The Lord Is My Shepherd

Psalm 23 (May 17, 2009)

1) The Text

1The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
2He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters;
3he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake.
4Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff— they comfort me.
5You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
6Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long.

2) The Context

This is one of several passages which describe God as the savior of benighted and sinful people. Grace is entirely God's initiative, given to people regardless of their attitude or merit. God's grace far overshadows the merit gained by good works; indeed, nothing can come of a person's good works or austerities endured for the purpose of salvation, in the absence of divine grace. God's grace is also described as sufficient, regardless of the person's burden or strength to bear it.

The origins of Psalm 23, a psalm of trust, are uncertain. It has traditionally been ascribed to David, partly because of the portrayal of David as a shepherd boy when Samuel was sent to anoint him king over Israel (1 Sam 16:11). With its peaceful tone and the varying images of sheep in a pastoral scene, it can be envisioned as written by a poet shepherd, meditating on God’s faithful provision. However, some modern scholars have associated the psalm with the exodus of the people of Israel out of Egypt. Themes from that story are repeated in the psalm. What might be the poem of a shepherd boy thus becomes the song of the whole people of Israel.

The shepherd image was very common in the ancient Near East78 and very obviously based upon one of the principal occupations of that day. The Israelites, in particular, were known as shepherds (cf. Gen. 46:28-34). The term “shepherd” came to be used in a much broader way,79 describing leadership either of an individual or a group. Jacob spoke of God as “The God who has been my shepherd all my life …” (Gen. 48:15; cf. 49:24). The title of shepherd was given to kings, especially David (2 Sam. 5:2; 7:7; Ps. 78:71), and the Messiah who was to come, of whom David was a type (Ezek. 34:23-24; Mic. 5:4). Thus the Lord Jesus identified himself as the Good Shepherd (John 10:11; cf. Heb. 13:20; 1 Pet. 2:25; 5:4).

When David spoke of Yahweh as his shepherd, he thought of Him not only as his provider and protector but also as his king. He thought of God as his shepherd with the breadth of meaning this term conveyed in the ancient Near East (in general) and in the Law (in particular). Because God was David’s shepherd, he lacked (wanted) nothing. A good shepherd is all a sheep needs since a good shepherd, by his very nature will always supply all of the sheep’s needs.

3) Interpretation

Psalm 23 contains some of the most memorable verses in all Scripture. The core of the psalms has two images, the faith of the pilgrim on his journey and the welcome banquet the pilgrim celebrated in the Temple at the journey’s end.

23:1b-4 described the faith of the pilgrim on his way. The verses emphasized the faith walk, the person who traveled light and depended on the Lord to take care of his need, like sheep who depend upon their shepherd. Notice the pilgrim trusted God not only to fill his need, but reveal loving care as he provided such need (“green pastures and safe waters”). The loving care extended to the “dark” times of danger, stress, and lack. The pilgrim trusted God would be always present in every situation, for that was the true meaning of pilgrimage: a journey to a specific religious shrine in response to the call of God.

At the end of the pilgrimage lies the celebration (23:5-6). The host would show hospitality (“anoint my head with oil”) and provide a feast. Such demonstrations of care would spite one’s enemies. In the context of the Temple, the divine host’s care would act as a blessing on the pilgrim now and in the future. The blessing was meant as a sign to non-believers to repent so they, too, could share in God’s loving concern.

The uniting theme in Psalm 23 was divine care. God was the shepherd and the host. He showed the pilgrim loving concern during the journey and at the destination.

The question of journey or destination is a false one, to be sure. Both are opportunities for faith, times to trust God. Faith on the road means a dependence on the divine for our daily need. Faith at the destination means celebration, a sense one arrived at the divine banquet.

There is one other division in the psalm. While at the beginning and at the end, the psalmist speaks about the Lord, in vv. 4-5 the psalmist speaks directly to the Lord as ‘you’. This happens precisely at the point of greatest danger. Trust in the Lord’s protection and provision is thus not only something that the psalmist can speak about at a distance; they are part of his/her personal experience. They emanate from an intimate, personal relationship with the Lord. The surpassing peace and trust that the psalmist knows stand against the threats implied behind the scenes of shepherd care. There is here a trust that allows the psalmist not to fear.

4) Thought Exercise

How do you show your dependence upon God in your daily life?

How do you celebrate those events of God’s presence?