“The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want” (Psalm 23.1). How many times have those words flowed off our tongue as we stood with those who had lost a loved one, just before we lowered them to their final resting place? But what do these words mean? What does a shepherd have to do with me, and why is this passage often read at funerals? As David pens this song, his goal could have been to offer its hearers some comfort- comfort in knowing that, no matter where we go or where our lives take us, the Shepherd is always with us. When we look at the roles that an ancient shepherd played, his primary job was to lead the flock into pastures that offered water, food, and protection. He was to provide for his flock all they would need to thrive in the midst of the most desperate times. When we look at our lives, the most desperate of conditions is death! Even though we may walk through “the shadow of death,” there is no reason for us to fear because He is with us to provide us what we need. We find peace in knowing that the Shepherd will not lead us somewhere He hasn’t already been. Our Lord is the only One that has been to the grave and back, so who better to lead us than the Good Shepherd? He is my Shepherd, and I have no reason to want or need any other!
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