1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. 3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Psalm 23 has provided comfort to millions, not just to believers but to people in the secular world. It is so peaceful and reassuring that it is read at most funerals, Christian or not. When David wrote these words He referred to the Lord as Yahweh who was his shepherd. His use of this sacred name conveys the intimacy and trust that marked their relationship. He knew that he was but a lamb, as are all believers, totally dependent on Yahweh for everything. The sheep described here is calmly resting in the presence of the shepherd. Sheep will not rest, will not even lie down unless they are free from all disturbances. They will not be at peace if they are hungry or thirsty, or if they need the wool shorn from them, or if they are troubled by fleas or other parasites, or have skin irritations. Nor will they be at peace if they sense the presence of a predator nearby.
The shepherd takes care of all these problems. He makes sure they have enough food and water. He anoints their wounds with olive oil and wine. The rod and staff are of great comfort to the sheep as they are not used to discipline the erring ones as some teachers would have us believe. Rather, the shepherd uses the rod and staff to direct and guide sheep as well as weapons of defense against predators such as wolves and mountain lions.
This Psalm tells us that as sheep in the fold of the Lord we can rest easy knowing He keeps us safe against all harm. The whole Psalm comforts us by telling us that in the presence of the Lord, as we follow Him, all of our needs are met and we can rest easy even in sickness, even when life is tough and we are faced with death. The Psalm comforts us with the certainty that believers do not die alone. The Lord walks with us through the valley of death and leads us into the His heavenly kingdom. But although the comfort that it conveys may seem helpful and reassuring to all in danger and dealing with grief, it is a reality only for those who rest in the Lord, who have faith in Jesus. The rest do not know the good shepherd and have abandoned the sheepfold.