Jehovah Hem Shepherd Bilong Iumi

“Jehovah hem Shepherd bilong mi. Mi bae no short long eni samting.”—Psalm 23:1.

1-3. Why nao iumi no sapraes taem David markem Jehovah witim wanfala shepherd?

SAPOS samwan askem iu for storyim wei wea Jehovah lukaftarem pipol bilong hem, wanem nao bae iu talem? Bae iu markem loving kea wea Jehovah showimaot long olketa faithful servant bilong hem witim wanem samting? Winim 3,000 year go finis, King David raet abaotem Jehovah long nambawan wei, taem hem markem samting wea Jehovah duim witim wanfala waka wea hem duim taem hem young.

² Taem David young, hem wanfala shepherd, so hem savve long waka for lukaftarem olketa sheep. Hem savve gud hao sapos no eniwan lukaftarem olketa sheep, hem isi for olketa lus and pipol stealim olketa or wild animal attakim olketa. (1 Samuel 17:34-36) Sapos olketa no garem shepherd for lukaftarem olketa, maet olketa no savve faendem ples wea staka grass stap for kaikaim. For sure David garem olketa naes memory bilong staka hour wea hem leadim, protectim, and feedim olketa sheep taem hem young.

³ So, iumi no sapraes hao David tingim waka bilong shepherd taem holy spirit muvim hem for storyim wei wea Jehovah lukaftarem pipol bilong hem. Psalm 23, wea David raetem, hem start witim disfala toktok: “Jehovah hem Shepherd bilong mi. Mi bae no short long eni samting.” Bae iumi lukim why diswan hem toktok wea barava fitim. Then, witim help from Psalm 23, bae iumi lukim olketa wei wea Jehovah lukaftarem olketa worshiper bilong hem olsem wanfala shepherd wea lukaftarem olketa sheep bilong hem.—1 Peter 2:25.

Example wea Fitim

4, 5. Hao nao Bible storyim wei bilong olketa sheep?

⁴ Bible iusim staka title for Jehovah, bat disfala title “Shepherd” hem barava showimaot loving kea bilong Jehovah. (Psalm 80:1) For minim why nao hem fitim for David kolem Jehovah wanfala shepherd, hem gud for iumi savve long tufala samting: first wan, wei bilong olketa sheep, and mek-tu, olketa waka and fasin wea gudfala shepherd hem garem.

⁵ Plande taem Bible storyim hao olketa sheep willing for acceptim loving kea bilong shepherd (2 Samuel 12:3), olketa no raf (Isaiah 53:7), and olketa no savve lukaftarem seleva. (Micah 5:8) Wanfala man for raet wea lukaftarem olketa sheep for staka year hem sei olsem: “Olketa sheep no savve lukaftarem olketa seleva. Winim eni nara animal, olketa needim staka help and samwan for lukaftarem olketa evritaem.” For stap laef, olketa animal hia needim shepherd wea barava kea long olketa.—Ezekiel 34:5.

6. Hao nao wanfala Bible dictionary storyim samting wea wanfala shepherd bifor savve duim evriday?

⁶ Wanem nao wanfala shepherd bifor savve duim evriday? Wanfala Bible dictionary sei: “Long early morning hem leadim olketa sheep go aot from fence go long ples wea olketa bae kaikai. Long there hem lukluk long olketa full day for mek sure no eni sheep go difren, and sapos eniwan go difren and lus, bae hem mas barava lukaotem go kasem taem hem faendem hem and tekem hem kam bak. . . . Long naet hem tekem olketa kam bak insaed fence, and kaontem olketa taem olketa go thru long gate for mek sure no eniwan lus. . . . Staka taem hem mas gardim olketa sheep long full naet nogud eni wild animal kam attakim olketa, or eni man kam for steal.”a

7. Why nao samfala taem wanfala shepherd need for barava patient and showimaot loving kea?

⁷ Samfala taem shepherd mas barava patient and kea long olketa mere sheep wea babule and olketa baby sheep. (Genesis 33:13) Wanfala buk abaotem Bible hem sei: “Plande taem olketa sheep savve bornem baby saed long maunten wea farawe. Datfala shepherd bae lukaftarem mere sheep taem hem bornem pikinini, and karem datfala baby sheep go bak long olketa nara sheep. Tu-thri day bihaen hem born, go kasem taem hem savve wakabaot, shepherd hia maet karem datfala baby sheep insaed coat bilong hem.” (Isaiah 40:10, 11) Tru nao, wanfala gud shepherd need for strong bat showimaot loving kea tu.

8. Why nao David trustim Jehovah?

⁸ Datfala toktok “Jehovah hem Shepherd bilong mi,” hem toktok wea barava fitim Dadi bilong iumi long heven! Taem iumi storyim Psalm 23, bae iumi lukim hao God lukaftarem iumi witim sem strong and loving kea wea wanfala shepherd showimaot. Long verse 1, David talem hao hem barava sure God bae provaedem evri samting wea olketa sheep bilong Hem needim mekem olketa “no short long eni samting.” Long olketa verse bihaen, David givim thrifala reason for why hem barava sure long diswan: Jehovah leadim, protectim, and feedim olketa sheep bilong Hem. Bae iumi storyim each wan long olketa hia.

“Hem Leadim Mi”

9. Wanem naesfala ples nao David storyim, and hao nao olketa sheep savve kasem ples olsem?

⁹ First samting, Jehovah leadim pipol bilong hem. David raet olsem: “Insaed olketa field wea garem staka grass hem mekem mi leidaon; saed long olketa ples for rest wea garem staka wata hem leadim mi. Hem strongim soul bilong mi. Hem leadim mi long road bilong raeteous fasin for saed bilong nem bilong hem.” (Psalm 23:2, 3) Taem David story abaotem olketa sheep wea leidaon long field wea garem staka grass, hem mekem iumi tingim wei for feel sef, satisfae, and kasem bak strong. Hebrew word wea olketa transleitim “field” savve minim “naesfala ples.” Hem lelebet hard for olketa sheep seleva faendem naesfala ples for leidaon. Shepherd bilong olketa nao mas leadim olketa go long “naesfala ples” olsem.

10. Hao nao God showimaot hem trustim iumi?

¹⁰ Hao nao Jehovah leadim iumi distaem? Wanfala wei nao thru long example bilong hem. Word bilong hem encouragem iumi for “followim wei bilong God.” (Ephesians 5:1) Olketa verse wea stap raonem datfala scripture story abaotem fasin for kea, wei for forgive, and love. (Ephesians 4:32; 5:2) For sure, saed long wei for showimaot olketa naesfala fasin hia, Jehovah hem best example. Waswe, wei wea hem askem iumi for followim example bilong hem, hem hard for iumi duim? Nomoa. Datfala kaonsel wea kam from God hem showimaot wei wea hem barava trustim iumi. Long wanem wei? God wakem iumi long image bilong hem, wea minim iumi garem spiritual saed, and savve garem tu, olketa gudfala fasin. (Genesis 1:26) Dastawe Jehovah savve hao nomata iumi no perfect, iumi fit for mekem grow olketa sem fasin wea hem showimaot. Tingim datwan—loving God bilong iumi hem feel sure hao iumi savve olsem hem. Sapos iumi followim example bilong hem, long tokpiksa wei, bae hem leadim iumi go long olketa “naesfala ples.” Insaed world distaem wea raf tumas, iumi bae “stap long sef ples,” and kasem peace long mind bikos iumi savve God hem appruvim iumi.—Psalm 4:8; 29:11.

11. Taem hem leadim sheep bilong hem, wanem nao Jehovah tingim, and hao nao diswan showaot long samting hem askem from iumi?

¹¹ Taem Jehovah leadim iumi, hem kaen and patient. Wanfala shepherd tingim samting wea sheep bilong hem no savve duim, dastawe hem lead “fitim isisi wei wea olketa animal wakabaot.” (Genesis 33:14) Long sem wei tu, Jehovah hem lead ‘fitim isisi wei wea olketa sheep bilong hem wakabaot.’ Hem tingim savve and living bilong iumi. Hem olsem hem change for fitim wakabaot bilong iumi, and no enitaem hem askem wanem iumi no savve givim. Wanem hem askem nao hem for iumi duim samting witim full soul bilong iumi. (Colossians 3:23) Bat waswe sapos distaem iu olo and no savve duim samting wea iu duim bifor? Or waswe sapos iu garem wanfala big sik wea mekem iu no savve duim plande samting? Sapos olsem, wei wea Jehovah askem iumi for servem hem witim full soul savve barava comfortim man. No eni soul hem barava semsem witim narawan. For serve witim full soul hem minim for iusim evri strong bilong iuseleva for servem God. Nomata wanem samting katem daon strong bilong iumi, Jehovah tinghae long wei wea iumi worship witim full heart.—Mark 12:29, 30.

12. Wanem example from Law bilong Moses nao showimaot hao Jehovah lead ‘fitim isisi wei wea olketa sheep bilong hem wakabaot’?

¹² For minim hao Jehovah lead ‘long wei wea fitim isisi wakabaot’ bilong sheep bilong hem, tingim samting wea Law bilong Moses talem saed long samfala guilt sakrifaes. Jehovah laekem man for givim olketa gudfala sakrifaes wea heart wea tinghae nao muvim hem for givim. Long semtaem, hem markem olketa sakrifaes fitim wanem man garem. Law hem sei: “Sapos hem no fit for peim wanfala sheep, then hem mas tekem kam . . . tufala kurukuru or tufala pikinini pigeon.” Bat waswe sapos hem no savve peim tufala pigeon? Sapos olsem hem savve tekem kam “gudfala flour.” (Leviticus 5:7, 11) Diswan showimaot God no askem samting wea man hard for givim. From God no savve change, iumi kasem comfort taem iumi savve no enitaem hem askem moa samting winim wanem iumi savve givim; bat, hem hapi for acceptim samting wea iumi fit for givim long hem. (Malachi 3:6) Iumi hapi tumas for garem Shepherd olsem for leadim iumi!

“Mi No Fraetem Eni Nogud Samting, Bikos Iu Stap Witim Mi”

13. Wanem nao David talem long Psalm 23:4 wea showimaot wei for fren witim Jehovah wea moa klos, and why nao iumi no sapraes long diswan?

¹³ Mek-tu reason why David trustim Jehovah hem bikos Jehovah protectim olketa sheep bilong hem. David sei olsem: “Nomata mi wakabaot long deep valley, mi no fraetem eni nogud samting, bikos iu stap witim mi; stik bilong iu nao samting wea comfortim mi.” (Psalm 23:4) Long hia David iusim datfala word “iu” taem hem story long Jehovah, wea showimaot wei for fren witim Jehovah wea moa klos. Iumi no sapraes long diswan bikos David storyim wei wea God helpem hem for gohed strong long hard taem. David hem wakabaot go thru long staka dark valley finis—wea minim olketa taem wea laef bilong hem stap long danger. Bat hem no letem datwan for mekem hem fraet fogud, from hem feelim wei wea God—wea holem “stik” bilong Hem—stanbae evritaem for helpem hem. Wei wea David feelim protection bilong Jehovah hem barava comfortim hem, and for sure, diswan mekem hem fren gud go moa witim Jehovah.b

14. Wanem promis nao Bible talem saed long protection bilong Jehovah, bat diswan no minim wanem samting?

¹⁴ Hao nao Jehovah protectim olketa sheep bilong hem distaem? Bible promisim iumi hao no eni man or demon wea againstim iumi bae win for killim dae evri sheep bilong hem long earth. Hard for Jehovah letem datwan for happen. (Isaiah 54:17; 2 Peter 2:9) Nomata olsem, diswan no minim Shepherd bilong iumi bae no letem eni trabol for kasem iumi. Iumi kasem hard samting wea evri man kasem, and iumi feisim wei wea pipol againstim iumi wea kasem evri tru Christian. (2 Timothy 3:12; James 1:2) Samfala taem iumi “wakabaot long deep valley” long tokpiksa wei. Olsem example, maet iumi klosap dae bikos long persecution or problem saed long health. Or maet olketa samting hia kasem samwan wea iumi lovem or maet hem dae tu. Long taem bilong bigfala hevi olsem, Shepherd bilong iumi stap witim iumi, and hem bae protectim iumi. Hao nao bae hem duim datwan?

15, 16. (a) Wanem nao olketa wei wea Jehovah helpem iumi for deal witim hard samting wea iumi feisim? (b) Talem wanfala experience for showim hao Jehovah helpem iumi long olketa hard samting.

¹⁵ Jehovah no promis for duim mirakol for sevem iumi.c Bat iumi savve sure hao Jehovah bae helpem iumi for winim eni hard samting wea iumi feisim. Hem savve givim wisdom wea iumi needim for deal witim “olketa difren kaen hard taem.” (James 1:2-5) Shepherd savve iusim stik bilong hem for raosem eni samting wea laek spoelem olketa sheep, and tu, hem iusim datwan for pokem olketa sheep bilong hem for go followim stretfala road. Jehovah savve “pokem” iumi, maet thru long wanfala brata or sista, for followim kaonsel from Bible wea savve barava helpem iumi deal witim samting wea kasem iumi. And tu, Jehovah savve strongim iumi for no givap. (Philippians 4:13) Thru long holy spirit bilong hem, hem savve helpem iumi witim “paoa wea winim wanem iumi garem.” (2 Corinthians 4:7) Spirit bilong God savve helpem iumi for stand strong long eni test wea kam from Satan. (1 Corinthians 10:13) Iumi barava kasem comfort taem iumi savve hao Jehovah hem stanbae evritaem for helpem iumi!

¹⁶ Tru tumas, nomata wanem deep valley iumi insaed, iumi no need for wakabaot go thru long datwan seleva. Shepherd bilong iumi hem stap witim iumi, and helpem iumi long olketa wei wea maet iumi no minim gud firstaem. Tingim experience bilong wanfala Christian elder wea garem cancer long brain. Hem sei: “Firstaem mi ting maet Jehovah hem kros long mi or hem no lovem mi nao. Bat mi disaed strong for no lusim Jehovah. Mi talemaot olketa wari bilong mi long Jehovah and hem helpem mi. Staka taem hem comfortim mi thru long olketa brata and sista. From plande long olketa kasem big sik bifor tu, olketa fit for givim gudfala advaes wea helpem mi. Toktok bilong olketa mekem mi luksavve hao samting wea kasem mi hem kasem olketa narawan tu. Gudfala help and wei wea plande kaen tumas mekem mi luksavve Jehovah hem no kros long mi. Hem tru, mi mas gohed for deal witim disfala sik, and mi no savve wanem nao bae happen. Bat mi barava sure Jehovah hem stap witim mi and bae hem gohed for helpem mi long disfala hard samting wea kasem mi.”

“Iu Putim Wanfala Tebol Front Long Mi”

17. Hao nao David storyim Jehovah long Psalm 23:5, and why nao diswan join witim tokpiksa wea sei Jehovah hem olsem wanfala shepherd?

¹⁷ Mek-thri reason why David trustim Shepherd bilong hem, hem bikos Jehovah feedim olketa sheep bilong hem, and hem givim staka kaikai long olketa. David hem raet olsem: “Iu putim wanfala tebol front long mi wea olketa wea heitim mi savve lukim. Iu putim oil long hed bilong mi; kap bilong mi hem barava fulap.” (Psalm 23:5) Long disfala verse, David storyim Shepherd bilong hem olsem man wea givim staka kaikai and drink long olketa guest bilong hem. Diswan hem join witim wei wea Jehovah hem olsem wanfala loving shepherd, bikos wanfala gud shepherd mas savve wea for faendem gudfala grass and inaf wata for olketa sheep bilong hem drinkim mekem olketa “no short long eni samting.”—Psalm 23:1, 2.

18. Wanem nao showimaot Jehovah hem kaen tumas?

¹⁸ Waswe, Shepherd bilong iumi hem kaen long olketa guest bilong hem tu? Barava nao! Tingim staka difren spiritual kaikai wea iumi kasem distaem. Thru long faithful and wise slave, Jehovah provaedem olketa gudfala pablikeson and nambawan program long olketa meeting, assembly, and convention wea evri samting hia satisfaem spiritual need bilong iumi. (Matthew 24:45-47) Tru tumas, no eniwan short long spiritual kaikai. Datfala “faithful and wise slave” hem wakem staka million Bible and Bible study pablikeson, and distaem olketa pablikeson hia stap long winim 413 languis. Jehovah provaedem staka difren kaen spiritual kaikai—samfala olsem “milk,” wea minim olketa main Bible teaching and samfala “strongfala kaikai,” wea minim olketa deep spiritual information. (Hebrews 5:11-14) From diswan, taem iumi feisim olketa problem or mas disaedem samting, iumi savve barava faendem wanem iumi needim. Bae iumi hao sapos iumi no garem spiritual kaikai olsem! Tru nao, shepherd bilong iumi provaedem staka samting!—Isaiah 25:6; 65:13.

“Mi Bae Stap Insaed Long Haos Bilong Jehovah”

19, 20. (a) Long Psalm 23:6, wanem nao David talem wea showimaot hem trustim Jehovah, and hao nao iumi savve garem kaen trust olsem? (b) Wanem nao bae next article storyim?

¹⁹ Bihaen David ting raonem olketa wei bilong Shepherd and Man wea provaed for hem, hem sei olsem: “For sure, gudfala fasin and loving-kaeness bae followim mi long evriday long laef bilong mi; and mi bae stap insaed long haos bilong Jehovah for olowe.” (Psalm 23:6) David talem toktok olsem bikos heart bilong hem fulap witim thankiu and faith—hem thankiu taem hem tingim samting wea happen bifor and hem garem faith taem hem luk forward long future. David wea hem shepherd bifor, hem barava sure hao sapos hem gohed for klos long Shepherd bilong hem long heven, wea olsem hem stap insaed haos bilong Hem, bae Jehovah evritaem showimaot loving kea long hem.

²⁰ Iumi tinghae tumas long olketa naesfala toktok wea stap long mek-23 Psalm! David faendem barava best wei for storyim hao Jehovah leadim, protectim, and feedim olketa sheep bilong hem. Olketa naesfala toktok bilong David stap insaed Bible for mekem iumi tu savve trustim Jehovah wea hem Shepherd bilong iumi. Tru tumas, taem iumi gohed for klos long Jehovah, bae hem lukaftarem iumi olsem wanfala loving Shepherd “for olowe.” Nomata olsem, iumi olketa sheep bilong hem garem responsibility for wakabaot witim Jehovah, nambawan Shepherd bilong iumi. Next article bae storyim wanem diswan minim.

[Olketa Footnote]

Waswe Iu Remember?

• Why nao wei wea David markem Jehovah witim wanfala shepherd hem barava fitim?

• Hao nao Jehovah garem fasin for minim samting taem hem leadim iumi?

• Hao nao Jehovah helpem iumi for stand strong long olketa hard samting?

• Wanem nao showimaot Jehovah kaen tumas for givim staka samting?

[Piksa long page 18]

Olsem wanfala shepherd long Israel, Jehovah leadim olketa sheep bilong Hem