The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. Psalm 23:1
Psalm of Trust
Psalm 23 is a psalm of trust. Within the six verses there is a development of the single theme of the first verse: David has no fear or concern, for the Lord is his Shepherd.
Psalm 23 as prophecy. Christ lived His life on Earth as a sheep, then rose to become the Good Shepherd. As prophecy, Ps. 23 reminds us that though Christ walked in the “valley of the shadow of death” and experienced the turmoil described in Ps. 22, He was upheld by God’s protective love.
23:4 Your rod and Your staff: Ancient shepherds used the rod and staff to rescue, protect, and guide the sheep. Thus they become symbols of the Good Shepherd’s loving care over His flock. The sheep are not alone, their Shepherd is standing over them, guiding them into safety – just as the Lord stands over us and protect us.
