"A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even 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. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever." (Psalm 23 (ESV)).
David uses a metaphor that describes his relationship with God. He uses a shepherd and his sheep (Psalm 23:1a). David helped tend his father's sheep as a young man.
David says that the Lord is his shepherd. It's personal. God is personal and we can have a personal relationship with him like David had. God can be personally known.
David took advantage of that opportunity. He connected with God in a very honest and genuine way. But it's possible to know the Lord in the sense of salvation but lack a personal relationship with him. This relationship can be very flawed from time to time. Jesus wants a personal relationship with us but we can choose to be distant from him. Sin can also put a distance between us and God.
"Let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me."
(Jer 9:24a), see also The Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins.
Paul said about Jesus: "that I may know him and the power of his resurrection,
and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death" (Phil 3:10).
"I shall not want" (Psalm 23:1b) means that I lack nothing. Jesus is our shepherd and he meets all our needs (Phil 4:19). We as believers can be seen as his sheep.
See The Parable of the Good Shepherd.
"the valley of the shadow of death" is everything that threatens our lives. "your rod and and your staff" were tools used by the shepherd. The stronger rod was a protection against wild animals, the staff a support on the walk. (Psalm 23:4).
Psalm 23:4 can be compared to what David says in Psalm 138:7:
"Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and your right hand delivers me."
We shouldn't let our hearts be troubled or give in to fear. Jesus gives us peace that isn't connected to the circumstances of our lives (John 14:27). A fearful attitude can be a sin of not trusting the Lord. We then need to confess it to God, come to the Lord to give us rest in peace. Psalm 23 gives us reasons to trust Jesus.
"You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies" is a host and guest
metaphor. When you come under someone's roof in that area, you are under their protection. In this case, it means that we are under the protection of the Lord and he provides for us. Even when we are in the presence of our enemies. "you anoint my head with oil" was a sign of being a good host and a very hospitality thing to do in those days. It was done to refresh someone. "my cup overflows" means an overflowing abundance to what God has given me. God pours out his grace on me. It's a picture of God blessing his children when we are under his protection.
(Psalm 23:5).
"goodness and mercy shall follow me" speaks of David's expectation of God's goodness. We can share his expectation. "I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever" speaks of eternal life with God when this life is over. (Psalm 23:6).
"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you." (Psalm 32:8). To compare with Psalm 23:2–3. We must then be able to accept this leadership and guidance from the Lord (Psalm 32:9).
See also The Book of Psalms.
