David’s shepherding days (like those of his predecessor Moses, cf. After all, David was a shepherd in his youth (1 Sam. Furthermore, since we are all to be shepherds of God’s flock in the broadest sense, we can learn a great deal not only about our Shepherd, but also about shepherding.ĭavid is identified in the superscription as the author of the psalm. Additionally, we will explore new ways in which the truth of this psalm can be applied to our lives. The purpose of this message is to help us more clearly understand the imagery used to convey comfort and calm to the soul of those who are a part of God’s flock by faith in Jesus Christ.

Especially in times of distress, such as the death of a loved one, we instinctively turn to the assuring words, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” While few of us understand the life of the shepherd in the ancient Near East, most have been able to grasp the message of comfort and assurance conveyed in the psalm. No single psalm has expressed more powerfully man’s prayer of confidence ‘out of the depths’ to the God whose purpose alone gives meaning to the span of life, from womb to tomb.

Perhaps Bernhard Anderson has best expressed the value of the Twenty-third Psalm when he wrote, I feel somewhat like a tourist guide standing before you in the shadow of a magnificent mountain peak, attempting to describe its beauty-or like a guide in an art museum telling you of the magnificence of a priceless painting which has been universally regarded as a classic work for decades. Few people fail to appreciate the simplistic beauty and comfort contained in the Twenty-third Psalm.

A man of his calibre meaning