My Shepherd
READ
The most beloved psalm in Scripture flows from the pen of someone who actually smelled like sheep. David's words aren't poetic theory—they're lived experience. He knew what it meant to lead sheep to green pastures, to guide them beside still waters, and to protect them from predators with rod and staff.
Let’s take a moment to read Psalm 23:
The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil, for you are with me;
your rod and your staff, they comfort me.You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
REFLECT
"The Lord is my shepherd" is both declaration and surrender. David, who would become a king, never outgrew his need for a Shepherd. This psalm reveals that true leadership begins with followership. The man who would lead a nation first learned to be led by God.
The imagery is intensely personal. David doesn't say "The Lord is a shepherd" but "my shepherd." This speaks to the intimate, individual care God has for each of us. In a world where we can feel like just another face in the crowd, Psalm 23 reminds us that we are personally known, individually loved, and specifically cared for by the Creator of the universe.
The psalm's movement from provision ("green pastures") to protection ("valley of the shadow of death") to celebration ("a table before me") shows the full spectrum of God's care. Whether we're in seasons of abundance, darkness, or restoration, God's shepherding love remains constant.
David wrote this psalm from a place of confidence, not desperation. His words flow from someone who had experienced God's faithfulness through multiple seasons. The shepherd boy who once protected sheep with his life now celebrates the Shepherd who protects him with His life.
The final verse reveals David's ultimate confidence: "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 isn't wishful thinking—it's worship born from a life of walking with God through both mountaintops and valleys.
RESPOND
Take a moment to process what God might be leading you to do in light of what you read.
In what specific ways have you experienced God as your Shepherd?
How does knowing you are individually cared for by God change your perspective on current challenges?
What would it look like to trust God's shepherding in the areas where you tend to take control?
REST
Take a moment to rest in God’s presence and consider one thing you can take away from your time reading, then close your devotional experience by praying:
Good Shepherd, thank You for knowing me by name and caring for me personally. Lead me beside Your still waters when my soul is restless. Walk with me through dark valleys when I'm afraid, and prepare tables of blessing even in difficult circumstances. Amen.