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
In humility, David professed, “The Lord is my Shepherd; I lack nothing.” It meant that he was a sheep to the Lord God, his Shepherd. Sheep are dumb and blind. They easily get lost and in dangerous situations like falling off a cliff. They are helpless without the shepherd guiding them. Likewise, we are helpless in this world of sin and against the devil. We need Jesus as our Good Shepherd who guides us to the green pastures and still waters, where we can find true rest and life.
Moreover, the Lord leads us in paths of righteousness to correct our sinful ways. He trains us in the right way to go. And no matter how dark the valley of the shadow of death is, the Lord is with us, and we are not alone, nor afraid. His rod of encouragement and staff of comfort enable us to pass through the hardest circumstances.
And then, we find that he has lifted us up to the place of honor before our enemies and prepared a table overflowing with good things for us. We are anointed as his chosen people, and our cup of blessing overflows. We can praise God, thanking him for his goodness and mercy all the days of our lives, with confidence that we will dwell in the house of the Lord in his kingdom forever!
Prayer: Father, thank you for Jesus my Shepherd.
One Word: The Lord is my Shepherd; I lack nothing
