Psalm 23 - The Lord is My Shepherd Psalm 23 - 'The Lord is My Shepherd' Psalm 23 - 'The Lord is My Shepherd' Compare Psalm 23 in Multiple Bible Translations Bill Fairchild By Mary Fairchild Updated March 31, 2016. Psalm 23 is one of the most dearly loved, soul comforting passages of Scripture. The inspiring text is often quoted at funeral services and memorial events. In the King James Version it begins with this familiar reassurance: "The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want." Compare Psalm 23 in several popular Bible translations . Psalm 23 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: 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 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads 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 You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever. Psalm 23 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Even 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. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, And I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever. Psalm 23 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even 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. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. Psalm 23 The LORD is my shepherd; I have all that I need.

He lets me rest in green meadows; He leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength . He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, And I will live in the house of the LORD forever. Psalm 23 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters . He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows.

Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. Psalm 23: The Lord is My Shepherd | PurposeCity Psalm 23: The Lord is My Shepherd 2 10 There is a famous psalm written by David that, if written in today, would be Christian music’s number one hit – a multi-platinum recording. It is Psalm 23 and perhaps you have heard of it’s lyrics? There can be no question that this song beautifully expresses the goodness of trusting in a personal shepherd. But, I understand that a shepherd probably holds very little weight for those of us in a busy city or even a quiet suburban town. So, let’s modernize this reference that David, and later Jesus, used. Instead of calling the main character a good shepherd, lets exchange it for the word ‘bodyguard.’ The idea of a constant protector is what David was communicating and David, a once shepherd-boy turned mighty king, understood the importance in taking care of helpless animals. David also knew that the Lord was faithful in providing and watching over him. Can we echo this response when we find ourselves running or hiding in metaphorical caves?

Can we echo this when we feel forgotten or lost? Hopefully, we aren’t only proclaiming the following words found in Psalm 23 when life is working in our favor. For the truth is, these words can produce the most power in our lives when we feel the very weakest. Let’s take a look at each well chosen lyric to further understand David’s words to God: The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord There is truly so much wisdom to be gained from these verses, especially when we attempt to discover God in our lowest of moments, calling Him our forever Lord. Below, let’s look at just the first half of verse one, dissecting what David felt: THE Notice that David begins by saying that the Lord is His shepherd. He is emphasizing the word “THE” because He is well aware that there is no one else but God who can protect him from life’s snares and pitfalls. Do we truly live this way?

Do we camouflage this protection with other things that bring about a false sense of security? Truly, God is THE only thing that can bring about comfort and peace. Can we call Him the one and only thing that we need? LORD Next, David chooses the title for God Almighty as “LORD,” which means master or owner. While David could have chosen many adjectives to describe the God he knew intimately, he chose to call Him Master. I immediately think of a subject serving a King when I hear this title and I truly believe that this was the reverence and honor that David was broadcasting in this opening line. How can we make God our Lord? While we often call Him Savior and Lord, Savior implies that we can do nothing but admit He saved us undeservingly from our sins, but Lord requires action on our behalf. We must place God in the highest position of our lives at all times, surrendering to Him as Lord like David did. How can we begin to make God our Lord each and every day? IS David didn’t stop there. David continues by clearly communicating that THE one and only LORD, master and owner of his soul, IS. This word IS implies a present tense.

David is not saying he remembers God was his provider when he felt God’s direction more clearly. Instead, the Lord IS, which means currently. God is always present and personally with us just like a bodyguard protecting a celebrity from crazy fans. Sometimes we may feel like we need a constant hand to hold when life is pulling us in a thousand directions, while other times we may feel invisible, looking for His hand to grasp us tightly. David was vocal in the moments when he felt forsaken by God, yet He never ceased to praise an ever present Lord… even when He couldn’t feel God’s presence. David believed God was always there. How can we acknowledge God’s presence in our lives regardless of our circumstances or emotions? MY The next word is MY, which is very personal. MY house, or MY children, implies it is yours to claim. The Lord was David’s personal claim. This cannot come without a solid relationship. Yes, relationships go through highs and lows, but knowing that a relationship is yours, much like a marriage, can bring a sense of forever commitment which brings about true joy. Do you call Jesus yours? SHEPHERD David uses a word we often lack connection with, which is the word SHEPHERD.

A shepherd has a responsibility and obligation to care for animals who would otherwise roam without guidance. We are the sheep. We can easily be led astray and we need someone to direct us. David saw himself in this manner; wouldn’t you also admit this to be true in your own life? I’d like to close by putting some thought into the nature of a sheep, so that the real attention can be placed solely on the importance of a shepherd. I am assuming you haven’t spent much time with sheep recently, so I went to this website called Sheep101 (yes, there is such a thing) and this is what I learned, “Sheep have a strong instinct to follow the sheep in front of them. When one sheep decides to go somewhere, the rest of the flock usually follows, even if it is not a good decision. For example, sheep will follow each other to slaughter. If one sheep jumps over a cliff, the others are likely to follow. Even from birth, lambs are conditioned to follow the older members of the flock. This instinct is ‘hard-wired’ into sheep. It’s not something they think about.” I can now further identity with my sheep-like nature, can’t you?

I can find myself listening to others instead of listening to what God has to say about me. I then end up following mere men instead of following God’s perfect plan. If you are any thing like me, you have once or twice blindly wandered somewhere you’d never thought you’d be because you forgot to seek true wisdom. If not for the grace of God, I could follow my flesh and others around me, right until the end of my time. I am very akin to a sheep. Thus, I am forever thankful for a loving shepherd who leads me in the right direction. I believe that David hand selected these wonderful words, “the Lord is my shepherd” to remind himself of God’s goodness. Will you also proclaim this promising song over your life today? jrzgrl At worship yesterday we were asked what can God do to make us happy. As I pondered the question this morning Psalm 23 came to mind. David gives us/me the answer: I shall not want for anything for the LORD IS MY SHEPARD.After reading the psalm, I found your site, beautifully written. Please continue with the remainder of the psalm. tkhk3746 Everyone’s interpretation of this Psalm is probably a bit different.

However, since my dad went home to be with the Lord eight months ago, I awoke one morning realizing I had been dreaming about this Psalm that someone was reading it to me in my dream. I then realized it was my dad’s voice. This Psalm has taken on a new meaning to me. I read it daily realizing that this verse really is your reward in heaven. Once you are with the Lord, He really IS your daily shepherd. You have No want in heaven. I can imagine the beautiful heavenly green pastures you can lie down in…and the beautiful crystal clear water still waters in Heaven….and I know once we are in the presence of the Lord our souls are restored. When you are in heaven, every path is righteous for his name sake. WHEN you walk through the shadow of death, I know my dad did not fear any evil b/c his angel and the lord was with him. His cup now runneth over for eternity and God’s mercy and goodness will be with him for all the days of his heavenly life….and he REALLY IS dwelling in the House of the Lord forever! Jonathan Cates My dad will have went home to be with our Lord and Savior for 2 years in July.

While he was laying at home he mentioned seeing his sister, who had passed on a few years before him, in the room that my step mom put him in and one day he said to them that he saw her come in and start cleaning his room. Some people thought he was joking, he use to be a sort of a funny man and joke all the time, but he had this look of confusion (I really can not explain the look but please excuse me if I give a poor description of it), joy, and peacefulness while he told my wife and I the story. Some said it was the medicine making him see things that it was the lady who was watching him or the nurse. It upset him if I remember right, its been a while since it happen, so please bare with me . He said I am not imagining things, I know what I seen! I believed him, something came over me – I guess you could say a feeling and then with the way he looked made me a believer, then he said she would sit down and talk with him about things.

He really never told us what they talked about, but I told him to please tell her that I love and miss her, I was trying in my own way to tell him I believe him whole heartedly. Well on the way home that night, I had this weird feeling I should have not said that and then again a dream that I do not remember but I do remember waking up thinking that she was not there for me, she was there to comfort my dad. So when my wife and I went to see him again I waited until he and I was alone and I asked if he remembered what I said about telling his sister hey and that I miss and love her – to please do not because she was not here for me but here for him and I was sorry for asking him to do that. After that his Home Hospice Nurse was with him one day when he asked her a question. When we came over she started telling us about it – She was reading a book while watching him and he had this look again come over his face and she asked him what was wrong, he said can you see it, and she asked him can I see what? Then he pointed up towards the ceiling and the corner of the walls where all three met and said that beautiful light!

She said I do not see anything, but describe it to me. So he started telling her it was such a beautiful bright white light, so beautiful he had never seen anything like it before and asked her what was it, she said to him, it is heaven and this part I can not remember for sure if it was said but my memory says it did – but he asked her how do I get there and she said that you will be there soon enough. That’s all I can remember about that and the other things I rather keep to my self. But while he was being treated from Hospice, the medicine started not to work because of the other medicine he was taking was making it not work, so they had to transfer him to the Hospice house, which hurt us because he wanted to be at home when he passed but we all understood, so they could give him stronger medicine. to control his pain, while there he kept hanging on. I would go and see him and prasilently over him and talk softly to him and then just lay my hand over andhold his hand. Then one day, I felt something tell me to bring my bible so I did.

While my wife and my step- mom where talking, I sat beside him and started reading Psalm 23:1-6 as if he were reading it himself. Trying to comfort him and afterwards I told him softly that we will be ok, that we did not want to see hhim continue hurting, that Jesus is there and will take all his pain away. After that his breathing changed and went more up into his chest and my wife and steo-mom stood up behind me and behind my dad . And then he slowly took his last breath and went home to be with Jesus. I was upset and crying, but I felt so much at peace for I knew he was with Christ without pain and no longer suffering. Later on, I was thinking about Psalms 23 – that was written by King David to help show us God is always with us and never leaving our side. Please do not think in any way I told this story to make it about me in any way, because its not and never will be.

It is about how Gods Word can soothe and relax a person who is scared of letting go because he loves his family- his entire family!, that he was having such a hard time letting go and was willing to suffer for all his kids and his wife. And with him hearing that we would be okay and the comforting words of God, was all he needed to put him at ease. I love Psalm 23 and when you break it down it clearly states never be afraid for I Am (Christ Jesus) here with you and I will never let you go. I Am Always Here With You!! and as you stated my friend above He is dwelling in the House of the Lord Forever!!! So thank you tkhk 3746 for reminding me of that and the importance of Psalm 23 and how we should share it to comfort all who are both Suffering and Grieving to remind them Gods Glory is forever, seek your peace in that. Quell Davis The Lord is My Shepherd: Healing Wisdom of the Twenty-Third Psalm by Harold S. Kushner, Paperback | Barnes & Noble® Chapter One A Psalm of David Can fifteen beautiful lines from a single page of the Bible change your life?

I believe they can, if you are willing to open your heart to their magic. Listen closely to them, read them with an open mind and an open heart, and you will find the answers to questions you are asking, questions about yourself, the people around you, and the world in which you and they live. I would guess that there is one, and only one, chapter of the Bible that most people in the English-speaking world know by heart. We may remember a lot of sto- ries about Adam and Eve, Noah, Joseph, and Moses. We may be able to recite the Ten Commandments, parts of the Sermon on the Mount, and other passages that have entered into our literature. But when it comes to an entire chapter, I suspect that the only one we remember completely is chapter twenty-three of the Book of Psalms, the Twenty-third Psalm, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. . . .” Even if you cannot recite the entire psalm perfectly, you know it well enough to say it along with a congregation, the way many of us sing along with “The Star-Spangled Banner” at a baseball game.

We are so familiar with the Twenty-third Psalm that when a new translation of the Bible comes along, using archaeological and linguistic evidence to help us understand more accurately what the original Hebrew and Greek meant to say, we are uncomfortable with the “improvements.” We welcome the rewording of the stories, stripped of the Elizabethan vocabulary of the four-hundred-year-old King James translation (done in the time of Shakespeare). We don't miss the use of“begat” and “wouldst” and “thee” and “thou.” But when it comes to our favorite psalm, we crave familiarity more than accuracy. Why do we love this psalm so much, more than any of the other 149 psalms in the Bible? Why do we reach for it at moments of personal distress, cherishing its recitation at funerals and memorial services? It is a beautiful literary creation, but the anthologies are full of beautiful writings, and they don't capture our hearts as the Twenty-third Psalm does.

In just a few lines, it conveys the distilled wisdom of generations, offering us a way of seeing the world that renders it less frightening, teaching us to deal with the loss of people we love and with conflict with people who don't like us or who treat us badly. It shows us how to recognize the presence of God at times and in places where we might think God was absent or when we might be so distracted by our own concerns that we would overlook God's presence. It has the power to teach us to think differently and, as a result, to act differently. Science, Albert Einstein once said, can tell us a lot about the universe—how old it is, how vast it is, what laws of physics control it. But he went on to say that science is powerless to answer the most important question of all: Is the universe a friendly place, supportive of human hopes and aspirations? The Twenty-third Psalm, with its image of the Lord as our shepherd, responds to that concern. It gives us an answer, not in theological language but in beauti- fully crafted words and skillfully chosen images, and we respond to its honesty and optimism as much as to the beauty of its language.

It comforts us with its familiar words and images, but its message goes well beyond comfort. It does not simply offer us the prospect of a better, safer world beyond this one. It teaches us to look at the world we live in clearly and without illusions, but at the same time to see it as a world in which we can live courageously, doing good for ourselves and others. Our world may not be a perfect world, but it is God's world, and that makes all the difference. Yes, the world may be dangerous, it admits, but God is there to take care of us, to help us, even as a shepherd cares for his sheep in a world of dangerous predators and threats of accident. The world may be a frightening place, but it becomes less frightening when we know that God is here with us. As one writer has put it, sometimes God calms the storm, but sometimes God lets the storm rage and calms the frightened child. The psalm does not deny the shattering reality of death and loss, nor does it minimize how painful death and loss can be to us.

It never asks us to pretend, as some religious teachings do, that death does not change things, that moving from life to death is no different than moving from New York to Chicago. It acknowledges the emotional darkness we find ourselves in when a loved one is dying or has died, the “valley of the shadow of death.” But instead of cursing a God who permits our loved ones to die, it introduces us to a God who is with us in our pain, and who leads us through the dark valley back into the light. It summons us to live bravely, to go forward with our lives in the confidence that we are not alone. The psalm does not offer us the pious hope that, if we are good people, life will be easy, as some religious texts do. The author of the psalm has enemies. He has known failure. He has lost people he loved. In the pro- cess, he has learned that life is not easy. Life is a challenge, and he has grown stronger as, with God's help, he met the challenges of life. He is a better person, a wiser, stronger person than he would have been, had life not challenged him to grow.

The psalm can teach us another valuable lesson as well: Much of the time, we cannot control what happens to us. But we can always control how we respond to what happens to us. If we cannot choose to be lucky, to be talented, to be loved, we can choose to be grateful, to be content with who we are and what we have, and to act accordingly. In a mere fifty-seven words of Hebrew and just about twice that number in English translation, the author of the Twenty-third Psalm gives us an entire theology, a more practical theology than we can find in many books. He teaches us to look at the world and see it as God would have us see it. If we are anxious, the psalm gives us courage and we overcome our fears. If we are grieving, it offers comfort and we find our way through the valley of the shadow. If our lives are embittered by unpleasant people, it teaches us how to deal with them. If the world threatens to wear us down, the psalm guides us to replenish our souls. If we are obsessed with what we lack, it teaches us gratitude for what we have.

And most of all, if we feel alone and adrift in a friendless world, it offers us the priceless reassurance that “Thou art with me.” Who wrote the Twenty-third Psalm, this compact spiritual masterpiece that we love so much? Alas, that is a question we will never be able to answer. People of the ancient world had a different understanding of what it meant to “write” a literary or liturgical work. They understood that, just as “it takes a village to raise a child,” it takes an entire culture to write a psalm. How could one person take credit for a literary creation and deny credit to his parents who raised him, his teachers who educated him, his religious leaders who inspired him, and most of all God who was the ultimate source of his inspiration? I cannot imagine Homer getting up in ancient Greece and saying, Here is a poem I wrote about the Trojan war. He is much more likely to have said, This is the story of the fall of Troy, playing down his personal role in putting it into words.

Many people hold to the tradition that King David wrote all 150 of the psalms, and indeed the Twenty-third Psalm begins, as so many do, with the words “A Psalm of David.” Many years ago, I wrote my doctoral dissertation on the history of the Book of Psalms and found myself concurring with the virtually unanimous opinion of Bible scholars that King David could not have written all of the psalms. Some of them refer to historical events that happened hundreds of years after his death, such as the Babylonian Exile. Some employ Hebrew words and grammatical forms that were not in use until long after David's time. It may be that King David composed a few psalms (the prophet Amos, who lived only a few hundred years after the time of David, refers to him as a musician and composer). If he did, the Twenty-third Psalm may have been one of them, featuring imagery that would have come naturally to this shepherd-warrior-king. It may also be that “a psalm of David” means “a psalm in the style of David” or “a psalm composed in honor of King David” or in honor of a later king, a descendant of the House of David.

From the Hardcover edition. What does it mean that the Lord is my Shepherd (Psalm 23)? What does it mean that the Lord is my Shepherd (Psalm 23)? Subscribe to our Question of the Week : Question: "What does it mean that the Lord is my Shepherd (Psalm 23)?" Answer: The clause “the Lord is my shepherd” comes from one of the most beloved of all passages of Scripture, the 23rd Psalm. In this passage and throughout the New Testament we learn that the Lord is our Shepherd in two ways. First, as the Good Shepherd, He laid down His life for His sheep and, second, His sheep know His voice and follow Him (John 10:11, 14). In Psalm 23, God is using the analogy of sheep and their nature to describe us. Sheep have a natural tendency to wander off and get lost. As believers, we tend to do the same thing. It’s as Isaiah has said: “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way” (Isaiah 53:6).

When sheep go astray, they are in danger of getting lost, being attacked, even killing themselves by drowning or falling off cliffs. Likewise, within our own nature there is a strong tendency to go astray (Romans 7:5; 8:8), following the lusts of our flesh and eyes and pursuing the pride of life (1 John 2:16). As such, we are like sheep wandering away from the Shepherd through our own futile self-remedies and attempts at self-righteousness. It is our nature to drift away (Hebrews 2:1), to reject God, and to break His commandments. When we do this, we run the risk of getting lost, even forgetting the way back to God. Furthermore, when we turn away from the Lord, we soon find ourselves confronting one enemy after another who will attack us in numerous ways. Sheep are basically helpless creatures who cannot survive long without a shepherd, upon whose care they are totally dependent. Likewise, like sheep, we are totally dependent upon the Lord to shepherd, protect, and care for us. Sheep are essentially dumb animals that do not learn well and are extremely difficult to train.

They do not have good eyesight, nor do they hear well. They are very slow animals who cannot escape predators; they have no camouflage and no weapons for defense such as claws, sharp hooves, or powerful jaws. Furthermore, sheep are easily frightened and become easily confused. In fact, they have been known to plunge blindly off a cliff following one after another. Shepherds in Bible times faced incredible dangers in caring for their sheep, putting their own lives at risk by battling wild animals such as wolves and lions who threatened the flock. David was just such a shepherd (1 Samuel 17:34–35). In order to be good shepherds, they had to be willing to lay down their lives for the sheep. Jesus declared that He is our Shepherd and demonstrated it by giving His life for us. “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). Through His willing sacrifice, the Lord made salvation possible for all who come to Him in faith (John 3:16).

In proclaiming that He is the good shepherd, Jesus speaks of “laying down” His life for His sheep (John 10:15, 17–18). Like sheep, we, too, need a shepherd. Men are spiritually blind and lost in their sin. This is why Jesus spoke of the parable of the lost sheep (Luke 15:4–6). He is the Good Shepherd who laid down His life for us. He searches for us when we’re lost, to save us and to show us the way to eternal life (Luke 19:10). We tend to be like sheep, consumed with worry and fear, following after one another. By not following or listening to the Shepherd’s voice (John 10:27), we can be easily led astray by others to our own destruction. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, warns those who do not believe and listen to Him: “I did tell you, but you do not believe . . . you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:25–28). Psalm 23:1–3 tells us that the shepherd meets the sheep’s every need: food, water, rest, safety, and direction. When we as believers follow our Shepherd, we, too, know that we will have all we need. We will not lack the necessities of life, for He knows exactly what we need (Luke 12:22–30). Sheep will not lie down when they are hungry, nor will they drink from fast-flowing streams. Sometimes the shepherd will temporarily dam up a stream so the sheep can quench their thirst. Psalm 23:2 speaks of leading the sheep “beside the quiet [stilled] waters.” The shepherd must lead his sheep because they cannot be driven. Instead, the sheep hear the voice of their shepherd and follow him—just as we listen to our Shepherd, Jesus Christ—in His Word and follow Him (John 10:3–5, 16, 27).

And if a sheep does wander off, the shepherd will leave the flock in charge of his helpers and search for the lost animal (Matthew 9:36; 18:12–14; Luke 15:3–7). In Psalm 23:3, the Hebrew word translated “paths” means “well-worn paths or ruts.” In other words, when sheep wander onto a new path, they start to explore it, which invariably leads them into trouble. This passage is closely akin to the warning in Hebrews 13:9: “Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings.” The apostle Paul also alludes to this idea in Ephesians 4:14. Finally, the shepherd cares for the sheep because he loves them and wants to maintain his own good reputation as a faithful shepherd. As we’ve seen in Psalm 23, the analogy of the Lord as the Good Shepherd was also applied by Jesus in John chapter 10. In declaring that He is the shepherd of the sheep, Jesus is confirming that He is God. The Eternal God is our Shepherd. And we would not want it any other way.

Psalm 23 ESV - The LORD Is My Shepherd - A Psalm of - Bible Gateway Psalm 23English Standard Version (ESV) The Lord Is My Shepherd A Psalm of David. 23 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.[ a ] 3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness[ b ] for his name's sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,[ c ] I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

6 Surely[ d ] goodness and mercy[ e ] shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell[ f ] in the house of the Lord Psalm 23:3 Or in right paths Psalm 23:4 Or the valley of deep darkness Psalm 23:6 Or steadfast love Psalm 23:6 Or shall return to dwell Psalm 23:6 Hebrew for length of days Cross references: The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Study This × Bible Gateway Plus Enrich your faith and grow in spiritual maturity with the incredible Bible study and devotional books listed below. Try it for 30 days FREE. Cancel at any time. Learn more You'll get this book and many others when you join Bible Gateway Plus. Learn more You must be logged in to view your newly purchased content. Please log in below or if you don't have an account, creating one is easy and only takes a few moments. After you log in your content will be available in your library.

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Following your 30-day free trial, Bible Gateway Plus is only $3.99/month. Try Today Full Curriculum This Sharefaith Kids lesson features the beloved Psalm 23. One of the Bible's favorite illustrations for God and his children is that of a shepherd and his sheep. Psalm 23 begins with the classic line "The Lord is my shepherd" and goes on with vivid imagery to describe the love, provision and compassion of our Father in heaven. With fantastic teaching resources like Q&A, memory verse and closing prayer this slideshow is the perfect way to teach your children this life changing Sunday school lesson. Tags The Lord Is My Shepherd | Grace Communion International Grace Communion International The Lord Is My Shepherd 2003 One of the best-loved passages in the Bible is Psalm 23. Its simple affirmation of complete trust and confidence in God has inspired countless people from generation to generation. Psalm 23 relies on two familiar metaphors for its effectiveness: God as Shepherd and God as Host. This combination would have been particularly effective to its Hebrew audience, since the shepherd motif was closely related to the host motif in ancient Near Eastern thought.

Titled simply "A Psalm of David," this psalm has universal appeal, bringing comfort to all who have experienced periods of deep trouble in life. The first verse summarizes the essence of the psalm: "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want." David’s role as shepherd prefigures Jesus Christ (John 10:11, 14). The shepherd metaphor culminates in the book of Revelation: "The Lamb [Jesus Christ] at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes" (Revelation 7:17). Illustration by Ken Tunell This statement is only four words long in the Hebrew, yet it says so much. David was a shepherd. He knew that a good shepherd is personally involved with the welfare of his sheep, protecting and providing for them. David portrayed God in the role of a good shepherd, caring for his people. With God as his shepherd, David could want for nothing. The shepherd metaphor is developed further: "He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul" (verses 2-3).

As Willem A. VanGemeren writes: "The ‘green pastures’ are the rich and verdant pastures, where the sheep need not move from place to place to be satisfied.... The sheep have time to rest, as the shepherd makes them to ‘lie down.’ The ‘quiet waters’ are the wells and springs where the sheep can drink without being rushed" ("Psalms," in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, vol. 5, p. 216). By leading the sheep to green pastures and still waters, the shepherd restores or rejuvenates the sheep. David claims that God similarly restores his innermost being. The effectiveness of this metaphor lies in its simplicity and familiarity. God diligently shepherds his people and lovingly watches over them. David now extends the metaphor to emphasize the shepherd’s role as the guide of the sheep: "He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake" (verse 3). The shepherd knows the right paths on which to lead the sheep to the green pastures. Similarly, God leads us along the path to eternal life. We need to ask God daily for his direction. As David prayed: "Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight.

Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain" (Psalm 119:35-36). The fourth verse concludes the shepherd metaphor: "Even 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." The phrase "shadow of death," which can also be translated "deep darkness," is used figuratively of extreme danger. The right path may lead through ravines and river valleys where steep slopes block out the sun; the presence of the shepherd, however, calms the sheep. Similarly, we may go through great trials in life, but God is always there to help us. Perhaps you know of someone who'd like to hear about this article. If so, go to the bottom of the page and click on "Email this page." Fill out the form, and share the good news! There's also a way to share the page on Facebook, Twitter, and other websites. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.

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Question: The Bible, Which psalm begins “The Lord is my shepherd …”?
Answer: 23