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.

The Lord is the good shepherd

The Verse of the Day for March 17, 2017 opens one of the most recognized passages from the Psalms:

Psalm 23:1-3 (NKJV)

[The Lord the Shepherd of His People] [A Psalm of David.] The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.

In the Gospel of John, we note seven metaphors used by Jesus Christ to describe himself in order that his followers might understand to an even greater degree just who he is and what he came to do. One of the most recognized direct comparisons that his followers would recognize immediately is his reference to being “the Good shepherd,” a phrase that is used three times to show completion of a unified figure:

In John 10:11, the Lord Jesus Christ states,

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

In the following verses the Lord also speaks of himself in this way:

John 10:14-15 (NKJV):

I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.

These verses indicate 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.

In thinking of the qualities of “the good shepherd,” Psalm 23 in its entirety comes to mind, as one of my favorite psalms committed to memory as a youngster and from which I continue to draw strength:

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.
 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.

 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.

 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over.
 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

In Psalm 23 we also find the Hebrew expression Jehovah-Raah (The Lord my Shepherd), also translated “The Lord shepherds me.” The name “Jehovah” denotes God, the Creator in relationship with His creation. Another word derived from “Raah” is “Rea,” translated “friend” or “companion.” Upon closer examination, we see God’s desire for intimacy with His people, revealed in the name Jehovah-Raah: “The Lord, my shepherd” or “The Lord, my friend.”

One of the most popular songs of worship related to the figure of the Good Shepherd is the Don Moen classic: “Like a Shepherd He Leads Us”:

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

The Good Shepherd: Like a shepherd he leads us

The Verse of the Day for March 17, 2016 is taken Psalm 23:1-3 in the Holman Standard Christian Bible, one of the most recognized and recited passages in the Old Testament:

[Psalm 23] [The Good Shepherd] [A Davidic psalm.] The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I lack. He lets me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He renews my life; He leads me along the right paths for His name’s sake.

Additional specific qualities of “the good shepherd” can be seen in the remaining verses of Psalm 23, one of my favorite psalms that I committed to memory as a youngster and a source from which I continue to draw strength:

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.
He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.
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.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Psalm 23 was also the inspiration behind this brief reflective piece:

Spring Green

Psalm 23

Grass green hillsides arch

and flow toward a quiet stream

where rest newborn lambs.

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 as the Good Shepherd in John 10:11:

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

In John 10:14-15 he reiterates this point:

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.

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.

Listen to this dramatization of the words of Jesus Christ from John 10:1-18 with its references to the Good Shepherd:

The classic Don Moen composition also describes the Lord: “Like a shepherd, he leads us”: