The Lord is my Shepherd - Psalm 23

The Good Shepherd: A Reflection in Paint

When Jesus spoke of Himself as the Good Shepherd in John 10, He gave us an image of deep love, sacrifice, and care. A shepherd doesn’t merely guide his sheep—he knows them, calls them by name, and even lays down his life for them.

In my painting “Good Shepherd” (24 x 18, Oil on Canvas), I wanted to capture that intimate reality. It’s easy to dwell on the goodness of Christ, but sometimes we overlook the incredible value He places on us. We are the sheep He considered worth His very life.

This painting is more than a picture; it’s an invitation. An invitation to walk in His footsteps, to live in His ways of love. Jesus said the greatest commandment is to love God and love others as ourselves (Matthew 22). Often we forget that last part—loving ourselves. Maybe today, we can begin there: receiving His love and then letting it overflow to those around us.

The Lord Is My Shepherd: The Hebrew Names of God

The second painting, “The Lord Is My Shepherd” (20 x 16, Oil on Canvas), is rooted in the beauty of Psalm 23: “The Lord is my shepherd.” In Hebrew, this phrase is written:יְהוָה רֹעִי (Yəhōvāh Rōʿî).

This name of God reminds us that He is not a distant ruler but an intimate Shepherd—One who sees, guides, and protects.

There’s a powerful connection to another moment in Scripture. In Genesis 16, Hagar encounters God in the wilderness and calls Him El Roi (רֳאִ֑י אֵ֣ל), meaning the God who sees me. The Hebrew root of Roi is the same as “shepherd.” To shepherd is to see, to notice, to be attentive.

What comfort to know that the Shepherd of Psalm 23 is also the God who sees our every tear and hears our every cry. This painting reflects that truth: the Shepherd both knows His sheep and never loses sight of them.

Two Paintings, One Shepherd

Both paintings—Good Shepherd and The Lord Is My Shepherd—point to the same eternal truth: God is near, attentive, and sacrificially loving. He not only leads us beside still waters, but He calls us valuable enough to give His life for.

As you reflect on these works, my prayer is that you hear the Shepherd’s voice reminding you: “You are seen. You are known. You are loved.”