The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.
Psalms 23:1
Psalms 23 is perhaps the best-loved, best-known chapter in the Bible. It depicts the beautiful picture of God as the Shepherd. This chapter finds its New Testament exposition in John 10:1-30, where Christ identifies Himself as “the good shepherd” who “gave his life for the sheep”.
These two chapters (Ps 23; Jn 10) are probably the two greatest chapters in the Bible displaying the security of the believer in Christ. This theme seems woven by divine inspiration into the structures of the passages. For example, there are six verses in the poetic structure of the psalm, each containing a different testimony concerning the providing and protecting Shepherd.
Similarly, the word “shepherd” is used in John 10 six times, each referring again to the work of our Good Shepherd. There are also six references in the other books of the New Testament where Christ is referred to as a shepherd.
The intensely personal aspect of the Psalm 23 is evidenced by David’s use of the first-person pronouns (“I,” “me,” “my,” etc.) 17 times in its six verses, all expressing his absolute trust in the Lord.
Similarly, the word “sheep” is used 17 times in John 10, with the grand theme again stressing the security of the sheep. This number “17” seems to crop up repeatedly in Bible passages relating to our security in the Lord. As one example, the famous passage ending the eighth chapter of Romans lists exactly 17 things that can never “separate us from the love of God” (Romans 8:35-39).
In any case, this marvelous psalm of security concludes (as it began) with a great promise and testimony, can perhaps be paraphrased as follows: “Surely [Christ’s] goodness and lovingkindness will pursue me as long as I live, and then I will dwell in God’s great heavenly family through all the ages of eternity!”
May the Lord grant us the discernment to hearken unto His voice just like a sheep to the voice of the shepherd. Grant us teachable hearts to be able to follow and obey the Shepherd of our soul , our Lord Jesus Christ.
