Psalm 23 [A Psalm of David] 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. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell [a] in the house of the LORD forever.a

I. The Lord Is My Shepherd David knew firsthand that the destiny of any particular sheep depended greatly on the one who was its shepherd. Under the care of some shepherds, the sheep would struggle, starve, and suffer disease and endless hardship. Under the care of another, they would flourish and thrive contentedly. Those who enter Jesus’ fold, know their master and are glad (John 10:14). 14 “I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.” Jesus has the right to be our Shepherd because He created us (John 1:1-3).

Additionally, He has the right to be our Shepherd because He laid down His life for us. With His own blood, sweat and tears He bought salvation for us, if we would only submit to be His sheep. (Jn 10:14-18). Phillip Keller…“They belonged to me only by virtue of the fact that I paid hard cash for them. It was money earned by the blood and sweat and tears drawn from my own body during the desperate grinding years of the depression. … Because of this I felt in a special way that they were in the very truth a part of me and I a part of them.” His neighbor handed him a knife and said, “Well, Phillip, they’re yours. Now you’ll have to put your mark on them.”

We must be marked by a life that is different from the world (Romans 12:2). We must be marked by a life of love (John 13:35). A life marked by complete obedience to the will of God (Matthew 7:21-23). Jesus proclaimed we cannot have two shepherds (Matthew 6:24). Whose mark do we wear?

Here was a man who had been mistreated by family. He had been hounded and harassed repeatedly by Saul. He had seen hard days. One of his sons would rape one of his daughters. Another son would murder the rapist. Then that son, Absalom, would rebel and steal the kingdom for a time and eventually be killed. Yet this same man claims he will not want. This statement is actually more about the sheep than the Shepherd. Recall the Sermon on the Mount: Matthew 6:25-34 II. I Shall Not Want

Most importantly, it describes the contentment of the sheep, trusting that their Shepherd knows what is best and will be ever vigilant to provide for them. 5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” [a]a 6 So we may boldly say: “ The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” [b]b Yet, some Christians are in fact, not content with their Master.

Phillip Keller described one ewe that was a fence- crawler… – “Despite my care of my pastures, she (ewe) had a seemingly ingrained habit of trying to find the loophole in the fence to the neighbor’s pasture. Ironically, when she escaped, she often ended up feeding on bare, brown, burned up pasture inferior to her own fold. The real problem came because she taught her lambs to behave the same way and eventually led other sheep to escape. In the end, despite the positive qualities she had, I [Phillip Keller] had to kill her. It was the only way to save the other sheep.”

If we are not content with Christ and His shepherding, death awaits us too. That is the message of the seed sown among thorns in Luke 8:7, 14. – 7 “And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it.” 14 Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity. If other pastures distract us, we will be choked to death.

Conclusion Is The Lord Our Shepherd? Are We Content With Our Shepherd? Are we struggling, starving, and suffer dis-ease and endless hardship? Or are we under the care of the One True Shepherd, to which we flourish and thrive contentedly.? Psalm 23:1 “The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want;”