Psalms (B125) Exegetical Essay Page1 of 10

By Johannes Suwantika
Exegetical Essay on Psalm 23:1-6

Introduction
Psalm 23 is one of most favorite and most well-known chapter in the whole
Bible. Psalm 23 is arguably the best-loved (and best-known) chapter in the
entire Bible
1
. Through this essay, I will discuss about background, Genres,
literature structure and authorship and I will move on with the verse by verse
exegesis of the Psalm 23. In the next step, I will then apply to our life to be
learnt by this study.

Talking about this psalm, Brueggemann stated that It is such a simple
statement that it can bear its own witness without comment.
2


Setting/Literature structure/Authorship

We find an answer to this question in the type or genre, of psalm. Is it a royal
or messianic psalm? Is it a wisdom psalm? while these five types of psalms
are not the only genres that scholars have identified, they are the primary
genres and will help us understand most of the psalms.
3
Reading the Bible
with an understanding of genre will help us avoid misinterpreting what the
writer intended to say.
4


What is the background of Psalm 23? There is very little internal evidence to
go by. Because of this, the suggested setting of the psalm is very wide
ranging as Cragie has noted:
At one end of the spectrum is the view of Morgernstern (JBL, 65 [1946] 13-24)
that he psalm was not composed for use in temple worship, but was a pious
Jews expression of faith and confidence in the Lord. Vogt, on the other hand,
proposes a fairly elaborate hypothesis, inferring from the substance of the
psalm a liturgical ritual of thanksgiving, of which a sacrificial banquet was a part.
Still another proposal is that of Milne, who interprets the psalm in an exilic
context (SR) 4 [1974/75] 237-47); the shepherd metaphor, which contains

1
Boice, J.M. Psalms Volume 1: Psalm 1-41 (Grand Rapids: Baker 1994), p. 207
2
Brueggemann, W The Message of the Psalms: A Theological Commentary (Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1984), p. 154
3
59.michaeal encounting,
4
Encountering god in the psalms, 46.
Psalms (B125) Exegetical Essay Page2 of 10
By Johannes Suwantika
within it reminiscences of the Exodus (c.f. Freedman, art. cit.), provides hope
for an exiled community cut off from home and temple
5

Cragie goes on to say that the psalm is in the context of some ritual or the
context of thanksgiving, without being so specific as Vogt.
6
Although Cragie
hesitates to be specific, on the basis of vv 5-6 (i.e. the words enemies and
the house of the LORD), I concur with Kraus who states that the context is:
After the judgement of God has been rendered and the acquittal, declaring the
falsely accused to be OE-E, has been published, a banquet in
connection with an offering takes place, at which obviously also the enemies,
i.e. the persecutors and accusers, take part . . . Accordingly, Psalm 23 would
have originated in such a Sitz im Leben, in which the todah, the song of
thanksgiving of an individual, was intoned.
7

Along with Cragie, however, I would like to add to this setting by stating that It
is presumed that initially the psalm was an individual psalm, utilised in such a
setting, though later in its history, it may well have come to function as a
communal psalm.
8


What about its structure? Surely one would not hesitate to say that a psalm
made up of six verses would not pose a problem for scholars to reach an
agreement with regards to its structure. Well, here again, there are actually
two ways in which the psalm can be structured. These two ways of
structuring the psalm is dependent on the number of metaphors that are used
to describe the relationships between the Psalmist and his God.
9
If we see
two metaphors, then we have two parts in the psalm, but if we see three
metaphors, then we have three parts. The two widely accepted metaphors in
this psalm are that of Yahweh as the caring shepherd and the gracious host.
The third suggestion is that alongside the two above-mentioned metaphors,
there is another one depicting Yahweh as the guide of the wanderer
10
. If
there are three metaphors, then vv1-2 relates to the caring shepherd, vv 3-4
to the guide of the wanderer, and vv 5-6 to the gracious host. Kraus

5
Cragie, C.G. Psalms 1-50 (Waco: Word, 1983), p. 205
6
Ibid., p. 205
7
Kraus, H.J. Psalms 1-59: A commentary (Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1988), p. 306
8
Cragie, p. 205
9
Anderson, A.A. The Book of Psalms: Volume 1 (London: Oliphants, 1972), p. 195
10
Ibid., p. 195
Psalms (B125) Exegetical Essay Page3 of 10
By Johannes Suwantika
questions whether there is indeed a third metaphor as the guide to the
wanderer and he answers:
Actually, this is hardly possible, for p+ 4w+O (your rod
and your staff) unquestionablly refers to the shepherds protecting, guiding,
and leading to pasture.
11

So, along with Cragie and Kraus, I conclude that there are actually two parts
to the psalm. The first part is made up of vv 1-4, which corresponds with the
metaphor of the caring shepherd and vv 5-6, which corresponds with the
metaphor of the gracious host.

Who wrote Psalm 23? Traditionally, this psalm is attributed to David. This
is done on the basis of the title of the psalm, O=O -- (A
psalm of David). But this view is now being challenged on the basis of the
findings of the Ugaritic texts. As Cragie has pointed out,
The following are possible meanings of the preposition in the titles: (a) for
(e.g. for David); (b) by (e.g. by David; viz. belonging to David as author); (c)
to (perhaps in the sense dedicated to); (d) with reference to, concerning,
about; (e) for the use of. Some of the earlier grammarians assumed that
the second of the possible meanings listed above, the so-called lamedh
auctoris, was intended in the psalm titles; they pointed to the common usage of
the same idiom in other Semitic languages such as Arabic (e.g. GCK 129 c).
But in the Ugaritic texts, where a similar variety in meaning for the preposition l
is known, the expression lbl would fall into category (d) above, meaning
about/concerning Baal (or perhaps [tablet belonging] to [the] Baal [cycle],
as proposed by D. Pardee, the Preposition in Ugaritic. UF 8 [1976] 215-322
[*p. 301].
12

Based on the findings of the Ugaritic texts, scholars such as Cragie and
Anderson suggests that while it is possible that the psalms with the headings
O=O -- was written by David, the title itself need not, and
probably does not, imply authorship.
13



11
Kraus, p. 305
12
Cragie, p. 33, 34
13
Cragie, p. 35
Psalms (B125) Exegetical Essay Page4 of 10
By Johannes Suwantika
We have seen from the above that the external evidence may point to the fact
that the -- might mean about/concerning David. But is there any
internal evidence in the Bible, which corresponds to the traditional view that
David is the author of these Psalms? In the words of Cragie,
In historical and prophetical narratives, David is frequently associated with
music and psalmody. He is called the sweet psalmist of Israel (2 Sam 23:1).
He is credited with inventing musical instruments (Amos 6:5). He is said to
have appointed singers and musicians and assigned them to their roles in the
worship of God (1 Chr 15:16-24; 16:7, 31). At a later date, music and worship
were specified as being undertaken according to the directions of David (Ezra
3:10; Neh 12:24). And several poetic passages in the historical narratives are
directly associated with him (Davids lament, 2 Sam 1:19-27; two hymns of
thanksgiving, 2 Sam 22 and 1 Chr 16:8-36; and Davids Last Testament, 2 Sam
23:3-7).
14

Furthermore as Kidner has pointed out
15
, the Apostle Peter quoted Psalm 16
in Acts 2:25-28. In verse 29, Peter then goes on to say, Fellow Israelites, I
may say to you confidently of our ancestor David that he both died and was
buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Now Psalm 16 is one of the
psalms that have -- in its title and yet the Apostle Peter claims that
David said these things about the Lord. This of course implies that Peter
saw David as the author of Psalm 16.

While there is no conclusive proof that the psalms with the title -- was
written by David, based on the internal and external evidence, there is no
reason to doubt the traditional view that it was indeed David who wrote this
psalms. Therefore, along with the apostle Peter, I conclude that it is the
historical David who wrote Psalm 23.
Psalm 23
1
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
2
He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters;
3
he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his names sake.
4
Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with
me; your rod and your staff they comfort me.

14
Ibid., p. 35
15
Kidner, D Psalms 1-72 (London: IVP, 1973), p. 33
Psalms (B125) Exegetical Essay Page5 of 10
By Johannes Suwantika
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 my whole life long.


23:1 The picture of Yahweh as the shepherd is not a new one. In fact, it is
one of the oldest epithets of God in the Hebrew tradition (cf. Gen 49:24)
16
.
However, this terminology is not distinctive of Israel because there are
parallels in the ANE. For example, Hammurabi is called the shepherd of the
people.
17
What is distinctive of this use of the term shepherd is the
personalisation of the term my shepherd. The shepherd theme is
traditionally interpreted communally of the flock (or nation)
18
, but here the
metaphor is unmistakably personal
19
. David uses the most comprehensive
and intimate metaphor yet encountered in the Psalms, preferring usually the
more distant king or deliverer, or the impersonal rock, shield.
20


Most of the English translations of the Bible translates this verse as The
LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want, but the Living Bible translates it as
Because the LORD is my Shepherd, I have everything I need!. Cragie
agrees with this translation because it tells us as a consequence of the fact
that the Lord is his shepherd, the psalmist can say: I shall not want.
21
But
Kraus contends that this inversion is not appropriate on the basis that
Ew is the subject, E is the predicate.
22


Cragie also suggests that the phrase, I shall not want, is intended for the
people to recall Gods provision for his people during the travels after the
Exodus; see Deut 2:7, you have not lacked a thing (the same verb, ,
is used as in Ps 23).
23
Therefore this psalm has links to the Exodus.


16
Cragie, p. 206
17
Anderson, p. 196
18
Cragie, p. 206
19
Stott, J. Favourite Psalms (Illinois: Moody Press, 1988), p. 32
20
Kidner, p. 109, 110
21
Cragie, p. 206
22
Kraus, p. 306
23
Ibid., p. 206
Psalms (B125) Exegetical Essay Page6 of 10
By Johannes Suwantika
23:2 In this verse the picture of the caring shepherd is expanded upon.
Kraus suggests that the psalmist wants to emphasise that the shepherd
leads his flock, not over sterile fields on which the sheep find only brush
parched by the heat, but to succulent, ideal pasturages.
24


According to the NASB, quiet waters is literally waters of rest. Regardless
of its literal meaning, the idea here is quite clear. Not only does the
shepherd leads the flock to green pastures, he also leads the flock to where
there is good drinking water
25
available for the flock. Eaton suggests that
the shepherd makes a small damn in the rocky wadi, forming a pool of still
waters where the flock may come down easily from the burning hillsides.
26

The idea that the shepherd makes a damn draws out the deep care and the
great lengths the shepherd goes to in caring and providing for his flock.

23:3 He restores my soul literally means, to bring back the vigour of life,
the vitality
27
. This phrase can be open to more than one meaning. It could
mean brings me to repentance (or conversion). But the words probably
mean the LORD restores me to physical health (or salvation)
28
.

Kraus suggests that this verse give us the two-fold care of the shepherd
towards his sheep. In the pasturages and at the water holes the shepherd
provides refreshment for his flock . . . When the flock is on the move, the
good shepherd looks for O-EE_wO = proper paths that are
beneficial for the flock.
29
So here we have the picture of a truly caring God,
who is our shepherd.

With regards to the expression for his names sake, Stott wrote, out of
loyalty to His character and promises, He will guide me in the paths of
righteousness; that is He will not let me go astray
30
. This shows the

24
Kraus, p. 307
25
The Malay Good News for Modern Man Bible (Alkitab Berita Baik Untuk Manusia Moden) translates quiet waters
as air jernih yang tenang (clean, quiet waters)
26
Eaton, J.H, Psalms (London: SCM Press, 1967), p. 77
27
Kraus, p. 307
28
Boice, p. 209
29
Kraus, p. 307
30
Stott, p. 32
Psalms (B125) Exegetical Essay Page7 of 10
By Johannes Suwantika
confidence of the psalmist that God will continue to guide him. Cragie
suggests that this confidence lie in both the personal experiences of the
psalmist and based on what the Lord has done for the Israelites in the Exodus
and the wilderness journey
31
.

23:4 The darkest valley may be more exactly translated as the valley of
the shadow of death signalled in the NRSV footnote.
32
This is because the
Hebrew could be properly understood as a compound noun, with the literal
sense very deep shadow.
33
Regardless of the literal meaning of the
expression, it is clear that the verse conveys the sense that psalmist fears no
evil. In other words, as Stott suggests, the security of the psalmist does not
lie in the environment, i.e. neither in the green pastures and still waters nor
the darkest valley, but in the LORD who is his shepherd
34
.

The metaphor of the rod and the staff give us a picture of protection and
guidance respectively. The rod was a club used in defence, to drive away
the wild animals or any other enemy (cf. 2 Sam. 23:21; Mic. 7:14). It could
occasionally be tipped with metal or studded with nails
35
. The staff was
probably a crook, which is used to urge the tardy sheep on and bring the
stray ones back to the flock
36
, by slipping the crook around the sheeps
neck
37
.

In this verse, we also have the shift from the third person pronoun he to the
second person pronoun you. This gives us the sense of closeness that the
psalmist feels he is with the LORD. At the stage of walking through the
valley of the shadow of death, the Shepherd is no longer ahead, to lead, but

31
Cragie, p. 207 the link with the exodus is indicated by the use of the expression for his names sake in Ps 106:8
in the context of the deliverance of Egypt
32
The gift of the Psamls,81.
33
Ibid., p. 207
34
Stott, p. 32
35
Anderson, p. 198
36
Kraus, p. 308
37
Blaicklock, E.M. Psalms for Living: Psalms 1-72 (London: Scripture Union, 1977), p. 64
Psalms (B125) Exegetical Essay Page8 of 10
By Johannes Suwantika
alongside to escort
38
. Boice suggests that we are never so conscious of
the presence of God as when we pass through lifes valley
39
.

23:5 In this verse, the metaphor of the shepherd is changed to that of the
host and his guest. Some has tried to maintain the metaphor of the
shepherd by emending the word for table to the word for spear
40
, or by
understanding table as grass
41
or by interpreting the cup as a drinking
trough
42
. However, these arguments are not convincing. Rather, as Kraus
suggests,
Yahweh makes his appearance as the beneficent host who visibly sets the
table for one who is persecuted and in this way takes him into the sphere of his
protection. The guest has his head anointed with oil. His cup is filled to the
rim
43


In terms of the enemies, Cragie states that it is very difficult to identify them
specifically and concludes,
It is safer to assume that the psalmist had endured affliction in the past at the
hands of enemies and had risen above that affliction in confidence. Now as
he anticipates the future, he has no illusions; there would still be enemies,
perhaps even enemies present in the temple when he offered thanks, but
Gods provision would come, even in the presence of those enemies.
44

Here perhaps the psalmist has purposely left the reference to the enemy as
ambiguous so that every reader of the psalm can identify with the psalmist.

23:6 This verse expresses the transformation of the circumstances of the
Psalmist. Roland suggests that this pursued by divine goodness and
kindness. Dwell in the house of the LORD: not meant literally, but as a
metaphor for divine shelter (Ps27:4-5, 61:4, 63:2-4)
45
With this confidence
that Gods goodness and loving kindness will follow him, Cragie notes that

38
Kidner, p. 111
39
Boice, p. 211
40
Kidner, p. 112 E. Power is cited by Kidner as one who holds this view (footnote 1)
41
Cragie, p. 207 von Rohr Sauer is cited by Cragie as one who holds this view
42
Kidner, p. 112 Morgenstern is cited by Kidner as one who holds this view (footnote 1)
43
Kraus, p. 308
44
Cragie, p. 208
45
Roland. 82.
Psalms (B125) Exegetical Essay Page9 of 10
By Johannes Suwantika
the psalmist rejoices not only in the present moment of festivity and
thanksgiving, but also anticipates future occasions when he would return to
dwell again in the house of the Lord (the temple), in order once again to give
thanks.
46


The Hebrew word for mercy is actually -, which is a covenant word
meaning steadfast love or loving kindness. The use of this word is another
link to the language of the Exodus and the wilderness which permeates the
entire psalm
47
.

The word for ever is literally to the length of days and hence does not
mean forever. However, as Kidner has pointed out:
But since the logic of Gods covenant allows no ending to his commitment to a
man, as our Lord pointed out (Mt. 22:32), the Christian understanding of these
words does no violence to them.
48


In conclusion, let me quote Cragie:
There are few psalms in the Psalter which are so well-loved and well-known as
Ps 23. Its appeal lies partly in the simplicity and beauty of its poetry,
strengthened by the serene confidence which it exudes. But more than that,
the genius of the psalmist is to be found in the extraordinary expression of a
trusting relationship with God. To express such a relationship in simple
language is no easy task; on the one hand, the psalm could sink to a
monotonous repetition of affirmations, while on the other hand it could defy the
abilities of language for articulate expression as a consequence of it profundity.
The psalmist has avoided the extremes and found a middle path which is at
once simple , yet also profound.

46
Cragie, p. 208
47
Cragie, p. 208
48
Kidner, p. 112, 113
Psalms (B125) Exegetical Essay Page10 of 10
By Johannes Suwantika
Bibliography

Anderson, A.A. The Book of Psalms: Volume 1 (London: Oliphants,
1972)

Boice, J.M. Psalms Volume 1: Psalm 1-41 (Grand Rapids: Baker
1994)

Brueggemann, W The Message of the Psalms: A Theological Commentary
(Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1984)

Cragie, C.G. Psalms 1-50 (Waco: Word, 1983)

Dahood, M. Psalms I: 1-50 (New York: Doubleday, 1965)

Eaton, J.H, Psalms (London: SCM Press, 1967)

Kidner, D Psalms 1-72 (London: IVP, 1973)

Kraus, H.J. Psalms 1-59: A commentary (Minneapolis: Augsburg,
1988)

Murphy, R.E. Psalms in The Jerome Biblical Commentary (Brown,
R.E., Fitzmyer, J.A. & Murphy R.E. (eds.); Englewood
Cliffs: Prentice Hall, 1968) [Online] Available: Logos
Library System

Ross, A.P. Psalms in The Bible Knowledge Commentary,
(Walvoord, J.F. and Zuck, R.B. (eds.); Illinois: Scripture
Press, 1983, 1985) [Online] Available: Logos Library
System.


Stott, J. Favourite Psalms (Illinois: Moody Press, 1988)

Stuhlmueller, C. Psalms in Harpers Bible Commentary (Mays, J.L. (ed.)
San Francisco: Harper and Row, 1985) [Online]
Available: Logos Library System.