Psalm 23:2a AMP “He makes me lie down in [fresh, tender] green pastures.”
Ezekiel 34:14 AMP “I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be; there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel.”
The Psalmist, David, himself was a shepherd. He knew what his flock needed and because he cared for them, he made it available. He knew they needed a nice place to rest with plenty of food. He would want that grass to be green, fresh and tender, exactly what his little lambs would desire. It would not have been easy to find those kind of places, so the shepherd would have to be knowledgable about what was available and where. But a good shepherd would do just that. He would that good grass, a place to be filled, a place to find rest.
Our Good Shepherd knows exactly where we can be satisfied. He feeds us with “the fulness of grace in Christ.” He gives us “nourishing food”, “milk for babies”, and “meat for strong man.” He gives us food that is “sweet to the taste”, and “health to the bones” Our Shepherd gives us good pasture, a lush feeding place. We, like the Israelites, have received manna, ours is the true Bread of Life, Jesus Christ. We are satisfied in Him because He continually nourishes us. We can find rest in Him. (Quoted descriptions from John Gills commentary)
The shepherd finds a safe fold for the sheep to stay in. A place where they are protected from bears and wolves. The fold is a place where they can lie down and rest, without fear. David himself spoke of killing bears and lions to protect his flock while shepherding (see 1 Samuel 17:34). The shepherd, himself, would lie in the doorway of the fold to be their protector, to keep anything of danger out. Jesus talks about being “the Door” in John 10:7-9,
“So Jesus said again, I assure you, most solemnly, I tell you, that I Myself am the Door for the sheep. All others who came [as such] before Me are thieves and robbers, but the [true] sheep did not listen to and obey them. I am the Door, anyone who enters in through Me will be saved(will live). He will come in and he will go out [freely] and he will find pasture.”
Our Shepherd gives us places of rest and protection. John Gill in his commentary on this speaks of the church as being the fold. He says, “the sheep of Christ are gathered into churches; where they lie together, are united and knit together in love, and where they have communion with one another, and keep each other warm, and stir up one another to love and good works”. There we can find spiritual rest, ease, and safety in the growing love of the body of Christ. What a beautiful picture.
The Lord our Shepherd desires to guide us to a place of satisfaction in Him. He wants us to be nourished, to have rest, to have love, and to have communion. He knows we need all of these. He wants us to know full contentment in Him. He knows as we wander searching elsewhere to get our needs met in unhealthy ways, we will end up disappointed, hurt, and still hungry for what we really need.
Look to the Lord, look to our Shepherd God to satisfy you, to feed you His Truth, to teach you His will, and lead you in His ways. Be satisfied in Him.
