I Shall Not Want Another

After 66 years of knowing Psalm 23—having memorized it with my mom when I was four years old—I discovered something new in it this morning, proving once again that God’s Word is living and active.

“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.”

What a declaration for God’s children! The Lord is our Shepherd. He will give us all that we need. He will take care of us.

But this morning I heard something more in those familiar words. Does this declaration not also echo the first commandment: You shall have no other gods before Me?

The LORD is my Shepherd. I shall not want another. I do not need another god. I do not need another shepherd. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, is the only One I need.

And isn’t that where the salvation story begins—with believing in and trusting the Good Shepherd?

“He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.”

The Shepherd’s salvation gives us rest. We are no longer at war with God; through Christ, we have peace with Him.

He leads us beside still waters and restores our souls. But the Shepherd does more than simply repair what is broken. Jesus spoke of living water. He promised that those who believe in Him would not only receive this water, but that rivers of living water would flow from within them. John tells us plainly that Jesus was speaking about the Holy Spirit.

Think about that.

The Shepherd brings His thirsty, broken sheep to the water. He refreshes us. He cleanses us. He restores us. But then, by His Spirit, He causes His Living Water to flow from us to others.

“He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.”

The pilgrim’s journey has begun, as we are shaped into the image of our Good Shepherd. We have been made righteous through Christ, yet He continues His work in us throughout our lives, leading us in paths of righteousness.

And notice whose reputation is on the line.

His!

For His name’s sake.

This is His doing. The Shepherd has attached His own name to the work He is accomplishing in and through His sheep. He is faithful, and what He begins, He finishes. 

He who began a good work in us will carry it on to completion.

And notice again who is doing the leading.

He leads me.

The sheep aren’t choosing the route. The Shepherd is. And look where His path takes us next!

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me.”

The righteous path sometimes leads straight into a dark valley.

The Good Shepherd does not promise that His sheep will never enter difficult places. In fact, he tells us to expect it! 

Yet, He promises that He will not abandon us there, nor will we remain there.

Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.

He walks with us through the shadowed paths of life. So we do not need to fear, because He is with us.

“Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”

A shepherd’s rod could be used defensively against predators and thieves. And His staff was used to lead, guide, and rescue the sheep.

What a picture of God’s care for us. Our adversary seeks to steal, kill, and destroy, but our Shepherd protects His sheep. Through His Word and Holy Spirit, He leads us, guides us, corrects us, and brings us back when we wander. The Holy Spirit guides God’s children into truth.

But the journey through difficult places isn’t over.

The Shepherd leads us farther still.

From the green pasture,
to the path of righteousness,
through the darkest valley,
and then right into the presence of our enemies!

“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.”

Notice that the Shepherd doesn’t merely hurry us through enemy territory. He prepares a table there, and we sit down!

As God’s children, we will find ourselves among people—in our workplaces, schools, neighborhoods, and public life—who do not believe as we believe. Some may even be hostile toward our faith.

Yet right there, in their presence, God provides.

He sets the table.
He cares for His sheep.

The surroundings have changed dramatically from the green pastures and still waters, but the Shepherd has not changed.

He is still leading, providing, protecting, and keeping His sheep.

For His name’s sake.

We do not need to live anxiously wondering whether we will have enough. We seek first His kingdom and His righteousness—the very path upon which our Shepherd is leading us—and trust Him to provide what we need.

“You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.”

Even in the presence of our enemies, the Shepherd does not merely give us enough to survive. He provides abundantly. Our heads are anointed with oil, and our cups overflow. We are His welcomed and honored guests, cared for at the table He Himself has prepared.

And then comes one of the most beautiful promises in the Psalm:

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.”

That word follow is stronger than it sounds. The Hebrew carries the idea of pursuing or chasing after.

God’s goodness and mercy don’t merely trail politely behind His sheep.

The Good Shepherd pursues us.
He hunts us down.
He hounds us with His goodness and mercy.

I know, because He did it for me! I was lost and didn’t even know I was lost. I was running away from the Shepherd, but He pursued me. He hounded me and delivered me from a life of meaningless pursuits and debauchery. And He continues His work in me, by His Spirit, mortifying the sin that remains.

And to what end was the Shepherd pursuing me?
 
Home.

“And I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”

Hallelujah!

If this has blessed you, please share it with a friend!

Copyright 2026 S.A. Keith

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