No one would dispute the fact that these beautiful words have a deeper meaning. Obviously, we are not literally sheep, and the Lord is not literally a shepherd. But this is not just poetry; the words have a specific spiritual meaning.

According to the Writings, a shepherd represents someone who teaches people what they need to know to live a good life, and leads them toward that life. To "want" for something means that you lack the knowledge and the inspiration you need to live that good life.

What this verse means, then, is that if we turn to the Lord for knowledge, guidance and leadership, we will get what we need to lead a good life.

(Ссылки: Apocalypse Explained 375 [34])

8289. 'The enemy said' means the thought of those ruled by evils and the falsities arising from them, before the Lord's Coming. This is clear from the meaning of 'said' as thought, as in 3395, 7244, 7937; and from the meaning of 'the enemy' as those ruled by evils and falsities, since no others are meant in the spiritual sense by 'the enemy', 8282. The reason why their thought before the Lord's Coming is meant is that the hellish crew were prowling around at that time in almost complete freedom, molesting all who were there and trying to place them in subjection. Their thought at that time is described in the present verse by 'I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my soul will be filled. I will unsheathe the sword, my hand will drive them out'. But when the Lord came into the world their boasting was changed to lamentation, described in the verse immediately following by 'You blew with Your wind, the sea covered them over; they sought a deep place like lead in the mighty waters'. Regarding their change of state brought about by the Lord's Coming, see 6854, 6914, 7091, 7828, 7932, 8018, 8054.