The Lord is my shepherd.

Is the Lord your shepherd? If the Lord God is your shepherd, then you have acknowledged that you are His sheep in His flock. This means you follow Him, not yourself. You do not decide where you go or what you do. You follow His commands.

This means you have exchanged your hold on the world with itÕs values and activities to become a sheep of His flock. You have come under His direction, ownership, and management.

I shall not be in want.

The Lord will provide the things you need in life. You donÕt have to steal or constantly beg or be a taker. More importantly, the great Shepherd can transform your heart so that you donÕt feel the need for worldly things. He can take away your greed and replace it with satisfaction. You are not in want of things because you are grateful for what He has done in your life. You are not in want because you know that like the shepherd, He is there to provide for you and care for you making sure you have what you need.

He makes me lie down in green pastures.

The presence of the Lord will give you the peace to lie down in green pastures to rest, to relax, to be content and quiet, and even flourish. His presence in your life puts you at ease. You do not need to fear the unknown or the unseen in your life therefore you can calmly rest. You are not afraid of hunger or lack because you know He has gone before you and found the green pastures for you to lie down in where you will find peace and plenty. You are not agitated and restless and driven to sin. You are serene and confident, able to rest in the pasture He has brought you to.

He restores my soul.

You have found yourself cast down, dejected. Like a sheep who has been cast down and turned over on its back with no way to upright themselves by itself, you need the Shepherd to come restore you to uprightness.

God is ready to tenderly upright you and restore you. He has given you His one and only Son that you may know the ways in which you should live. He is our shepherd and we are His sheep. Like sheep, you may need to be sheared thereby removing your old life and ways and putting on a new coat. GodÕs word can do this. God chooses to discipline those He loves. If you but let Him discipline you, you will be strengthened and your faith will be fortified, and you will have a great confidence in His control and sovereign reign.

He leads me in paths of righteousness for His NameÕs sake.

We need to follow our shepherd and his ways. A backslider is following the ways of Satan whether they recognize it or not. Follow the shepherd – donÕt try to get Him to modify the paths of righteousness so as to allow you to continue to walk in the wrong ways. His Name is holy and righteous. His Name is above all other names and is the only Name by which men can be saved. He is worthy. He is held in high esteem and is a good manager.

The ways you are presently following are not paths of righteousness, they are the trails that ultimately become ruined and lead to ruin.

His ways are higher than our ways.

1. Love others more than myself

2. Be set apart. Bear the burdens, suffering of others.

3. Forgo my rights in favor of others.

4. Desire to please God by putting my personal life and desires in His hands.

5. Be willing to accept all circumstances with gratitude. Every event is part of GodsÕ plan.

6. Cooperate with GodÕs will – donÕt fight it.

7. Follow Christ and do what He asks you to do.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil.

Each summer season sheep are taken to higher pastures. To get to these higher grounds, they must travel through valleys as the hillside is too steep to climb. While in these valleys there are shadows that hide the dangers lurking there. Predators hide in these shadows. Yet, even though we must walk through these shadows in these valleys, we do not need to fear. We are walking through and will arrive at the intended destination if we but follow the shepherd. With the shepherd there, we do not need to fear. He is able and ready to protect us and come to our rescue. The shadow in the valley is not our final destination. It is but one part of the path that is leading us to higher ground and the valley we are going through, not arriving at.

Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.

The shepherd to defend the sheep, to ward off predators, uses the rod. The rod of Jesus is GodÕs word. With GodÕs word, we can ward off Satan. The rod is the spoken word, the expressed intent, the extended activity of GodÕs mind and will in dealing with men. A secondary and minor use of the rod is for discipline. It can correct and reprove us when we go astray. The rod is used to examine and count the sheep. Ps 139:23,24 asks God to search me, and know my heart, try men, and know my thoughts, and see if there be any wicked way in men and lead me in the way everlasting.

The staff is a unique tool to shepherds. No other profession uses them. They are used to comfort the sheep and to draw strays back to the shepherd and the flock. They are used to pull a lost sheep out of ravines or creeks where they might be stuck. The Holy Spirit is this staff. He is the comforter, the counselor, the helper, the guide. He is the One who comforts us. Like the staff, the Guide will gently guide us back onto the right path as we stray off it.

You prepare a table before me even in the presence of my enemies.

Each spring the shepherd goes on reconnaissance to the hilltops and find a flat area with much pasture and a lack of noxious weeds. He prepares this area by pulling weeds, moving obstacles, and scouting out areas on the perimeter that might allow a predator to hide. He knows there will be attempts by predators to attack the sheep but he wisely prepares this hilltop area to best care for the sheep.

Likewise, Jesus has prepared a table for us in the midst of our enemies. Similarly, our Lord Jesus Christ has gone before us and prepared the way and the table in the midst of our spiritual enemies. He was tempted in all ways such as we are. He has known our sufferings, experienced our sorrows and endured our struggles.

Because of this he understands us. He has identified Himself with our humanity. He has made every provision for us to help withstand the onslaught of sin and Satan. He has been in our situations and thus we can come to Him knowing He will understand.

When we come to the Lord's Table do we fully grasp what it cost Him to prepare this for us? This is a feast of remembrance for His love and care.

You anoint my head with oil

Shepherds anoint the heads of sheep with oil to comfort them and heal them. This oil keeps bugs and pests from making their home on the sheepÕs head and becoming an irritation to them. The oil is soothing to the sheep as it balms the open sores and scabs from previous pests or cuts.

In our Christian life, most of the contamination of the world and sin come through our minds. A daily anointing of GodÕs gracious Spirit upon our minds will produce joy, contentment, love, patience, gentleness, and peace. It should be a daily anointing and not a Ôonce-in-a-lifetimeÕ anointing. The Holy Spirit is symbolized by oil. We must let this Holy Spirit invade our life and take up residence within.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life

It is a boast in the goodness and mercy of the shepherd that the sheep makes. He knows that the shepherd is good and merciful to care for all his needs. The sheep feels privileged to have this good and wise shepherd. Even when the sheep becomes doubtful about the shepherdÕs management, the shepherd always proves himself faithful and true.

Likewise, God continually follows us with goodness and mercy. It never fails. Yes, it may come after we have suffered troubles and trials – but it will come. It is sure. It comes whether we deserve it or not. It comes because the shepherd has chosen us as one of his sheep. It comes because He loves us and wants to care for us. It comes because it is a reflection of God Himself.

Because goodness and mercy follow us, we should also extend goodness and mercy to others. Do we leave behind peace or turmoil? Do we leave behind forgiveness or bitterness, contentment or conflict, joy or frustration? Do we leave behind love or rancor? When we leave behind goodness and mercy it is a reflection of our appreciation of GodÕs goodness and mercy that has been extended to us. We love Him because He first loved us.

I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever

Yes! And Amen! This house is the family or household or flock of the Good Shepherd. We should be proud to belong to this Shepherd, Jesus Christ. We know that He is always present, in every place, and we are never out of His view. This should provide us much joy and security.

This house is also the one He is preparing for us in heaven. We will dwell in it for eternity. We will dwell in His eternal presence and care – forever. It is promised.