In Psalms, chapter twenty-three, verse one, using a figure of speech for understanding, God compares Himself to a shepherd to illustrate His great love for His people. The Lord Jesus Himself also adopted the same example to express His relationship to His people, as in John ten, verses eleven through sixteen, then from the New Testament, Hebrews thirteen, verse twenty, First Peter five, verse four, and Revelation seven, verse seventeen, respectively. There are two truths emphasized here: The first is God, through Christ by the Holy Spirit, is so concerned about each of His children that He desires to love, care for, protect, guide, and be near that child, just as a good shepherd does for his sheep.
Believers are the Lord’s sheep. We belong to Him and are distinctive objects of His affection and attention. Though “All we like sheep have gone astray,” as in Isaiah fifty-three, verse six, the Lord had redeemed us with His shed blood as in First Peter one, verses eighteen to nineteen, and now belong to Him. As His sheep, we can claim the promises of this psalm when we respond to His voice and follow Him. To “not want” means that “I will not lack anything necessary for God’s will to accomplish in my life” and “I will be content in the Good Shepherd’s provision and care of my life, even in times of personal hardship, because I trust in His love and His commitment to me.” In John ten, verses three through five sum up those who allow God to Shepherd them, “To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.”
The theme “The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want” illustrates a sheep that represents the believer, depending upon the shepherd to lead and guide them through each journey of travel, knowing that they will feed us in times of need and not allow anything to harm us. All believers should have the same approach: trusting God in all areas of life.