Psalm 23 (1)

Devotional Reading: The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. Psalms 23:1 NIV

One of the most beloved passages in the Bible is Psalm 23. This Psalm has comforted and encouraged countless people over the centuries. It unveils a beautiful picture of how God wants to guide and bless us throughout our lives.

Knowing who God is and what He does in our lives is critical for every believer. A.W. Tozer once stated, “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” Our view of God will shape every other aspect of our lives. It is important we read our Bibles to know who God is, not just what He can do for us. God is the center of Scripture, and the Scriptures reveal His glory. We are His beloved children.

Psalm 23 begins with these beautiful words, “The Lord is my Shepherd”. There are many names for God, but one of them is Shepherd. God wants to lead and guide us as our good Shepherd. He is the good Shepherd who lays down His life for His sheep.

Jesus declared in John 10:11ff, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep… I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.”

We give our lives to Jesus because He laid down His life for us. We love Him, because He loved us first. While we were still far off, dead in our sins, and enemies of God – He gave heaven’s best to draw us close and make us His own. Only a good Shepherd would do such a thing, and there is only One who is good.

He tends to us as a good Shepherd would. He searches for us and seeks us out when we have gone astray. He guards us. He guides us. He protects us. He cares for us. He tends to our needs. He gathers us in His arms. He carries us close to His heart. He gently leads us. He speaks softly over us. He guides us to living water and quenches our thirst. He feeds us. He lays down His life to give us abundant life. It is His good pleasure to give us the Kingdom.

Prayer and Confession
Jesus I acknowledge that you are my shepherd, therefore I trust you absolutely for everything in my life.

Further Reading: John 10:11-17