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Commentary on Psalms 23 verses 1–6
From three very comfortable premises David, in this psalm, draws three very comfortable conclusions, and teaches us to do so too. We are saved by hope, and that hope will not make us ashamed, because it is well grounded. It is the duty of Christians to encourage themselves in the Lord their God; and we are here directed to take that encouragement both from the relation wherein he stands to us and from the experience we have had of his goodness according to that relation.
I. From God's being his shepherd he infers that he shall not want anything that is good for him, Psa 23:1. See here, 1. The great care that God takes of believers. He is their shepherd, and they may call him so. Time was when David was himself a shepherd; he was taken from following the ewes great with young (Psa 78:70, Psa 78:71), and so he knew by experience the cares and tender affections of a good shepherd towards his flock. He remembered what need they had of a shepherd, and what a kindness it was to them to have one that was skilful and faithful; he once ventured his life to rescue a lamb. By this therefore he illustrates God's care of his people; and to this our Saviour seems to refer when he says, I am the shepherd of the sheep; the good shepherd, Joh 10:11. He that is the shepherd of Israel, of the whole church in general (Psa 80:1), is the shepherd of every particular believer; the meanest is not below his cognizance, Isa 40:11. He takes them into his fold, and then takes care of them, protects them, and provides for them, with more care and constancy than a shepherd can, that makes it his business to keep the flock. If God be as a shepherd to us, we must be as sheep, inoffensive, meek, and quiet, silent before the shearers, nay, and before the butcher too, useful and sociable; we must know the shepherd's voice, and follow him. 2. The great confidence which believers have in God: "If the Lord is my shepherd, my feeder, I may conclude I shall not want any thing that is really necessary and good for me." If David penned this psalm before his coming to the crown, though destined to it, he had as much reason to fear wanting as any man. Once he sent his men a begging for him to Nabal, and another time went himself a begging to Ahimelech; and yet, when he considers that God is his shepherd, he can boldly say, I shall not want. Let not those fear starving that are at God's finding and have him for their feeder. More is implied than is expressed, not only, I shall not want, but, "I shall be supplied with whatever I need; and, if I have not every thing I desire, I may conclude it is either not fit for me or not good for me or I shall have it in due time."
II. From his performing the office of a good shepherd to him he infers that he needs not fear any evil in the greatest dangers and difficulties he could be in, Psa 23:2-4. He experiences the benefit of God's presence with him and care of him now, and therefore expects the benefit of them when he most needs it. See here,
1.The comforts of a living saint. God is his shepherd and his God - a God all-sufficient to all intents and purposes. David found him so, and so have we. See the happiness of the saints as the sheep of God's pasture. (1.) They are well placed, well laid: He maketh me to lie down in green pastures. We have the supports and comforts of this life from God's good hand, our daily bread from him as our Father. The greatest abundance is but a dry pasture to a wicked man, who relishes that only in it which pleases the senses; but to a godly man, who tastes the goodness of God in all his enjoyments, and by faith relishes that, though he has but little of the world, it is a green pasture, Psa 37:16; Pro 15:16, Pro 15:17. God's ordinances are the green pastures in which food is provided for all believers; the word of life is the nourishment of the new man. It is milk for babes, pasture for sheep, never barren, never eaten bare, never parched, but always a green pasture for faith to feed in. God makes his saints to lie down; he gives them quiet and contentment in their own minds, what ever their lot is; their souls dwell at ease in him, and that makes every pasture green. Are we blessed with the green pastures of the ordinances? Let us not think it enough to pass through them, but let us lie down in them, abide in them; this is my rest for ever. It is by a constancy of the means of grace that the soul is fed. (2.) They are well guided, well led. The shepherd of Israel guides Joseph like a flock; and every believer is under the same guidance: He leadeth me beside the still waters. Those that feed on God's goodness must follow his direction; he leads them by his providence, by his word, by his Spirit, disposes of their affairs for the best, according to his counsel, disposes their affections and actions according to his command, directs their eye, their way, and their heart, into his love. The still waters by which he leads them yield them, not only a pleasant prospect, but many a cooling draught, many a reviving cordial, when they are thirsty and weary. God provides for his people not only food and rest, but refreshment also and pleasure. The consolations of God, the joys of the Holy Ghost, are these still waters, by which the saints are led, streams which flow from the fountain of living waters and make glad the city of our God. God leads his people, not to the standing waters which corrupt and gather filth, not to the troubled sea, nor to the rapid rolling floods, but to the silent purling waters; for the still but running waters agree best with those spirits that flow out towards God and yet do it silently. The divine guidance they are under is stripped of its metaphor (Psa 23:3): He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness, in the way of my duty; in that he instructs me by his word and directs me by conscience and providence. Theses are the paths in which all the saints desire to be led and kept, and never to turn aside out of them. And those only are led by the still waters of comfort that walk in the paths of righteousness. The way of duty is the truly pleasant way. It is the work of righteousness that is peace. In these paths we cannot walk unless God both lead us into them and lead us in them. (3.) They are well helped when any thing ails them: He restoreth my soul. [1.] "He restores me when I wander." No creature will lose itself sooner than a sheep, so apt is it to go astray, and then so unapt to find the way back. The best saints are sensible of their proneness to go astray like lost sheep (Psa 119:176); they miss their way, and turn aside into by-paths; but when God shows them their error, gives them repentance, and brings them back to their duty again, he restores the soul; and, if he did not do so, they would wander endlessly and be undone. When, after one sin, David's heart smote him, and, after another, Nathan was sent to tell him, Thou art the man, God restored his soul. Though God may suffer his people to fall into sin, he will not suffer them to lie still in it. [2.] "He recovers me when I am sick, and revives me when I am faint, and so restores the soul which was ready to depart." He is the Lord our God that heals us, Exo 15:26. Many a time we should have fainted unless we had believed; and it was the good shepherd that kept us from fainting.
2.See here the courage of a dying saint (Psa 23:4): "Having had such experience of God's goodness to me all my days, in six troubles and in seven, I will never distrust him, no, not in the last extremity; the rather because all he has done for me hitherto was not for any merit or desert of mine, but purely for his name's sake, in pursuance of his word, in performance of his promise, and for the glory of his own attributes and relations to his people. That name therefore shall still be my strong tower, and shall assure me that he who has led me, and fed me, all my life long, will not leave me at last." Here is,
(1.)Imminent danger supposed: "Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, that is, though I am in peril of death, though in the midst of dangers, deep as a valley, dark as a shadow, and dreadful as death itself," or rather, "though I am under the arrests of death, have received the sentence of death within myself, and have all the reason in the world to look upon myself as a dying man, yet I am easy." Those that are sick, those that are old, have reason to look upon themselves as in the valley of the shadow of death. Here is one word indeed which sounds terrible; it is death, which we must all count upon; there is no discharge in that war. But, even in the supposition of the distress, there are four words which lessen the terror: - It is death indeed that is before us; but, [1.] It is but the shadow of death; there is no substantial evil in it; the shadow of a serpent will not sting nor the shadow of a sword kill. [2.] It is the valley of the shadow, deep indeed, and dark, and dirty; but the valleys are fruitful, and so is death itself fruitful of comforts to God's people. [3.] It is but a walk in this valley, a gentle pleasant walk. The wicked are chased out of the world, and their souls are required; but the saints take a walk to another world as cheerfully as they take their leave of this. [4.] It is a walk through it; they shall not be lost in this valley, but get safely to the mountain of spices on the other side of it.
(2.)This danger made light of, and triumphed over, upon good grounds. Death is a king of terrors, but not to the sheep of Christ; they tremble at it no more than sheep do that are appointed for the slaughter. "Even in the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil. None of these things move me." Note, A child of God may meet the messengers of death, and receive its summons with a holy security and serenity of mind. The sucking child may play upon the hole of this asp; and the weaned child, that, through grace, is weaned from this world, may put his hand upon this cockatrice's den, bidding a holy defiance to death, as Paul, O death! where is thy sting? And there is ground enough for this confidence, [1.] Because there is no evil in it to a child of God; death cannot separate us from the love of God, and therefore it can do us no real harm; it kills the body, but cannot touch the soul. Why should it be dreadful when there is nothing in it hurtful? [2.] Because the saints have God's gracious presence with them in their dying moments; he is then at their right hand, and therefore why should they be moved? The good shepherd will not only conduct, but convoy, his sheep through the valley, where they are in danger of being set upon by the beasts of prey, the ravening wolves; he will not only convoy them, but comfort then when they most need comfort. His presence shall comfort them: Thou art with me. His word and Spirit shall comfort them - his rod and staff, alluding to the shepherd's crook, or the rod under which the sheep passed when they were counted (Lev 27:32), or the staff with which the shepherds drove away the dogs that would scatter or worry the sheep. It is a comfort to the saints, when they come to die, that God takes cognizance of them (he knows those that are his), that he will rebuke the enemy, that he will guide them with his rod and sustain them with his staff. The gospel is called the rod of Christ's strength (Psa 110:2), and there is enough in that to comfort the saints when they come to die, and underneath them are the everlasting arms.
III. From the good gifts of God's bounty to him now he infers the constancy and perpetuity of his mercy, Psa 23:5, Psa 23:6. Here we may observe,
1.How highly he magnifies God's gracious vouchsafements to him (Psa 23:5): "Thou preparest a table before me; thou hast provided for me all things pertaining both to life and godliness, all things requisite both for body and soul, for time and eternity:" such a bountiful benefactor is God to all his people; and it becomes them abundantly to utter his great goodness, as David here, who acknowledges, (1.) That he had food convenient, a table spread, a cup filled, meat for his hunger, drink for his thirst. (2.) That he had it carefully and readily provided for him. His table was not spread with any thing that came next to hand, but prepared, and prepared before him. (3.) That he was not stinted, was not straitened, but had abundance: "My cup runs over, enough for myself and my friends too." (4.) That he had not only for necessity, but for ornament and delight: Thou anointest my head with oil. Samuel anointed him king, which was a certain pledge of further favor; but this is rather an instance of the plenty with which God had blessed him, or an allusion to the extraordinary entertainment of special friends, whose heads they anointed with oil, Luk 7:46. Nay, some think he still looks upon himself as a sheep, but such a one as the poor man's ewe-lamb (Sa2 12:3), that did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom; not only thus nobly, but thus tenderly, are the children of God looked after. Plentiful provision is made for their bodies, for their souls, for the life that now is and for that which is to come. If Providence do not bestow upon us thus plentifully for our natural life, it is our own fault if it be not made up to us in spiritual blessings.
2.How confidently he counts upon the continuance of God's favours, Psa 23:6. He had said (Psa 23:1), I shall not want; but now he speaks more positively, more comprehensively: Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. His hope rises, and his faith is strengthened, by being exercised. Observe, (1.) What he promises himself - goodness and mercy, all the streams of mercy flowing from the fountain, pardoning mercy, protecting mercy, sustaining mercy, supplying mercy. (2.) The manner of the conveyance of it: It shall follow me, as the water out of the rock followed the camp of Israel through the wilderness; it shall follow into all places and all conditions, shall be always ready. (3.) The continuance of it: It shall follow me all my life long, even to the last; for whom God loves he loves to the end. (4.) The constancy of it: All the days of my life, as duly as the day comes; it shall be new every morning (Lam 3:22, Lam 3:23) like the manna that was given to the Israelites daily. (5.) The certainty of it: Surely it shall. It is as sure as the promise of the God of truth can make it; and we know whom we have believed. (6.) Here is a prospect of the perfection of bliss in the future state. So some take the latter clause: "Goodness and mercy having followed me all the days of my life on this earth, when that is ended I shall remove to a better world, to dwell in the house of the Lord for ever, in our Father's house above, where there are many mansions. With what I have I am pleased much; with what I hope for I am pleased more." All this, and heaven too! Then we serve a good Master.
3.How resolutely he determines to cleave to God and to his duty. We read the last clause as David's covenant with God: "I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever (as long as I live), and I will praise him while I have any being." We must dwell in his house as servants, that desired to have their ears bored to the door-post, to serve him for ever. If God's goodness to us be like the morning light, which shines more and more to the perfect day, let not ours to him be like the morning cloud and the early dew that passeth away. Those that would be satisfied with the fatness of God's house must keep close to the duties of it.
And, moreover, the ark made of imperishable wood was the Saviour Himself. For by this was signified the imperishable and incorruptible tabernacle of (the Lord) Himself, which gendered no corruption of sin. For the sinner, indeed, makes this confession: "My wounds stank, and were corrupt, because of my foolishness." But the Lord was without sin, made of imperishable wood, as regards His humanity; that is, of the virgin and the Holy Ghost inwardly, and outwardly of the word of God, like an ark overlaid with purest gold.
How often have you heard Psalm 23 and not understood it! See how it is applicable to the heavenly sacraments: “The Lord feeds me, and I shall want nothing; he has set me in a place of pasture; he has brought me on the water of refreshment; he has converted my soul. He has led me on the paths of justice for his own name’s sake. For though I should walk in the midst of the shadow of death, I will fear no evils, for you are with me.… Your rod is power, the staff suffering, that is, the eternal divinity of Christ, but also corporeal suffering; the one created, the other redeemed. You have prepared a table before me against them that afflict me. You have anointed my head with oil; and my chalice that inebriates me, how goodly it is!”
The Church speaks to Christ: "The Lord feeds me, and I shall lack nothing" [Psalm 23:1]. The Lord Jesus Christ is my Shepherd, "and I shall lack nothing."
When you say, “The Lord is my shepherd,” no proper grounds are left for you to trust in yourself.
Having said in the psalm before this, “The needy eat and will be filled, and those who seek him out will praise the Lord,” and again, “All the prosperous of the earth ate and adored him,” here he suggests the provider of such food and calls the feeder shepherd. This in fact is the name Christ the Lord also gave himself: “I am the good shepherd, I know my own, and I am known by my own.” It is also what he called himself through the prophet Ezekiel. So here, too, all who enjoyed the saving food cry out, “The Lord shepherds me, and nothing will be wanting for me”: this shepherd regales those shepherded by him with enjoyment of good things of all kinds.
We have in the previous psalm the tribulation of the passion. In this one let us receive the joy of the resurrection.
Throughout the entire psalm, the speaker is the most faithful Christian, who has been reborn through water and the Holy Spirit, for whom the old age of the first man has been set aside. He gives thanks that he has been brought from the dryness of sin to places of pasture and to restoring water through the Lord’s generosity. We should also observe that, as he accepted the Ten Commandments of the Law, so here he rejoices that he has been enriched with ten kindnesses. These kindnesses are not related in separate verses, but are described briefly in phrases.
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SUMMARY
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want," serves as the foundational declaration of one of Scripture's most beloved and comforting passages. This opening verse immediately establishes a profound, intimate, and exclusive relationship between the Almighty God and His people, portraying Him as the vigilant, caring, and all-sufficient guide and provider. Penned by King David, himself a former shepherd, this declaration assures the believer of comprehensive provision, ultimate contentment, and unwavering security under God's watchful and benevolent eye.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The primary and most impactful literary device in Psalms 23:1 is Metaphor. God is directly compared to a shepherd ("The LORD is my shepherd") without using "like" or "as," establishing a profound, pervasive, and governing image for the entire psalm. This metaphor is incredibly rich, drawing deeply on the audience's intimate understanding of the shepherd's vital, comprehensive, and often sacrificial role in ancient agrarian society. It immediately conveys ideas of guidance, protection, provision, tender care, and unwavering commitment. The use of the Personal Pronoun "my" ("my shepherd") emphasizes the intimate, exclusive, and individual nature of this relationship, making the divine care deeply personal rather than abstract or general. The verse also employs a Declarative Statement ("The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want"), which functions as a confident affirmation of faith, trust, and assured reality, rather than a question, a plea, or a conditional promise. This declarative tone sets a solid foundation of peace, security, and unwavering assurance for the verses that follow.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 23:1 encapsulates a foundational truth about God's character and His intimate relationship with humanity: He is a God of personal, comprehensive, and unfailing provision. This verse resonates with the broader biblical theme of God's sovereignty and His benevolent, fatherly care for His creation, particularly His covenant people. It speaks powerfully to the divine attribute of El Shaddai, often translated as "God Almighty" or "God All-Sufficient," who is more than enough for every legitimate need. The declaration "I shall not want" is not a statement of human self-sufficiency or a promise of limitless material wealth, but a profound expression of contentment, security, and liberation from anxiety found solely in God's boundless sufficiency. It challenges the human tendency to strive, worry, and accumulate, inviting instead a posture of peaceful dependence on the One who faithfully sustains. This theme of divine provision and trust is woven throughout the fabric of Scripture, from the miraculous provision of manna in the wilderness to the New Testament's emphasis on seeking God's kingdom first.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalms 23:1 offers immense comfort and a profound, transformative call to trust in the midst of life's inevitable uncertainties, anxieties, and challenges. When we genuinely embrace the truth that the LORD is "my shepherd," it fundamentally reshapes our perspective on provision, security, purpose, and peace. It invites us to consciously release the burdens of striving, self-reliance, and worry, recognizing that our ultimate source of sustenance, guidance, protection, and fulfillment is not found in fleeting worldly resources, fallible human relationships, or even our most diligent personal efforts, but solely and completely in the sovereign, loving, and ever-present God Himself. This verse encourages a posture of deep contentment, knowing that whatever God provides is always precisely what is needed for our ultimate well-being, both temporal and eternal. It calls us to cultivate a life of peaceful dependence, resting in the unwavering assurance that the One who perfectly cares for His flock will guide us through every dark valley, protect us from every spiritual and physical danger, and meet our every true need. This liberating truth empowers us to face life with unwavering confidence, knowing we are never truly alone, never truly lacking, and always under the watchful eye of our Good Shepherd.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does "I shall not want" truly mean in Psalms 23:1?
Answer: "I shall not want" (Hebrew: lo' ehsar, from the root châçêr) is a profound declaration of complete sufficiency and contentment, rather than a promise that every material desire will be fulfilled. It literally means "I will lack nothing" or "I will not be in need." Because the LORD is the shepherd, David is declaring that all his true and legitimate needs—for sustenance, guidance, protection, spiritual well-being, and peace—are comprehensively and perfectly met by God. It speaks to a state of being fully satisfied and secure in God's provision, free from anxiety about what might be missing or what the future holds. This contrasts sharply with the world's constant pursuit of more and aligns with broader biblical teachings on contentment, as seen in Philippians 4:11-13 where Paul speaks of learning contentment in all states, and Jesus' teaching not to worry about life's provisions in Matthew 6:25-34. It is a powerful statement of faith that God's faithful care is entirely adequate for every circumstance of life.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 23:1 finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ, the quintessential Good Shepherd. While King David's personal experience as a shepherd profoundly informed his understanding of God's providential care, Jesus embodies this divine role perfectly and eternally. He Himself declares in John 10:11 that He is "the good shepherd," who "lays down his life for the sheep," a stark and sacrificial contrast to the hired hand who flees when danger approaches. Through His atoning sacrifice on the cross, Jesus definitively secured the eternal well-being of His flock, ensuring that those who belong to Him "shall not want" for anything truly essential, especially salvation, forgiveness of sins, and eternal life. He is the one who leads His sheep to living waters (John 4:14) and provides abundant life (John 10:10) that transcends mere existence. The New Testament further affirms Jesus as the "great Shepherd of the sheep" (Hebrews 13:20) and the "Shepherd and Overseer of your souls" (1 Peter 2:25), promising His continuous guidance, protection, and provision until He leads His redeemed flock to the ultimate pasture in the new heavens and new earth, where "the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water" (Revelation 7:17). Thus, the psalmist's declaration of sufficiency and contentment in God finds its complete, eternal, and glorious realization in Christ, our faithful and loving Shepherd.