Psalm 23 NKJV

1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2 He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside the
still waters.
3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for
His name’s sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I
will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they
comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You
anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life;
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
THE LORD IS MY
SHEPHERD
Interpreting the O.T. (Jewish Hermeneutics)
4 Types of Interpreting Old Testament
1. Peshat (‫ – )ְּפָׁשט‬plain, simple meaning of the text.
2. Remez (‫)רמֶז‬ֶ – hint, allegorical, hidden meaning.
3. Derash (‫ – )ְּד ַרש‬seek, inquire, commentary.
4. Sod (‫ – )סֹוד‬secret, prophetic.

Psalm 23 is a Remez psalm, meaning it has rich

meanings behind the simple words of the psalmist.
Shepherds in the Bible.
1. Abel – Genesis 4:2
2. Abraham – Genesis 21:28
3. Lot – Genesis 13:5
4. Isaac – Genesis 26:12-15
5. Jacob – Genesis 30:32
6. Rachel – Genesis 29:9
7. 12 sons of Jacob including Joseph – Genesis 37:2
8. Moses – Exodus 3:1-22
9. Amos – Amos 1:1
10. David – 1 Samuel 17:34-36
 1 Samuel 13:14 NKJV
14 But now your kingdom shall not continue. The
LORD has sought for Himself a man after His own
heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be
commander over His people, because you have not
kept what the LORD commanded you.”
 Acts 13:22 NKJV
22 And when He had removed him, He raised up for them
David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, ‘I
have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own
heart, who will do all My will.’

David was called by the Scriptures as “a man after God’s

own heart”.

David reveals 12 characters of God in this Psalm connecting

as the Lord as the Shepherd.
The Lord is my Shepherd
Psalm 23:1
1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
1. Jehovah Raah – The Lord is my Shepherd.
John 10:11,14 NKJV
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His
life for the sheep.
14 I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am
known by My own.
The Lord is my Shepherd
Psalm 23:1
1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2. Jehovah Jireh – The Lord is my Provider.
2 Peter 1:3 NIV
3 His divine power has given us everything we need for life
and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us
by his own glory and goodness.

God is our perfect provider.

The Lord is my Shepherd
Psalm 23:2
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside
the still waters.
3. Jehovah Shalom – The Lord is my Peace.
John 14:27 NKJV
27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give it to you; not as the
world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled,
neither let it be afraid.

World gives temporary peace. Jesus gives eternal peace.

The Lord is my Shepherd
Psalm 23:3
3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of
righteousness for His name’s sake.
4. Jehovah Rophe – The Lord is my Healer.
Isaiah 53:5-6 NIV
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed
for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace
was upon him, and by his wound we are healed.
The Lord is my Shepherd
Psalm 23:3
3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of
righteousness for His name’s sake.
4. Jehovah Rophe – The Lord is my Healer.
Psalm 147:3 NKJV
3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

God also heals our inner man.

The Lord is my Shepherd
Psalm 23:3
3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for
His name’s sake.
4. Jehovah Rophe – The Lord is my Healer.
Isaiah 53:5-6 NIV
6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his
own wicked way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
John 10:11 NKJV
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the
sheep.
Jesus is the Redeemer. Sacrificial and unconditional love.
The Lord is my Shepherd
Psalm 23:3
3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of
righteousness for His name’s sake.
5. Jehovah Tsidkenu – The Lord is my Righteousness.
2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV
21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in
him we might become the righteousness of God.
We have the boldness to draw near to a Holy God because
of Jesus’ righteousness in us.
The Lord is my Shepherd
Psalm 23:3
3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of
righteousness for His name’s sake.
5. Jehovah Tsidkenu – The Lord is my Righteousness.
Matthew 6:33 NKJV
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness,
and all these things shall be added to you.
Seek – GK. “zeteo” – pursue with all effort, keep on
pursuing without stopping
The Lord is my Shepherd
Psalm 23:4a
4a Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of
death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me;
6. Jehovah Shammah – The Lord is Ever Present or Present.
Isaiah 43:2 NIV
2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and
when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over
you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be
burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.
The Lord is my Shepherd
Psalm 23:4a
4a Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of
death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me;
6. Jehovah Shammah – The Lord is Ever Present or Present.
Isaiah 41:10 NIV
10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for
I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will
uphold you with my righteous right hand.
The Lord is my Shepherd
Psalm 23:4a
4a Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of
death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me;
6. Jehovah Shammah – The Lord is Ever Present or Present.
Matthew 28:20 NIV
20 and teaching them to obey everything I have
commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the
very end of the age.”
The Lord is my Shepherd
Psalm 23:4b
4b Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
7. Jehovah Ezer – The Lord is my Help.
Psalm 54:4 NIV
4 Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me.
Psalm 121:1-2 NIV
1 I lift up my eyes to the hills – where does my help comes
from? 2 My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven
and earth.
The Lord is my Shepherd
Psalm 23:4b
4b Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
8. Jehovah Nehema – The Lord is my Comfort.
Matthew 5:4 NKJV
4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Psalm 30:11 NKJV
11 You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You
have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness.
The Lord is my Shepherd
Psalm 23:4b
4b Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
8. Jehovah Nehema – The Lord is my Comfort.
Psalm 51:16-17 NKJV
16 For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You
do not delight in burnt offering. 17 The sacrifices of God are
a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart – these, O
God, You will not despise.
The Lord is my Shepherd
Psalm 23:5a
5a You prepare a table before me in the presence of my
enemies;
9. Jehovah Nissi – The Lord is my Standard of Victory.
John 16:33 NIV
33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have
peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I
have overcome the world.”
The Lord is my Shepherd
Psalm 23:5a
5a You prepare a table before me in the presence of my
enemies;
9. Jehovah Nissi – The Lord is my Standard of Victory.
Romans 8:36 -37 NIV
36 As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors
through him who loved us.
The Lord is my Shepherd
Psalm 23:5a
5a You prepare a table before me in the presence of my
enemies;
9. Jehovah Nissi – The Lord is my Standard of Victory.
Romans 8:38-39 NIV
38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither
angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor
any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else
in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of
God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The Lord is my Shepherd
Psalm 23:5b
5b You anoint my head with oil;
10. Jehovah M’Kaddesh – The Lord is my Holiness,
Sanctification, who Set Apart.
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 NKJV
23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you
completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be
preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
24 He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.
The Lord is my Shepherd
Psalm 23:5b
5b You anoint my head with oil;
10. Jehovah M’Kaddesh – The Lord is my Holiness,
Sanctification, who Set Apart.
1 Peter 1:2 NIV
2 who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of
God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit,
for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood;
Grace and peace be yours in abundance.
The Lord is my Shepherd
Psalm 23:5c
5c my cup runs over;
11. Jehovah Manah – The Lord is my Portion
When we say that God is our portion, we are saying that He
is our all-sufficient One, the source of all we could ever
need.
The Lord is my Shepherd
Psalm 23:5c
5c my cup runs over;
11. Jehovah Manah – The Lord is my Portion
2 Corinthians 12:9 NKJV
9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you for My
strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most
gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of
Christ may rest upon me.
Grace (charis, Χάρις) is not only unmerited favor but also
the divine ability to do it.
The Lord is my Shepherd
Psalm 23:6
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of
my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
12. Jehovah Cheleq – The Lord is my Inheritance.
1. Inheritance in this life. v6a
2. Inheritance in the after life. v6b
The Lord is my Shepherd
Psalm 23:6
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of
my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
12. Jehovah Cheleq – The Lord is my Inheritance.
1 Peter 1:3-4 NIV
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!
In his great mercy he has given us new birth into living hope
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4
AND into inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade –
kept in heaven for you.
1. Jehovah Raah – The Lord is my Shepherd
2. Jehovah Jireh - The Lord is my Provider
3. Jehovah Shalom – The Lord is my Peace
4. Jehovah Rophe – The Lord is my Healer
5. Jehovah Tsidkenu – The Lord is my Righteousness
6. Jehovah Shammah – The Lord is Ever-present
7. Jehovah Ezer – The Lord is my Help
8. Jehovah Nehema – The Lord is my Comfort
9. Jehovah Nissi – The Lord is my Standard of Victory
10. Jehova M’Kaddesh – The Lord is my Holiness, Sanctification
11. Jehova Manah – The Lord is my Portion
12. Jehova Cheleq – The Lord is my Inheritance