The Lord is my Shepherd

In a world of uncertainty, change, and confusion, we could all use a dose of comfort and strength. And there is perhaps no passage in Scripture more comforting—or more deeply beloved than Psalm 23."The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul..." (Psalm 23:1–3)

These words have echoed through hospital halls, been scratched into prison walls, sung in hundreds of hymns, and translated into thousands of languages. The 23rd Psalm is not just poetry—it is a personal declaration of trust in the unchanging character of God.

Why the 23rd Psalm Still Speaks

When David wrote, "The Lord is my Shepherd," he was making a radical claim. He wasn’t just calling God powerful or wise; he was calling Him personal. In the original Hebrew, the word David uses is Yahweh, which comes from the Hebrew root "to be" (היה). The very name God gave to Moses through the burning bush.

Most English translations render Yahweh as "the Lord," but the significance runs much deeper. Yahweh means "I am" or "I cause to be." He is the One who exists outside of time: unchanging, uncaused, and governed by no one.

While everything in our lives shifts—relationships, health, circumstances, even the world itself—Yahweh remains constant. He is steady. He is near. And this is the God who chooses to be our Shepherd.

Why a Shepherd?

David could have called God anything: Commander, King, Warrior. But instead, he chose a shepherd—a job he himself once held. He knew what it meant to protect, feed, guide, and care for creatures that couldn’t care for themselves.

Sheep are not glamorous. They're not clever. They are defenseless, dirty, and dependent. And that’s the point. We are sheep. We don’t like to admit it, but spiritually, emotionally, even physically—we are fragile. But our comfort is not in our strength. It’s in the Shepherd’s care.

And isn’t that beautiful? That the God of the universe—the unchanging, all-powerful, ungoverned Yahweh—chooses to relate to us as a Shepherd. That we are not just part of the flock, but His beloved. His kids. The ones He delights to care for.

We don’t need to have it all figured out. We don’t have to pretend to be strong or self-sufficient. He invites us to lay it all down, to release the burden we’re carrying, and rest in Him. We are not alone. We are not forgotten. We have a personal and living God who walks with us, leads us, restores us—and also pursues us.

We Need a Yahweh

We don’t just need inspiration. We need Yahweh—the unchanging, uncaused, ungoverned God who holds the universe in His hands and still calls us by name.

We can try to place our trust in things like savings, health, or political stability—but those are shaky foundations. What happens when they shift? When the diagnosis comes, or the economy crashes, or peace disappears?

We need the Shepherd who walks with us through the valley of the shadow of death, who prepares a table before us in the presence of our enemies, who anoints our heads with oil, whose goodness and mercy follow us all the days of our lives.

Can We Say It?

David didn't say, “The Lord is our shepherd.”

He said, “The Lord is my Shepherd.”

So the question is: Can we say that? Can we declare today, with full assurance, that the Lord is my Shepherd? If not, now is the time. Let’s acknowledge our need, our weakness, our dependence—and ask Him to be our Shepherd.

The Shepherd of our Soul

If you’re feeling weary, uncertain, or overwhelmed—you don’t have to carry it all. The beauty of Psalm 23 is not just in its poetry but in its promise: You have a Shepherd.

Not a distant force, not a cold observer—but a living, personal, present God who knows you. He doesn’t expect you to have it all together. He simply invites you to trust and let Him lead. You are His. His beloved. His child. And He—unchanging, uncaused, ungoverned—is your Shepherd.

Let this be the reminder we carry into today, tomorrow, and whatever lies ahead: we are not alone, and we are not without a Shepherd. These timeless words have comforted generations, and they still speak to us now—words to steady the heart, calm the soul, and anchor our trust.

"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures.

He leads me beside still waters.

He restores my soul.

He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil, for you are with me;

your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

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

you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

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

and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever." (Psalm 23 - ESV)