Who Is The Lord?

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Timelessness & Self-Sufficiency

We must ask, who is “The Lord?”

In the Hebrew language, the word “Lord” is mentioned first for emphasis. Colossians 1:18 says, “That he [Christ] might come to have first place in everything.” Just a thought, but when Jesus Christ is our Lord, and He is first in our lives, He is our shepherd. The Hebrew word “Lord” in this verse is Yahweh or Jehovah. The name is inexhaustible. It carries with it abundance, self-sufficiency, and timelessness. You see, God needs nothing. He doesn’t need to read books to gain knowledge. God doesn’t need to go to the gym to gain power and strength. He already possesses all wisdom and all power. The name Jehovah is a combination of three tenses of the word “to be.” Yehi means “He will be” (future tense); Hove means “being” (present tense); Hahyah means “he was” (past tense). Jehovah or Yehovah is formed from Yeh (first three letters) Ov (middle two letters), Ah (last two letters). Jehovah gives us the name “Him who Is, Was, and is to be” or “I am that I am.”

David was a songwriter, and the lyrics to those songs were God-inspired. Psalm 23 is a masterpiece. In these six verses, David shared many truths about God that we often miss. “We don’t know what we don’t know.”

The Passage Is Deeper Than I Imagined

I have been on a journey studying this psalm. Over and over, I have read the text. I have come to believe that David laced this passage with a technique that was later used by the rabbis in Jesus’ day. These teachers called it remez.

In their teaching, the rabbis would use part of a passage in a discussion and assumed that those in the audience had common knowledge and would be able to deduce for themselves the fuller meaning of what was being communicated. Jesus used this method as well in the New Testament.

Jesus The Remezerizer

In the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 21, we read that the children shout, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” to Jesus in the temple. The chief priest and scribes were angry and annoyed that Jesus would allow these children to call Him God. Jesus replied by quoting Psalm 8:2: “Yes, have you never read: You have prepared praise from the mouths of infants and nursing babies?” Why then were the religious leaders so furious? Well, Jesus “remez’ed” them. If you keep reading Psalm 8:2, it states, “you have established a stronghold on account of your adversaries to silence the enemy and the avenger.” Interesting! The chief priest and scribes realized what Jesus had done. Jesus was calling them God’s enemies.

David did this with Psalm 23. I can’t wait to reveal what I have learned with you.

Psalm 23: The Good Shepherd – A Psalm of David.

1 The Lord is my shepherd; [He is Jehovah-Rohi—The Lord, my Shepherd!]

I have what I need. [He is Jehovah-Jireh—The Lord, my Provider!]

2 He lets me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside quiet waters. [He is Jehovah-Shalom—The Lord, my Peace!]

3 He renews my life; [He is Jehovah-Rapha—The Lord, my Healer!]

he leads me along the right paths for his name’s sake. [He is Jehovah-Tsidkenu—The Lord of Righteousness!]

4 Even when I go through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for you are with me; [He is Jehovah-Shammal—The Lord is Present!]

your rod and your staff—they comfort me. [He is Jehovah-Ezer—The Lord, my Help!]

5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; [He is Jehovah-Nissi—The Lord, my Standard of Victory!]

you anoint my head with oil; [He is Jehovah-M’Kaddesh— The Lord, my Holiness, my Sanctification!]

my cup overflows. [He is Jehovah-Manah—The Lord my Portion!]

6 Only goodness and faithful love will pursue me all the days of my life, [He is Jehovah-Jireh–“The Lord Sees or Provides!]

and I will dwell in the house of the Lord as long as I live. [He is Jehovah-Cheleq—The Lord my Inheritance!]

He Can Handle It

If you have a need, God can meet it. Whatever the burden, He is strong enough to carry it.

Whatever the decision is, God can guide you through it. Problems come; God can handle them.

Whatever the hurt is, Our God is a healer, and He can heal it.

If you are ready, He will gladly greet you.

Jesus is our Good Shepherd and Provider. He gives us peace and leads us to rest. He restores our broken lives and gives us hope. Jesus is our righteousness; He is always with us. He is our helper in times of need. Jesus reminds us of who we are in Him. Sons and daughters. He makes us holy. Jesus is our full portion and in Him, we find our inheritance.

A.W. Tozer, in one of his writings, teaches us that how we see God shapes our entire life. “The things that come into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.”

Is this the way you see God? Is Jehovah your Shepherd?

“Lord, my prayer is that I see You in all things. Trust you as my true shepherd, rely on you to restore my soul, remind me of your victory over who I once was, and rest in your loving embrace as your child.”