The Shepherd and MeSample

THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD

David as a boy was a shepherd over his father’s flock, and as a man he was made shepherd over the children of Israel as their king. However, in this Psalm of David, the mighty Shepherd-King considers himself as merely a sheep in the flock of his God. David knows that no matter how great a man may rise in this world, the only thing of import is whether he belongs to the God of Israel or not. David’s identity was not his throne but rather the eternal God who had bound Himself covenantally with his people. David’s joy in life was the knowledge that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob was also his God. He had a relationship with the living God of Israel such that he belonged to Him – body and soul. This is worth more than all the wealth and kingdoms of this world. In being possessed by the God of Israel, one possesses God Himself. 

This is why David bravely says that he shall not want or ever be in lack. It’s not that David never knew lack. This was a man who had lived in abject poverty, being chased like a mad dog through the Judean wilderness by Saul. This was a man who had been made bereft of his wife Michal (for Saul gave her away to another), numerous sons, and even his kingdom for a time. He knew the depths of human heartache and the dismal darkness of sin. Yet David says, he shall not want for He is the Lord’s and Lord is his.

Centuries later, in the line of David, we have David’s greater son – Jesus. Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep (John 10:11).” This shepherd laid His life down for His sheep on the altar at Calvary. There Jesus suffered the most horrific wrath of God so that His wayward flock might belong to God – body and soul and never suffer want. Praise God we have so good a Shepherd in Jesus.