“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want,” verse 1.

Where and when David was when he wrote this psalm is unknown. However, we know where his thoughts carried him — back to those days when he had the duty of looking after the sheep.

Being the youngest boy in the family, it fell to him to look after the sheep. His brothers thought very little of David, 1 Sam 17:28. 

His father didn’t think too highly of David either. 1 Sam 16:10-11. The Lord had a different view of the lad. He commanded Samuel “Arise, anoint him: for this is he,” 1 Sam 16:12.

* From that day David was a changed lad. “The Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward,” 1 Samuel 16:13. 

* Though anointed king, he was still humbly looking after his father’s sheep, 1 Sam 17:28.

* David’s days as a shepherd prepared him to be king. 2 Sam 24:17. He calls his people ‘sheep’ in a shepherd-like manner.

* David’s days as a shepherd taught him about the Lord. “The LORD is my shepherd.” He saw, to a much greater degree, the care and love that he should have for his flock in the Lord’s care of him.

A. He followed the sheep. 2 Sam 7:8. He did not leave them on their own. He ‘followed’ the sheep. (Hebs 13:5)

B. He fed the sheep. “And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father’s sheep,” 1 Sam 17:34. ‘Kept’ - Gen 29:7 ‘feed’.

C. He defended his sheep. 1 Sam 17:34-36. He put himself between the danger and the flock. He counted them as precious. Speaks of Calvary where the Saviour snatched us from the jaws of death and damnation.

1. PLEASE NOTE THE CONFIDENCE DAVID HAD REGARDING HIS SOUL’S SALVATION. 

“The LORD is my shepherd.” ‘IS’ is but a small word but it means a lot!

2. HE WAS CONFIDENT OF HIS TOTAL WELLBEING!

“I shall not want.” SHALL is but a small word also, but oh what meaning is there.