Shepherd Scripture from The Message

 God, my shepherd!

    I don’t need a thing.

You have bedded me down in lush meadows,

    you find me quiet pools to drink from.

True to your word,

    you let me catch my breath

    and send me in the right direction.

 

Even when the way goes through

    Death Valley,

I’m not afraid

    when you walk at my side.

Your trusty shepherd’s crook

    makes me feel secure.

 

You serve me a six-course dinner

    right in front of my enemies.

You revive my drooping head;

    my cup brims with blessing.

 

Your beauty and love chase after me

    every day of my life.

I’m back home in the house of God

    for the rest of my life. Psalm 23

“I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd puts the sheep before himself, sacrifices himself if necessary. A hired man is not a real shepherd. The sheep mean nothing to him. He sees a wolf come and runs for it, leaving the sheep to be ravaged and scattered by the wolf. He’s only in it for the money. The sheep don’t matter to him. John 10:11-13

God, pick up the pieces.

    Put me back together again.

    You are my praise!

Listen to how they talk about me:

    “So where’s this ‘Word of God’?

    We’d like to see something happen!”

But it wasn’t my idea to call for Doomsday.

    I never wanted trouble.

You know what I’ve said.

    It’s all out in the open before you. Jeremiah 17:14-16

*all The Message paraphrasing