The Lord is my Shepherd?

Question

Fantastic hymn, I remember singing it in church when I was a young lad, (just think of all the words).
Does this mean that all religious folk are like sheep??

Answer 1

...and I suppose that makes ministers sheep shearers.

Answer 2

I like it all, except how does a rod or staff comfort sheep?
This sheep doesn't like to be kept in line that way.

Other than that, I love the pastoral/farming/sheep imagery a lot.

The Psalm 23 song that I've always heard at funerals is beautiful.

God is a Good Shepherd, I'm just a black sheep I guess.

Answer 3

No (although possibly lmao) it is supposed to mean that we are the lords beloved familly and he keeps us safe, like a shepherd keeps his flock safe. I'm not religious, I beleive that the lord is the soul within us and once we find our soul we have found our lord. If we follow our conscience it will always lead us onto the right path. The big difference is that a shepherd does not want to let his sheep go but our lord wants us to be free to experience life.x

Answer 4

Sheep are actually very crafty, intelligent animals. They do respond to the voice of their shepherd and tend to run away from those who aren't. They can find a hole in your hedge or fencing with their own in-built radar system, it seems, and I know of sheep who - being unable to walk across cattle-grids - rolled over them on the backs. This is quite hard for them to do as they have broad backs. So don't go thinking they are stupid!

Someone asked how could a rod or staff be 'comforting'. The word 'comfort' has changed its meaning over the years. In the Bayeaux Tapestry, there is a section which says either King William or Harold 'comforts his army', and there is a picture of him prodding them with his sword! The rod or staff is used for discipline, for guidance, and for safety. If you've ever seen a shepherd hook one of his sheep round the neck to bring it back into line, he does it gently so that the sheep will not get into danger. He also feeds them - he 'spreads a table in the sight of my enemies'.

Human beings are the same. They are crafty, devious, and want to take the easy way out. The Lord is my Shepherd; my keeper from harm, who disciplines me lovingly and carefully, and who guides me.

Answer 5

In the Christian churches, yes.
Face it, they take no part in proceedings but stand up, sit down, kneel, respond and recite litanies at all the right moments. JUST like sheep.
If you fancy NOT being a sheep, have a look at Buddhism

Answer 6

Sheep is a Biblical symbol of Christians. Nothing wrong with that analogy. See Isaiah 53

Answer 7

Isaiah 53:6

Answer 8

Metaphorically speaking, yes it does mean we are sheep. In other words it means that the Lord is leading us like an army or a band. We have to do exactly everything that he tells us in order to recieve our precious rewards and true survival in a jungle or demons.

Answer 9

Not in the sense that they are dumb but in the sense that they could relate at the time of the writing, David was a shepherd so he could relate to the shepherd sheep analogy. He is saying that God will protect his own.

Answer 10

Jesus is refered to as the Shepherd. This is because real sheep know the voice of the Shepherd who tends their flock. If a real sheep goes astray, it will come to the sound of the Shepherds voice. This is a type and shadow of Jesus. He refers to his children as sheep because they hear his voice.

Answer 11

More or less all people are like sheep. Human Beings are like sheep. Few are leaders and most are followers.