For many, Psalm 23 is a familiar, comforting passage. But within its simple lines lies a profound truth that can transform our lives: the dual nature of God revealed as both a loving yet powerful caregiver.
This is the foundation for understanding one of the most beloved passages in the Bible, Psalm 23:1, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” To fully grasp the power in this statement, we must look at the two titles David gives to God: Shepherd and Lord.
The Dual Nature of God
The word for “shepherd” comes from the Hebrew word ra’ah, which means to keep, feed, and tend a flock. As a shepherd, God is our loving keeper and compassionate caregiver. He provides for us, knowing exactly where the “green pastures” are for our provision (Psalm 23:2). He is the good shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep (John 10:11).
The word “Lord,” however, is the Hebrew name Yahweh, the self-existing, eternal One. He is the God of all power, majesty, and ultimate authority.
When David says, “The Lord is my shepherd,” he is declaring that the Almighty, all-powerful Creator is his personal, loving caregiver. This powerful combination of unconditional love and supreme authority is the secret to the psalm’s powerful conclusion: “I shall not want.”
When the Lord of Glory is your Shepherd, a lack of provision, guidance, or protection is impossible. This confident declaration has nothing to do with the material things we have in the natural. It is a statement of fact: with the Lord as our Shepherd, we lack nothing.
The Place of Rest
As the good shepherd, God makes us lie down in green pastures (Psalm 23:2). This is a place of rest where we stop relying on our own strength, fear, and frustration. It is a place of peace, where we trust that He knows where to lead us. The shepherd doesn’t ask the sheep where they want to go. He knows where the green pastures and still waters are. Our job is to be submitted sheep, willing to be led. If you are not willing to be led, He cannot be your Shepherd.
This is the difference between knowing Jesus as just a Savior and accepting Him as your Lord. The Bible tells us that when we confess Jesus as Lord and believe in our hearts that God raised Him from the dead, we are saved (Romans 10:9). This act of submission means putting your life in His hands and trusting His guidance completely.
The Restoration of the Soul
The psalm continues, “He restoreth my soul” (Psalm 23:3). When Adam sinned, his spirit died, and his soul learned to live independently of his spirit. The soul (our mind, will, and emotions) was not meant to lead us. It was meant to be subject to our spirit, which is made alive in God.
The restoration of the soul is the process of getting our emotions and will back in their proper place, led by the Holy Spirit. This is why we must be born again (Ephesians 2:1-10), which makes our spirit alive in God. But even after being born again, we must continually allow the Lord to restore our souls so that we can fulfill our purpose and not be conformed to the world (Romans 12:2).
This is a process, not an overnight event. We cannot restore our own souls; only the Lord, our shepherd and the bishop of our souls (1 Peter 2:25), has the power to do it.
So, when we face life’s challenges, remember the weight of Psalm 23. The Lord is your shepherd. You shall not want. You will find rest, and you will be led.