Psalm 23:1
“A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.”
This verse is an oasis for all of us children of God. Perhaps may pinagdadaanan kang pagsubok sa buhay, maybe in your family, work, or church ministry, let me share with you a verse that gives encouragement to me that will you increase your trust in our God Yahweh in Jesus’ name.
One of the famous Psalms of David can be found in chapter 23. There are three staggering and powerful truths in this chapter that we can learn from David.
David Knows the Name of the LORD “Yahweh”
David opens the verse by acknowledging the name of God and showing his relationship with Him. The proper name of God (Yahweh) is translated here in English as “LORD” (all caps). God has a proper name, and His name is “YAHWEH”. It is critical to know the name of God, for our worship of Him doesn’t count if we do not know Him personally. Knowing His Holy name is one of the ways to give our respect and reverence to our God.
Imagine someone giving you credits and praises, or saying words of love and honor, or asking for your help but he or she does not know your name, that’s absurd, isn’t it?
David knows the name of His God. How can we call on Him and give Him worship if we don’t know even His name? Ps. 116:17 says, “To You I shall offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving and call upon the name of the LORD”.
In our Filipino culture the word “Bahala” came from the term “Bathala” which means “Supreme being above all” or “Creator”. That’s why sometimes we utter the words “bahala na” when we are in trouble as an expression of our dependence and surrender to “Bathala” for our fortune and destiny. However, this idea is a generic approach to God.
In Islam, the “supreme creator” is called “Allah” to address their god. This too is a generic term to acknowledge the “unknown creator god”. But in the Bible, we have the specific name of God – and that is “Yahweh”. In short, knowing God’s name is a non-negotiable for our worship of Him because we do not worship a generic god, but a specific and personal God named Yahweh.
David has an Intimate Relationship with the LORD Shepherd
Another thing that we can see here is that David has an intimate relationship with Yahweh. Notice the phrase “My Shepherd”. Is it a selfish term? Certainly not. For the Lord wants us to desperately cling to Him as a sign of our utmost dependence on Him and love for Him. It may sound obsess yet that is the right attitude for God because David did not want another god unless it is Yahweh and only Yahweh as his only God.
Do we treat Yahweh as our only God? Do we have a dependent attitude towards God? Maganda sa tagalog “pangungunyapit” (strong grip and embrace) heart to God. Don’t be discouraged, we are all in the process of growth on this part for Christ is in us.
Further, David pictured Yahweh as his “Shepherd”. A shepherd is a “feeder”. The chief task of a shepherd is to feed the flock and to make sure that his flock is well-fed, cared for, and safe. By nature, sheep are vulnerable to harm, and they are helpless.
Therefore, Yahweh will make sure that His flock will have food and will be cared for and nurtured. Everything that they need for their own good is well covered by their Shepherd (Yahweh). The implication is we are the sheep and a member of the flock of God.
But how?
John 1:12 shows how, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name”. It is only through Christ that we became “children” or “sheep” of God Yahweh. It is only through faith in Christ alone that we can call upon the name of Yahweh as our shepherd. No other way and no other name except in Christ alone.
David Trusts the LORD for Everything
David said, “I shall not want”. What does he mean by those words? Going back to the first two points, since he had a personal relationship with Yahweh the Creator of all things, and knew that he was one of the sheep of his Shepherd Yahweh, David has no doubt about his economic, spiritual, and physical status like many of us today.
He is confident that his God will provide everything that he needs according to God’s will. What else do you need if Yahweh is our Shepherd? We have everything because Yahweh is our God.
Perhaps there are times we feel that God doesn’t care for us because we don’t have the things that we like. But it doesn’t mean that God doesn’t care for us.
Remember, there are moments when God is allowing hard times for us to grow in patience and dependence on Him and trust in His will. The Shepherd knows us very well and knows everything better than anyone we know.
The sheep’s task is to obey and depend on the Shepherd.
Whether we know it or not, we have everything because Christ is in us. Christ makes us His co-heirs of His glory “and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him” (Rom. 8:17).
May you continue to know, be intimate with, and truth our God Yahweh in Jesus’ name.