The Lord is My Shepherd: A Mighty Good One

The Verse of the Day for March 17, 2023, comes from Psalm 23:1-3,  one of the most recognized and recited passages in the Old Testament:

The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. (New Living Translation)

Additional specific qualities of “the good shepherd” we find in the remaining verses of Psalm 23, one of my favorite psalms that I committed to memory as a youngster, and I continue to draw strength from this cherished Psalm of David:

¹ The Lord is my shepherd;
    I have all that I need.
² He lets me rest in green meadows;
    he leads me beside peaceful streams.
³     He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths,
    bringing honor to his name.
⁴ Even when I walk
    through the darkest valley,
I will not be afraid,
    for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff
    protect and comfort me.
⁵ You prepare a feast for me
    in the presence of my enemies.
You honor me by anointing my head with oil.
    My cup overflows with blessings.
⁶ Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me
    all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the Lord
    forever.

In the Gospel of John, we find seven metaphors used by Jesus Christ to describe himself in order that his followers might understand to an even greater degree who he is and what he came to do. He speaks of himself in this way in John 10:14-15:

I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knows me, even so, know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.

The second metaphorical reference to Jesus in John 10:11: states,

“I am the good Shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”

This indicates that the shepherd is fully committed to his sheep and consequently has their full trust. The good shepherd cares so much for his sheep that he is even willing to lay down his life for the sheep, as this phrase is used three times in the sheepfold discourse.

John 10:11

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

John 10:14

“I am the good shepherd. I know My own sheep, and they know Me,

We close with a beautiful, musical illustration of Psalm 23: “Like a Shepherd, He Leads Us”:

It is certainly comforting to know that Lord, indeed, is our shepherd and that he is a mighty good one.

Tags: Good Shepherd, I am the good shepherd, John 10:11, John 10:14-15, Like a shepherd he leads us, Psalm 23, Psalm 23:1-3