A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23

by Phillip Keller

As you reads through Psalm 23 you can’t help but be in wonder about the shepherd- Sheep relationship. For a very long time the passage never made much sense to me. I could pick out the obvious themes, but how do those tie in with being a sheep in God’s flock?

The world we live in does not understand the role of a Shepard. However, during bible times just about everyone worked with their land and understood the workings of a farm. Even if you lived in a great city and were a maker of tents, you knew the relationship between a shepherd and his sheep. It was common knowledge. This is one reason why God explains our relationship with Him this way so many times (Psalm 23, Jesus as the Good Shepard, et al.). When we read these passages we often only get minimal benefit from them.

Early in his life Phillip Keller (author) was a shepherd, and the practice of a shepherd hasn’t changed for thousands of years. Keller has compiled his knowledge and thoughts about this magnificent relationship in a great book. He gives us insights into the relationship and helps us look more closely at our relationship to God.

Do I really belong to Him? Do I really recognize His right to me? Do I respond to His authority and acknowledge His ownership? Do I find freedom and complete fulfillment in this arrangement? Do I sense a purpose and deep contentment because I am under His direction? Do I know rest and repose, besides a definite sense of exciting adventure, in belonging to Him? If so, then with genuine gratitude and exaltation I can exclaim proudly, just as David did, "The Lord is my Shepherd!" and I’m thrilled to belong to Him, for it is thus that I shall flourish and thrive no matter what life may bring me.

The Editors do not advocate everything taught by the authors of the books we review. Like us, these authors are fallible humans and those who choose to read these books should measure them by the bible, the one true standard.