【诗23:1】（大卫的诗。）耶和华是我的牧者，我必不至缺乏。【Psa23:1】The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.

 大卫从小就牧养他父亲的羊，牧人首先顾念羊的需要，羊是高度近视眼，看不清远处，极其软弱和依赖，From his youth David looked after his father’s sheep. A shepherd’s first concern is the needs of the flock. Sheep are very short-sighted; they cannot see far ahead, and they are fragile and dependent. 需要牧人为它们不断寻找合适的草地和饮水，大卫的祖先，亚伯拉罕、以撒、雅各、摩西…旧约的以色列人都牧养羊。They rely on the shepherd to continually lead them to good pasture and fresh water. David’s ancestors—Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses—and the people of Israel in the Old Testament were all shepherds.

诗篇 23:2 祂使我躺卧在青草地上，领我在可安歇的水边；羊在好牧人的看管照料下，一副尽享安息的美好图画。Psalm 23:2 He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. Under the careful watch of the good shepherd, the sheep rest in safety and peace. 大卫作为牧人，深知要让每一只羊不缺乏、吃好、喝好、睡好…得享安息，As a shepherd himself, David understood the effort and sacrifice required to ensure that each sheep lacked nothing—well fed, well watered, able to sleep and truly rest. 他要付上何等大的辛劳、牺牲，在夜里也要警醒看顾，谨防盗贼和野兽，观察环境天气的变化…He had to devote immense effort and make real sacrifice. Through the night he had to stay awake, guarding against thieves and wild animals, watching the weather and the surroundings…

大卫从小小年纪，在牧养羊的过程中，就遇到很多挑战，有时候来了狮子、熊(预表仇敌和困难)，From his youth, David encountered many trials while caring for the flock. At times lions and bears came—pictures of enemies and hardship. 撒母耳记上 17:35记载：我就追赶它，击打它，将羊羔从它口中救出来。它起来要害我，我就揪着它的胡子，将它打死。First Samuel 17:35 records: “I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it.”神用牧养羊，训练大卫成为打败仇敌的大能勇士，带领以色列民的好牧者。Through shepherding sheep, God was preparing David to be a mighty warrior against the enemy and a faithful shepherd to lead Israel.

但大卫深知，其实神才是他的牧者，他是被神亲自牧养的羊。Yet David knew that ultimately God was his Shepherd, and he himself was a sheep under God’s personal care. 诗篇23是大卫一生被神牧养、保护、陪伴，属灵旅程的真实浓缩…大卫跟神的关系，走的道路，也正是每一个敬畏神的儿女、向往与神有好关系需要经历的。Psalm 23 is a faithful summary of a lifetime under God’s guidance, protection, and presence—his spiritual journey in brief. The relationship David had with God, and the path he walked, is the path every child who fears God and longs to walk closely with Him must learn.

新约里，神亲自道成肉身，宣告说：我是好牧人，好牧人为羊舍命。(约10：11) In the New Testament, God became flesh and proclaimed: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.” (John 10:11)

回想我的一生，就是没有信主前，我以为我拥有的一切，都是凭我自己劳动、拼搏所得。 信主后才明白，全然是这这位牧养我一生的耶和华，早已悄悄地躲在暗处，在帮助我，供应我，保护我…Looking back over my life, before I came to faith I believed everything I had was the result of my own effort and struggle. After believing, I realised it was the LORD who had shepherded me all along—quietly at work behind the scenes—helping me, providing for me, protecting me. 我所赚来的钱，财物，都是祂默默地给我创造机会，所谓的天时、地利、人和，不都是你耶和华，我的牧者亲自策划、安排…成全给我的。到如今进入老年，我不禁热泪盈眶的呼喊赞美说：‘耶和华是我的牧者…’真的，耶和华一生牧养我，我一生从未缺乏过…The income I earned and the possessions I gained were opportunities He graciously prepared. What we call timing, circumstances, and relationships—were they not all arranged and fulfilled by You, O LORD, my Shepherd? Now, as I grow older, I find myself moved to tears, declaring in praise: “The LORD is my Shepherd…” Truly, He has shepherded me all my life; I have lacked nothing.

耶和华啊，我的牧者，你为何如此谦卑、隐藏在暗处，为我们、为一切被造之物做了数不清的美事、善事…O LORD, my Shepherd, why are You so humble, working unseen, accomplishing countless good and gracious works for us and for all creation? 你爱宇宙万物、就连一个小小的地球，人类生存的环境，都不知道你在背后做了多少的供应、修复和洁净的工作，你却如此谦卑自隐…从不向人宣扬…You love the whole universe—even this small earth and the environment in which humanity lives. We do not realise how much provision, restoration, and sustaining care You have carried out behind the scenes, yet You remain hidden and humble, never drawing attention to Yourself.

主耶稣啊，感谢你称我们为你的羊，你是我们的牧者。你把‘耶和华是我们的牧者’，用你道成肉身的生命活在我们面前，你为我们做了好牧人的榜样…Lord Jesus, thank You for calling us Your sheep; You are our Shepherd. In Your incarnate life You have shown us what it truly means that “the LORD is our Shepherd.” You have given us the pattern of the good Shepherd. 今天你也把你的羊托付给我们。正如你托付给彼得，他不久前、才刚刚三次不认你。你用三次问彼得，‘你爱我吗？’医治恢复他。 彼得不敢回答，他知道他没有你这样为羊舍命的爱…Today You entrust Your sheep to us, just as You entrusted them to Peter, who only days earlier had denied You three times. By asking him three times, “Do you love Me?” You restored him. Peter could not answer with confidence, knowing he did not yet possess the love that lays down life for the sheep as You do. 我们跟彼得一样，但是你却仍然使用我们，不是我们好，而是你要让我们效法你，也当为我们的弟兄、为你的羊舍命…这就是你好牧人的心，这就是你的命令。We are like Peter, yet You still choose to use us—not because of our goodness, but because You call us to follow Your example and to lay down our lives for our brothers and for Your sheep. This is the heart of the good Shepherd; this is Your command. 愿我们被你的爱浇灌、感动，彼此相爱，愿更多为羊舍命的好牧者因你的爱被兴起。May we be filled with Your love and moved to love one another, and may many more shepherds who lay down their lives for the flock be raised up through Your love.

（陈弟兄 Raymond Chan）