The Lord is my Shepherd??

As a child I had to learn by heart to recite the 23rd Psalm-'The Lord is my shepherd'. As an 8 year old growing up in the country I knew that shepherds drove their flock with the help of sheepdogs (domesticated wolves) and I couldn't understand why I-a girl- would want a shepherd as I wasn't a sheep-and why if I had him wouldn't I want him? It was all very odd and although I got the general idea I didn't really understand this.

Then I read the story of the Berber shepherds (it must be true I read it in the Readers Digest)!
Every evening the Shepherds sing their song -we called it the 23rd Psalm, a song of David the Shepherd King). They explain what it means, as I remember, like this:-

Every morning the Shepherd must lead his flock from the shelter of the valley to the high pasture where there is grass. To do this they must follow him closely up a narrow path beside a deep ravine (the valley of the shadow of death). At the top the ravine is narrow and the shepherd straddles it and uses his staff and rod to help each sheep to jump it and reach the pasture. When they are all safely across and begin to eat, he goes ahead of them and pulls up the poisonous weeds (their enemies) and lays them on a flat rock to shrivel in the sun. He makes a little pool beside the steam so they can drink, for sheep cannot drink safely from running water.
The shepherd then rests in the shade of a rock or bush and during the middle of the day each sheep will at some point come to him for a nuzzle or kind word.
At the end of the day flocks are led back the way they had come. When they reach the fold the shepherd inspects each one for any sores or wounds which he cleans and soothes by pouring oil over them. He fills a basin with water to overflowing (sheep need to put the whole mouth in water, they cannot lap). Then when all are safely in the fold he lies down to sleep across the entrance and becomes the 'door' which protects them for the night.

So now I know why I need my good Shepherd!