The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
Psalm 23:1
Reflect
Sheep are fully dependent on their shepherds. Sheep don’t hunt. It’s the shepherd’s responsibility to find food and water. Sheep can’t defend themselves from hungry predators, but rely on the shepherd to protect them. When they’re under the care of a good shepherd, sheep have everything they need.
From a sheep’s point of view, there is every reason to be content. Yet in rural areas where sheep are common, it’s not unusual to see sheep wandering outside their pasture. You will find them walking along busy roads, stuck in marshy ground, or standing on rocky cliffs with no clue how to get back down. Apparently the old saying is true – to a sheep, the grass looks greener on the other side.
People are not so different. Contentment can feel hard to come by, and our modern world doesn’t promote it. We are led to believe that we need something new, different, and better to be truly happy. We can become insatiable in our longings from the minor to the major. A new shampoo will improve our appearance, a new car will impress our friends, a new spouse will fulfill our every desire. But when we look to the Good Shepherd for true and eternal satisfaction, we can find rest for our discontented souls.
Yet, there are times in life when David’s assertion that “I lack nothing” feels false. How can you claim you have all you need when you’ve lost a loved one to a deadly virus, your sole source of income to a “stay at home” order, or lack the physical presence of people you love?
If David had lived a bliss-filled life we might be able to accuse him of being naïve. But the Bible records times of tremendous struggle and loss in David’s life. Even after he’d been chosen by God and anointed king, he spent decades on the run from King Saul who was determined to murder him. Saul not only pursued David, but executed those who helped him (1 Samuel 22). David knew what it was like to lack safety, security, and justice.
David was hardly circumspect about how hard this time in his life was. He never pretended or put on a façade. He poured out his heart to God and begged him to act.
Psalm 54 records one of his pleas during Saul’s pursuit:
Save me, O God, by your name;
vindicate me by your might.
Hear my prayer, O God;
listen to the words of my mouth.
Arrogant foes are attacking me;
ruthless people are trying to kill me—
people without regard for God. (Psalm 54:1–3)
Yet the Psalm goes on to express David’s steadfast faith in the goodness and provision of God.
Surely God is my help;
the Lord is the one who sustains me.
Let evil recoil on those who slander me;
in your faithfulness destroy them.
I will sacrifice a freewill offering to you;
I will praise your name, Lord, for it is good.
You have delivered me from all my troubles,
and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes. (Psalm 54:4–7)
David turned to God in his fear and frustration. He sought help from the one who sustains all life, deliverance from the one who is mighty to save, and justice from the one who is righteous. At times when he felt lack, David turned to God to be satisfied.
Nowhere is that more apparent than Psalm 63. This Psalm was written during another dark time in David’s life when he was again on the run, this time fleeing his own son who sought to take his throne. Yet David had come to a place in his life where what he most longed for was God himself.
You, God, are my God,
earnestly I seek you;
I thirst for you,
my whole being longs for you,
in a dry and parched land
where there is no water.
I have seen you in the sanctuary
and beheld your power and your glory.
Because your love is better than life,
my lips will glorify you.
I will praise you as long as I live,
and in your name I will lift up my hands.
I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods;
with singing lips my mouth will praise you. (Psalm 63:1–5)
David experienced God’s power and love and found satisfaction. All of us were created to live in a relationship with God, and our deepest need is met in him. In Christ, we are given the Holy Spirit who dwells inside every believer. Our God is with us, and his presence is something we never lack, even in the darkest of days. God sustains us every moment.
While on the run from Saul, David was a king without palace or throne. He had been anointed king, but was not yet experiencing that promise. In some ways, we are in the same situation. We have been adopted into God’s family and are his heirs, yet we are not yet experiencing all our future reality will offer — a life without pain, suffering, or even momentary lack. Yet because we trust in the God who keeps his promises, we can always turn to him in hope. He is with us.
There is no trial on earth that we go through alone. Our God is good and we can trust him to care for us. We can say with David, “The Lord is my shepherd; I lack nothing.”
What fears or frustrations are most troubling you right now? Where are you feeling lack?
Pray
If you are suffering from loss or fear, pour your heart out to God. Be honest with him about your struggles and doubts. Yet also praise him for his goodness. Even in our darkest days, we can find evidence of his love and blessing. Look to the example David provides. Look to the love God showed you through Jesus on the cross. As the Psalmist says, “Put your hope in God alone, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God” (Psalm 42:5).
