Psalms 23:1-4

1 The LORD is my ¹shepherd; I shall not ²want.

2 He makes me lie down in green ³pastures. He leads me beside still waters.^[a]

3 He ⁴restores my soul. He ⁵leads me in ⁶paths of righteousness^[b] for his ⁷name's sake.

4 Even though I ⁸walk through the valley of ⁹the shadow of death,^[c] I will ¹⁰fear no evil, for ¹¹you are with me; your ¹²rod and your staff, they comfort me.

Psalms 23:1-4 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 23

\\<>\\. Thus psalm was written by David, either when he was in distressed circumstances, being persecuted by Saul, and was in the forest of Hareth, 1Sa 22:5; as some think {r}; wherefore he comforts himself with the Lord's being his shepherd, so that he should not want; nor would he fear, was he in worse circumstances than he at present was; or rather, when he was settled upon the throne of Israel, and in the most prosperous and flourishing state of his reign, as the latter part of the psalm shows; he speaks not in his own person only, but in the name of all believers; for Christ, who is the shepherd spoken of, is a common shepherd to all the saints, who are all the sheep of his pasture, as well as David; and the prophet here makes use of similes very familiar with him; he having been a shepherd himself, and knew what it was to do all the parts of that office, which are herein expressed; and very pertinently does this psalm follow the former; for as there Christ is prophesied of as laying down his life for the sheep, as the good shepherd does; and of his being brought again from the dead, as the great shepherd of the sheep, as Christ has been; so here of his performing his office as such, in all its parts, to the great comfort, refreshment, and safety of his people. {r} Jarchi & Kimchi.

Cross References

• 1. Psalms 78:52; Psalms 80:1; Isaiah 40:11; Jeremiah 31:10; Ezek. 34:11, 12, 23; John 10:11; Hebrews 13:20; 1 Peter 2:25; 1 Peter 5:4
• 2. Psalms 34:9, 10; [Matthew 6:33]
• 3. Ezekiel 34:14; John 10:9
• 4. Psalms 19:7
• 5. Psalms 5:8; Psalms 31:3; Psalms 139:10, 24; Psalms 143:10; Isaiah 40:11; Isaiah 49:10
• 6. Proverbs 4:11; Proverbs 8:20
• 7. Psalms 25:11; Psalms 31:3; Psalms 79:9; Psalms 109:21; Ezekiel 20:9, 14
• 8. Psalms 138:7
• 9. See Job 3:5
• 10. Psalms 3:6; Psalms 27:1, 3; Psalms 118:6
• 11. Exodus 3:12; Isaiah 43:2
• 12. Micah 7:14

Footnotes

• [a]. Hebrew beside waters of rest
• [b]. Or in right paths
• [c]. Or the valley of deep darkness