Psalm 32:1 |
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| 2637 [e] | 3808 [e] | 7462 [e] | 3068 [e] | 1732 [e] | 4210 [e] |
| ’eḥ·sār. | lō | rō·‘î, | Yah·weh | lə·ḏā·wiḏ; | miz·mō·wr |
אֶחְסָֽר׃ |
לֹ֣א |
רֹ֝עִ֗י |
יְהוָ֥ה |
לְדָוִ֑ד |
מִזְמ֥וֹר |
| I shall want | not | my shepherd | Yahweh [is] | of David | A Psalm |
I was recently discussing Psalm 23:1 with a friend, specifically the ‘want’ aspect of “I shall not want”. If ‘want’ is seen as desire, it would be as if the writer does not want a shepherd. Want here is not related to desire but need or insufficiency; chaser – חָסֵר – to lack, need, be lacking, decrease – khaw-sare’,
The archetypal Shepherd is used through the Bible as the one who cares for the sheep, people. This is said of God and His kings. In Jesus of Nazareth we have the King of Kings and the Good Shepherd in the anointed Christ.
“The LORD is my shepherd I shall not want” is stating that God is the shepherd who provides for all of our needs and protection. Calling Jesus the good shepherd in the New Testament, links Jesus directly to YHWH,
- Matthew 2:6 ‘But you, Bethlehem,in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah, for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of My people Israel.’”
- Hebrews 13:20 Now may the God of peace,who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, 21 equip you with every good thing to do His will. And may He accomplish in us what is pleasing in His sight through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen
- Matthew 26:31Then Jesus said to them,“This very night you will all fall away on account of Me. For it is written: ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’
- John 10:15 just as the Father knows Me and I know the Father. And I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them in as well, and they will listen to My voice. Then there will be one flock and one shepherd. 17 The reason the Father loves Me is that I lay down My life in order to take it up again
- Revelation 7:16 Never again will they hunger, and never will they thirst; nor will the sun beat down upon them, nor any scorching heat. 17 For the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd. He will lead them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’”
- Matthew 25:31 When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
- John 10:11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. 12The hired hand is not the shepherd, and the sheep are not his own. When he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf pounces on them and scatters the flock. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired servant and is unconcerned for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know My sheep and My sheep know Me, 15 just as the Father knows Means I know the Father. And I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them in as well, and they will listen to My voice. Then there will be one flock and one shepherd
- Matthew 9:35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness. 36 When He saw the crowds, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
- Mark 6:34 When Jesus stepped ashore and saw a large crowd, He had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And He began to teach them many things.
- Mark 14:26 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. 27 Then Jesus said to them,“You will all fall away, for it is written: ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’
- I Peter 6:4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.
Calling a king a shepherd is somewhat common in the ancient world. I have added a few examples below.
Additional Ancient Texts
- “Shalmanesar I -118 Shepherd, duly appointed whose name is Anu and Bel, named for the days to come, am I; of an ancient line (everlasting seed), one who knows the gods” Old Assyrian Text
- “Tukulti-Urta, king of the universe, the great king, the king of Assyria, favorite of Assur, priest of Assur….”
- “Tiglath-Pileser I – 217 – Tilgath-Pileser, the beloved prince, the desire of your hearts, the exulted shepherd ….”
- “Crook, heka Originally a shepherd’s staff it became a symbol of power carried by pharaohs and high officials”
- The symbol for Pharaoh was a shepherd crook and flail.
- “From as far back as the Mesopotamian story of the goddess Ishtar’s release from the Underworld and her replacement by the shepherd god Dumuzi” Life and Society in the Hittite World
- Of the Yellow Emperor “He obtained the treasured tripods, met the sun’s motions and calculated by means of the tallies. He appointed Feng Hou (Lord Wind), Limu (Strong Shepherd), Changxian (Ever First), and Dahong (Grand Goose) to regulate the people.” Yellow Emperor 2698–2598 BCE (mythical)
- “In Greek mythology, Endymion[a] (/ɛnˈdɪmiən/; Ancient Greek: Ἐνδυμίων, gen.: Ἐνδυμίωνος) was variously a handsome Aeolian shepherd, hunter, or king who was said to rule and live at Olympia in Elis.” Wiki