Psalms 23
Psalms 23 - Overview
23 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He leads me beside still waters.
3 He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.
4 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.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.
Shepherding - Rod and Staff
Shepherding has been going on for thousands of years. It's the responsibility of the shepherd to make sure the sheep have lands to graze in and also calm waters to drink in. The shepherd is also responsible for protecting the sheep from predators.
The rod is a weapon used to beat back predators who would try to eat the sheep. The staff is a guiding instrument used to direct the sheep.
In the picture of the right, there is a rod in the shepherd's left hand and a staff in the shepherd's right hand. There's also a rifle, but this is a modern invention and would not have been used by Biblical shepherds.
This psalm is called "A Psalm of David." Before becoming king, David's job was being a shepherd for his family's animals.
American Colony Photo Department, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Discussion Questions
What qualities do you think it takes to be a good shepherd? Why might God be compared to a shepherd? Does He have some similar qualities?
Why does the poem say we don't have to be afraid in the valley of the shadow of death?
Exercise
See if you can memorize this Psalms. It might take a few weeks, but it's a comforting Psalm to always know when we want to remember God is protecting us and we don't have to feel afraid.
“Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”