The Savior calls His people sheep,
And bids them on His love rely;
For He alone their souls can keep,
And He alone their wants supply.

The bull can fight, the hare can flee,
The ant in summer food prepare;
But helpless sheep, and such are we,
Depend upon the shepherd's care.

Jehovah is our Shepherd's name,
Then what have we, though weak, to fear?
Our sin and folly we proclaim,
If we despond while He is near.

When Satan threatens to devour,
When troubles press on every side,
Think on our Shepherd's care and power,
He can defend, He will provide.

See the rich pastures of His grace,
Where in full streams salvation flows!
There He appoints our resting-place,
And we may feel secure from foes.

There, 'midst the flock the Shepherd dwells,
The sheep around in safety lie;
The wolf, in vain, with malice swells,
For He protects them with His eye.

Dear Lord, if I am one of Thine,
From anxious thoughts I would be free;
To trust, and love, and praise, is mine,
The care of all belongs to Thee.
                                 John Newton


The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.  Isa 40:8

    “The Lord is my shepherd.”  Little words are sometimes very important.  Suppose you read it thus, “The Lord is a shepherd;” would it mean just the same to you?  The name shepherd carries in itself all its wondrous revealing of love, tenderness, care, safety, providence, as a picture of God; but what comfort is all this to you, so long as you cannot say, “The Lord is my shepherd”?  Some poor children, passing a beautiful home, with its wealth and luxury, may admire it, and say, “What a lovely home!”  But how much more it means to the children who dwell inside, who say, as they enjoy the good things in the house, “This is our home!”  It makes a great difference to me whether a good man is a worthy friend, or is my friend; whether God is a Father, or is my Father; whether Jesus is a wonderful Saviour, or is my Saviour; whether the Lord is a Shepherd, or is my Shepherd.....
     We must notice here, too, the grounds of David’s confidence.  He was very rich in his old age, when he wrote this psalm; but he does not say, “I have much goods laid up, vast sums of gold, and therefore I shall not want.”  He was a great king and a mighty conqueror, nation after nation had submitted to him, and now the whole Eastern country was at his feet, with its power and wealth; but he does not say, “I am king of vast realms; many peoples own my sway; the resources of great countries are at my disposal, and therefore shall not want.”  To have God is better than to have all the world without God.  “The world passeth away,” “but the word of God abideth forever.”  When we can say, “God is mine,” we have all the wealth of the universe for ours; for “the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof,” and what is God’s is ours.  “All things are yours, and ye are Christ’s.”  Blessed are all who can say,“The Lord is my shepherd.”  They can sing then with confidence, “Therefore I shall not want.”
                                                                                                                                       J. R. Miller, D.D.