The Lord my Shepherd is the God Who Sees
Raah is derived from Roi. The Hebrew word Roi means my watcher. Most of us are familiar with what David said in Psalms 23. “The Lord is my Shepherd.” There is much to be said about the Shepherd of our lives. He faithfully watches over his people.
The first mention of Jehovah Roi is found in Genesis 16:13.
Sarai’s handmaid, Hagar, had been treated harshly and fled into the wilderness.
NKJV Then she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees; for she said, “Have I also here seen Him who sees me?”
CEV Hagar thought, “Have I really seen God and lived to tell about it?” So from then on she called him, “The God Who Sees Me.”
Desperate and alone, she was wandering in the wilderness when the Angel of the Lord found her by a spring of water on the way to Shur.
Genesis 16:8—10 NKJV And He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s maid, where have you come from, and where are you going?” She said, “I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai.” The Angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself under her hand.” Then the Angel of the Lord said to her, “I will multiply your descendants exceedingly, so that they shall not be counted for multitude.”
Here is a woman who was on the outside of God’s covenant and promise. The Lord looked upon her and gave a promise and blessing.
Genesis 16:11 NKJV And the Angel of the Lord said to her: “Behold, you are with child, And you shall bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, Because the Lord has heard your affliction.
Genesis 16:13 NKJV Then she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, (Jehovah—Roi) You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees; for she said, “Have I also here seen Him who sees me?”
Jehovah Roi literally means “The God Who lives and sees me.”
Genesis 16:14 NKJV Therefore the well was called Beer Lahai Roi…
It is the spiring of living water of the Living One Who sees me.
In our distresses and afflictions, we need to find “the spring of living water of the Living One Who sees me.” Hagar found that place in the wilderness where the Angel of the Lord came down and revealed God as Jehovah Roi. He provided refreshing, renewal, a future and a hope in the time of her need and distress. There is a place of refreshing and promise for each of us.
Jesus revealed Himself as Jehovah Roi, the Lord our Shepherd, the God Who loves me.
He said, “I am the Bread of Life.”
John 6:35 NKJV And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.
Then He said “I am the Light of the world.”
John 8:12 NKJV Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”
He called Himself the “Door of the sheep.”
John 10:7 NKJV Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.
John 10:9 NKJV I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.
He was revealing Himself as the Lord our Shepherd. The Lord our God is Jehovah Roi, the Shepherd of our souls.
Isaac was out in a field meditating near the spring at Beer Lahai Roi, when he looked up and saw camels coming with Rebekah, (Genesis 24:62-67). After Abraham died, Isaac dwelt at the spring that was named, “The God Who lives sees me.”
Throughout the Bible, people had an encounter with Jehovah Roi.
Genesis 48:15-16 NKJV And Israel blessed Joseph, and said: “God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, The God who has fed me all my life long to this day, The Angel Who has delivered me from all evil (and harm)…”
After Jacob’s faith had matured, he came to know and identify God as Jehovah Roi. Follow his life and you will see God was with him and shepherded his whole life. God was the One Who gave him blessing and prosperity. God protected him from his enemies and kept him from harm. Can you identify with Jehovah Roi? Do you see how God has kept you through difficult and desperate times?
The Psalmist David said: “The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.”
Psalm 23:1 NKJV The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
When David identified God Jehovah as his Shepherd (Raah), he described some of the benefits of God watching over His people.
The first benefit of God’s care is, “I shall not want.” It appears that this is a description of everything that the Lord does for His sheep. Regardless of where life takes us, He is the living God Who sees me.
Psalm 139:7-10 NLT I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there. If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me.
God is watching over you!
Psalm 23:2 NKJV He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.
Psalm 23:3 NKJV He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.
Psalm 23:4 NKJV Yea, 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.
Psalm 23:5 NKJV You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.
Psalm 23:6 NKJV Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.
David is saying, “The God Who lives is watching over me.”
Proverbs 3:24-26 NKJV When you lie down, you will not be afraid; Yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet. Do not be afraid of sudden terror, Nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes; For the Lord will be your confidence, And will keep your foot from being caught.
When you know that Jehovah Roi, “The God Who lives is watching over you, you can face every situation in life with confidence.
Rehearse those words to your mind and emotions. Say it aloud… “The God Who lives and sees me is watching over me!”
Proverbs 3:5-6 NKJV Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
When you know Jehovah Roi as the Lord your Shepherd, you know He is watching you.
You know you He provides green pastures and still waters. He restores, refreshes and calms your troubled soul. He provides cleansing and righteousness. Even when you face desperate times and go through the valley of the shadow of death, you fear no evil. Jehovah Roi, the Lord your Shepherd knows exactly what you need. He lives and sees and is watching over you. He has prepared a table and feast for you so that your strength is renewed and your life is filled with joy, peace and love.
He is a personal God Who watches over us to guide and take care of us.
2 Chronicles 16:9 NKJV The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.
God is still with us and is working in our lives.
If you will listen, you will hear His voice today. He is making arrangements to guide you in the way you should go. Even if you don’t know it, God is intimately and personally involved in your life. It’s difficult to understand the full extent of His watchful care over us.
In Jeremiah 31:3 NIV He tells us, “I know the plans I have for you…plans to prosper you…plans to give you hope and a future.”
God has plans to guide, protect, and prosper us.
David said this:
Psalm 23:4 NLT I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.
Whatever you are facing, remember God is going with you.
The “maker of heaven and earth” is our Shepherd. God Almighty summons all of His might to keep you safe. He uses His power to change our situations.
He also knows how to make us strong so that we can face life’s situations.
