Albert Barnes Commentary Psalms 23

The Lord is my shepherd - Compare (Genesis 49:24), “From thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel;” (Psalms 80:1), “Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel.” See also the notes at (John 10:1–14).

The comparison of the care which God extends over his people to that of a shepherd for his flock is one that would naturally occur to those who were accustomed to pastoral life. It would be natural that it should suggest itself to Jacob (Genesis 49:24), and to David, for both of them had been shepherds. David, in advanced years, would naturally remember the occupations of his early life; and the remembrance of the care of God over him would naturally recall the care which he had, in earlier years, extended over his flocks.

The idea which the language suggests is that of tender care; protection; particular attention to the young and the feeble ; and providing for their wants. All these things are found eminently in God in reference to his people.

I shall not want - This is the main idea in the psalm, and this idea is derived from the fact that God is a shepherd. The meaning is, that, as a shepherd, he would make all needful provision for his flock, and show all proper care for it. The words "I shall not want," as applied to the psalmist, would embrace everything that could be a proper object of desire, whether temporal or spiritual; whether pertaining to the body or to the soul; whether having reference to time or to eternity.

There is no reason for supposing that David limited this to his temporal necessities, or to the present life, but the idea manifestly is that God would provide all that was needful for him always. Compare (Psalms 34:9), “There is no want to them that fear him.” This idea enters essentially into the conception of God as the shepherd of his people, that all their real wants shall be supplied.

He makes me to lie down in green pastures - Margin, “Pastures of tender grass.” The Hebrew word rendered “pastures” usually means “dwellings,” or “habitations.” It is applied here properly to “pastures,” as places where flocks and herds lie down for repose. The word rendered in the margin “tender grass”—דשא deshe'—refers to the first shoots of vegetation from the earth—young herbage, tender grass—as clothing the meadows and as delicate food for cattle (Job 6:5). It differs from ripe grass ready for mowing, which is expressed by a different word—חציר châtsı̂yr.

The idea is that of calmness and repose, as suggested by the image of flocks “lying down on the grass.” But this is not the only idea. It is that of flocks that lie down on the grass “fully fed” or “satisfied,” their wants completely supplied. The exact point of contemplation in the mind of the poet, I understand, is that of a flock in young and luxuriant grass, surrounded by abundance. Having satisfied their wants, they lie down amidst this luxuriance with calm contentment. It is not merely a flock enjoying repose; it is a flock whose wants are supplied, lying down in the midst of abundance.

Applied to the psalmist himself, or to the people of God generally, the idea is that the wants of the soul are met and satisfied. In the full enjoyment of this, there is the conviction of abundance—the repose of the soul, presently satisfied and feeling that in such abundance want will always be unknown.

He leads me beside the still waters - Margin, “waters of quietness.” These are not stagnant waters, but waters that are not tempestuous and stormy. They are waters so calm, gentle, and still as to suggest the idea of repose, and such as prompt to repose. As applied to the people of God, this denotes the calmness, the peace, and the repose of the soul, when salvation flows like a gently running stream, when there is no apprehension of want, and when the heart is at peace with God.

He restores my soul - Literally, “He causes my life to return.” DeWette, “He quickens me,” or causes me to live. The word “soul” here means life or spirit, not the soul in the strict sense in which the term is now used. It refers to the spirit when exhausted, weary, or sad; the meaning is that God quickens or vivifies the spirit when it is thus exhausted. The reference is not to the soul as wandering or backsliding from God, but to the life or spirit as exhausted, wearied, troubled, anxious, and worn down with care and toil. The heart, thus exhausted, He reanimates. He brings back its vigor. He encourages it, excites it to new effort, and fills it with new joy.

He leads me in the paths of righteousness - This means in right paths or right ways. He conducts me in the straight path that leads to Himself; He does not permit me to wander in ways that would lead to ruin. In reference to His people, it is true:

1. He leads them in the path by which they become righteous, or by which they are “justified” before Him; and
2. He leads them in the way of “uprightness” and “truth.” He guides them in the way to heaven; His constant care is shown so that they may walk in that path.

For his name’s sake - This means for His own sake, or that His name may be honored. It is not primarily on their account; it is not solely that they may be saved. It is that He may be honored:

1. In their being saved at all;
2. In the manner in which it is done;
3. In the influence of their whole life, under His guidance, as making known His own character and perfections.

(Isaiah 48:9; Isaiah 66:5; Jeremiah 14:7).

The feeling expressed in this verse is that of confidence in God—an assurance that He would always lead His people in the path in which they should go.

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This He will always do if people will follow the directions of His word, the teachings of His Spirit, and the guidance of His providence.

No one who submits to Him in this way will ever go astray!

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death - The meaning of this in the connection in which it occurs is this: “God will lead and guide me in the path of righteousness, even though that path lies through the darkest and most gloomy vale—through deep and dismal shades—in regions where there is no light, as if death had cast his dark and baleful shadow there. It is still a right path; it is a path of safety; and it will conduct me to bright regions beyond.

In that dark and gloomy valley, though I could not guide myself, I will not be alarmed. I will not be afraid of wandering or of being lost; I will not fear any enemies there—for my Shepherd is there to guide me still.”

On the word rendered here “shadow of death”—צלמות tsalmâveth—see Job 3:5, note; and Isaiah 9:2, note. The word occurs elsewhere only in the following places, in all of which it is rendered “shadow of death”: Job 10:21–22; Job 12:22; Job 16:16; Job 24:17 (twice); Job 28:3; Job 34:22; Job 38:17; Psalms 44:19; Psalms 107:10, 14; Jeremiah 2:6; Jeremiah 13:16; and Amos 5:8.

The idea is that of death casting his gloomy shadow over that valley—the valley of the dead. Hence, the word is applicable to any path of gloom or sadness; any scene of trouble or sorrow; any dark and dangerous way.

Thus understood, it is applicable not merely to death itself—though it embraces that—but to any or all the dark, the dangerous, and the gloomy paths that we tread in life: to ways of sadness, solitude, and sorrow. All along those paths God will be a safe and certain guide.

I will fear no evil - Dark, cheerless, dismal as it seems, I will dread nothing. The true friend of God has nothing to fear in that dark valley. His great Shepherd will accompany him there and can lead him safely through, however dark it may appear. The true believer has nothing to fear in the most gloomy scenes of life; he has nothing to fear in the valley of death; he has nothing to fear in the grave; he has nothing to fear in the world beyond.

For you are with me - You will be with me. Though invisible, You will attend me. I shall not go alone; I shall not be alone. The psalmist felt assured that if God was with him, he had nothing to dread there. God would be his companion, his comforter, his protector, his guide.

How applicable this is to death! The dying man seems to go into the dark valley alone. His friends accompany him as far as they can, and then they must give him the parting hand. They cheer him with their voice until he becomes deaf to all sounds; they cheer him with their looks until his eye becomes dim, and he can see no more; they cheer him with the fond embrace until he becomes insensible to every expression of earthly affection, and then he seems to be alone. But the dying believer is not alone.

His Savior God is with him in that valley and will never leave him. Upon His arm he can lean, and by His presence he will be comforted, until he emerges from the gloom into the bright world beyond. All that is needed to dissipate the terrors of the valley of death is to be able to say, “You are with me.”

Your rod and your staff - It may not be easy to mark the difference between these two words, but they would seem to refer, the latter to the “staff” that the shepherd used in walking, and the former to the “crook” that a shepherd used for guiding his flock. The image is that of a shepherd in attendance on his flock, with a staff on which he leans with one hand, and in the other hand the “crook” or rod that was the symbol of his office.

Either of these might also be used to guard the flock or to drive off the enemies of the flock. The “crook” is said (see Rosenmuller, in loc.) to have been used to seize the legs of the sheep or goats when they were disposed to run away, and thus to keep them with the flock.

“The shepherd invariably carries a rod or staff with him when he goes out to feed his flock. It is often bent or hooked at one end, which gave rise to the shepherd’s crook in the hand of the Christian bishop. With this staff he rules and guides the flock to their green pastures and defends them from their enemies. With it also he corrects them when disobedient and brings them back when wandering” (The Land and the Book, vol. i., p. 305).

They comfort me - The sight of them consoles me. They show that the Shepherd is there. As significant of His presence and His office, they impart confidence, showing that He will not leave me alone and that He will defend me.

You prepare a table - The image is now changed, though expressing the general idea which is indicated in the first verse of the psalm, I shall not want. The evidence or proof of this in the previous verses is that God was a shepherd and would provide for him as a shepherd does for his flock; the evidence here is that God had provided a table, or a feast, for him in the very presence of his enemies and had filled his cup with joy.

The word “table” here is synonymous with “feast;” and the meaning is, “you provide for my wants.” There “may” be an allusion here to some particular period of the life of the psalmist, when he was in want, and when he perhaps felt an apprehension that he would perish, and when God had unexpectedly provided for his wants; but it is impossible now to determine to what occasion he thus refers. There were numerous occasions in the life of David which would be well represented by this language, “as if” God had provided a meal for him in the very “presence” of his foes, and in spite of them.

Before me - For me. It is spread in my presence, and for me.

In the presence of my enemies - That is, in spite of them, or so that they could not prevent it. They were compelled to look on and see how God provided for him. It was manifest that this was from God; it was a proof of the divine favor; it furnished an assurance that He who had done this would never leave him to want.

The friends of God are made to triumph in the very presence of their foes. Their enemies are compelled to see how He interposes in their behalf, how He provides for them, and how He defends them. Their final triumph in the day of judgment will be in the very presence of all their assembled enemies, for in their very presence He will pronounce the sentence which will make their eternal happiness sure (Matthew 25:31–36).

You anoint my head with oil - Margin, as in Hebrew, “make fat.” That is, you pour oil on my head so abundantly that it seems to be made fat with it. The expression indicates abundance. The allusion is to the custom of anointing the head on festival occasions, as an indication of prosperity and rejoicing (see Matthew 6:17, note; Luke 7:46, note), and the whole is indicative of the divine favor, of prosperity, and of joy.

My cup runs over - It is not merely “full;” it runs over. This, too, indicates abundance; and from the abundance of the favors thus bestowed, the psalmist infers that God would always provide for him, and that He would never leave him to want.