MY SHEPHERD: JEHOVAH ROHI

Who is not thrilled with the magnificent truths of the beloved twenty-third Psalm? Even some who do not know the Lord seem to find comfort in the beauty of this psalm.

It has been written about and preached from, on countless occasions. Yet each time we return to it, it yields something new.

The Psalm begins and ends with the Lord or Jehovah. Likewise, we should begin and end with Him. Thomas Newberry points out the significance of the title ‘Jehovah’: ‘He that always was, that always is, and that ever is to come’.

It is this Lord who is also a shepherd. What a beautiful picture of the Lord Jesus Christ. There may be shepherds who are hard, rugged and heartless men. Such men likely exist. But that is not the picture the scriptures convey to us about Him. The New Testament is full of pictures of the good Shepherd: His compassion, His care, His self sacrifice in giving His life for the sheep. It is this kind of shepherd that is in this Psalm.

But it is more than that. He is ‘my’ Shepherd. Here is the confounding truth. That such a shepherd should exist in a vague and general way is one thing. Or, even, that He should be ‘our’ shepherd in a collective way. David’s words are that He is ‘my shepherd’. Is He your shepherd today? He wants to be. He is willing to be. He can be yours if you will but have Him.

If He is your shepherd, do you know Him as such in a practical way? David did. Millions of believers today know Him this way. He leads, He guides, He provides, He restores, He protects. He is there from beginning to end. David learned He was his shepherd through all the days and will be forever.

If He is not that kind of shepherd for you today, simply tell Him you want Him to be. You may be far away from Him and have failed Him miserably. Your heart may have grown cold through the business or disappointments of life. Regardless, there is always a way back to this shepherd. He is never too busy to restore and recover a wandering lamb.

We too should be like this shepherd in dealing with others. They will be attracted to Him more easily if they see Him in those who profess to follow Him closely.