The Lord Our Shepherd

Of all the ways Father God has revealed Himself to us, one of the most familiar is as Yahweh Rohi, “the Lord our Shepherd.” The Hebrew word "rohi" comes from the root rāʿâ (or raah), which means to tend or feed. This is what Father God does for us. He is the Good Shepherd who lovingly cares for us, protects us, and meets our needs.

This image of God as a compassionate shepherd tending His sheep is seen throughout the Scriptures. The prophet Isaiah declared, “Like a shepherd He will tend His flock, in His arm He will gather the lambs and carry them in His bosom; He will gently lead the nursing ewes” (Isaiah. 40:11).

And the Lord said through the prophet Ezekiel:

“Behold, I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out. As a shepherd cares for his herd in the day when he is among his scattered sheep, so I will care for My sheep and will deliver them from all the places to which they were scattered on a cloudy and gloomy day. I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries and bring them to their own land; and I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the streams, and in all the inhabited places of the land. I will feed them in a good pasture, and their grazing ground will be on the mountain heights of Israel. There they will lie down on good grazing ground and feed in rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. I will feed My flock and I will lead them to rest,” declares the Lord God. —Ezekiel 34:11–15

The Lord promises to be a Good Shepherd who will gather His sheep to Himself and lead them to good ground, where they will be safe and find rest.

"I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep." —John 10:11–13

In the Book of Revelation, the apostle John wrote that after the tribulation, a great multitude from every nation, people, and tongue will stand before the throne of God. And “the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes” (Revelation 7:17).