Psalm 23 may be one of the most recognizable Psalms in all scripture. This poetic masterpiece gives an outline and blueprint of God’s care for us. Therefore, Psalm 23 is a vital portion of scripture to know and understand.

In all aspects of faith, submission is critical. God’s promises and unmatched blessings belong to those who submit to Him.

He will never force or coerce you into following or obeying Him because He’s given you free will. This was the calculated risk God took in creating you and giving you a choice.

Psalm 23:1 begins boldly with David declaring, “The LORD is my shepherd.” The concept of God as the Shepherd of His people has been broadly developed in scripture.

• “God who has been my shepherd all my life long.” Genesis 48:15
• “Be their shepherd and carry them forever.” Psalm 28:9
• “Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel.” Psalm 80:1
• “He will tend his flock like a shepherd.” Isaiah 40:11
• “I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep.” Ezekiel 34:15
• “Shepherd your people with your staff.” Micah 7:14

So what does it mean for “the LORD to be my Shepherd.” For the LORD to be your Shepherd, you must come under His Lordship.

Following Him is a matter of denying ourselves and picking up our cross daily. We no longer conform to the patterns of this world or what makes us feel good but live by faith. Then and only then is He your Shepherd.

Still, the question remains, “Is He qualified to be our shepherd?” Let’s look at a few items on Jesus’ resume and decide.

• “The good shepherd will lay down His life for His flock.” John 10:11
• “He created all things and holds the universe together.” Colossians 3:16-17
• “He is the Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end.” Revelation 22:13
• “He will supply all your needs.” Philippians 4:19
• “For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:30

Jesus is abundantly qualified to be your Shepherd.

The reality is you’re following someone. Either the LORD is your Shepherd, or you are being led by your desires and emotions, which are being manipulated by the devil.

When it comes down to it, the welfare of any flock is entirely dependent on the care of the shepherd. Sheep do not take care of themselves. They require more care and attention than any other class of livestock. It is no accident that God has chosen to call us His sheep.

By making the LORD your shepherd, you belong to Him.

A real-life shepherd and Pastor, Phillip Keller, once wrote about buying his first flock of thirty sheep. When a shepherd receives a new sheep into his care, he will notch a mark in the ear of that sheep, identifying it as belonging to Him.

Similarly, when you become a Christian, God marks you with the Holy Spirit, identifying you as belonging to Him. 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 explains how as Christians, God puts His seal on us of by placing the Holy Spirit within us.

After David boldly proclaims that “the LORD is His shepherd,” he continues by saying, “I shall not want.” What an incredible benefit to making the LORD your Shepherd.

“I shall not want” is not about having an abundance, but focused on the care and management of the Shepherd. It is the idea of being utterly contented in the Good Shepherd’s care.

The Apostle Paul learned how to be content in every season of God’s provision, Ephesians 4:11-12. He was content and trusted God would provide.

• David was familiar with intense privation, personal poverty, acute hardship, and anguish of spirit.
• Elijah was affected by a drought and famine.
• John the Baptist ate locusts and wild honey, not a delicacy in his day, and wore camel hair as clothing, which was not a fashion statement in his day either.
• Jesus said, “And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” Matthew 8:20

Therefore, to suggest that a follower of Jesus will never have a need is inaccurate.

David also wrote, “I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread.” Psalm 37:25

If the LORD is your Shepherd: He. Will. Provide. “I shall not want” does not mean we will have continual excess but that you will not be neglected nor forsaken.

For a shepherd, there is no greater reward, no deeper satisfaction, than seeing his sheep contented, well-fed, and flourishing under his care.

Discontentment may be one of the greatest threats to faith in a believer’s life.

God is qualified, committed, and capable of being your Shepherd and caring for you. Are you content with His care?