Psalm 23: I Shall Not Want "Lack"

Notes from Pastor Peggy's sermon on August 2, 2026

Scripture Reading: Psalm 34:8-10

Psalm 23 (in unison) New Living Translation

The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. ² He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. ⁴ Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. ⁵ You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. ⁶ Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.

This morning we return to this beautiful Psalm. Familiar to all us and there have been times in all of our lives when perhaps it was precious and comforting in so many ways.

Last week we emphasized the aspect of the Lord being our Shepherd. Understanding that Jesus is the Great Shepherd of the sheep and that as we look at this Psalm in a deeper way, we understand that we are the flock under His care. This psalm is personal; it is the confession of each of us as a sheep in the fold of God.

Today we take the time to look at the next line, The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.

This can throw us off a little this morning as we look at the word—want. Another translation says “I have all I need.” It can be easily misunderstood as “I want this, or I want that.” The literal translation of the word, want, is lack, shall not lack. This brings the meaning much clearer and that is where we will concentrate from today.

I would like to share a quote that I read the other day, “When we cut ourselves off from the Source of our being, we end up relying on our own life, our own mind, strength, health, wisdom, guidance and direction, and eventually we come to that period when we are withered, burned out, burned up. On the other hand, by maintaining our contact with the Vine (John 15), by maintaining our relationship as a son, as a joint heir with Jesus, at one with the Father, we draw on his infinite storehouse continually. This is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. “  Kathleen DesVoigne

In Psalm 37:25 it says, I have been young, and now I am old; yet, I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging for bread.

I go to the story of Abraham and Isaac in Genesis 22 and read of how the Lord challenged the faith of Abraham and asked him to sacrifice his only son. So here are Abraham and Isaac…they have the wood, the altar, the fire…and Isaac asks his father—where is the sacrifice—and Abraham’s answer was that the Lord would provide. It was at the last moment, Isaac now is on the altar of sacrifice, Abraham has raised the knife to sacrifice his son in obedience to God’s command—and the Lord calls out to him to stop and in the thicket is a ram for the sacrifice. The scripture tells us that Abraham named that place the Lord Will Provide—or in other terms the Lord is my Provider!

How many times have we been on the precipice of need and wondered how the Lord would provide for us—yet at just the right time, the provision is there for us!

So many different stories in the Bible remind us of the provision of the Lord. It may seem at times that lack seems evident—yet—God comes through! One story that constantly amazes me from the Bible is of the children of Israel and the wilderness journey!

Deuteronomy 8 tells us in verse 4—“Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years!” Imagine that—In the desert—the heat, the dirt, and God maintained their clothing so it didn’t wear out! Wow! And on top of that the Lord fed them with manna, quail, and provided water throughout their journey!

Often, we watch on the news various severe storms and hurricanes as they came ashore not only in the southern coast but up into the east coast…floods, tornadoes, unbelievable winds and damage. And just this past week a devastating tornado in Wisconsin. People losing everything—yet when interviewed through their tears are grateful for their lives and that things can be replaced but not life. If we would really take a moment and allow these things to sink into our own hearts, it helps to put things into a better perspective for us—it isn’t about the accumulation of things. It is about our basic needs being met in one way or another.

We have so much, especially here in America. I think of Job also who lost everything, yet the testimony of his heart in Job 13:15, “though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.”

We talk about trusting the Lord, refusing to lean on our own understanding—until we hit a crossroads—trouble, sorrow, difficulty enters our world. Now, will I place my trust in the Shepherd and be able to confess that because I belong to the Lord, I lack nothing? He has provided for me everything I need to live for Him.

Scripture proclaims that no good thing will the Lord withhold from those who walk uprightly.

The Shepherd leads the way of the flock to the place of provision and sustenance.

Think of what Paul proclaims in Philippians that “my God shall meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”

Paul’s testimony in Philippians 4:12-13, “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”

Jesus says in John 6 that He is the bread of life and all who belong to him will not hunger or thirst. In other words, just like you need food daily to sustain you, so you need spiritual food to sustain your walk with the Lord.

We need to be reminded once again that it is Jesus who is the bread of life. He is the One who sustains us and gives us what we need to deal with whatever comes our way in this life. It doesn’t mean that things will be easier per se, but the through it all the Lord is there to provide what we need at the moment. The Lord is the one who will provide for us all that we need to faithfully serve Him.

In the book of Habakkuk it says that the just shall live by faith. At the end of the book is what is called the Hymn of Faith: Habakkuk 3:17-19

Though the fig tree does not bud    and there are no grapes on the vines,though the olive crop fails    and the fields produce no food,though there are no sheep in the pen    and no cattle in the stalls,¹⁸ yet I will rejoice in the Lord,    I will be joyful in God my Savior.

¹⁹ The Sovereign Lord is my strength;    he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,    he enables me to tread on the heights.

The Lord is my Sheperd, I will not lack….this is not only the confession of one who belongs to the Lord, it is also the voice of faith that says that I will trust my Shepherd—that no matter what is going on around me or in me, I know that the Shepherd of my soul will meet my every need and continue to lead in me along right paths, to green pastures and still waters.