#DailyDevotion The LORD Jesus Is My Shepherd, I Shall Not Want
Psa 23:1-6 A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. (2) He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. (3) He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. (4) Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. (5) Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. (6) Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever. (KJV)
David, who is a shepherd and knows full well how to take care of sheep, even rescuing one from the mouth of a lion and a bear, says here, “The LORD is my shepherd.” As such, he sees the LORD as one who also rescues him and provides for him everthing that he needs as indeed he did the same for his sheep.
He says he shall not want. We pray for daily bread. In Matt. 6:8 Jesus says, “Your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.” In the same chapter Jesus also says, 25“So I tell you, don’t worry about what you’ll eat or drink to keep alive or what you’ll wear on your bodies. Isn’t life more than food, and the body more than clothes?” In verse 32, Jesus says concerning food and clothing, “Your Father in heaven knows you need them all. 33Seek first God’s kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you, too.” David, sinful though he was, sought God’s kingdom first. Make the LORD Jesus Christ your shepherd and you will not want either.
Our LORD Jesus does indeed make us lie down and green pastures and leads us to still waters. We may not always want to go there but that is where he is leading us. As we put our faith in him and in his promises we need not let the craziness of the world and its systems disturb our souls. We know who is in charge here and we trust Jesus knows what he is doing. Jesus is always acting on our behalf, for the salvation of our souls.
We are restored in our souls as he feeds us his word and his sacraments. Through these means he leads us in the paths of righteousness for his name’s same. He do belong to him. His name is upon us in baptism. Jesus has skin in the game of our lives. The sacrifice of his life for ours shows this. Yes, we will walk and are walking through the valley of the shadow of death in this life. We need not fear it or any other evil. It’s just a shadow. Jesus promises us in John 11, 25“I am the Resurrection and the Life. Anyone who believes in Me will live even if he dies. 26Yes, anyone who lives and believes in Me will never die.” Having faith in Jesus we possess eternal life.”
At his table, in his supper, our LORD Jesus Christ prepares a table for us before our enemies and anoints our head with the oil of the Spirit. Here our cup runs over. His grace, mercy, kindness, forgiveness is more, for more greater than our sin. As such, his goodness and mercy follows us all the days of our lives. They follow us because they protect our back from what we don’t see coming. Indeed through Jesus not only do we dwell in the House of the LORD forever, we become the house of the LORD.
Heavenly Father, grant us faith to trust in Jesus as our Shepherd that we may always repose in him. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.