A Meditation on Psalm 23
Contributed by Charis Christian Centre, from a sharing by senior pastor Lawrence Yap
Psalm 23 is one of the favourite portions of the Bible for many Christians. This well-known psalm is a beautiful and comprehensive description of what it means to have God and Christ as our shepherd. May this sharing from Charis Christian Centre be a reminder and encouragement to all of us in challenging times.
“The Lord is my shepherd. I lack nothing.”
Psalm 23:1 (NIV)
Psalm 23 is one of the most read psalms and the favourite among many people for its comforting and assuring quality. It is read both at weddings as well as at funerals! In this devotional, we will take a line by line look at the promises in this popular psalm.
Psalm 23:1 – “The Lord is my shepherd. I lack nothing.” (NIV)
– “God my shepherd! I don’t need a thing.” (MSG).
– “The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want.” (KJV)
For some of us – we may have preferred words like –
- “The Lord is my banker.”
- “The Lord is my healer.”
The language being used is simply because David was using his language as a shepherd. What is David communicating about God? What does a shepherd do?
God says in Isaiah 40:11 – “He tends to his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.” Let’s take a look at how a shepherd takes care of his sheep.
I)A Shepherd PROVIDES.
- He provides food, shelter, and the basic necessities for his sheep.
II)A Shepherd PROTECTS.
- He defends against his sheep against enemies and all harm.
- The shepherd uses his staff to defend his sheep from other wild animals as well as to draw them back when they may be near a cliff.
III) A Shepherd POINTS the way.
- He leads his sheep when they are confused and do not know which way to go.
There are also other verses that talk about the Shepherd. Among these are:
1) John 10:11 – Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”
Jesus is the Good Shepherd. But why is He called the Good Shepherd? Here are several reasons why:
- He laid down His life to save us from our sins.
- All my wrongdoings of the past were washed by His blood.
That was what Jesus did.
- While we were yet sinners, Christ has died for us.
- He has already an answer for our past.
- This is important because our past can haunt us; it can stifle us; it can condemn us; it can cause regrets and fears and therefore stop us from making progress.
As the Good Shepherd – Christ has taken care of our past.
2) Hebrews 13:20, “Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep.”
Jesus is also the Great Shepherd. And why is He known as the Great Shepherd?
“He is known as the Great Shepherd because He is not only the God of the Past, but He is also the God of the Present.” He has risen from the dead and He lives in the present, providing for us.
3) 1 Peter 5:4, “And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.”
Jesus is the Chief Shepherd. Why is He known as the Chief Shepherd?
He is known as the Chief Shepherd because He is coming again for us. The Chief Shepherd has taken care of my Future!”
In conclusion, we are assured of Christ’s promises as our shepherd. We can rest in the confidence that He has taken of my Past, my Present, and my Future!
What more do I want? No wonder David said, “The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want.”
About Charis Christian Centre
CHARIS CHRISTIAN CENTRE is a dynamic church located at the heart of Cheras district in Taman Billion, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The church is committed to God’s call and believes that the Spirit of the Lord is on us, because He has anointed us to preach good news to the poor.
This is part of a series of devotionals that was specifically initiated since the MCO period by Rev Lawrence Yap, senior pastor of Charis Christian Center in Cheras. You may find out more about the church on their website at https://charis.org.my/
