Jehovah Raah
The Old Testament saints got the revelation of God as their Shepherd. Moses had known God as the Shepherd of the Israelites. In Psalm 78:52-54, we find that God had led His people in the wilderness as their Shepherd. Prophets Isaiah and Ezekiel through their prophetic eyes had the wonderful revelation of Christ Jesus as the Shepherd, who would search His sheep, seek them out and feed them (Is.40: 11-12 & Eze.12-13 and 34:23). However, none of the Old Testament saints other than David did call their God as “my Shepherd”(Ps.23: 1).
David was himself a shepherd who tended his father’s sheep and protected them from the lion and the bear (I Sam.17: 34-35). The Lord Himself said to David, “Thou shalt feed (shepherd) My people, and thou shalt be a captain over Israel” (2 Sam.5: 2). As such, he knew the relationship between a shepherd and his sheep and thus called His God as “my Shepherd”.
David through his prophetic eyes saw the coming Shepherd. Yet, he could not enjoy the full fellowship of the Shepherd in his life because Christ had not been manifested in flesh at that time. Of course, he did have the foretaste of Christ’s love to some extent when God forgave him of the grave sin of adultery. However, under the New Covenant, we are more blessed than David because the Shepherd indwells us.
“The Lord is My Shepherd; I shall not want” (Ps.23; 1). Every Christian knows this verse by heart. Our children can recite the entire psalm No.23. This verse compresses the whole love of God for us. I may not remember many of God’s promises in His Word but may remember only this verse. Some may shrug off this psalm as an elementary lesson for the new believers. However, this verse of Psalm 23 has more significance than meets the eye. You may have known Jesus as your Savior, Baptizer of the Holy Ghost, Miracle Worker, Healer, Comforter, Protector or Friend. But all these revelations encompass His Name “The Lord my Shepherd” i.e. “Jehovah Raah” in Hebrew. The Lord is my Shepherd because He has forgiven my sins and iniquities through His precious blood. He is my Shepherd because He has baptized me in His Spirit. He is my Shepherd because He performs miracles for me. He is my Shepherd because He comforts me. He is my Shepherd because He heals me by His stripes. He is my Shepherd because He sticks to me as a friend. He is my Shepherd because He protects me from my enemies, accidents and diseases.
When my beloved mother and my beloved father-in-law (both entered glory) were on their deathbeds, I uttered this verse into their ears and asked them to repeat this verse so as to strengthen their faith despite their bodily weaknesses.
If I get the revelation of Jesus as “the Lord my Shepherd”, I shall not want in any thing in this life. I need not go to God with a begging bowl in my hand because the Lord my Shepherd provides all my needs as I am His sheep. As His sheep, I feel His abiding presence, His healing touch, His warmth protection, and hear His words of love and of comfort. As my Shepherd, He feeds my family and me daily both with physical and spiritual food.
Let your children who are not successful in their education/career confess through their mouth, “The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want”.
Let the rulers of your nation not depend upon their might for protection but confess, “The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want” so that your nation can be saved from terrorism or war.
Dear pastor, let your congregation confess, “The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want” so that they can reap great harvests of blessings from God.
Dear evangelist, present Jesus as “The Lord my Shepherd” to the lost. The whole gospel is summarized in this verse because Jesus, the good Shepherd had come in search of the lost and had laid down His life on the Cross for His sheep.
- Job Anbalagan