Shepherds & Sheep of the Flock - Psalm 23
Throughout the Bible, sheep, shepherds and shepherding are mentioned hundreds of times from the first book, Genesis (4:2) to the last Revelation (12:5). Abraham, Moses and King David were shepherds. In Jesus` day, shepherding was a vital occupation. Jesus referred to Himself as the "Good Shepherd" and often used the qualities of a shepherd to teach important lessons. (John 10:2-4, 11)
With our western farming methods, our ideas of shepherds
and sheep sadly can miss the richness of the stories we read. Their management in Israel and the Middle East is very
different from what we expect here in the U.K. - even today.
These reflections aim to give new insights into well known
verses to enhance our relationship with the Good Shepherd.
We will walk with Psalm 23, but not stop there....
David’s poetic praise to God
The Lord is my best friend and my shepherd.
I always have more than enough.
He offers a resting place for me in his luxurious love.
His tracks take me to an oasis of peace, the quiet
brook of bliss.
That’s where he restores and revives my life.
He opens before me pathways to God’s pleasure
and leads me along in his footsteps of righteousness
so that I can bring honour to his name.
Lord, even when your path takes me through
the valley of deepest darkness,
fear will never conquer me, for you already have!
You remain close to me and lead me through it all the way.
Your authority is my strength and my peace.
The comfort of your love takes away my fear.
I’ll never be lonely, for you are near.
You become my delicious feast
even when my enemies dare to fight.
You anoint me with the fragrance of your Holy Spirit;
you give me all I can drink of you until my heart overflows.
So why would I fear the future?
For your goodness and love pursue me all the days of my life.
Then afterward, when my life is through,
I’ll return to your glorious presence to be forever with you!
Passion Version
2 versions of Psalm 23
Fresh readings can aid
being open to new thoughts
along with walking and working with Middle Eastern shepherds today in the hills around Jerusalem, Jericho
and in Nazareth
Psalm 23 A psalm of David.
The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil, for you are with me;
your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
New International Version
As we commence our journey, recognise that Middle Eastern land portrayed in the Bible is very different from what we see here in the west or great ranches in Australia or the Americas. The land is rocky. Lush vegetation scarce. Variety of sheep even look different, and what we might think of as modern farming methods are non existent.
Come, join me at Neot Kedumin - meaning `ancient pastures` - as we seek to find hidden treasures. ,
The Lord is My Shepherd,
The word "Shepherd" is linked to the name of God. - Jehovah Rohi.
Names have meanings. They reveal the nature
and character of God - who He is and what
He wants to do in our lives.
"Jehovah" is often linked with another word which reveals to us the reasons why "I shall not want."
Psalm 23:1, Jehovah Rohi - The Lord is my shepherd.
Gen. 22:13,14 - Jehovah Jireh - The Lord will provide.
Exodus 15:26, - Jehovah Rapha - The Lord that heals.
Judges 6:24, - Jehovah Shalom - The Lord our Peace.
Jeremiah 23:6 - Jehovah Tsidkenu - The Lord our Righteousness.
Ezekiel 48:35 - Jehovah Shammah - The Lord ever present.
Exodus 17:8-15 - Jehovah Nissi - The Lord our banner.
His sufficiency for His people demonstrates that we `shall not want`.
Each of these attributes are mentioned in Psalm 23
REFLECT
Are you drawn towards any specific one of these God - attributes at the moment?
The Lord is my shepherd,
My guide, my satnav, my personal trainer, my leader, my mentor, my pace-maker .....
The one I look to...
Give thanks, and seek to be open to Him speaking as you read this reflection.
Prayer - Father, thank You for being my Shepherd, the One who leads my life. Stand on the hillsides where I can see You. Don’t let me miss You.
v,1, The Jewish word commonly used for “shepherd” is taken from the root word ra‘ah, which is also the Hebrew word for “best friend.” This immediately conveys intimacy.
Reflect and listen to what God wishes to convey to you as you read these verses and expand your understanding of shepherds and sheep in the Middle East with your best friend, the Lord - Jesus - Rohi.
I shall not want
The physical land is rough and stony, with little grass till the short
rain fall season or early morning dew brings to life little clumps of grass. The shepherd leads the sheep to these areas, along stony paths, so that they can reach the grasses.
The Shepherd meets our needs.
Rather than leading us into green lush pastures where we have everything in abundance, He leads us along paths to little clumps of grass just enough for the day. Tomorrow He will lead to more, supplying our daily need. Some days there will be more, a blessing of abundance and on others just enough.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7
REFLECT
Discontentment abounds. We desperately seek happiness, going to great lengths to find it. What is the secret of contentment as Paul referred to it? Paul was imprisoned at the time and like David, Paul knew how to be content with God no matter the circumstance.
PRAYER
Lord Jesus, you are my Good Shepherd. You give me everything I need and more than I want. All I need in life is you, plus what you choose to give me.
He makes me lie down in green pastures
Watch sheep anywhere in the world and it is likely you will find them standing, grazing. Sheep cannot eat whilst lying down, so to make sure they rest before moving through the desert, sometimes the
Shepherd will make them lie. They are easily frightened and require
the Shepherds presence to rest, be quiet and content, knowing they
are safe from predators, danger and even irritants like pests that the Shepherd will be on the lookout for,
REFLECT
In a world where anxiety, fear, and stress abound, we can choose to dwell on them or we can rest in the Lord. With overwhelming feelings, it can be hard to draw near to the One who shepherds us. We tend to run without knowing what we run from or stand still paralysed with fear. Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit who reassures us that Christ is near, has all things under His control. We do not need to do anything but rest in Him.
Do you believe it? What might help?
for God gave us a spirit not of fear
but of power, love and self control
2 Timothy 1:7
In peace I will both lie down and sleep;
for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.
Psalm 4:8
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
John 10:27
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REFLECT
Do you know His voice, His ways?
How might you improve your listening ear?
Sheep get to know and trust their shepherds. A shepherd can walk amongst them without disturbing a single sheep, while a stranger would cause pandemonium. Sheep develop a relationship with their shepherd that is exclusive. They know the language that outsiders are not privy to. Similarly, a good shepherd can distinguish a bleat of pain from one of pleasure, while the sheep learns the call to follow, or it’s time to go home.
PRAYER
Sometimes this one is hard, Lord. I don’t always want to lie down where and when You lead me to do so. Give me the grace to trust You more. When You lead me to rest, grant me the patience to do so. Even the most difficult places in life are like green meadows as long as you are there; and in the desert seasons of my journey and the drought like conditions of my heart, you quench my thirst with living water and give me a peace that passes all understanding.
He leads me beside quiet waters
Sheep & goats mixed together at a watering hole in Mongolian desert
Sheep don`t like noisy rushing waters. Fast flowing water can soak their fleece making them heavy and unable to escape. So quiet waters are needed to drink their fill.
The Hebrew word menuhâ means “the waters of a resting place." Many people find that walking by water, (river, lake, stream) is very relaxing and refreshing.
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REFLECT
Where is your place of rest where you can hear God clearly?
An ASIDE !
Sheep and goats are less easily distinguished in the Middle East as they are with the western sheep and goats. Flocks and herds are often put together, for the shepherd to lead. However, sheep feed on grass, and the goat will feed and scavenge on anything, climbing rocky areas. They are more independent and strong willed.
The sheep are more compliant listening
for the Shepherd`s direction
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth.
Isaiah 53:7
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.
Matthew 25:32
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The self-willed goat will be judged.
Sheep are not only defenceless and vulnerable to danger, but also trusting reaffirming their need to be shepherded.
But when he saw the multitudes, he was
moved with compassion on them, because
they fainted, and were scattered abroad,
as sheep having no shepherd.
Matthew 9:36
REFLECT Where does your character lie? Any behavioural traits require challenging?
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PRAYER
Lord, thank You for leading me beside still waters to be refreshed, renewed, and restored. Stillness can be challenging for me at times, but I will trust that You know when I need rest and renewal in my life. By your grace I learn to boast in my weakness. For when I come to the end of my strength, you faithfully meet me, granting me rest in my weariness and strength for my tired heart and body.
He refreshes my soul ....
At times sheep stray from their shepherd. But the loving shepherd will leave the fold to find even one lost sheep.
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Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?
Luke 15:4
REFLECT
How do you answer God`s 1st question? - Where are you? (Genesis 3:9)
Sometimes we stray from the Lord, too. We find ourselves in need of God's forgiveness and restoration, which he offers freely to those who return to Him. We can never stray so far that God's long arm of grace can't reach us.
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Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short
to save, or His ear too dull to hear
Isaiah 59:1
PRAYER
Thank You for nourishing me with fresh, quiet waters when I need these things in my life. Thank You that You know what is coming next in my life. You know when I need to rest and when I need to get up and move. I will trust Your perfect timing in
my life. Would You give me the peace to stay beside these still waters until You stand up and lead me forward. As I’m resting, would you deeply restore my soul and reignite my passion for life, for ministry, and for following You wholeheartedly?”
He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.
Looking our across the landscape, worn paths can be seen criss-crossing the land. The shepherd chooses the way, and when ascending hills, the route gradually gains height circling the hill. Each step takes them higher, yet they may feel they are going round in circles. Trust is needed that the path is the correct one, and remaining close to the shepherd to hear his voice calling and reassuring.
REFLECT
This is His path for me right now. Not much I can do about it but trust. How does that make me feel? Am I willing or wanting to go a different route?
The Lord promises to lead us in paths of righteousness, in keeping with everything He represents: holiness, love, faithfulness, wisdom, etc. It is the way to our destination. The shepherd leads his sheep rather than driving them from behind.
Prayer
I am so grateful that you have both marked the path for me, and that you yourself are my Way, Truth and Life. I want to honour your name. Show me the way I should go. Counsel me with Your eye on me. Lead me so clearly, Father. I want to go in the right direction and in the way that honours You most.
As I am to make turns in life, would You let me hear Your voice behind me telling me whether to go to the right or the left?
Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
The wilderness mountains and valleys send dark shadows across the landscape. These places can be uncomfortable for those who enter. In Jesus parable of the Good Samaritan some of the dangers lurking amidst such features are expressed. It is a place that we are to walk through but valleys are places where our vision is reduced, we are hemmed in by steep mountainsides and there is little or no room for others. It is a place of walking without being able to see; a place where the sun rises late and sinks early, a place of darkness and distress.
We rarely embrace the suddenness and contrast in this verse. It is often quoted because we see all around us people walking in, enduring and experiencing this valley that is to them the very dark and real “shadow of death”. How difficult it is to relate this to the purposes of God, to relate this to our Shepherd in whom we are to place our absolute trust. We question, we struggle and we wrestle with the “why?” and the “purposes” of such suffering and often in these experiences we know silence and a seeming sense of aloneness, like the silence of such valley. - But remember who has guided us there - He will not abandon us!
REFLECT
The valley of the shadow of death pictures a deep and dangerous gorge where death seems imminent. In difficulties, how do you picture your location? Can you recognize His presence?
PRAYER
Jesus, you never promised that the journey would be easy, quick, or without seasons and circumstances that are overwhelming; but you have promised never to leave or forsake me, even in the darkest valley. That’s all I need to know—that you are close and that you love me, and that you won’t let anything happen to me outside of your perfect plan for my life. Even when you have to discipline me, the goal is my comfort and always your glory.
I will fear no evil, for you are with me
Our Shepherd is with us. Even in the bleakest, blackest times of life, we don’t have to fear harm because our God is with us. Here in the place of darkness
the emphasis is on the shepherd alongside the sheep and escorting
them through the valley.
REFLECT
The Lord is close in the lowest of times, so no need to fear. Do you trust that God is with you even in the difficult places? When in that place what can you do to press into Him, spending more time in His presence, letting Him love you?
If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead
will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you.
Romans 8:11
PRAYER
Father, the evil around me can be consuming and overwhelming. As I watch the news and look at events happening around me, I can go into panic mode at times. Free me from the fear of evil. Give me victory over the evil that encompasses me and, flood my heart with courage?”
Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
The rod can is used for protection, or as an
extension of the shepherds arm to keep the
sheep in line, give direction and away from
danger. King David may have used such
when fighting the bear and lion. (1 Samuel 17:34-36)
The Lord’s authority over life brings protection and comfort. Whilst walking in the ways of the Lord, His authority and protection are with us. If I step outside of His will, then He may remove that authority and protection for a season, but only to draw me back to Him afresh.
The shepherds rod was like a club that he learnt to throw accurately. If a sheep began to stray towards danger, the rod would be thrown and startle the sheep to re-gather with the flock.
will take note of you as you pass under my rod,
and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant
Ezekiel 20:37
The rod was also used to examine and count the sheep particularly when entering the fold for the night. The sheep would enter one by one, being checked for cuts and barbs caught in their fleece, as the rod counted them in at the entrance. The shepherd will run his skilful hands over the sheep feeling for any sign of trouble. He examines the sheep with care to see if all is well. This is a most searching process entailing every intimate detail. It is a comfort to the sheep for only in this way can its hidden problems be laid bare before the shepherd.
The staff or crook has a similar purpose. It is uniquely an instrument used for the care and management of sheep, to rescue sheep, perhaps dragging them out of a river or a thicket. It is an instrument that shows the concern, and the compassion that a shepherd has for his flock for their "comfort."
Whereas the rod conveys the concept of authority, of power, of discipline, of defence against danger, the "staff" or shepherd`s crook speaks of all that is compassionate and kind. It is a long stick shaped and smoothed with a hook on the end. It aids the shepherd as he leans on it during his travels. As he walks ahead of the flock, his crook hits the ground making a unique sound that the flock learns to know is their shepherd. It can be used to draw a sheep or lamb closer to the shepherd for intimate tending and back to the flock and encourages along the path the shepherd has chosen.
REFLECT
Are you aware of the Rod in use? Whilst showing the shepherds authority, do you see it as a discipline or comfort?
And the Crook? Are you in need of attention and intimacy with the Good Shepherd?
PRAYER
I’m grateful that You fend off any dangers that don’t need to reach me. I can rest securely because I
know that I rest safely in Your care. You hem me in behind and before. Thank You for Your protection.
You prepare a table before me
Here we can taste the victory of faithfulness. We are resourced, at peace, protected.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have
life, and have it to the full.
John 10:10
The higher mountain flat tops are known as "tables". The shepherd will mount a preliminary journey there to check where his flock would be best suited, and prepare the land clearing debris from water holes, opening springs and checking for predators in this wide open area.
In Psalm 23 David portrays the Lord as a gracious host. In a time where hospitality involved more than merely providing a meal for guests. Hospitality was a sacred duty, including the responsibility of protection. As guests of the Lord, we can dine safely, even in the presence of our enemies.
When hard pressed, I cried to the Lord,
He brought me into a spacious place.
The Lord is with me, I will not be afraid.
Psalm 118:5-6
REFLECT
What image comes to your mind when you hear the words, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies”?
Who are your enemies currently?
Is anything preventing living abundantly? This is the place we are being led to. If stuck in the dark valley, what would help you reach the table top?
PRAYER
Jesus, you are taking me to the feast of all feasts—the wedding feast of the Lamb; but long before that day, you, yourself are my portion, banquet and feast, and bread from heaven, my nourishment and satisfaction. Though enemies threaten, you protect me.
You anoint my head with oil
Another ancient custom of a host was to anoint the heads of guests with oil, or as we know from the New Testament, to wash a guests feet, removing the dust and dirt of travel.
The shepherd also anoints the sheep. Though not seriously ill, sheep can get a form of sunstroke in the blazing hot sun, and the oil soothes them. They also pick up irritating flies
and insects that torment their nose, eyes and ears, and can contaminate others in the flock. The oil forms a barrier to protect and act as a salve to bring peace. Oil is a sign of healing grace.
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Call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven.
James 5:14-15
You shall consecrate them so they will be most holy,
and whatever touches them will be holy.
Exodus 30:29
Priests and kings were anointed with oil as a symbol of setting them apart to be holy as God`s chosen vessel to work through as they submit to Him. The oil represents the Holy Spirit as He acts in believers lives to do the work He has called believers to.
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The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim
good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed
Luke 4:18
As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.
1 John 2:27
REFLECT
Are you aware of irritants that disturb your peace? or perhaps you are aware of contamination (sin) that needs dealing with. Seek the Shepherd to deal with the annoyance and find peace.
To be `set apart` is purposeful. What difference is it making to your daily life?
PRAYER
Thank You for knowing when I need a good word, a kind gesture, a phone call, or any other encouraging thing in my life.
Thank You for pouring the fresh oil of hope over my head at just the perfect time. You are a Good Shepherd!
My cup overflows
Time spent with God brings relief from the things that bug us, and helps us become the kind of sheep God has called us to be. The overflowing cup symbolizes God’s open-hearted generosity. The Lord not only supplies our needs but blesses beyond the measure we can contain. You feel so loved, so grateful or so emotional, that it almost feels like it is overflowing out of you.
That time spent with God also makes us aware of the abundance of blessings we have. When we live “the overcoming Christian life,” we experience life to the full. Our cups overflow with blessings.
God is good, God is faithful, God is generous, and God takes care of his sheep.
REFLECT
How has God revealed His abundant provision and love for you? One could probably conclude that David too, had a similar feeling when looking back at how much God had blessed him, led him, guided him and provided for him. His words are saying that ‘God has blessed me so much, that I cannot contain His blessings in anything measured by human understanding, but rather it is pouring out of me.’ Is our expression similar?
PRAYER
You feed me, anoint my life with your grace and Spirit, and cause my cup to spill over with blessings, for the benefit of others.
Father, thank You for being so good to me that my cup runs over. You give me more than I can hold. Use my life to spill out onto a lost world. Use me to encourage, inspire, and uplift others. Give me the courage to share Your goodness with those around me.
Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,
There’s something appealing about being pursued by a loving suitor. There’s something affirming about the idea that someone cares so much about us that they will chase after us. It’s about who or what accompanies us on the journey. A sheep that lives under the care of the Good Shepherd does not journey through life alone, but is followed by the goodness and mercy of the shepherd. The whole psalm has been a testament to the kind of care provided by an attentive shepherd, which is characterized by the presence of goodness and mercy in the life of the sheep.
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REFLECT: Jesus has pursued us - what is our response to Him?
PRAYER
Absolutely nothing will keep me out of the new heaven and new earth; and, just as certainly, nothing can possibly separate me from your goodness and unfailing love, at any time or in any place. I rest in your love and trust in your grace. Jesus, thank you for your promise to never stop pursuing me with your relentless love.
I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
A contented sheep will never seek to leave his Shepherd. David expressed this in other psalms. Such longing for life with God in His house concludes what is perhaps the most well-known and beloved psalm, but is repeated often by David and others in the Psalms.
Lord, I love the house where you live, the place where your glory dwells.
Psalm 26:8
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One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in
the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty
of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.
Psalm 27:4
REFLECT
What drives your heart in life? Are you seeking to be in God`s house moment by moment?
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PRAYER
Lord, thank You for sending Jesus to die in my place. Thank You for reconciling me to Yourself through His sacrifice on the cross. Because of His death, I am invited to dwell with You forever. Thank You for this gift, Lord.
Sequel
King David, formerly a shepherd himself had a beautiful way to
describe the love and commitment of God to his beloved sheep.
As the prophet Isaiah later wrote:
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Like a shepherd He will tend His flock, in His arm He will gather the
lambs and carry them in His bosom; He will gently lead the nursing ewes.
Isaiah 40:11
Whilst seeking to understand the Shepherd and his ways, it is
good to recognise the sheep. Sheep are followers. Following isn’t something sheep have to think about as it’s an instinct. They recognize the humans who work with them regularly, - their smell, and tone of voice. Sheep remember who treat them well— and even more, they remember who handles them harshly. Sheep find safety in numbers, and when grazing, sheep will keep other sheep
in view. They are very social and extroverted animals, for they do
not do well alone, and they value supporting each other by staying together. A lost sheep is a concern because they do not do well alone. With this understanding, and the care portrayed in
Psalm 23, we can reflect on Jesus portrayal of the lost sheep,
going off alone and getting into difficulty.
Truly I tell you, I am
the gate for the sheep.
John 10:7
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Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them.
Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go
after the lost sheep until he finds it?
Luke 15:3
Jesus emphasised in John 10 making a strong claim that he is the gate of the sheep and contrasts the thief and hireling who may act as leaders like the Pharisees, but fail to lead righteously. In light of the Good Shepherd of Psalm 23 we can begin to discern truth.
Truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.
Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.
John 10:1-10
Often the sheep were brought into a pen sharing the space
with other flocks, but as the shepherd calls, they will listen
to His calling them and go to him. The Shepherd calls the
sheep by name which suggests an intimacy for an individual. He knows many sheep, but he singles out one to call to join him. The importance of getting to know his voice is important, and like any voice it takes repetition and a will to learn to
know and respond to it and not follow false calls.
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REFLECT
How well do I know and follow the Shepherd`s voice?
Ezekiel spoke out against those who failed to lead well and caused harm. The people of Israel knew what it meant to have shepherds who did not care for them, to have leaders who let them down. It’s easy for us to
think of those who built themselves up on the backs of the people they were supposed to lead. Leaders who dominated and wounded instead
of healed, and cared for; those who neglected their responsibilities.
Yet we all have spheres of influence where we can lead.
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REFLECT
How well do you tend your sheep? How might you improve their experience of a shepherd?
Prayer
Lord help me to listen to and know your voice that I may come at your call.
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You have not strengthened the weak, you have not healed the sick, you have not bound up the injured, you have not brought back the strayed, you have not sought the lost, but with force and harshness you have ruled them. So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd; and scattered, they became food for all the wild animals. My sheep were scattered, they wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill; my sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth, with no one to search or seek for them.
Ezekiel 34:4-6
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn,
Isaiah 61:1-2
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A passage Jesus himself proclaimed (Luke 4:18) for his ministry as a shepherd
PRAYER
Lord, help me to be a good shepherd to those around me, using Jesus as my example