The Book of Psalms is the largest and probably the most widely read book in the Bible, comprising 150 chapters, or psalms. The psalms portray the full range of human experience and emotion in very personal and practical ways, ways in which each one of us can relate. The extent of the subject matter includes such diverse topics as joy, war, peace, worship, judgment, messianic prophecy, lament, and praise. The Psalms were set to the accompaniment of stringed instruments and served as the temple hymnbook and devotional guide for the Jewish people.

Although the authors of the psalms vary, almost half of them are attributed to King David. During his lifetime, David served as a shepherd, musician, warrior, and King of Israel, and the psalms he wrote during his lifetime reveal the joys and agonies of his experiences. Others song-writers who contributed to the psalms include Asaph, the Sons of Korah, Moses, Solomon, Heman, and Ethan. About fifty of the psalms are anonymous.

The Psalms were written over a wide time span from Moses (about 1430 B.C) to Ezra and Nehemiah (430 B.C.), or a period of about a thousand years. Obviously, the psalms were written and sung throughout much of the history of the Israelites, that is, from the time of their Exodus from Egypt to their return from Exile in Babylon.

Many of the Psalms anticipate the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, the One who arrived on the scene centuries later as the Promised Messiah. One of those psalms is the “Psalm of the Divine Shepherd,” otherwise known as the 23^rd Psalm. The content of the Psalm reveals the experience of a shepherd in Israel as he takes the sheep into the high country in the springtime. In order to get there, they must travel through foreboding mountain valleys where predators lie in wait for unsuspecting sheep. That’s when the shepherd must keep his rod handy to throw at a predator, and his staff prepared to rescue a lost or wandering sheep. Once in the high country, the green meadows spread a “table of luscious grass” for the sheep to enjoy, all the while with predators lurking to pounce on an unsuspecting grazing sheep. Having the shepherd close by, with his watchful eye on his sheep, was a huge comfort to the sheep. So, with this background in mind, let’s take a closer look at this Psalm, which is undoubtedly the most well-known of all the Psalms.

The Psalm has only six verses, and the first three picture David, the shepherd, sharing with a friend about His own Shepherd, the God of Israel, providing words of hope and comfort in times of trouble,

“The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake” (vss. 1-3).

In the next two verses, David is actually speaking directly to God, the One who is his Shepherd,

“Even 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; You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have  anointed my head with oil; my cup overflows” (vss. 4-5).

And then David closes this psalm with a note of legacy, as well as destiny,

“Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (vs. 6).

This is a psalm about the One who is able to bear the burdens of sheep as they head into the dark valleys on their way to the high country and the high mountain plateaus to graze for the summer months. Those burdens include discouragement, uncertainty, fear, worry, insecurity, and doubt. Notice how the Psalm begins and ends:

“The Lord is my Shepherd (vs. 1) …..And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (vs. 6).

The promise is simply this: For all of those who can say “The Lord is my Shepherd,” the promise is that they will “dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” In other words, eternal life awaits all those who claim the Lord as their Shepherd. And just who is that, specifically? A thousand years after David wrote the 23^rd Psalm, the One about whom he wrote was revealed in flesh and blood. He is the “Good Shepherd” of the New Testament and His name is Jesus Christ. The Shepherd of this Psalm revealed Himself in the tenth chapter of the Gospel of John as He made it clear that,

“I am the good Shepherd; the good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep” (vs. 11) 

“I am the good Shepherd; I know My own, and My own know Me” (vs. 14)

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of My hand” (vss. 27-28).

The writer of the Book of Hebrews refers to Him as “the great Shepherd of the sheep” (Heb. 13:20), and Peter refers to Him as “the Chief Shepherd” (1 Pet. 5:4). This is the Shepherd who came,

“….that we might have life, and have it abundantly” (Jn. 10:10).

The Good Shepherd wants each one of us to become one of the “sheep of His pasture.” As one of His sheep, we experience all of the blessings that the Good Shepherd came to give us, including “life” itself, “life” that extends into eternity.  

If you cannot say as David did, “The Lord is my Shepherd,” then maybe it’s time for you to claim Him as your Shepherd. Jesus said, “My sheep hear My voice,” and that voice is the voice of the Holy Spirit nudging your heart to come to the Shepherd. And when you do, you will have the assurance as David had, “I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Make sure of your eternal destiny, that you will be “dwelling in the house of the Lord” along with millions of others who claim Him as their Shepherd. God bless you.