This article will cover this whole chapter of Psalm 23, which consists of 6 verses.

“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.”

This scripture does not mean that we should not want anything. It is talking about we should not “lack” anything. Old English has “having want” to mean “lacking something” or “having lack”.

If we read the King James Version, it is important that you understand the words they used back then and what they mean.

Here, Yahweh is used which specifically refers to the Lord Jesus.

Jesus is our shepherd. He cares for us as a shepherd cares for his flock.

He makes us to lie down in green pastures.

This indicates that we are at peace, just as sheep would be under their watchful shepherd. He isn’t making us lie down in the mud or in the swamp. He is leading us to green pastures where we lie down. We don’t lie down willingly. The shepherd makes his flock lie down because it is time to rest.

He leads us beside the still waters. Specifically, the translation of “still” here literally means “resting places”. So, He is leading us beside waters that are near resting places.

“He restoreth my soul.”

The word “restore” here means to “turn” or “turn around”. “Soul” here refers to the “life” in us or our “whole being”. It is essentially saying that He turns around our lives. We turn from our sins, and He turns us around.

He leads us in the paths of righteousness because of His name. These paths are already established, continually used and they lead to His righteousness. This is talking about God leading us to make good decisions that follow after His standards instead of us choosing to follow after sin.

When it says, “because of His name’s sake”, it is not merely referring to God’s name. It is saying that He leads us in the paths of righteousness because of His reputation, good standing or fame. He does what He does because the integrity of His reputation demands nothing less.

“Yea, though 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.”

The “shadow of death” is a term used to describe darkness. It also represents sorrow and despair. We sometimes take for granted that we have electricity that powers lights. We have cell phones that can produce light, and we have flashlights. In Bible times, if they didn’t have fire, they didn’t have light except by the Moon.

In the pitch-black darkness, out in the wilderness there was a very real fear of death that many of us have never experienced.

The shepherd’s staff was used to both guide sheep and to protect from predators.

It is interesting that it mentions a rod and a staff which many would consider to be interchangeable words.

Yet if we examine each of them, we find that they carry different meanings.

The rod represents authority, such as a scepter held by a King.

The staff represents something to “lean on” or “trust in”.

“Comforted” as it is used here can mean “repent” or to be “consoled.”

In this context, it is saying that we are both comforted and repentant because we trust in God’s authority as our shepherd. We submit to His leadership and His Lordship.

“Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.”

Let’s think about this for a moment. God prepares a table in the presence of our enemies.

Some of you would not even consider sitting down for a meal with your enemies but God is saying that He’s going to prepare a table and you’re going to need to sit at it with your enemies.

In Bible times, preparing a table and inviting your enemies to a meal showed their subordination to the host and the host’s dominance. It represented that the host was wealthy and in charge.

“Before me” literally means “in my face”.

God isn’t preparing the table somewhere else; He’s preparing it right in front of your face.

He’s preparing it and you are going to sit at it.

It is an interesting dynamic though, that you are not preparing the table. You are not being told to prepare the table. It is not really your dominance and wealth being represented at the table because you are not really the host. God is the host of this table. God is dominant over your enemies and Lord over you.

At God’s table, and you are there as His guest and so are your enemies whether they know it or not.

Yet, this is not a table of gloating. God has prepared the table and invited your enemies. He alone is worthy for bringing our enemies to sit at the table with us and bringing peace between us and them. How can we gloat over a situation that He alone has conquered? This also means that because He started it, He will bring it to completion.

This is a table where you share the good news of what God has done in your life and where peace can be made with your enemies when God is both the host and mediator.

The next part of the scripture says, “Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.” The word for “anointest” used here means “to make fat” or “to prosper”, yet I cannot help but acknowledge that God anointing you with purpose, authority and power is also implied.

You are anointed to minister what God has done for you to your enemies that they also might come to know God’s ways and be saved.

The cup represents your life in Christ, full of salvation and overflowing.

People often associate their “cup running over” to symbolize a blessing that cannot be contained or more blessing than is expected.

While that can certainly be true, I believe that this scripture can also represent salvation and the power of the Holy Spirit filling up believers to overflowing.

When your cup overflows, it doesn’t necessarily benefit just you. The overflow is for others. When you are full, you are ready to share. When your cup is running over, that means you are fully qualified, fully prepared, fully capable, and fully usable for God’s work in you to flow out to others.

When David wrote this, he could have been and probably was running from his enemies who wanted him dead. This Psalm is as much a statement of God’s restorative power, divine provision and Lordship even in the most difficult circumstances in his own life as it is for us today. How fitting that the shepherd boy who was fearless in the face of Goliath would later turn to the heavenly shepherd of souls for rest.

David sought to be at peace with his enemies and to teach them of God’s ways. Even in the midst of his struggles, he sought a future where his enemies were dining at his table, and he was triumphant over their evil plans.

The chapter ends with, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: And I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.”

“Goodness and mercy” here refer to prosperity and grace or steadfast love.

The idea here is that God would intensely pursue David with grace and steadfast love.

This is of course according to David pursuing God and relying on him. This whole section of scripture is David acknowledging that he submits himself to the God, the shepherd for direction, peace with his enemies, rest and restoration. It then seems fitting that he expects God to pursue him intensely with grace and steadfast love.

David wanted to dwell in the house of the Lord forever. This doesn’t mean that he wanted to live in the temple. It means the at he prayed to be with the Lord for the rest of his life and for eternity. ”Dwell” here translates as “return” or to “turn back”. This indicates a repentant heart associated with the desire to be with God, not an arrogant expectation.

David wanted to dwell in the house of the Lord forever. This doesn’t mean that he wanted to live in the temple. It means the at he prayed to be with the Lord for the rest of his life and for eternity.

Within this small segment of scripture, we find elements of lordship, provision, rest, restoration, salvation, repentance, trust, peace, victory, dominion, preparation, consecration, empowerment, prosperity, ministry, grace, steadfast love and everlasting life.

This is literally the Gospel presented from an Old Testament perspective. David didn’t have what we have today in Christ, but when we read scriptures like this there can be no doubt that God was the same then, as He is today.