Psalm 23 accords with the other set readings for the day, which sound variations on the image of God as shepherd and God’s people as his sheep. In the gospel reading from John (John 10:22-30), the Lord is shepherd, and his followers the sheep who heed his voice. In the Revelation passage (Rev 7:9-17), the shepherd image is transformed, with the lamb becoming the shepherd.

Scholars are uncertain as to the origins of this famous psalm of trust. Traditionally, it has been ascribed to David, possibly when he was fleeing from Saul (1 Samuel 19-26). It also may have connections with the writer as someone taking sanctuary in the Lord’s house, a safe refuge from enemies. 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.

Two streams of images run through the psalm; there are implied threats behind the scenes, yet surpassing peace and trust to lead the psalmist through them all. These are woven through a chiastic structure in the psalm, with verses 1 and 6b relating to the Lord as shepherd and the peace of his house as a dwelling. Verses 2 and 6a allude to the shepherd providing food and drink for the following sheep. Verses 3 and 5 have to do with the security and comfort of the psalmist/sheep; while verse 4 stands at the centre, encompassing the two main emphases of the psalm, the threat of danger, and the trust that allows the psalmist not to fear.

In verse 1, if we imagine David as the writer, there is a moving turn of thought from his own provision for a small flock of sheep, and God’s provision and care for his sheep that include the poet shepherd. The second clause of the sentence, “I shall not want,” flows directly from the first, the expression of faith in God’s shepherd-like care. All needs are satisfied in the guiding presence of the shepherd.

In verse 2, the shepherd makes the sheep to rest in green pastures where there is ample food for sustenance. There is also water to assuage thirst, “waters of rest” in the Hebrew, connoting both physical needs met and rest for the soul. In verse 3, the psalm continues, “he restores my soul,” literally, my life. The implication for the psalmist is that he has been given rest and safe provision after a time of threat and danger. The sheep is led “in right paths” by the shepherd, whose choice of safe pasture is central to his provision for the sheep. This is done “for his name’s sake,” possibly linking with a theme common in the Hebrew Bible, that God’s provision for his people reflects well on how the surrounding nations view God as a caring and powerful deity.

This psalm has a long history of devotional use; with hymns based on this psalm commonly chosen for funerals in some Christian traditions. The translation of verse 4 in the authorized version, “yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,” has linked this Hebrew Bible psalm with the hope of resurrection and a steady presence through the frightening landscape of terminal illness. The NRSV translates, “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me….” Here, the image of the “darkest valley” could encompass a wider range of human experience than the fear of death implied in “valley of the shadow of death.” In preaching, application might be made to depression or other dark passages of life, illness or broken relationships. God’s presence in verse 4 is linked to the safety of the sheep, and the shepherd’s tools are signs of comfort and guidance. In application of the psalm, the images of rod and staff as means of discipline and direction might be drawn out in terms of God’s guidance through the life of faith.

In verse 5, the scene shifts, and the psalmist is no longer a sheep but a person, perhaps a weary traveler. The Lord is now pictured as a hospitable host, preparing a table with food and drink, and anointing the head of the visitor. For the Christian preacher, there are overtones of the eucharistic meal here, and the anointing of one with Davidic connection may have echoes of the anointing of a king or even a Messiah.

Verse 6 is an expression of heartfelt trust, with the assertion that goodness and kindness will follow the psalmist all his life. There is a sense here that these things will naturally be part of his life, wherever he may go. The psalm ends with a statement of deep faith, that the psalmist will “dwell in the house of the Lord for length of days,” or his whole life long. The authorized version translated this as “forever,” which served to link the psalm for Christians to the hope of eternal life. In the NRSV, the Hebrew focus on a long and full life is restored. The psalm may point to the hope of living safely in God’s presence, or perhaps allude to the psalmist serving in the temple in a priestly function of some kind.

Preachers may find this psalm of trust to have resonance for times that include daily reports of fighting and the threat of terror, with the abiding presence of God seen as the source of lasting comfort and security.

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