Psalm 23 Bible Study

Psalm 23 is such a well known and loved chapter of the Bible. Its written by David and it is one of those verses that most people memorized in Sunday school along with John 3:16. Often though when we read or hear a Bible story repeatedly its easy to think we have all of the information and even harder to notice small details, such as the Christmas Story, The Prodigal Son, the Creation Story and others. So lets dive in and take a deeper look at Psalm 23.

The LORD is my shepherd; I have what I need. Ps 23:1 (CSB)

Shepherd- a ruler, protects, feeds, waters and guides sheep. Used to refer to David and Jesus (Mt 2:6, Jn 10: 1-21) God uses the term to describe Himself. It doesn’t simply mean a literal shepherd (though David was a shepherd once and used his experience to glorify God), but someone who takes care of people.

God provides for us. The LORD represents a very special and holy name of God. The Israelites would use abbreviations because God is so holy and they didn’t believe they were holy enough to speak or write it out, and so whenever ‘Lord’ is all caps its important to notice.

God is our Shepherd and cares for us. Many people have heard the parable of the Good Shepherd. God used the term Shepherd to not only describe His character once, but multiple times.

He lets me lie down in green pastures; [He] leads me beside quiet waters. He renews my life, [He] leads me along the right paths for [His} name’s sake. Ps 23:2-3

I see this as a verse teaching that God’s plans are good and we an always trust His guidance. He restores our soul when we are weary and struggling with hardships in this world and gives us rest.

This means that His actions aren’t based on what we do. When we sin He doesn’t snatch His grace away, but still gives us the chance to repent. AND we can never earn His mercy and grace. We can’t make Him change His grace. But also no matter how much good we do it will never balance out the bad. He gives us grace, because He loves us, and not because of what we can do for Him.

Even when, I go through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no danger, for [Your] rod and [Your] staff–they comfort me. Ps 23:4

Notice that the perspective changes in v. 4 from ‘He’ to “You”.

We live in a broken world and are broken people and that means we will suffer and go through difficulties. My pastor once said that part of the answer to ‘if God loves us why do bad things happen’ is that the main cause of bad things is sin and that Jesus saved us from that when He died and rose again. He already rescued us from the main cause of our struggles. Life is still hard, but we have hope.

I don’t know where I read this, but someone said that the rod represents God’s correction. God loves as a Father and that means He punishes us when we need it. His staff guides in the correct direction, supports and comforts us.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; [You] anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Ps 23:5

I used the Bible Says Commentary from the Blue Letter Bible app and it says that “eating a meal…is familial and relational”. It shows a close relationship and it is in present tense. This verse isn’t saying that He has or will prepare a table in the future, but that right now we can have a close relationship with God. And it isn’t reliant on the circumstances, but even in hardship we still have that relationship.

God doesn’t remove hardship, but is with us in it. We have abundance, because we have a relationship with GOD. Spiritual wealth over material.

Only goodness and faith love will pursue me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the LORD as long as I live. Ps 23:6

Again from The Bible Says Commentary- the root word for “pursue” means to chase after. Mercy will chase after us. We can not have those things without God.

David trusted that no matter the circumstances God had a plan and that good things would come out of it (always, forever, all the days of his life). This is something I am trying to implement in my life. The idea that God just won’t make something good come out of it, but that He has intentions in allowing it. That He will grow me in my character, draw me closer to Him or for some other reason that I can’t see.

Application-

For me the application is to remember that I have been blessed. It is so easy to forget God’s grace and mercy and ask why we are going through things. We have emotions and God made us to have them, but to remember that God knew it would happen and has a plan.