For generations, the Rebanks family has tended sheep in Northern England. In his remarkable book The Shepherd’s Life, James Rebanks recounts how their family cut a farm out of marginal acreage overrun by rushes and thistles. Only hearty shepherds can do this type of work. The Rebanks work hard to keep their Herdwick sheep alive through the long, dark winters when ice and cold threaten and grazing is sparse. Year round, they strive to defend the sheep from disease and fight off predators. They watch over the Herdwick with relentless diligence, tender affection, and grueling tenacity. The Rebanks, like most shepherds, are doggedly caring and generous, giving all they have for their sheep.
James Rebanks’ account dismantles any idyllic, romantic vision we might have of tending sheep. Shepherds don’t spend their days merely frolicking through the lush countryside, doting on cute creatures. They stand at the brink of danger. Consider the world of Psalm 23. This well-known prayer and the comfort it offers presents one basic truth: the Shepherd watches over us.
“The LORD is my shepherd,” the psalmist says, “I lack nothing” (23:1). This line provides the foundation on which the rest of the psalm—and our entire lives—rests. These words don’t ignore the grim realities most of us face. Rather, these comforting words announce a bare assertion: Because we have a good Shepherd, we possess everything we need. Our Shepherd guides us into verdant green pastures and alongside quiet, healing waters. He refreshes our weary, sorrowful, and anxious souls.
Unfortunately, it’s still true that we must, as the psalmist says, “walk through the valley of the shadow of death” (V. 4 KJV). And yet, even here we rebuff fear—not because we have everything under control but because we have encountered the Shepherd whose reliable, faithful presence consumes every dread. “I will fear no evil,” the psalmist says, “for you are with me” (V. 4).
In the past two weeks, I received a desperate message from a friend who was rushing her husband to the hospital with a life-threatening illness. I had a conversation with another friend who was about to lose his apartment because he couldn’t pay the rent. I watched the news, along with the rest of the world, as COVID-19 threatened the life we knew. Everywhere, so many of us are in need of real help, and yet, even with genuine terrors, the psalmist tells us that we do not need to fear.
We need not fear because we have a Shepherd who’s both kind and powerful. His rod and His staff comfort us (V. 4). The staff (a hook used to pull a wayward sheep from the cliff’s edge) and the rod (a club used to beat away predators) reveal how the Shepherd is at once tender and formidable.
Moreover, our Shepherd provides a feast in the midst of our troubles. He provides abundance—giving more than we need (V. 5). Our Shepherd always watches out for our well-being, pursues us with relentless care, and fends off all evils.
The early believers in Jesus understood Psalm 23 to point to Jesus, the true Shepherd. We don’t have to simply read ancient writers to make this connection. Jesus connected the dots Himself. “I am the good shepherd,” He said (JOHN 10:11). Everything the shepherd is in Psalm 23, Jesus is for us now. Because He’s our good Shepherd, we have everything we need. Jesus brings us into rest. He restores our broken hearts. He carries us through the middle of the valley of the shadow of death (not around it, but through it). When we go astray, Jesus is gentle and kind and tender. When the enemy prowls, baring ravenous fangs, our Shepherd is powerful and unrelenting.
If we want to know what Jesus is like, one way we find out is by discovering what the psalm’s shepherd is like. Jesus is faithful, never abandoning us. He’s generous, always providing for us. He’s wise, always knowing what we truly need. Jesus is tender, caring for our trembling hearts. He’s powerful, defending us from whatever threatens to harm us (even the things within us that threaten to undo us). Jesus is relentless, pursuing us with love until our final breath.
In Israel today, shepherds often sleep near their sheep, watching over them throughout the night. Often, shepherds still carry a rod to ward off predators. Shepherds have a unique call, an intimate signal that lets the sheep know they’re near. Once in Israel, I watched the shepherds in wonder. Their skill, their swiftness, their knowledge of the sheep and the countryside inspired me. Their tenderness toward their flocks and their keen readiness to jump to action at the first sight of menace were comforting. The sheep were at peace, safe in the care of their shepherd.
And so are we. –Winn Collier, Our Daily Bread author
Our Daily Bread Ministries in Indonesia is supported by the freewill offering of individuals in Indonesia, who through their gifts enable us to continue to bring the life-changing wisdom of the Bible to many here. We are not funded by any church or organisation.
