Knowing the Shepherd’s Voice

"I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice." Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he was telling them.

The true sheep of a shepherd are those who know him. Those who do not know the shepherd can just as easily follow anyone and be led into evil. Those who know the shepherd trust him. They have seen who he is, they have seen him be trustworthy, they have seen him rescue them and guard them and protect them and make sure they are fed and secure at night. He leads them by still waters. They fear no evil because he is with them. They know his name.

Psalm 23 is written by a sheep. A human sheep, but a sheep no less. It is the first-person perspective of a sheep who knows his shepherd. Who has spent time with him. Who has learned his voice. Who knows to be able to trust him.