I recently re-read a notable book from my library collection. It’s called “A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23” by Phillip Keller. Drawing on his own extensive experience as a sheep farmer in East Africa, Keller brings the rich imagery of Psalm 23 to life, revealing its deeper spiritual truths through the eyes of a shepherd’s knowledge of his flock. Keller interprets the imagery of Psalm 23 into a tangible and relatable experience for us. For Christians in western part of the world today, we do not know what shepherd-sheep relationship mean. He explains that the “Lord is my Shepherd” isn’t merely a poetic imagery, but a practical reality for the well-being of the sheep and shows how God as our Good Shepherd guides and provides for us.

Keller’s book provides a solid foundation for how Christians today should trust the Lord Jesus as the Good Shepherd. Here are some insights that I have gleaned from the book:

1. A need for absolute dependence on Jesus the Good Shepherd: Just as Keller demonstrates the sheep’s utter dependence on the shepherd for survival, Christians must embrace their absolute reliance on Jesus. We are prone to wander, get lost, and fall into danger on our own. Just as sheep cannot survive without a shepherd, believers cannot survive without Christ. True security and peace come from consciously submitting to His guidance and provision.

2. An assurance to complete trust in the goodness and love of the Shepherd: Jesus, the Good Shepherd, doesn’t just care for His sheep. He “lays down His life for the sheep” (John 10:11). This is the ultimate expression of His love. We should trust Him wholly because He has proven His love by sacrificing everything for our salvation on the cross. This trust should lead to a surrender of our wills, knowing His plans for us are always good.

3. A challenge to learn how to discern and listen to His Voice: Keller emphasizes that sheep learn to recognize their shepherd’s voice remarkably well. Similarly, Christians are called to know and follow the voice of Jesus, found primarily in His Word (the Bible) and through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. God’s voice brings peace and direction when we choose to listen to Him rather than competing voices in the world.

4. A comfort in knowing that the Good Shepherd will always seek rest for me: In a restless and anxious world, we are called to find our true rest in Jesus, our Shepherd. This means trusting Him with our worries, surrendering our need for control, and allowing Him to lead us to “still waters” of peace and contentment, even when we face life’s storms.

5. A promise of reward for faithful under-shepherds by the Chief Shepherd: Keller’s insights into the shepherd’s role also speak of the vital importance of faithful spiritual leaders in the church. Pastors are God’s appointed “under-shepherds” (1 Peter 5:2-4), called to care for God’s flock. When they are faithful, they are promised rewards in heaven when the Chief Shepherd appears, known as “the unfading crown of glory.” Being faithful has to do with “exercising oversight not under compulsion but voluntarily,” “not for sordid gain but with eagerness,” and “being an example to the flock” and not lording it over them.

In summary, “A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23” calls Christians to a deeper, more profound trust in Jesus Christ as their loving, providing, and protecting Shepherd. It also highlights the important call for spiritual leadership within the church, reminding us of the immense blessing of faithful pastors who sacrificially serve as under-shepherds, knowing their ultimate reward comes from the Chief Shepherd Himself.