The book of Psalms in the Bible is a collection of 150 prayers, songs and poems. They were originally written in Hebrew over several centuries by different authors. They convey various themes: praise, thanksgiving, confession, lament, pain, pleas for help, wisdom, faith, trust. The Psalms were mainly used as Israel’s hymn book in corporate worship.
Today Christians recite the Psalms during church worship services, on special occasions like weddings and funerals, and as part of individual devotional times.
The Psalms express a heart-felt communion with God and a full range of human feelings and circumstances. When we read the Psalms it’s good to identify ourselves with them, to let ourselves feel them. And in the case of many psalms, we can pray them as our own.
The 23rd Psalm is the most well-known psalm. It’s a poem of praise and trust in God. The Psalmist expresses confidence in God’s care and protection. As Scripture the Psalm speaks to us, assuring us of God’s love.
Today, let’s go through Psalm 23 verse by verse.
The Lord is my Shepherd.
The Israelites raised sheep in addition to farming. The shepherd’s job was to protect the sheep and to lead them to where they could find water, pasture and shelter. The sheep developed a trust in their own shepherd and knew his voice. They would follow their shepherd, staying close to him. He walked in front of them, talking and singing to them. A good shepherd cared for the sheep with his life. He knew them individually and usually gave each one a name.
For the Psalmist the relationship of shepherd and sheep is a metaphor for God’s love and care for us. And for our need to depend on God and faithfully follow his lead.
I shall lack nothing.
This doesn’t mean that all our worldly desires will be fulfilled. Rather that all our important needs will be met. Jesus says that too: “Seek first the Reign of God, and all these [basic necessities] will be given to you as well.”
He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside quiet waters.
We often read this Psalm as God’s promise to bring us peace and to calm our anxieties. And indeed God does that. But the focus here is on keeping the sheep alive. Israel was a semi-arid land. The shepherd and his sheep would have to travel over a wide and sometimes dangerous area to find fertile places to graze. Being led to green pastures and drinkable water ensured that the sheep would live and not die.
God takes care of us as a Good Shepherd. He sustains our physical life, and even more, he keeps us alive spiritually. God nourishes us with the spiritual food of his word. He refreshes our spirit by his Holy Spirit. He shelters us in his love.
He restores my soul.
The word “soul” here means life. In Hebrew the word for restore has the sense of returning something to its previous condition. The Psalmist may have in mind the shepherd bringing back a wandering sheep, who otherwise might starve to death or be killed by a predator. When necessary God goes after us to bring us back to him.
But restores my soul may also picture putting a sheep right side up. Sheep sometimes get themselves upside down. That is a dangerous position for a sheep to be in. It’s hard for it to breathe and it can quickly die. So the shepherd has to restore the sheep, putting it back on its feet.
We too can get ourselves turned upside down, confused, discombobulated. As we look to our Good Shepherd for help, he will put us right again. Sometimes our life needs to be restored, and God will do that.
He leads me along the right paths for his name’s sake.
In a semi-arid land with little water and many predators, leading the sheep in right paths was a serious affair.
Here the Psalmist expresses that his well-being is completely dependent on God. It’s a scary world and we need God to lead us, to show us the right ways to go. To keep us from harmful paths.
The psalmist says God guides us in right paths for his name’s sake. This tells us that it is God’s very nature, his identity and character, to love us and care for us. God doesn’t take care of us reluctantly or half-heartedly. We don’t have to twist God’s arm, as it were, to make him love us.
God loves us, and he’s committed to us all the way. He’s “all in” as the expression goes. As Jesus’ death on the cross for us demonstrates. That’s why we can trust him and count on him to lead us in right paths.
Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.
Even though we walk through deep darkness: many of us have experienced such times. This verse affirms the shepherd’s protection and comfort in times of grave danger and deep trouble.
We can’t avoid dangers and hardships in our lives. We will sometimes be afraid. But we don’t have to be overwhelmed with fear or lose heart. God is with us. “In the world you will have troubles,” Jesus says, “but take courage, for I have overcome the world.”
We should note that in verse 4 the Psalmist changes from referring to God in third person as “he” to addressing God directly as “you.” You are with me. In a time of great danger the Psalmist draws close to God in intimate relationship and calls on him personally. So can we.
Your rod and your staff comfort me.
The shepherd’s main tools were a staff and a rod. The staff was a slender pole five or six feet long with a curled end. Sometimes the shepherd used the staff to guide a sheep in the right direction by gently touching it on its side. Also, if a sheep fell or got caught in a thick bush the shepherd would use the curved end of the staff to pull it out.
The rod was shorter – a club around 4 feet long. The shepherd used it as a weapon to protect the sheep from predators, such as wolves, bears, lions.
He might also use the rod to count the sheep. He would hold it out and have the sheep pass under it in single file, making sure that they were all present. As each sheep passed under the rod he would count it and call its name.
When the Psalmist writes, “your rod and staff comfort me,” he’s saying that God is our guide, rescuer and protector. And that he cares for each of us by name.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
There’s another shift in the language in this verse. Instead of the metaphor of shepherd and sheep, the Psalmist now speaks in human terms of a patron and his guest. God is a grand host who welcomes the Psalmist into his family and invites him to dine at his table.
In the ancient world to be invited to the table of a wealthy and powerful person was to come under his protection. The host was saying, “we are now family and any attack on you is an attack on me. I pledge you my protection from your enemies.”
Likewise, God welcomes us into his presence and family, and places us under his protection.
You anoint my head with oil, my cup overflows.
A host would anoint the head of a special guest with oil, as a sign of welcome, honor and respect. The Psalmist is the guest of honor. In saying that his cup overflows, the Psalmist rejoices that he is blessed beyond measure.
This is an astounding declaration. God invites us into his presence as his special guests. He’s delighted to be in intimate relationship with us and to have us as members of his family. He provides the protection we need in life. He blesses us beyond measure.
Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life.
God’s love will hold us fast through all the joys and sorrows of life, and he is always working for our good. Especially the good of growing us in the character of Jesus as God’s matures sons and daughters.
The verb “follow” is better translated as “chase after.” God’s love and goodness are running with us. God is passionate about us. He runs to be with us.
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
By “the house of the Lord” the Psalmist is thinking of the Temple in Jerusalem. The place where God was especially present to the people of Israel. The place where the Psalmist can be in the very presence of God.
For us that Temple is Jesus. Jesus is where God is fully present to us and with us. Living in God’s presence means staying in close relationship with Jesus.
The Psalmist expresses confidence that God will keep him near, that he will always be with God. We too can be confident that Jesus holds us lovingly in his embrace. He won’t let us go.
For us the house of the Lord also means the fellowship of believers. Staying close to Jesus isn’t an isolated thing. It’s a communal experience. It means growing in relationship with other believers. It’s life in community. That’s how we grow and flourish as children of God.
And in the end, Jesus will welcome us to sit down at table with him in his glorious kingdom, when heaven comes to earth. We will be with God in the world made new and delight in his presence forever.
Marty Shupack, July 2024