PSALM 23
A Psalm of David
1 Yahweh shepherds me, I lack nothing:
2 He causes me to lie down in lush pastures, he leads me by peaceful waters.
3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
4 Yes, though I walk in the valley of the shadow death I don’t fear evil because you are with me; your rod and your staff, these comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in sight of my enemies; you have anointed my head in the oil, my cup overflows!
6 Indeed, goodness and loyal love will pursue me every day I’m alive, and I will dwell in Yahweh’s house for as long as there are days.
1 Yahweh shepherds me, I lack nothing:
2 He causes me to lie down in lush pastures, he leads me by peaceful waters.
3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
4 Yes, though I walk in the valley of the shadow death I don’t fear evil because you are with me; your rod and your staff, these comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in sight of my enemies; you have anointed my head in the oil, my cup overflows!
6 Indeed, goodness and loyal love will pursue me every day I’m alive, and I will dwell in Yahweh’s house for as long as there are days.
Psalm 23 – The 'Shepherd Psalm' of the Shepherd Psalms (22-24). Sometimes noted as describing the ‘Great Shepherd’, a title from Heb 13:20, where the risen Lord Jesus now shepherds his people. See an overall perspective here.
3) soul. Or 'vitality'.
5) you have made my head sleek in the oil. Heaps of anointing oil means heaps of blessing, and entrusting with Yahweh’s tasks (matches with the generosity of the overflowing cup coming up next).
Dispensational End-Times Insights
(This is part of a whole sequence starting in Psalm 22 climaxing in the second coming of Jesus in Psalm 24).
v1-3) Describing modern day Israel. Flourishing green and rich in produce (as predicted in Ezek 36; in fact I now see a lot of correlation between Psalm 23 and Ezek 36), well-watered – indeed world leaders in irrigation (among many other things). Yahweh is restoring the soul of the nation and helping them to generally choose the right paths in their national actions, despite what the rest of the world would have us believe. Pronouns regarding Yahweh are ‘he’, more distant third person.
v4-6) The Tribulation starts (‘valley of the shadow of death’). This is a chastening time for the nation of Israel (the rod and staff – the rod for defence, the staff for correction and guidance). But he provides for their every need and shows they belong to him – his name is on them (v3b) – forever (v6). The nation’s awareness of Yahweh begins to dawn again, seen in the pronouns changing to ‘you’, closer second person.
Shepherd Functions and Compound Names
There are seven main tasks of shepherds mentioned in this Psalm, which correspond to the seven compound titles of Yahweh in the Old Testament:
1) Take responsibility of being the shepherd (v1a) = Yahweh Ro’i (Lord My Shepherd – Psa 23:1)
2) Provide for needs of the sheep (v1, 5) = Yahweh (Jehovah) Yireh (Lord My Provider – Gen 22:14)
3) Lead in right paths (v2, 3) = Yahweh Tsidkenu (Lord Our Righteousness – Jer 33:16)
4) Heal and care for the sheep (v3, 5) = Yahweh Ropheka (Lord Your Healer – Exo 15:26)
5) Protect, keep in peace (v4, 2) = Yahweh Shalom (Lord of Peace – Judg 6:24)
6) Discipline, belonging; unifying ‘under the flag’ (v4, 5, 6) – Yahweh Nissi (Lord is My Banner – Exo 17:15) (see Heb 12:5-11 for the link between belonging and discipline)
7) Continued presence through all events (v6, 4) – Yahweh Shamah (Lord is There – Ezek 48:35)
3) soul. Or 'vitality'.
5) you have made my head sleek in the oil. Heaps of anointing oil means heaps of blessing, and entrusting with Yahweh’s tasks (matches with the generosity of the overflowing cup coming up next).
Dispensational End-Times Insights
(This is part of a whole sequence starting in Psalm 22 climaxing in the second coming of Jesus in Psalm 24).
v1-3) Describing modern day Israel. Flourishing green and rich in produce (as predicted in Ezek 36; in fact I now see a lot of correlation between Psalm 23 and Ezek 36), well-watered – indeed world leaders in irrigation (among many other things). Yahweh is restoring the soul of the nation and helping them to generally choose the right paths in their national actions, despite what the rest of the world would have us believe. Pronouns regarding Yahweh are ‘he’, more distant third person.
v4-6) The Tribulation starts (‘valley of the shadow of death’). This is a chastening time for the nation of Israel (the rod and staff – the rod for defence, the staff for correction and guidance). But he provides for their every need and shows they belong to him – his name is on them (v3b) – forever (v6). The nation’s awareness of Yahweh begins to dawn again, seen in the pronouns changing to ‘you’, closer second person.
Shepherd Functions and Compound Names
There are seven main tasks of shepherds mentioned in this Psalm, which correspond to the seven compound titles of Yahweh in the Old Testament:
1) Take responsibility of being the shepherd (v1a) = Yahweh Ro’i (Lord My Shepherd – Psa 23:1)
2) Provide for needs of the sheep (v1, 5) = Yahweh (Jehovah) Yireh (Lord My Provider – Gen 22:14)
3) Lead in right paths (v2, 3) = Yahweh Tsidkenu (Lord Our Righteousness – Jer 33:16)
4) Heal and care for the sheep (v3, 5) = Yahweh Ropheka (Lord Your Healer – Exo 15:26)
5) Protect, keep in peace (v4, 2) = Yahweh Shalom (Lord of Peace – Judg 6:24)
6) Discipline, belonging; unifying ‘under the flag’ (v4, 5, 6) – Yahweh Nissi (Lord is My Banner – Exo 17:15) (see Heb 12:5-11 for the link between belonging and discipline)
7) Continued presence through all events (v6, 4) – Yahweh Shamah (Lord is There – Ezek 48:35)