When Timothy Leary, the noted proponent of spiritual awakening through the taking of hallucinogenic drugs, died, a radio station reported on his life and death. One of the quotes was Leary saying, “If the Lord is our shepherd, what does that make us?” There was a pause for dramatic effect, then Leary stated simply, “Baa.”
His message was very clear. Leary did not want to think of himself as a brainless sheep, unable to care or think for himself. He wanted to be more.
While it’s true the Bible does refer to people as lost sheep without a shepherd (cf. Numbers 27:16-17; Matthew 9:36) and that Jesus refers to His followers as sheep (cf. John 10:1-18), the focus is not on the shortcomings of the sheep. Rather, it is a recognition that people need help. We need guidance and direction from One who has our best interests at heart.
It should come as no surprise that David would write, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” David was himself a shepherd in his early days. The first mention of David in the Bible, it says, “There is still the youngest (meaning David) . . . but he is tending the sheep” (1 Samuel 16:11b). Being familiar with the duties of a shepherd, no doubt David had a keen awareness of the importance of providing for the flock.
I’ve always imagined the writing of Psalm 23 as taking place on a hill overlooking a flock of sheep. David, watching the flock, becomes inspired to write one of the most familiar lines of the Bible, and one of its most loved psalms. As David wrote, he wrote from the perspective of one who is a conscientious shepherd.
As we look at the psalm, it becomes obvious how David praises God as shepherd. David acknowledges that God, as our Shepherd, has the interests of the flock at hand. The Shepherd cares for the physical needs of the flock, seeing that the place for grazing is nourishing, and the place for drinking is safe for the sheep who are not known for their swimming abilities.
David lauds God for spiritual restoration and for guidance, recognizing that God understands the world will view Him according to the way He tends His sheep. God’s care provides for us as we encounter difficult times, and He provides the correction and discipline necessary for us as we travel life’s journey.
The rod and the staff were used more for directing the sheep, used to poke and prod, to block errant ways, rather than to strike or harm the sheep. The writer of Hebrews understood the need for discipline, writing, “Endure hardship as discipline,; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? . . . God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in His holiness” (Hebrews 12:7,10b).
Jesus takes the same idea in John 10, referring to Himself the gate through which the sheep enter their pen. “I am the gate; whoever enters through Me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture” (10:9). Jesus then shifts from being the protective gate to being the Shepherd, willing to lay down His life for the sheep (cf. v.11). Being the good Shepherd, Jesus has a relationship with His flock—“I know My sheep and My sheep know Me” (v. 14a). Jesus tells us that His sheep know His voice.
Conclusion
David understood that the reference to God as a Shepherd was not a slam against those who follow Him. Rather, it was an attestation to God’s gracious qualities that He demonstrates in the way He treats us—nurturing, caring, guiding, enabling. Jesus takes the same concept and emphasizes His sacrifice for the flock—He repeatedly refers to His laying down His life for the sheep.
Sure, we can interpret the Bible to refer to followers as mindless “sheeple,” blinding doing and saying things because we have been trained to do and say them. But that isn’t the case. Once we understand the relationship of reconciliation God initiated through His Son Jesus Christ and that He perpetuates through the indwelling presence of His Holy Spirit, we can see that God as Shepherd is a comfort and an encouragement.
© 2019 Glynn Beaty