Psalm 23 - wikipedia Psalm 23 See Psalm 24 for Psalm 23 in Greek ( Vulgata ) numbering. Illustration from `` The Sunday at Home '', 1880 Psalm 23 ( Greek numbering : Psalm 22 because of its opening line ) is the 23rd and perhaps best - known psalm in the Old Testament Book of Psalms and perhaps the best - known chapter in the Hebrew Bible. The writer describes God as his shepherd. The theme of this poem casts God in the role of protector and provider, and is routinely read and recited by Jews and Christians alike. For Christians, the `` Lord '' referred is sometimes taken to be Jesus, who referred himself as the `` good shepherd '' according to the Gospel of John. It has been set to music a number of times, particularly by hymn writers. Contents 1 Text 2 Shepherd theme 3 In Christian tradition 3.1 Metrical versions 3.2 Use in funerals 4 Use in Judaism 5 Musical settings 5.1 Liturgical and classical 5.2 Songs 6 Recitation 7 Media 8 See also 9 References 10 External links Text The Lord is my shepherd ; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures : he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul : he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name 's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil : for thou art with me ; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies : thou anointest my head with oil ; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life : and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. -- Psalm 23 : 1 - 6 Shepherd theme Psalm 23 portrays God as a good shepherd, feeding ( verse 1 ) and leading ( verse 3 ) his flock. The `` rod and staff '' ( verse 4 ) are also the implements of a shepherd. Some commentators see the shepherd imagery pervading the entire psalm. It is known that the shepherd is to know each sheep by name, thus when God is given the analogy of a shepherd, he is not only a protector but also the caretaker. God, as the caretaker, leads the sheep to green pastures ( verse 2 ) and still waters ( verse 2 ) because he knows that each of his sheep must be personally led to be fed. Thus, without its Shepherd, the sheep would die either by a predator or of starvation, since sheep are known for their helplessness without their shepherd. J. Douglas MacMillan argues that verse 5 ( `` Thou preparest a table before me '' ) refers to the `` old oriental shepherding practice '' of using little raised tables to feed sheep. Similarly, `` Thou anointest my head with oil '' may refer to an ancient form of backliner -- the oil is poured on wounds, and repels flies. MacMillan also notes that verse 6 ( `` Goodness and mercy shall follow me '' ) reminds him of two loyal sheepdogs coming behind the flock. John Ellinwood argues that in verses 4 and 5 King David acknowledges God 's protection in expeditions and in battles. `` Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies '' refers to the sober raucous dinner before major battles. These were raucous in order to demoralize hostiles camped within earshot, and ( only ) the king ate from a table. `` Thou anointest my head with oil '' because tomorrow this ceremony might be impossible. After each victory there was no longer a need for sobriety, so `` my cup runneth over. '' The king 's lyricist wisely shortened these military verses for balance. Also in Psalm 18 David mentions God 's protection in battle. ( 13 ). The first verse of the psalm as well as a long tradition ascribe authorship to King David, said in the Hebrew Scriptures to have been a field shepherd himself as a youth. Psalm 23 is traditionally sung by Jews in Hebrew at the third Shabbat meal on Saturday afternoon. In christian tradition This section includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please help to improve this section by introducing more precise citations. ( March 2014 ) Psalm 23 is often referred to as the Shepherd 's psalm For Christians the image of God as a shepherd evokes connections not only with David but with Jesus, described as `` Good Shepherd '' in the Gospel of John. The phrase about `` the valley of the shadow of death '' is often taken as an allusion to the eternal life given by Jesus. Orthodox Christians typically include this Psalm in the prayers of preparation for receiving the Eucharist. The Reformation inspired widespread efforts in western Europe to make biblical texts available in vernacular languages. One of the most popular early English versions was the Geneva Bible ( 1557 ). The most widely recognized version of the psalm in English today is undoubtedly the one drawn from the King James Bible ( 1611 ). The psalm is a popular passage for memorization and is often used in sermons. Metrical versions Main article : Metrical psalter Eastman Johnson 's 1863 painting `` The Lord is My Shepherd ''. An early metrical version of the psalm in English was made in 1565 by Thomas Sternhold. Other metrical versions to emerge from the Protestant Reformation include those from The Bay Psalm Book ( 1640 ) and a version influenced by Sternholm published in the Scottish Psalter ( 1650 ). The latter version is still encountered, with modernized spelling, in many Protestant hymns. Other notable metrical versions include those by George Herbert, Philip Sidney, and Isaac Watts. A metrical version of the psalm is traditionally sung to the hymn tune Crimond, generally attributed to Jessie Seymour Irvine. This version, with its opening words `` The Lord 's My Shepherd '', is probably the best - known amongst English - speaking congregations. Other melodies, such as Brother James ' Air or Amazing Grace, are also used. Other tunes sometimes used include Belmont, Evan, Martyrdom, Orlington, and Wiltshire. Use in funerals In the 20th century, Psalm 23 became particularly associated with funeral liturgies in the English - speaking world, and films with funeral scenes often depict a graveside recitation of the psalm. Official liturgies of English - speaking churches were slow to adopt this practice, though. The Book of Common Prayer of the Church of England has only Psalms 39 and 90 in its order for the burial of the dead, and in the Episcopal Church in the United States, Psalm 23 was not used for funerals until the 1928 revision of the prayer book. Use in judaism This Psalm is found in the Friday night Maariv service. It is also traditionally sung three times during the third Sabbath meal. Musical Settings Liturgical and classical Johann Sebastian Bach, Cantata No. 112 Der Herr ist mein getreuer Hirt, BWV 112 James Leith Macbeth Bain -- hymn tune Brother James ' Air Lennox Berkeley Op. 91, No. 1 ( 1975 ) Leonard Bernstein -- Chichester Psalms ( Hebrew, in Part 2, together with Psalm 2 ) Anton Bruckner -- Psalm 22 Der Herr regieret mich WAB 34 ( c. 1852 ) Noah Creshevsky -- Psalm XXIII ( 2003 ) Paul Creston -- Psalm XXIII ( 1945 ) Herbert Howells -- Hymnus Paradisi Jessie Seymour Irvine -- hymn tune Crimond Albert Hay Malotte Clément Marot ( Latin ) George Rochberg Miklós Rózsa Edmund Rubbra -- Three Psalms, op. 61 ( no. 2 ) John Rutter -- The Lord is my Shepherd ( 1978 ), included in his Requiem ( 1985 ) Franz Schubert -- version by Moses Mendelssohn ( German ) Randall Thompson Ralph Vaughan Williams Charles Villiers Stanford -- `` The Lord is my Shepherd '' ( 1886 ) Alexander Zemlinsky Op. 14, ( 1910 ) for chorus and orchestra Antonín Dvořák, verses 1 -- 4, No. 4 of his Biblical Songs ( 1894 ) Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach -- Gam Ki Elech b'Gey Tzalmavet Lo Irah Rah Ki Atah Imadi. גם כי אלך Songs 1958 : Duke Ellington -- `` Part VI '' from Black, Brown and Beige with Mahalia Jackson 1966 : The Moody Blues -- `` 23rd Psalm '' from the album The Magnificent Moodies deLuxe Edition ( not released until 2014 ) 1966 : Ed Ames -- `` My Cup Runneth Over RCA Victor single from the Musical Production `` I Do !, I Do ! '' 1972 : Dave Cousins -- `` Lay Down '' from the album Bursting at the Seams 1977 : Dennis Brown -- `` Here I Come '' from the album Wolf & Leopards 1977 : Peter Tosh -- `` Jah Guide '' from the album Equal Rights 1977 : Pink Floyd -- `` Sheep '' from the album Animals 1978 : Patti Smith Group -- `` Privilege ( Set Me Free ) '' from the album Easter 1980 : The Grateful Dead -- `` Alabama Getaway '' from the album Go to Heaven 1981 : Venom -- `` Welcome To Hell '' from the album Welcome To Hell 1982 : Keith Green -- `` The Lord is My Shepherd '' from the album Songs for the Shepherd 1983 : Marillion -- `` Forgotten Sons '' from the album Script for a Jester 's Tear 1985 : Judy Collins -- `` The Lord is my Shepherd '' from the album Amazing Grace 1988 : Diamanda Galás -- `` The Lord is my Shepherd '' from the album You Must Be Certain of the Devil 1988 : U2 -- `` Love Rescue Me '' from the album Rattle and Hum 1989 : Lil ' Louis -- `` Blackout '' from the album From The Mind Of Lil Louis 1990 : Bobby McFerrin -- `` The 23rd Psalm '' from the album Medicine Music 1993 : Alpha Blondy -- `` Psaume 23 '' from the album Jerusalem 1993 : Christian Death -- Psalm ( Maggot 's Lair ) from album Path of Sorrows 1993 : Midnight Oil -- `` In the Valley '' from album Earth and Sun and Moon 1994 : Howard Goodall -- theme to The Vicar of Dibley, later covered by Katherine Jenkins and The Choirboys 1995 : Coolio feat. L.V. -- `` Gangsta 's Paradise '' 1995 : Michael W. Smith - `` As It Is In Heaven '' from I 'll Lead You Home 1995 : Tupac Shakur -- `` So Many Tears '' from the album Me Against The World 1996 : Cissy Houston, ( Whitney Houston 's mother ) -- `` The Lord is My Shepherd '' from The Preacher 's Wife : Original Soundtrack Album 1997 : Christopher Wallace ( The Notorious B.I.G. ) -- `` You 're Nobody ( ' Til Somebody Kills You ) '' from the album Life After Death 1998 : Colin Mawby -- recording with Charlotte Church 1998 : Kathy Troccoli - `` Psalm 23 '' from Corner of Eden 1999 : E Nomine -- `` Psalm 23 '' from the album Das Testament 1999 : Jonathan Elias -- `` Forgiveness '' from the album The Prayer Cycle 1999 : Ky - mani Marley -- `` Lord is My Shepherd '' from the album The Journey 2000 : Marilyn Manson -- `` In The Shadow Of The Valley Of Death '' from the album Holy Wood 2001 : Dan Nichols -- `` Psalm 23 '' from the album Be Strong 2002 : Boards of Canada -- `` From One Source All Things '' from the album Geogaddi 2003 : Lucinda Williams -- `` Atonement '' from the album World Without Tears 2004 : Kanye West -- `` Jesus Walks '' from the album The College Dropout 2004 : Megadeth -- `` Shadow of Deth '' from the album The System Has Failed 2004 : OverClocked Remix -- `` Beneath the Surface ( Aquatic Ambiance ) '' from Kong in Concert 2005 : Ministry ( band ) - `` No W ( Redux ) '' from Rantology 2007 : Group 1 Crew -- `` Forgive Me '' from the album Group 1 Crew 2007 : Dream Theater -- `` In The Presence Of Enemies Part 2 '' from the album Systematic Chaos 2008 : Jon Foreman -- `` The House of God, Forever '' from the EP, Summer 2008 : The Offspring -- `` Hammerhead '' from the album Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace 2009 : India. Arie, MC Lyte -- `` Psalms 23 '' from the album Testimony : Vol. 2, Love & Politics 2009 : Rick Ross -- `` Valley of Death '' from the album Deeper Than Rap 2010 : Nas & Damian Marley -- `` Strong Will Continue '' from the album Distant Relatives 2011 : Hollywood Undead -- `` Hear Me Now '' from the album American Tragedy 2013 : The Black Dahlia Murder -- `` In Hell Is Where She Waits for Me '' from the album Everblack 2013 : Jay - Z -- `` Holy Grail '' from the album Magna Carta Holy Grail 2013 : Fall Out Boy -- `` Death Valley '' from `` Save Rock and Roll '' 2013 : Audrey Assad - `` Good to Me '' from Fortunate Fall 2016 : Shane & Shane - `` Psalm 23 ( Surely Goodness, Surely Mercy ) '' from Psalms II 2016 : Crowder -- `` Shepherd '' from the album `` American Prodigal '' Recitation 2013 : Australian singer songwriter Paul Kelly from the album Poems For Funerals Media By Jessie S Irvine 02 : 47 Orchestral arrangement 5 Verses with intro Problems playing this file ? See media help. By James Leith Macbeth Bain 02 : 36 Orchestral arrangement 5 Verses with intro Problems playing this file ? See media help. See also Lamb of God References Jump up ^ J. Douglas MacMillan, The Lord of Shepherd. ( Bryntirion : Evangelical Press of Wales, 1988 ), 78. Jump up ^ J. Douglas MacMillan, The Lord of Shepherd. ( Bryntirion : Evangelical Press of Wales, 1988 ), 82. ^ Jump up to : `` ' Psalms Compared : Psalm 23 ', retrieved 2007 - 08 - 05. ( no public access ! ) ''. Smith Creek Music. 2007 - 01 - 17. Retrieved 2014 - 03 - 12. Jump up ^ Scottish Psalter and Paraphrases at CCEL Jump up ^ `` Crimond ''. Center for Church Music - Songs & Hymns. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 07. Jump up ^ ( 1 ) ^ Jump up to : `` BBC h2g2 Psalm 23 ''. Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2014 - 03 - 12. Jump up ^ Together with Psalm 43 and Psalm 150 in an a capella setting for mixed chorus written in 1954. Dixon, Joan ( 1992 ). George Rochberg : A Bio-Bibliographic Guide to His Life and Works. Hillsdale, New York : Pendragon Press, p. 175. Jump up ^ The Miklós Rózsa Society Website Jump up ^ Blotner, Linda Solow ( 1983 ). The Boston Composers Project : A Bibliography of Contemporary Music. Cambridge, Massachusetts : MIT Press, p. 547. Jump up ^ `` Settings of : Psalm 23 ''. ChoralNet. Retrieved 2012 - 02 - 25. Jump up ^ # NOV290116. Novello & Co Ltd. Jump up ^ Gem Ki Elech 1 ( YouTube ). External links Wikisource has original text related to this article : Psalm 23 Wikimedia Commons has media related to Psalm 23. Hebrew text, translation, transliteration, recorded melodies from The Zemirot Database Tehillim -- Psalm 23 ( Judaica Press ) translation with Rashi 's commentary. Psalm 23 recited in Hebrew Psalms תהילים Tehilim By number 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 Apocrypha or Anagignoskomena 151 ( Eastern Orthodox ) 152 -- 155 ( Syriac Orthodox ) Psalms of Solomon Terminology Psalter Hallel Hallelujah Penitential Psalms Selah Song of Ascents They have pierced my hands and my feet Wikisource texts Tehillim ( Hebrew ) Septuagint ( Greek ) Vulgate ( Latin ) Wycliffe / King James / American Standard / Episcopal Prayer Book / World English Bible ( English ) ← Book of Job ( Job 42 ) Book of Proverbs ( chapter 1 ) → Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Psalm_23&oldid=802179124 '' Categories : Psalms Hidden categories : All articles with dead external links Articles with dead external links from March 2014 Articles lacking in - text citations from March 2014 All articles lacking in - text citations All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from April 2017 Pages using columns with the default column width Articles with hAudio microformats Talk Contents About Wikipedia Wikisource Bân - lâm - gú Čeština Deutsch فارسی Français Gaeilge Gaelg Gàidhlig 한국어 Bahasa Indonesia Interlingua Italiano עברית Ladino Latina മലയാളം Nederlands 日本 語 Norsk Polski Português Русский Suomi Svenska Türkçe Tiếng Việt 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 24 September 2017, at 13 : 58. 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Question: where is the lord is my shepherd in the bible
Answer: Psalm 23