BOOK OF PSALMS

PSALM – 23

Christians around the world turn to Psalm 23 as a source of comfort for life’s challenges. People have incorporated it into songs and teachings to show the goodness of God upon our lives. This bible verse can be found in the Book of Psalms and generally well known for his first sentence:

“The Lord is my Shepherd…“

In Mark 6:34, Jesus compared the people to sheep: “And Jesus, when He came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd. So He began to teach them many things.” Obviously, shepherd-less sheep are not a good thing; likewise, we need Jesus to be our Shepherd.

Our soul is comprised of our mind, will, and emotions. There’s not one person on the planet who hasn’t experienced some pain or grief in their soul. But the good news is this: our Shepherd cares for us, and He is able to restore our souls. He restores and heals our minds and emotions, renewing and strengthening our very lives!

Our Shepherd also leads us in the right way. In John 10:27, Jesus said, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” When we submit to His will and His way, we can be sure that He’ll guide us along the path that is best for us. And for the sake of His name and His glory, He guides our wills to line up with His.

Sheep are pretty helpless animals, unable to defend themselves. Without a shepherd to protect and guide them, sheep are easy targets for predators. Additionally, because they are dumb, sheep wander off and get lost, putting themselves in great danger.

Shepherds often risked their own lives to rescue their sheep. They carried a rod and staff to protect and correct their sheep; they beat off any beast trying to attack, and they prodded sheep who were going the wrong way to steer them back to safety.

There’s no way around this: God actually honors and blesses us right in front of our enemies! That’s right! He shows off by abundantly blessing us before the very ones who want to see us fall! We don’t have to worry about what others say or think about us because we know that God has our backs and that serving Him is never for nothing.

In John 10:11, Jesus declared, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.” He was clearly referring to the fact that He was giving His life to save us, His sheep.

“John [the Baptist] saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, ‘Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!’” (John 1:29). Thank God for the Good Shepherd who became the perfect, sacrificial Lamb of God, removing our sin, guilt, and shame and making us right with our Heavenly Father!