In the Word: Jehovah-Rohi

Welcome to Hope Mommies’ In the Word devotionals. Over the next several weeks, we will be looking at different names of God found in Scripture, and how these different aspects of who He is offer us hope in the midst of our grief.  As we study together, we encourage you to use the comments as a place to dialogue with us about what you are learning and share your answers to the questions below. We pray that you hearts will be encouraged as you study these names of God along with us! 

Jehovah-rohi,: “The Lord is My Shepherd”

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.

“And this is the will of Him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that He has given me, but raise it up on the last day.”
John 6:39

READ:

Today, the Hope Mommies blog completes its “Names of God” series. Fittingly, Jehovah-rohi, or “The Lord is My Shepherd,” is the final name to be considered. Why fittingly? Perhaps the most prominently-known place God is called our “Shepherd” is Psalm 23, and embedded in this Psalm are numerous applications of God’s care for His own, related to a handful of His names. 

In Figures of Speech Used in the Bible, William Bullinger outlines specifics for us to dwell upon,

…in this Psalm [23] we have the illustration of all the Jehovah-titles—
In verse 1. “I shall not want,” because He is Jehovah-Jireh (Gen. 22:14), and will provide.
In verse 2. “He leadeth me beside the waters of quietness (margin), because He is Jehovah-Shalom (Judges 6:24), and will give peace.
In verse 3. “He restoreth my soul,” for He is Jehovah-Rophecha (Ex. 15:26), and will graciously heal.
In verse 3. He guides me “in the paths of righteousness,” for He is Jehovah-tzidkenu (Jer. 23:6), and is Himself my righteousness, and I am righteous in Him (Jer. 33:16).
In verse 4. In death’s dark valley “Thou art with me,” for thou art Jehovah-shammah (Ezek. 48:35), and the Lord is there.
In verse 5. “Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies,” for Thou art Jehovah-nissi (Ex. 17:15), my banner, and will fight for me, while I feast.
In verse 5. “Thou anointest my head with oil,” for Thou art Jehovah-mekaddeschem (Ex. 31:13, etc.), the Lord that sanctifieth me.
In verse 6. “Surely” all these blessings are mine for time and eternity, for He is Jehovah-rohi (Ps. 23:1), Jehovah my Shepherd, pledged to raise me up from the dead, and to preserve and bring me “through” the valley of death into His glorious kingdom (John 6:39).

Considering this One who provides, gives peace, heals, makes righteous, is present, is victorious on behalf of His own, and who will certainly lose none of His own—what far-reaching care we receive from our Jehovah-rohi!

Yet perhaps, here, your spirit raises the question—What I have dearly wanted He has not given. So how encompassing, really, is His care? Remember with me the last few words of John 6:39. Are all raised up today; is all of His plan executed as of this moment? Not yet, but His people will be raised up on the “last day.” On that day when we are raised up, all of the desires in our inner spirits—which we seek to make pure in surrender to God now—will then be finely deciphered and perfectly decided upon according to the refinement of His holy, good will. And in the same moment, our desires will be met. We are not yet at rest in glorification, and neither is He finished with His revealed purposes for us—including reunions with God’s people (1 Thess. 4:13-18).

REFLECT:

1. Do I doubt the wide-ranging nature of God’s care for me? If so, does my doubt align with what God has taught me about who He is as Jehovah-rohi?
2. Are there any aspect(s) of God’s shepherding care I easily forget? Or further, is my inner spirit resisting the shepherding care of God? If so, why might that be?
3. God leads His people toward purposeful places: fullness, peace, gracious healing, righteousness, His presence, His victory, His holiness, and His security in future hope. Considering each one, why does suffering not need to separate me from any of these intended places of God for my spirit?

JOURNAL:

Though you, sister, may not have what you desire today, are you tempted to believe God has left you in any area of your life without care? If so, ask God to open your heart to what is already yours, if you are His child, through your Shepherd. Then, take some time to express your love for the Lord—for who He is. Who but God could provide you with such personal and powerful care as He, your Shepherd, does? Who but God could rebirth you within in order to bring your spirit to pleasing places? Who but God could know with certainty that none of His children will be lost? And what do you learn about the heart of God from reading, in John 6:39, that He wants His children to know of their security in Him? Your Shepherd is able to call you out of emptiness, inner chaos, bitter hurts, evil that lashes out from within, isolation, sin’s defeat, confusion in the world’s “wisdom,” and hopelessness that drives the inner spirit away from the purity of faith. Praise Him who is able; call now upon your Shepherd, your Jehovah-rohi, the only One in whom can be satisfied: “I shall not want.”

Lianna Davis is wed to Tyler and mother of two girls, one who lives in heaven and one who lives on earth. She lives in the western Chicago suburbs where she enjoys family, church, photography, and theology.

Are you a writer who would like to join the blog team? Learn more and apply here.