Why sheep? Why does the Bible refer to sheep so many times, more than any other animal? Sheep were very important in Biblical times and people were familiar with them. Sheep were valuable. They were desired. God desires us and thinks we are valuable. He loves and believes we are important enough to send his Son to die for us (John 1:29).
Sheep Gather Together
Sheep are animals that prefer to flock together. They understand there is safety in numbers. Sheep have few natural defenses. They understand the importance of gathering together. For us as Christians we are as needy of each other as sheep are. As 1 Thessalonians 5:11 reminds us, we are to comfort and edify one another. Edify means to instruct and improve in moral and religious knowledge. We gain comfort from each other. We share how God has blessed us, how God has worked in our lives. This helps us to follow Him. This helps us not to stray.
Sheep Need Protection
The shepherd helps the flock stay together by using his rod and staff. His rod is for defending the sheep, and also for prodding and directing them. His staff is used to pull the sheep away from harm. The shepherd will die for his sheep if need be (John 10:11).
We Christians need prodding, we need directing. If we are left to our own devises we might run straight into danger. Our Lord defends us with His Holy Spirit and with His Word. He reminds us of the direction we should go. Just as shepherds would die defending their flocks from harm, so Christ died for us to lead us to safety, to eternal life with Him. God is our refuge. He has compassion on us because we are like sheep without a shepherd (Matthew 9:36).
Sheep Recognize Their Shepherd
Sheep recognize the voice of their caretaker. They remember that the shepherd has protected them in the past, that he has provided for their needs. They follow the shepherd because he keeps them on a good path to good grazing and safety. John 10:27 tells us that if we are God's sheep we will hear His voice and we will follow him. As Christians we hear Christ speak to us through our Bible, through our pastor and our friends, who love Him and who love us. There is no limit to how God can speak to us, and when He does, we don't doubt whose voice we are hearing.
All We Like Sheep
Sheep tend to act in unison. They follow each other. If one finds a nice field to graze, they all do. If one finds a cliff to fall off of, they all do.
"All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all." Isaiah 53:6
We should follow the crowd only when the shepherd is leading. If the crowd goes a different way, we need to listen for our shepherd's voice. If we get too far away we may not be able to hear His voice as well.
Sheep Need Still Waters
Sheep don't like rushing water in streams. They are afraid of it. They will literally die of thirst before drinking from a rushing stream. They look for calm waters, still waters. They don't care if the still water is contaminated and dirty. They have to be shown clean, good water. In Psalm 23:2, the Lord is compared to a shepherd who leads us beside still waters.
In the Bible, water symbolizes life. It represents the waters of our Baptism. It is refreshing. It is lifegiving. Sheep can easily drown in rushing water. They even need help to find healthy clean water. The water the shepherd leads them to is always healthy and lifegiving. The world can overwhelm us at times. It can make us feel like we are drowning, but with God's help we can find life in Him.
Restored Sheep
As Psalm 23 continues, in verse 3, David tells us that the clean water and the green pastures, the good food, restores the sheep. Our shepherd renews us with his Holy Spirit. He gives us the good life which lies in righteousness.
The Valley Of Shadows
In verse 4 we read,
"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. "
Oftentimes the shepherd would take his sheep through steep valleys filled with dark shadows, on the way to better pastures. Danger lurked in the shadows. The sheep need not fear though because their loving shepherd was there. The rod and the staff were a comfort to them because they were used to protect them and to guide them away from danger. Our Savior never leaves us no matter what trial we find ourselves in. If we follow Him, He will lead us out of that "valley of the shadow of death".
Sometimes God may discipline us for our sin (like a shepherd has to discipline a sheep for getting out of line), but He is there always to comfort us like we would love a child we had to discipline.
We Are Provided For
In verse 5, David describes God preparing a table for us. He says that God anoints us with oil and that our cup is overflowing. The customs of the times required a host to refresh their guests with oil before they sat at table. The shepherd also would feed his sheep and provide water overflowing. God's blessings are beyond our needs. They are generous beyond our comprehension. God will provide for us.
In the final verse of Psalm 23, David says that goodness and mercy will follow him all of his life. Indeed David tells us that he will forever live with the Lord. David doesn't have to worry about being pursued by his enemies, like Saul. He knows now that God's loving kindness will always be with him. And ultimately David knows that he will eternally live with his blessed Shepherd "in the house of the Lord."
Enjoy the Lord's My Shepherd by Stuart Townend
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