The 23^rd Psalm is one of the most quoted and beloved Psalm. It starts with “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” Having the Lord as your shepherd means He will guide you, protect you, help you and provide for your needs so you don’t want for anything.

King David wrote this beloved Psalm. David was a shepherd before becoming one of the most famous and revered leaders of Israel. As he remembered caring for his flock of sheep, he was reminded of how God cares for us.

Sheep are the most mentioned animals in the Bible and true Christians are called the Lord’s sheep. God comparing us to sheep is not really a compliment. Sheep are notoriously dumb, will eat themselves sick, and will mindlessly follow sheep ahead of them even if they walk off a cliff. They are stubborn and extremely vulnerable to harm.

The qualities of a good shepherd are many. They are hard working because it’s a 24/7 job due to the fact that sheep need constant attention! A shepherd is a caring, kind person who loves his flock and knows each of his sheep by name. At night, the shepherd becomes the door for the sheep pen. He lies down at the entrance so no sheep can get out and no predator can get in without crossing him.

This Psalm eloquently tells us everything that God does for us. We have a covenant relationship with God who supplies our needs. He leads us to places of rest, refreshment and healing through His guidance. He gives our life purpose and even when we go through testing, he protects us because He is faithful.

Even when God has to discipline us, He still gives us hope because we know His anointing is on us to receive His abundant blessings on our lives. Finally, we know that our security in God is for eternity.