THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD
Key verse: 1
NIV
Psalm 23
A psalm of David.
1 The Lord is my shepherd,(A) I lack nothing.(B)
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,(C)
3 he refreshes my soul.(D)
He guides me(E) along the right paths(F)
for his name’s sake.(G)
4 Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,[a](H)
I will fear no evil,(I)
for you are with me;(J)
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
Footnotes
- Psalm 23:4 Or the valley of the shadow of death
Cross references
- Psalm 23:1 : S Ge 48:15; S Ps 28:9; S Jn 10:11
- Psalm 23:1 : Ps 34:9, 10; 84:11; 107:9; Php 4:19
- Psalm 23:2 : Ps 36:8; 46:4; Rev 7:17
- Psalm 23:3 : S Ps 19:7
- Psalm 23:3 : Ps 25:9; 73:24; Isa 42:16
- Psalm 23:3 : S Ps 5:8
- Psalm 23:3 : Ps 25:11; 31:3; 79:9; 106:8; 109:21; 143:11
- Psalm 23:4 : S Job 3:5; Ps 107:14
- Psalm 23:4 : Ps 3:6; 27:1
- Psalm 23:4 : Ps 16:8; Isa 43:2
- Psalm 23:5 : S Job 36:16
- Psalm 23:5 : Ps 45:7; 92:10; Lk 7:46
- Psalm 23:5 : S Ps 16:5
- Psalm 23:6 : S Ne 9:25
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway
ESV
The Lord Is My Shepherd
A Psalm of David.23 The Lord is my (A)shepherd; I shall not (B)want.
2 He makes me lie down in green (C)pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.[a]
3 He (D)restores my soul.
He (E)leads me in (F)paths of righteousness[b]
for his (G)name's sake.
4 Even though I (H)walk through the valley of (I)the shadow of death,[c]
I will (J)fear no evil,
for (K)you are with me;
your (L)rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5 You (M)prepare a table before me
in (N)the presence of my enemies;
you (O)anoint my head with oil;
my (P)cup overflows.
6 Surely[d] goodness and mercy[e] shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall (Q)dwell[f] in the house of the Lord
(R)forever.[g]
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Footnotes
- Psalm 23:2 Hebrew beside waters of rest
- Psalm 23:3 Or in right paths
- Psalm 23:4 Or the valley of deep darkness
- Psalm 23:6 Or Only
- Psalm 23:6 Or steadfast love
- Psalm 23:6 Or shall return to dwell
- Psalm 23:6 Hebrew for length of days
Cross references
- Psalm 23:1 : Ps. 78:52; 80:1; Isa. 40:11; Jer. 31:10; Ezek. 34:11, 12, 23; John 10:11; Heb. 13:20; 1 Pet. 2:25; 5:4
- Psalm 23:1 : Ps. 34:9, 10; [Matt. 6:33]
- Psalm 23:2 : Ezek. 34:14; John 10:9
- Psalm 23:3 : Ps. 19:7
- Psalm 23:3 : Ps. 5:8; 31:3; 139:10, 24; 143:10; Isa. 40:11; 49:10
- Psalm 23:3 : Prov. 4:11; 8:20
- Psalm 23:3 : Ps. 25:11; 31:3; 79:9; 109:21; Ezek. 20:9, 14
- Psalm 23:4 : Ps. 138:7
- Psalm 23:4 : See Job 3:5
- Psalm 23:4 : Ps. 3:6; 27:1, 3; 118:6
- Psalm 23:4 : Ex. 3:12; Isa. 43:2
- Psalm 23:4 : Mic. 7:14
- Psalm 23:5 : Ps. 78:19; [Prov. 9:2; John 6:51]; See 2 Sam. 17:27-29
- Psalm 23:5 : [Ps. 31:19]
- Psalm 23:5 : Ps. 45:7; 133:2; Luke 7:46; [Ps. 92:10]
- Psalm 23:5 : Ps. 16:5
- Psalm 23:6 : Ps. 27:4
- Psalm 23:6 : Ps. 21:4
23 The Lord is my (A)shepherd; I shall not (B)want.
2 He makes me lie down in green (C)pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.[a]
3 He (D)restores my soul.
He (E)leads me in (F)paths of righteousness[b]
for his (G)name's sake.
4 Even though I (H)walk through the valley of (I)the shadow of death,[c]
I will (J)fear no evil,
for (K)you are with me;
your (L)rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5 You (M)prepare a table before me
in (N)the presence of my enemies;
you (O)anoint my head with oil;
my (P)cup overflows.
6 Surely[d] goodness and mercy[e] shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall (Q)dwell[f] in the house of the Lord
(R)forever.[g]
Footnotes
- Psalm 23:2 Hebrew beside waters of rest
- Psalm 23:3 Or in right paths
- Psalm 23:4 Or the valley of deep darkness
- Psalm 23:6 Or Only
- Psalm 23:6 Or steadfast love
- Psalm 23:6 Or shall return to dwell
- Psalm 23:6 Hebrew for length of days
Cross references
- Psalm 23:1 : Ps. 78:52; 80:1; Isa. 40:11; Jer. 31:10; Ezek. 34:11, 12, 23; John 10:11; Heb. 13:20; 1 Pet. 2:25; 5:4
- Psalm 23:1 : Ps. 34:9, 10; [Matt. 6:33]
- Psalm 23:2 : Ezek. 34:14; John 10:9
- Psalm 23:3 : Ps. 19:7
- Psalm 23:3 : Ps. 5:8; 31:3; 139:10, 24; 143:10; Isa. 40:11; 49:10
- Psalm 23:3 : Prov. 4:11; 8:20
- Psalm 23:3 : Ps. 25:11; 31:3; 79:9; 109:21; Ezek. 20:9, 14
- Psalm 23:4 : Ps. 138:7
- Psalm 23:4 : See Job 3:5
- Psalm 23:4 : Ps. 3:6; 27:1, 3; 118:6
- Psalm 23:4 : Ex. 3:12; Isa. 43:2
- Psalm 23:4 : Mic. 7:14
- Psalm 23:5 : Ps. 78:19; [Prov. 9:2; John 6:51]; See 2 Sam. 17:27-29
- Psalm 23:5 : [Ps. 31:19]
- Psalm 23:5 : Ps. 45:7; 133:2; Luke 7:46; [Ps. 92:10]
- Psalm 23:5 : Ps. 16:5
- Psalm 23:6 : Ps. 27:4
- Psalm 23:6 : Ps. 21:4
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
1. I shall lack nothing (1-4)
David was familiar with the life of a shepherd from his childhood. The shepherd is everything for the sheep. In the same way, the LORD was everything for David. The LORD provided for David, not only for his physical needs, but even refreshing his soul. He did all of this not just for David, but for his name's sake. This did not make David immune to the darkness of this world, but in that place, David learned to trust God and overcome fear. He received God's discipline with the comfort that the LORD was his shepherd. As long as the LORD was his shepherd, David lacked nothing.
2. In the presence of my enemies (5-6)
From a young age, David had many who treated him with enmity. In his life this included King Saul and his own son, Absalom. There David trusted the LORD to reveal his glory. He is the LORD who protects his own and provides to overflowing. He used the times when David was besieged by enemies to proclaim his goodness and love-his eternal glory-through David and to the world.
Prayer: LORD, I need nothing but you. Be my shepherd in all things. Use me for your name's sake, to proclaim your goodness and love in all things each day.
One Word: The LORD is my Shepherd; I shall lack nothing
