To those of you who have been to my home, you have seen the picture hanging on my wall of Jesus tending to His sheep. Jesus as my Good Shepherd has a special place in my heart and mind. Meditate on this brief Bible study as we explore this special name of God today.

Rohi (or Raah), is the Hebrew word for “shepherd.” Jehovah is God’s personal name in Scripture. So Jehovah Rohi means “the Lord Is My Shepherd.” It is one of God’s many names in the Bible. Both rohi and raah come from a Hebrew root word meaning “to feed” and came to mean a shepherd who feeds his flock. The image of God caring for us like a loving shepherd cares for his sheep is one of the most familiar and loved pictures of God in Scripture.

Psalm 23—the “Shepherd Psalm”—is undoubtedly the best-known example of Jehovah Rohi, describing God as our Shepherd. King David of Israel, the author of this psalm, had himself been a shepherd as a young man, caring for his father’s flocks. He knew from personal experience how vitally important it is to the safety and well-being of the sheep to have a good shepherd who would care for them even if it meant putting himself at risk or hardship.

A good shepherd endured cold, heat, sleeplessness, weariness, and danger to care for his sheep.

Psalm 23 beautifully pictures Jehovah Rohi, who cares for us and provides all we need:

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me” (Psalm 23:1-4).

References to Jehovah Rohi are throughout the Bible.

• “He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and gently lead those who are with young” (Jeremiah 31:10).
• “Thus says the Lord God: ‘Indeed I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock on the day he is among his scattered sheep, so will I seek out My sheep and deliver them’ ” (Ezekiel 34:11, 12)
• He feeds us; His Word is our spiritual food (Ezekiel 34:15).
• He seeks those who go astray (Ezekiel 34:16).
• He walks with us through the difficult valleys of life (Psalm 23:4).
• He restores us spiritually (Psalm 23:3).
• He provides all our needs (Psalm 23:1).
• He protects us from evil (Psalm 23:4).

We are His sheep! Jesus is our Shepherd!

Jesus said of Himself:

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. . . . I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. . . . I lay down My life for the sheep” (John 10:11, 14, 15).

• He cares for us (Luke 13:34).
• He leads us in paths of peace and righteousness (Matthew 11:28; John 10:10).
• He seeks and saves His lost sheep (Luke 19:10).

If we will follow Him, Jesus will transform our life to be like Him:

“Our Lord Jesus . . . that great Shepherd of the sheep, . . . make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight” (Hebrews 13:20, 21).