Tap any verse number for what that verse means.
1The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
4Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
5Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
Understand This
Psalm 23, explained
What Psalm 23 is saying
Psalm 23 employs two controlling metaphors—God as shepherd (ro'eh) and God as host—to depict comprehensive divine provision. The shepherd imagery (vv. 1–4) moves from pasture to valley, with the shift from third person ('He leads me') to second person ('You are with me') at the darkest point of the journey, signaling increased intimacy in crisis. The banquet table prepared 'in the presence of enemies' transforms threat into testimony.
The background behind it
David's personal experience as a shepherd in Bethlehem informs the psalm's imagery, though the metaphor of God/king as shepherd was widespread in ancient Near Eastern royal ideology. The 'valley of the shadow of death' (gey tsalmavet) may be a literal reference to the deep wadis of the Judean wilderness.
Themes running underneath
The psalm's theology of presence—'You are with me'—is its theological center, not the absence of danger but God's companionship through it. The rod (shevet) and staff (mish'enet) represent protection and guidance respectively. The anointing with oil and overflowing cup signify lavish, excessive generosity.
Why it still matters
The most quoted psalm in history earns its place by addressing the universal human need for both provision and presence. Its power lies not in promising the absence of valleys but in promising company through them.
Scripture text: King James Version — public domain.