The Good Shepherd

By Danny Saavedra

“The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, 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 overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”—Psalm 23 (NIV)

So, on the surface, Psalm 23 doesn’t exactly seem like a royal or Messianic psalm, right? I mean, it’s a beautiful psalm about the Lord and how He takes care of us. But when you look a little deeper, you come to see that this psalm, which is bookended by two other Messianic psalms, is indeed a foreshadowing of the person and work of the Messiah, Jesus Christ.

If you remember, in John 10:11 (NIV), Jesus calls Himself “the good shepherd.” And just like Psalm 23 isn’t only about the care of the Lord for us, Jesus wasn’t merely using a relevant analogy that works to explain how He guides His sheep to salvation. You see, this title was widely known by the people of Israel to be a direct reference to the foretold Messiah, the seed of David who would sit on the throne forever (2 Samuel 7:12–16).

Ezekiel 34:23–24 (NLT) says, “And I will set over them one shepherd, my servant David. He will feed them and be a shepherd to them. And I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David will be a prince among my people. I, the Lord, have spoken!” Theologian Charles Ellicott put it this way: “Obviously, this prophecy can find its accomplishment in no merely human ruler.”

Now look at Hebrews 13:20–21 (NIV): “Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” I hope you see it . . . not just a beautiful song, a prophetic description of the great Shepherd of the sheep.

So, what does this psalm tell us about Jesus? Simple: Jesus is our sufficiency.

We lack nothing . . . enjoy green pastures . . . walk beside quiet/still waters. In the original Hebrew, the text literally reads, “In pastures of grass, he makes me to lie down; upon waters of rest, he guides me.”

You see, in the semi-arid landscape of ancient Israel, green pastures weren’t in high supply. So, shepherds would have to guide their flocks to the places with enough grass for their sheep where they could eat and rest. Without their shepherd, sheep would either starve or become prey.

Similarly, the shepherd directed the sheep to water sources. Notice how it says “still” or “quiet” or “waters of rest.” Why? Because sheep could easily fall into running rivers while trying to drink, and their wool would drag them under quickly. So, to protect them, the shepherd would guide his sheep to the right water source—still waters.

Essentially, green pastures and still waters symbolize both spiritual and physical needs. And in Christ, we can experience the fullness of all God has for us. In Him, the bread of life, we’re filled and provided for. In Him, the gate, we’re safe. With His rod and staff, He guides and protects; therefore, we will fear no evil and can sit at a table of our enemies. In Him, the living water, we’re spiritually satisfied. In Him, we’ve been blessed with every spiritual blessing (the expensive, fragrant oil on our heads and the overflowing cup, the goodness and mercy that follows us). In Him, we have a home forever.

That’s why Charles Spurgeon said, “I do not want, I cannot want; I never shall want with such a Shepherd as I have. He will provide for me; nay, more, Christ himself is my provision. All I need I have, for ‘The Lord is my shepherd.’” As the great I AM, He doesn’t just provide all we need, He is all we need.

Pause: What does Psalm 23 teach us about Jesus?

Practice:Thank the Lord today for His indescribable gift of Jesus, our good shepherd.

Pray: Jesus, I thank You for being my shepherd. I thank You and praise You because in You, I am complete. I thank You for Your provision and for Your word that gives me life, sustains me, and nourishes me. I thank You for Your protection and guidance, for leading me to safety on right paths to the praise of Your name. I thank You for the confidence to walk into any and every situation knowing You are with me. I thank You for the endless and undeserved blessings You give to me. And I thank You for preparing a place for me in Your kingdom. In Your glorious name I pray. Amen.