Yahweh Rohi is
a compound name of God meaning
“The LORD Is My Shepherd.”
It is one of
the most personal and comforting
names of God in Scripture.
It reveals the Lord as
the One who personally
cares for, guides, protects, and provides
for His people
with the tender attention of a good shepherd.
The name combines Yahweh, the personal covenant name of God, with rohi (from the Hebrew verb raah), meaning “to shepherd,” “to tend,” or “to feed.” Thus Yahweh Rohi means “The LORD is my shepherd.”
This name emphasizes relationship and personal care. It is not merely that the Lord shepherds in a general sense, but that He is my shepherd — the One who knows, leads, and watches over His own.
The name is drawn from the opening words of Psalm 23, the beloved psalm of David:
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” (Psalm 23:1)
David, who had been a shepherd himself, used this rich image to describe the Lord’s relationship with him. The rest of the psalm unfolds what it means to have the Lord as Shepherd: green pastures, still waters, restoration of the soul, guidance in right paths, protection in the valley of the shadow of death, provision even in the presence of enemies, and the confident hope of dwelling with Him forever.
In the ancient Near East the shepherd was responsible for the total well-being of the flock. A good shepherd:
By calling the Lord his Shepherd, David was confessing that God Himself fulfilled every one of these roles in his life.
Yahweh Rohi speaks of intimate, personal care. The God who is also El Elyon (God Most High) and El Shaddai (God Almighty) is at the same time the Shepherd who walks with His people in everyday life. He knows their needs, leads them, restores them, and stays with them even in the darkest valleys.
This name finds its fullest expression in Jesus Christ, who declared, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). In Him the care, guidance, and sacrificial love of Yahweh Rohi are perfectly revealed.
Yahweh Rohi is the Lord who is my Shepherd. First expressed so beautifully by David in Psalm 23, this name continues to offer deep comfort: the God of power and majesty is also the personal Shepherd who knows, leads, protects, and provides for His people. In Jesus, the Good Shepherd, this care is seen most clearly and most fully.