The 23rd Psalm–from “The Gift of Psalms” Devotional

I really have never been a fan of the 23rd Psalm-I guess it always seemed a little “soft” for my tastes.  But I read the following devotional from The Gift of Psalms Devotional (which I will post a review of soon) and I thought it was pretty good.  I am teaching Servanthood at our Leadership Academy right now and I think the concept of a “shepherd’s heart” ties very closely to the servant heart of Christ.  Here it goes:

The Lord, the Shepherd of His People

Perhaps one of the most well-known passages in the Bible, Psalm 23 was written as a tender and comforting testament to God’s loving care of believers.  The imagery of Psalm 23 draws heavily from David’s experience as a shepherd and points to Jesus, our Saviour, who said, “I am the good shepherd” (John 10:11).

David knew the requirements of being a good shepherd: provision, protection, and guidance of his flock.  He knew that his sheep needed him and he would go to great lengths to protect even one lamb that wandered away.  In saying, “The Lord is my shepherd,” David declares God’s sufficient and complete care of His people.  And to that statement he adds, “I shall not want” (v. 1).  We are the sheep, and the Shepherd attends to our daily needs–and the reserves of His nourishment and grace never run dry (v. 2) [Amen ! – dlh3] The Shepherd finds us when we wander and leads us back tot he paths.  David, who had experienced God’s forgiveness and restoration when he sinned and wandered away, proclaims in verse 3 that God will not allow us to wander beyond His reach–He will correct us and bring us back into His fold.

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Can you be as confident as David in God’s provision, protection, and nourishment?  Often the trials of life can seem difficult, insurmountable.  But God is with you in every circumstance.  Nothing is too great for  Him to handle.  So when you find yourself afraid, in a hard place, and with little hope, remember God’s promises to lead and guide you through those valleys.

I always seem to forget that the writer of this Psalm was my hero, King David.  The warrior-king-priest-lover-poet!  And that I need to strive to be a warrior shepherd–not just a warrior–and to be willing to provide the guidance, the love and caring, that is necessary for a hurting world.  Dear God, help me to find and be willing to minister to those who are broken and hurting–let me be a reflection of your shepherd heart!