Psalm 23, A Shepherd's Song

A psalm of David.

Psalm 23:1-3, A sheep following a shepherd

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.

In the past, David, the shepherd, has taken care of vulnerable and simple sheep. Here he sees God's actions as similar; here David is the vulnerable and simple one, who needs to be guided, calmed and quieted.

Note the parallelism in verses 1-3 (and throughout the psalm.)

Psalm 23:4-5, Protected by the shepherd

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.

Rod and staff are a shepherd's tools. David, recognizing himself as a sheep, is comforted by the Great Shepherd's tools and protection.

Psalm 23:5-6, Riches, goodness, love

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.

At the end of the psalm, the shepherd/sheep metaphor ends and the Shepherd is a divine Friend, who sets a table and lavishes gifts on the undeserving David.

This is the ancient "Good Shepherd" psalm, long recited by Christians in times of trouble.  It is beautiful in its calm simplicity. The sheep unknowingly walk through dangerous valleys while an alert shepherd protects them; the sheep look for good food and good days and they are provided. But David is more aware of the Shepherd than any sheep could ever be, and so he is grateful and commits to staying close to God.

Some Random Thoughts

Caroline Cobb has an album on the psalms. (You can find Caroline Cobb on Spotify here.) Her rendition of Psalm 23 is Shepherd Walk Beside Me.

An analysis of this psalm (with discussion questions), sponsored by the MidwestSafety Youtube channel, is here.

First published Oct 21, 2023; updated Oct 21, 2026