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Mercy Is My Shepherd

What if misunderstandings have shaped your entire view of God? The opening line of Psalm 23—“The Lord is my shepherd”—isn’t just comforting; it’s confrontational. It asks: Do you really know who this “Lord” is?

David wrote those words while on the run—likely hiding from his own son Absalom, who wanted him dead. In that moment of fear and betrayal, David didn’t just believe in God—he knew Him. And not as a distant force but as someone deeply personal and trustworthy. That’s a far cry from how many of us see God: we say He’s good, but deep down, we wonder if He’s disappointed in us or just waiting for us to mess up again.

The Hebrew text helps clear the fog. When you see “LORD” in all caps, it’s translating Yahweh—God’s personal name. The name He gave Moses at the burning bush: “I AM.” Not I was, or I will be. Just I AM. Unchanging. Not bound by time. Not swayed by circumstances. This means Psalm 23 could just as well read: “I AM is my shepherd.”

Let that sink in: The eternal, self-sustaining Creator of the universe has made Himself your guide, protector, and caretaker. Not out of obligation. Out of choice.

And here’s the most revealing part: when God defined Himself to Moses in Exodus 34, the first word He used wasn’t powerful, holy, or just. It was merciful. Before anything else, God wanted us to know: I’m full of mercy.

This is the same heart we see in Jesus’ story of the prodigal son: a father running full speed toward his broken, shame-filled child before a single word of apology is spoken. That’s God. That’s Yahweh. His mercy outruns your failure, your fear, your shame. He loves with more tenderness than a mother nursing her newborn.

That flips Psalm 23 on its head. We don’t just have a shepherd. Mercy is our shepherd.

It doesn’t matter if you’ve blown it as a parent, a partner, a believer, or a human being. Mercy is still walking with you through the valley.

So here’s the question: When was the last time you let God tell you who He is—instead of projecting your past experiences, guilt, or doubts onto Him?

Take this truth with you today: Mercy is your shepherd.

Let it rewrite the way you see Him. Let it change the way you walk through your life.

Key Takeaways:

• Psalm 23 centers on who God is, not on what we do.
• “LORD” translates to Yahweh, meaning I AM—eternal, unchanging, self-existent.
• When God introduced Himself, He led with mercy—not power.
• His love is more dependable than even a mother’s love for her child.
• We often assume God is like human authority figures—but He isn’t.
• The prodigal son story shows a God who runs toward us, not away.
• “Mercy is my shepherd” reframes how we read and live Psalm 23.
• God doesn’t need us, but He wants us—purely out of love.
• Mercy doesn’t abandon us when we fail—it stays, leads, and heals.

Let that truth lead you today.

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