The Lord is my shepherd - September 29th, 2011

¹ The LORD is my shepherd;
I shall not want. ² He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
³ He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.

Psalm 23:1-3

History and Context:

This is the most popular of the psalms written by King David. As mentioned before David was a shepherd boy who became the best king in the history of Israel. He was the youngest in his family and when the prophet came to anoint one of the sons of Jesse, David's father didn't even invite him in from tending the sheep. But even though on the outside he seemed young and was just a boy, God saw his heart and said that he was a man after God's own heart.

The Text:

As mentioned above, David himself started out as a shepherd. So when he uses the analogy that the Lord is his shepherd, he is using an analogy from his own life. He is saying that it is his Lord that leads him to safety, to food and water, to everything that he needs. David says that because the Lord is his shepherd he has no more wants or desires, because they are all fulfilled. As long as he is with the Lord there is nothing else.

The Challenge:

Allow the Lord to be shepherd in your life. The sheep only recieve safety, comfort, and fulfillment of needs from the shepherd when they learn to follow the shepherd's lead. If they wander off away from the shepherd then they lose that safety. Don't wander away from the shepherd today. Follow Him wherever He leads you. When you do you will find the green pastures and the still waters. You will find safety and comfort. You will find the paths of righteousness.

The Prayer:

Lord, be my shepherd. Lead me and I will follow. Thank you for being one that I can entirely trust and I do trust and rely on you. I love you Lord. In Jesus' name, Amen!