The Shepherd and His Names: Finding God in Psalm 23Sample

Jehovah-Shalom - “He leads me beside the still waters” (Psalm 23:2b).

Peaceful Waters

Jehovah-Shalom, meaning "The Lord is Peace," perfectly captures God's role in bringing calm and rest to our lives. In Psalm 23:2b, we read, "He leads me beside the still waters." While this verse doesn’t directly use the name Jehovah-Shalom, it reflects God's nature as our provider of deep, lasting peace.

The word "leads" in this verse isn’t just about direction—it’s about gentle, intentional guidance. And "still waters" aren’t just calm; they represent a place of refreshment, safety, and trust. When we truly trust God, we experience His peace in a way that goes beyond just feeling good in the moment—it becomes our foundation.

We first see the name Jehovah-Shalom in Judges 6 when Gideon, full of fear and uncertainty, encounters God. His circumstances don’t immediately change, but something in him does—he learns to trust God, and through that trust, he finds peace. This is a powerful reminder that peace isn’t about having an easy life; it’s about knowing that God is in control, no matter what.

The Bible continually ties peace to trust. Isaiah 26:3 says, "You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You because he trusts in You." This kind of peace isn’t temporary or surface-level—it’s deep, lasting, and unshakable. But to experience it, we have to surrender. That means letting go of our own plans, resisting distractions, and leaning into God’s Word and Spirit. When we do this, we allow Him to lead us, and in return, He fills us with His peace.

Romans 8:14 and Galatians 5:18 remind us that God’s Spirit is always leading us, just like a shepherd leads his sheep. When we follow Him, we experience the fruit of the Spirit, including peace. And even when life leads us into difficult places (just like Jesus was led into the wilderness), we can hold onto Jehovah-Shalom, knowing that His presence is enough to sustain us.

In the end, God's peace isn’t just about feeling calm—it’s about being led away from things that drain and exhaust us and toward what truly gives life. That peace grows as we spend time in His Word, listen for His voice, and trust Him completely. When we do, we realize that no matter what’s happening around us, our Shepherd has us in His care.