ANALYSIS OF PSALM KJV 23

“The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want”

Throughout the Jewish sacred book, the people of Israel are compared to sheep,
and God is there Shepherd. Later, in the Christian New Testament, Jesus Christ
refers to his followers as sheep, and he is the shepherds. This metaphor is referred
to throughout the Bible to allow readers to understand the relationship of God to
people. The Shepherd takes care of his sheep, protects them from wolves and other
wild animals, and guides them. This paints a picture of people and God. God cares
for them and guides them. For this reason, the speaker in this Psalm is certain that
he “shall not want”.

“He maketh me to lie down in green pastures”

A Shepherd would often guide his sheep to new pastures, where the grass was
green and soft and cool. The grass was the source of food and comfort for the
sheep, and the sheep depending entirely on the shepherd to guide them to green
pastures.

“He leadeth me beside still waters’

This line is again another comparison between God and a Shepherd. A Shepherd
was responsible for guiding his sheep to water so they could drink. Again, without
the shepherd, the sheep would die of thirst. In the same way, King David believes
that if not for his God, he would not have food or drink.

“He restoreth my soul; he leadeth me in the paths

of righteousness for his name’s sake.”

In these lines of Psalm 23, the speaker reveals that his Shepherd and his God not
only provides for his basic needs, but is also his source of comfort and peace in his
soul. King David claims that he walks in righteousness only because his God leads
him in those paths and restores his soul.
“Thou preparest a table before me in the presence
of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with
oil; my cup runneth over”

In these lines of Psalm 23, the speaker again alludes to his belief that his God is the
provider of his food and all of his needs. In line 9, King David suggest that God
has provided for him in front of all his enemies, so that his enemies could see that
King David was taken care of by his God. The speaker then claims that God is the
one who “anointest [his] head with oil” thereby giving him the position of King. In
the Israeli tradition, the one who was to succeed the king would have oil poured
over his head to seal his kingship. King David says that God himself anointed him
with oil and made him king of Israel.

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the

Days of my life: and I will dwell in the house
Of the Lord forever”
These last lines of Psalm 23 have spoken comfort into the lives of many. Although
King David has already established that he was been through hard times and that
he has even faced death, he has no doubt that “goodness and mercy” will follow
him wherever he goes. This is because he knows that even when he experiences
loss, suffering, and even times of war, God would always show him mercy, and
goodness would always follow these times of difficulty.