

I recently heard a statistic that farm and ranch families now comprise less than 2% of the U.S. population. Since most of us experience something far from a farming lifestyle, consider the environment in which David wrote Psalm 23. David knew the relationship between sheep and shepherd would directly relate to his audience. Although we don’t regularly tend to sheep today, the metaphor still applies.

Our modern day technology creates a false sense of self-reliance as we plan our weeks using an app to check the weather or order our grocery pickup. We live like we are in control, but Psalm 23 points us to the One who is actually in control, our Good Shepherd. 

Are we listening to nudges of self-reliance and control instead of dependence on God?

Read through Psalm 23 and list the characteristics you see. Add to the list as you reflect on who God is. Do those qualities match those of a kind, loyal shepherd? 

We need the Shepherd. Psalm 23 isn’t about us –  it’s about Him. We have an open invitation to a deeper knowledge of God. Our worship will increase as we know more of Him.

Know His Character

Keller says, “So if the Lord is my Shepherd I should know something of His character and understand something of His ability.”

In Matthew 11:29, Jesus describes Himself as gentle and lowly. One of my favorite books by Dane Ortlund details those two characteristics in beautiful ways. He said, “gentleness is the posture most natural to God, not a pointed finger, but open arms” (emphasis added). He explains how the word lowly is generally translated “humble.”

That’s our God. Humbly standing there with open arms. 

A shepherd is not a privileged, proud, or public position. A shepherd carefully tends to the flock day after day in unseen moments. In early mornings and late nights. Never shying away from dirty work.

Keller writes, “He literally lays Himself out for us continually. He is ever interceding for us; He is ever guiding us by His gracious Spirit; He is ever working on our behalf to ensure that we will benefit from His care.”

God’s constant loyal love is filled with patience for us even as He works on our behalf. John 10:11 says, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” As my husband and I parent our children, we make sacrifices daily, but we do so because we love them. Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice for us when He gave His own life on our behalf, and He demonstrated a love even greater than we can fully understand.

Under the Good Shepherd’s care, you thrive. A different kind of shepherd leaves you starving and struggling. 

Keller encourages, “To think that God in Christ is deeply concerned about me as a particular person immediately gives great purpose and enormous meaning to my short sojourn upon this planet. And the greater, the wider, the more majestic my concept is of the Christ –the more vital will be my relationship to Him.”

Sheep trust their shepherd. Just as our children grow in understanding that they can trust us even when the why isn’t clear, our trust in the Good Shepherd grows as we know Him more. The sheep know their shepherd’s voice.

Live as Marked Sheep

I learned from Keller’s book that “each shepherd has his own distinctive earmark that he cuts into one of the ears of his sheep. In this way, even at a distance, it is easy to determine to whom the sheep belongs.”

What does it look like for us to have a distinctive mark as God’s children?

Salt in our speech.

Loving our neighbor.

Demonstrating the fruit of the spirit.

How can we mark our salt in our speech today in the carpool line, in the pharmacy drive through, at soccer practice, or at work?

How can we make an intentional mark on our neighbor?

How can we mark moments of frustration with patience, self control, and gentleness.

Mark 12:30-31 says, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” 

As we deepen our understanding of the Shepherd’s love for us, we deepen our understanding of how to love one another. The Shepherd’s love changes us. God gives us metaphors in His Word to point us to His love. May we live marked as His own. 

Join us next week as we study Psalm 23:1 “...I shall not want.”  

References

Keller, Phillip. A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23. Zondervan, 2008. 

Ortlund, Dane C. Gentle and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers. Crossway, 2020.