4/15 Through Psalm 23

The Lord Is Mine
Psalm 23:1, "The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want."

The 23rd Psalm stands out as one of the great masterpieces of the Bible. In fact, the powerful portrait of Christ that is painted upon its canvas is among the most familiar in the gallery of grace. The words of this passage have been etched upon many minds from the early days of childhood. The beautiful scenery of this psalm is often greatly desired by those who are greatly distressed. Its claims have often been the peaceful calm for those who are in personal chaos. Without a doubt, Psalm 23 is among the most familiar and famous portions of God’s Word.

Unfortunately, the notable nature of Psalm 23 can present a dangerous dilemma to its readers. While this psalm is familiar to many people, not many people are familiar with this psalm. Though the words of this psalm are often recited in Sunday school, and though the truths contained in it are often rehearsed at the graveside, still, the blessings of this psalm are seldom realized in day to day living. Many have become intellectually acquainted with “The Shepherd Psalm”, but few have become intimately acquainted with the Shepherd of the psalm. Thus, most of the people who read the words of this Psalm come to know its beauty, but only a few have truly come to know its bounty.

You see, every peaceful promise, every comforting claim, every strengthening statement of this psalm is conditional. The words of Psalm 23 provide a fruitful field in which “the sheep of His pasture” may feed. The fact is that not every person can graze the grasses of God. These fields of fullness belong to those who have entered into “his pasture” through a personal relationship with the Shepherd. Therefore, this psalm’s practical truths belong only to those who possess a personal trust in Christ.

The key to Psalm 23 is contained in its commencement. The very first verse of this psalm presents us with the passageway to the soul’s pleasant place. No one can experience the relief and restoration that is offered in the fullness of the text, until and unless they experience the relationship that is spoken of in this foundational verse.

In his opening remarks, the psalmist immediately identifies his relationship with Christ as the basis for all the blessings that he is about to record. The fundamental facets of this psalm have their meaning in the phrase “The LORD is my Shepherd”. It is not what Christ does, but rather, who He is that is of supreme significance to the psalmist, for he openly avows him as “my Shepherd”!

There is such great depth to David’s description of the person and work of Christ in this psalm. In fact, when I read here of the many blessings and benefits of his shepherding care, I am compelled to cry out with the psalmist, “Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!” (Psalm 31:19) But even in this cry, I find that these wonderful displays and delights of God’s goodness are “wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!” You see, before the psalmist could enjoy the fullness of his resources, he first had to enter into a relationship with Christ. He could not treasure the Lord as a wonderful “Shepherd”, until he had first trusted the Lord as his personal Savior!

As I read the opening line of this psalm, I begin to clearly see that the psalmist is not only saying, "The Lord is my Shepherd", but he is first claiming, "The Lord is my Savior"! You might say where does the psalmist make the claim that Christ is his Savior? The answer is found in one very little word that carries a very large impact.

Let’s look again at the psalmist’s declaration, “The Lord is my Shepherd.” (Psalm 23:1) Do you see it? It is such a small word, but the significance of it must not be underestimated. David does not profess Christ to be “A Shepherd”. He does not even say that he is “The Shepherd”. David confesses him to be “MY Shepherd”! Oh what a very personal assertion! David in all reality is declaring, “Christ is mine!”

What about you dear friend? Is this the testimony of your life? Is this the statement of your faith? Can you make such a bold proclamation as the psalmist did? Can you speak of Christ beyond the realm of mere theological terms? Can you profess to have more than just an educated grasp of what is taught about him? Can you declare that you don’t simply know about him, but that you know him? This is exactly what David is saying.

This one little two letter word is very weighty. It draws the distinction between the perceived and the personal! It reveals the disparity between religion and relationship! It is the difference between eternal life and eternal damnation! It marked the words of Mary when she said in Luke 1:47, “And my spirit hath rejoiced in God MY Saviour.” It was the heart cry of Mary Magdalene when she said, “they have taken away MY Lord”. (John 20:13) It distinguished the faith of Thomas when he proclaimed, “MY Lord and MY God.” (John 20:28) This is the key! We must not only know him to be God, but we must know him as “My God”. It is not just important to recognize that he is Lord, but we must also claim him as “My Lord”. It is not enough to see him as the Saviour of the world; it is also imperative to be able to declare that he is “My Saviour”.

Is Jesus a personal Saviour to you? You can rest assured that though you may see the beauty of the words of this precious psalm, you will never know the bounty of the works of Christ it defines until that very Christ is yours! No man, woman, boy or girl can ever know the sweet peace from God that comes by resting in Jesus, until they know the sweet peace with God that comes by trusting in Jesus! All of Psalm 23 is dependent upon this one thing. Can you say, I am his, and He is mine? Can you declare with David, “The Lord is MY Shepherd”?