Jehovah Raah means, "the Lord is my Shepherd," and the best way to understand what that means is to read Psalm 23 by King David. 

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. 

He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name‘s sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

Is your trust in the Lord sufficient for you to allow Him to lead you because He is your Shepherd, or are you a lost sheep that He must seek out? Are you truly convinced that the Lord is your shepherd? Continue reading to learn more. 

Faith In God

My Bible mentions that Jehovah is also known as "The Existing One" or "Lord." It derives its meaning mainly from the Hebrew word Havah, which means "to exist." The word implies a God who continually reveals Himself. Raah means "shepherd" in Hebrew.  Shepherds feed or lead flocks of sheep to pasture (Ezekiel 34:11-15).  ‘Rea’ is an extended translation of this word, which means "friend" or "companion." It denotes the closeness God wants to have with His people. Jehovah Raah can be translated as "The Lord, my Friend” as the two words are combined. 

In a comment on this article, the author explained that because God is his shepherd, he will not want anything good for himself. This is where God takes great care of his believers. In David's time, he was appointed to shepherd the flocks of sheep  (Psalm 78:70,71), so he was familiar with the cares and tender affections of a good shepherd.

According to this psalm, believers have great faith in God: "If the Lord is my shepherd, my feeder, I may conclude I shall not want anything that is really necessary and good for me." 

Even if David wrote this psalm before he became king, every person would have been concerned about not having enough. He once sent his men begging for him to Nabal, and another time he went to Ahimelech himself begging, but when he considers that God is his shepherd, he can confidently state, "I shall not want." They who find God need not to fear hunger.

God’s Attributes

A reflection was shared on Psalm 23 in this article. The lessons it teaches about God as our Good Shepherd. The shepherd-king David penned this familiar and personal psalm  - also called the "man of God's own heart."

Take note of the phrases in Psalm 23 that refer to God as our:

• Nurturer

• Provider

• Guide

• Protector

• Companion

“I shall be supplied with whatever I need; and, if I do not have everything I desire, I may conclude it is either not fit for me or not good for me, or I shall have it in due time.” —Matthew Henry

As our Good Shepherd, God meets our basic spiritual needs. He heals, renews, strengthens, leads, and provides. We never lack His presence for His Word and His Spirit is always with us. It is He who has provided for our greatest need of redemption from our sins. Our cups will therefore overflow as a result of the endless supply of both His goodness and mercy which we have experienced through Christ's sacrifice on the cross. 

God is a True Friend

Donald Jacobs, the author of the Who Is God? - Jehovah-Raah - The Lord My Shepherd says that while his proper name is Donald he is called by many other descriptive names as well,  such as dad, father, grandpa, son, uncle, brother, nephew and pastor. .  God's proper name is Jehovah, but like everyone else, He is known by many names that describe Him.

A true friend is a faithful shepherd we all need. The Lord is our shepherd. Therefore no matter what this world or life throws at us, we are never alone. There is no need to worry or wonder which way to turn. Because he hides us when trouble comes, there is no need to fear. Jesus called Himself the Good Shepherd because He is naturally good, and pure.  His flock is protected, guided, and cared for by Him.

The Lord Jesus called His disciples friends because He had entrusted them with everything.  Those we trust and those we care about are people we share our hearts with. We confide in friends because we trust their ability to use the information responsibly.  The reason we refer to Jesus as our friend is because we know that He has our best interests at heart. Although Jesus is our friend, are we also His friends? Read here to learn more. 

God Is My Provider and Source

An inspiring message was shared on Family Radio 316. Since Jehovah Raah is my shepherd, I will not want, I will not be worried about my supply, because he is my provider and source. I must trust him since he knows what's best for me.  He leads me to the best places with calm waters. Although I've gone through many things that have harmed and wounded my soul, he makes me whole by restoring it. 

It does not matter how difficult things get, I am not alone or hopeless even when I have to walk through the valley of the shadow of death, since He is also Jehovah Shammah. When trouble comes along, He is always at my side.

Jehovah Raah prepares a table for me before my enemies. He does not allow the wolves to devour me. The Battle belongs to the Lord, for He is also Jehovah Nissi, the Lord my banner. Anointed with oil by the Holy Spirit, my cup overflows with blessings from the Lord.

I will dwell forever in the house of the Lord goodness and mercy will follow me for the rest of my life because my God is Jehovah Raah.