Psalm 23: The Shepherd Psalm

"Jehovah is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; He leadeth me beside still waters. He restoreth my soul: He guideth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, thou I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou hast anointed my head with oil; My cup runneth over. Surely goodness and lovingkindness shall follow me all the days of my life; And I shall dwell in the house of Jehovah for ever. (Psalm 23 ASV)

For many of us, the 23rd Psalm is very familiar. It's one of the most quoted passages of scripture, and for a very good reason. This particular Psalm is written with very descriptive language. Like any good poetry, it is written to evoke a response within the reader. It paints a picture of peace and tranquility. Still, it is easy to pass over this Psalm because we feel we already know it. Something I've found though, is that even in the verses we already "know," God has much more to reveal to us if we really take the time to examine them.

"Jehovah is my shepherd " Psalm 23 compares God to a good shepherd. Of course, this is a metaphor that is also quite familiar to anyone who has studied the Bible. Jesus Himself even said "I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep." (John 10:11 ASV) It is a very apt comparison. It was also very relevant to the people who lived in Biblical days. Back then shepherds were plentiful. King David, the writer of this Psalm, started out life as a shepherd, so he was well acquainted with their duties and characteristics.