Psalm 23v1: The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

In this Psalm the Psalmist is claiming the Lord is his shepherd and goes on to explain how He is his shepherd, what the Psalmist says here we can apply to each one of ourselves. The first statement is that the Psalmist shall not want. This does not mean that the Psalmist will never desire for anything but rather he will never be in want, that is, he will never need anything. Likewise the Lord provides for all our needs (through the riches of Christ Jesus, Philipians 4v19) and while we may want things we will never be in true need of them.

Psalm 23v2: He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters.

Sheep like us are restless creatures and need comfortable surroundings to rest in. Just as a shepherd looks out for green pastures for his sheep to rest in, the Lord likewise gives us green pastures to rest in. A shepherd back in the times of David would not push his sheep from behind but lead from the front. He would guide them to still waters, likewise the Lord guides us through troubled times to the still waters.

Psalm 23v3: He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake.

If a sheep went ill then the shepherd would do whatever he could to make that sheep well again. Likewise the Lord restores our soul when it is affected by the sin around us. The Lord seeks to lead us in the paths of righteousness, that His name might be glorified. The good we do is only because of the Lord's working in us and therefore it is He who should be glorified never man.

Psalm 23v4-5: 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 comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

How dark the valleys of life are. None are darker than when death's shadow comes over us. But even in these dark times, the Psalmist could say I fear no evil. Why? Because He knew the Lord was with Him, that just as a shepherd would protect his sheep with his staff, the Lord protects us from the evil around us. Whilst the staff is used at times for correction, we learn here that its primary use is to comfort us in times of trouble.
Despite our enemies being all around us the Lord continues to supply us with all we need to keep going. The table here speaks of His goodness to us. The anointing with oil speaks of the Holy Spirit helping us in our lives. The cup here is the cup of blessings, and how our blessings do indeed overflow when we allow Him to guide our lives.

Psalm 23v6: Surely goodness and mercy will shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

And so if we allow the Lord to be our shepherd to lead us and guide us throughout our life, then like the Psalmist we will be able to say that goodness and mercy will follow us. But then when this life is done, there is a home in Heaven waiting for us, for all eternity we will dwell in the house of our Lord, how wonderful will that be, to be with our Lord forever.

Having read what the Scriptures saith about the Lord my shepherd, now read What saith the Scriptures
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