My Shepherd will supply my need; . . .
In pastures fresh he makes me feed,
Beside the living stream.
He brings my wandering spirit back,
When I forsake his ways;
And leads me, for his mercy’s sake,
In paths of truth and grace.1
These words penned by Isaac Watts in the 18th century still comfort the weary soul today. Who has not wandered from wisdom’s path? Who has not felt the need for mercy? Paraphrased from the beloved 23rd Psalm, the hymn reassures that the Good Shepherd is ever mindful of His sheep: “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness.”2
The message is not that bad things will never happen to us, but rather that we will not have to face bad things alone.
Even in dark hours, the Good Shepherd knows His sheep and the path they trod. And the sheep know the Good Shepherd. They trust Him. They’ve felt His gentle touch. They’ve heard His loving voice. They know His loyal and unchangeable heart. They know that when danger comes, He will not desert them. He will stand with them and defend them. 3
Like sheep, sometimes we go astray and get off the course that leads to peace and happiness. Even then, we are not alone. The Good Shepherd is willing to search even for “the one” who is lost. [4] Because of His watchful care, we can resolve with the Psalmist: “I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. . . . Goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.”5
Program #4048
1 “My Shepherd Will Supply My Need,” The Covenant Hymnal: A Worshipbook (1996), no. 91.
2 Psalm 23:2–3.
3 See John 10:11–14.
4 See Luke 15:4.
5 Psalm 23:4, 6