As I write, we are in the midst of VBS (Vacation Bible School) at Grace Bible Church. This year’s theme focuses on Psalm 23, a favorite Psalm of many, including me. Even if someone isn’t very familiar with the Bible, I think there’s a good chance the first verse of this Psalm will sound familiar – “The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.” I’m guessing I probably wasn’t alone as a child, thinking that seemed like a strange verse to be in the Bible – “why would I not want the LORD to be my shepherd?” was a question that often came to mind.

As I grew and was taught the Bible more, I was glad to learn that that’s not what that verse means. What it does mean has become a great comfort and encouragement, and I’ve been thankful to have it frequently brought to mind throughout this week. So, what does it mean, and what comfort and encouragement is to be found in this kind of odd sounding verse? “The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.”

Let’s begin by thinking about who “The LORD” is. When you see the word “LORD” in all capital letters in the Bible, it’s telling us that it’s translating the Hebrew name for God, “Yahweh.” This name for God comes from a word that can be translated “I am.” The name, “Yahweh” tells us of God’s self-sufficiency and self-existence. What that means is that God does not depend on anyone or anything for His existence.

The next few words in Psalm 23 imply a huge contrast – “is my shepherd.” If we need a shepherd, that implies that we are likened to sheep. The Bible often does speak of us as sheep – Isaiah 53:6 for example, “All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way.”

Sheep are some of the most needy critters on the planet. They don’t do well on their own. And that is true of us, in comparison to God. He is completely self-sufficient – we are completely dependent. We could not exist, eat, breathe, or live apart from God creating and then supplying us with even the most basic necessities.

Sheep need a shepherd, and the Bible also speaks often of how God is like a shepherd, and it explains the kind of shepherd He is.

Like in John 10:11, “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.”

This verse is speaking of Jesus and how He loves, protects, and provides for His sheep – better than any other shepherd could.

Then the last phrase of the verse: “I shall not want.” Another way that could be translated is, “I shall not lack.” Putting all the pieces together, here’s what it means: If Yahweh, who is the sovereign creator and sustainer of the universe, who owns and controls all things – if He is my shepherd, my caretaker and my provider – then there is nothing I could need, that is for my good, that I will lack. I love the certainty of this verse – the LORD “is” my shepherd – this “is” the kind of shepherd God is!

There’s only one word in the verse that is in question – and that’s the word, “my.” Is He your shepherd? Jesus said the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. That became necessary because all of us like sheep have gone astray. Each of us turned away from God to go our own way, the way of sin, and got ourselves in a situation where we were in great trouble. We deserve death because of our sin. We need to be saved because of our sin. But Jesus, the good shepherd, laid down His life for us when He died on the cross. He died in our place, so that by grace, through faith in Him – we could be saved.

Acts 16:31 says, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.”

When we are saved from our sins, by trusting in Jesus alone for forgiveness because of His death on the cross in our place, Yahweh becomes our shepherd. And if Yahweh is our shepherd, there is nothing we could need that is for our good that He will not provide for us.

My thinking as a child was in the right direction, it was just my understanding of the verse that was off. I was right, I do want the LORD to be my shepherd!