By culling information from this and other biblical passages, it is possible to obtain a good overview of the duties of ancient shepherds. Psalm 23 is not only a beautifully lyric expression of sincere convictions about Jehovah’s love and protection it also provides valuable insight into the work and attributes of real shepherds in ancient Israel. Shepherds and Sheep in the Ancient Near East A brief review of ancient shepherds’ duties and of the figurative use of shepherds and sheep to refer to deities and humans in ancient Near Eastern texts, including the Bible, provides a context in which to consider Jesus as the great and divine Shepherd-King. Jesus’s claim to be the “good Shepherd” of Israel was also an unequivocal claim to His contemporaries that He was Jehovah, the God of Israel. This study highlights both of these facets of shepherd symbolism associated with Jesus, giving extra emphasis to the royal one. The royal dimension of the title “Shepherd” is much less appreciated but just as important.

Of these three, His role as compassionate Savior, devoted to protecting and saving the flock of God, is commonly conveyed through shepherd symbolism. Shepherd imagery is utilized in scripture to depict three important aspects of Jesus’s identity and mission: His roles as Savior, King, and Jehovah, the God of Israel. So begins one of the most beloved psalms and best-known biblical passages mentioning a shepherd. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters” (Psalm 23:1–2). “The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want. Pike was an associate professor of ancient scripture when this was published.

David shepherd king