The Lord is my Shepherd

"The Lord is my shepherd..." Psalm 23:1. NIV

There is so much in the opening phrase of the 23rd Psalm.  First, is the declaration of the Lord, God, the I AM, Yahweh.  That after all is the starting point of any life of faith. We need to recognize who the Lord is: the awesome creator of the world, our creator, our saviour, our redeemer.  This God is my shepherd. He is a personal God, not just a general god of the world.  A deep connection exists between God and his people.  And he is described as a shepherd. A shepherd cares for, protects, guides, loves, feeds, searches for and rescues his sheep. He puts his life on the line for his sheep when he fights wild animals that try to kill them.  No wonder so many people love this psalm with its profound imagery. The opening of this Psalm is just the beginning of an amazing song of praise to our amazing God.

Dear Lord, thank you for being our shepherd.  Thank you for inspiring David to write such a beautiful psalm that nourishes our souls. May I always listen to your voice and follow closely by your side.