Psalm 23 is a psalm of David about trusting God as a shepherd and a host. In summary, it says that because "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want" (Psalm 23:1), the believer has rest, guidance and a restored soul, has no need to fear even in "the valley of the shadow of death" (Psalm 23:4), is honored at God's table in front of enemies, and will be followed by goodness and mercy all the days of life, ending in the house of the LORD for ever. Jesus took up the picture when He said, "I am the good shepherd" (John 10:11).
Psalm 23 is only six verses long, yet it may be the most loved chapter of the Bible. It is read at funerals and at bedsides, memorized in Sunday school and stitched onto samplers. Its words are simple, but they were written by someone who knew sheep. David had been a shepherd boy before he was a king (1 Samuel 16:11), and he knew what a flock needs: food, water, rest, protection and someone to lead the way. The psalm has two pictures. In verses 1 to 4, God is the shepherd and David is the sheep. In verses 5 and 6, God is the host of a feast and David is the honored guest. This page explains the psalm line by line in the King James Version, with six companion verses that show how the rest of Scripture, and Jesus Himself, take up the shepherd picture. If you would like the psalm for your wall or your Bible, see our free Psalm 23 printable. For more verses on the theme, see Bible verses about comfort and strength and Bible verses about trusting God.
The LORD is my shepherd (Psalm 23:1-3)
1. Psalms 23:1
"The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want."
The whole psalm rests on its first line. The LORD is my shepherd uses God's covenant name, printed LORD in capitals in the KJV, and it makes it personal: not a shepherd, or our shepherd, but my shepherd. Kings in the ancient world were often called shepherds of their people, so David, a king, is saying that he himself is a sheep under a greater King. I shall not want means I will lack nothing I truly need. It is not a promise of everything we wish for. It is a statement that the Shepherd knows what His sheep need and will provide it.
2. Psalms 23:2
"He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters."
Sheep do not lie down easily. They need to feel safe, fed and free from pests and quarrels in the flock. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures pictures a shepherd who has done all that work, so the sheep can finally rest. In the dry hills of Judea, green pasture and calm water had to be found and led to. He leadeth me beside the still waters means quiet waters, safe to drink from, not a rushing stream. God does not drive His sheep. He leads them to rest. See Bible verses about rest.
3. Psalms 23:3
"He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake."
He restoreth my soul can mean He revives me when I am worn out, and it can also mean He brings me back when I wander, the way a shepherd brings back a lost sheep. Both are true of God. He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness pictures the right paths, the ones that actually lead somewhere good, rather than the tracks that lead to cliffs. And He does it for his name's sake: His own reputation as a good Shepherd is at stake in how He cares for us. Our safety rests on His character, not on our performance.
4. John 10:11
"I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep."
A thousand years after David, Jesus stood in Jerusalem and said, I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. His listeners knew Psalm 23, and they knew the prophets' promise that God Himself would shepherd His people (Ezekiel 34:15). Jesus was claiming to be that Shepherd. And He went further than the psalm: this Shepherd does not only lead and protect, He dies for the flock. Christians read Psalm 23 as a description of life with Christ, who knows His sheep by name (John 10:3).
Through the valley and at the table (Psalm 23:4-5)
5. Psalms 23:4
"Yea, 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."
This is the verse most people remember. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death pictures a deep, dark ravine where danger could be hiding. The words also cover any time of deep darkness, not only dying. Notice that David walks through it; the valley is not where the journey ends. I will fear no evil: for thou art with me. Here the psalm changes from talking about God to talking to Him. In the darkest place, He is closest. Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me: the rod drove off wild animals, and the staff guided and rescued the sheep.
6. Psalms 23:5
"Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over."
Now the picture changes from pasture to banquet. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies describes a host who honors his guest so openly that even his enemies can see it. In the ancient Near East, a host who took you in was bound to protect you. Thou anointest my head with oil was a mark of welcome and joy at a feast. My cup runneth over means more than enough. David had real enemies, and so do we, but the psalm says God's welcome is stronger than their threats.
7. Isaiah 43:2
"When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee."
Psalm 23 does not promise that we will avoid the valley. Isaiah says the same thing in different pictures: When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee. Not if, but when. Rivers and fire are real, and God's people pass through them. The promise is presence and preservation: the rivers shall not overflow thee, and the flame will not consume. Many people who are grieving or ill find Psalm 23:4 and Isaiah 43:2 a natural pair. See Bible verses about grief.
8. Ezekiel 34:12
"As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day."
Through Ezekiel, God rebuked the shepherds of Israel, the leaders who fed themselves and left the flock to scatter. Then He made a promise: As a shepherd seeketh out his flock... so will I seek out my sheep. He would gather them from every place they had been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. This is the Shepherd of Psalm 23 seen from His side. He is not waiting for lost sheep to find their way home. He goes looking for them. Jesus told the same story in the parable of the lost sheep (Luke 15:4-7).
Goodness, mercy and the house of the LORD (Psalm 23:6)
9. Psalms 23:6
"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever."
The last verse looks back over the whole of life. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. The word for follow is strong; it can mean pursue. Enemies may be watching from verse 5, but goodness and mercy are chasing David down. Mercy here is the Hebrew hesed, God's steadfast, covenant love. I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever is a hope of being at home with God, in worship now and in His presence at the end. The psalm that began in the field ends at home.
10. Isaiah 40:11
"He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young."
Isaiah gives one of the gentlest pictures of God in the Bible: He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom. The verse comes right after a description of God's power, coming with strong hand (Isaiah 40:10). The same arm that rules the world carries the youngest lambs. He shall gently lead those that are with young, that is, He paces the flock for the weakest. Psalm 23 is not only for the strong. It is especially for the weak.
11. 1 Peter 2:25
"For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls."
Peter wrote to Christians who were suffering, and he reminded them of what Jesus had done: For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. He was echoing Isaiah 53:6, all we like sheep have gone astray. Bishop here means overseer, the one who watches over. Psalm 23:3 says He restoreth my soul; Peter says that Christ has brought us back by bearing our sins on the cross (1 Peter 2:24). The Shepherd of Psalm 23 is the one who went looking for us.
12. Revelation 7:17
"For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes."
At the very end of the Bible the Shepherd picture returns in a surprising way. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters. The Lamb is now the Shepherd. Jesus, who gave His life for the sheep, leads His people to water that never runs dry. God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. This is where Psalm 23:6 is heading: the house of the LORD for ever, where the valley of the shadow of death is gone for good.
A short prayer
LORD, You are my shepherd, and I shall not want. Make me lie down where I can rest. Lead me beside still waters, restore my soul, and keep me on the right paths for Your name's sake. When I walk through the valley, let me fear no evil, because You are with me. Thank You for the table You prepare and the cup that runs over. Let goodness and mercy follow me all my days, and bring me home to Your house for ever. In the name of Jesus, the good Shepherd, Amen.
Go deeper: a SOAP study prompt
Pick one verse above and write: - Scripture: copy the verse by hand. - Observation: what does it say? Who is speaking, to whom? - Application: what does it mean for you today? - Prayer: turn it into a two-line prayer.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the main message of Psalm 23?
The main message of Psalm 23 is that God personally cares for His people like a good shepherd. Because the LORD is my shepherd, the believer lacks nothing truly needed, is led to rest and restored, does not need to fear even in the darkest valley, is welcomed and honored by God, and will be pursued by His goodness and mercy for life and live with Him for ever.
What does the valley of the shadow of death mean?
The valley of the shadow of death in Psalm 23:4 pictures a dark, dangerous ravine that a shepherd had to lead his flock through. The Hebrew can be read as deepest darkness, so it covers dying but also any season of fear, grief, illness or trouble. The point is that David walks through it and is not alone: "for thou art with me" (Psalm 23:4).
Who wrote Psalm 23 and when?
The heading of Psalm 23 calls it a Psalm of David, and David had been a shepherd before he became king of Israel, about 1000 BC. The Bible does not say exactly when in his life he wrote it. Some readers place it in his old age, looking back, and others during his time running from Saul or from his son Absalom.
Why is Psalm 23 read at funerals?
Psalm 23 is read at funerals because it speaks honestly about the valley of the shadow of death and offers comfort in it: God's presence, His guiding rod and staff, and the hope of dwelling "in the house of the LORD for ever" (Psalm 23:6). It reminds mourners that the person who died, and they themselves, are in the care of the good Shepherd. See Bible verses for funerals.
Sources: All Scripture quotations are from the King James Version (KJV), public domain in the United States. References were checked against the KJV text from bible-api.com.
Related: Comfort and strength · Trusting God · Grief · Funerals · Rest · Psalm 121 KJV · Psalm 27 meaning · Free Psalm 23 printable
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