“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” — Psalm 23:1 (KJV)

There are some verses you don’t just read, you lean on them. Psalm 23:1 is one of those. David doesn’t start this psalm talking about green pastures or still waters. He starts with relationship. The Lord is my shepherd.

A shepherd doesn’t shout directions from a distance. He walks with the sheep. He knows their names. He stays close enough to guide, protect, and correct. David is reminding us that we are not wandering through life unattended. We are not figuring this out alone. The Lord is present, personal, and actively involved.

Then comes the promise: I shall not want. That doesn’t mean we never desire anything. It means we will never lack what truly matters. When the Lord is your shepherd, you may face hard days, but you won’t face them without provision. You may walk through valleys, but you won’t walk them unguarded. You may feel unsure, but you are never uncared for.

This verse calls us to rest. To breathe. To stop striving as if everything depends on us. If the Lord is your shepherd, then your job is not to panic, but to trust. Not to run ahead, but to follow.

Today, let this truth settle your heart: you are seen, you are led, and you are provided for. The Shepherd is near—and because of Him, you lack nothing that you truly need.