Seventh-day Adventist Bible CommentaryPsalms 23

My shepherd. The figure representing Jehovah as a shepherd and His people as sheep, is common in the Scriptures. The earliest occurrence of the image is Gen. 48:15, where “the God which fed me” is, literally, “the shepherd of me” (see Gen. 49:24). Elsewhere the figure is found in Psalms (78:52; 80:1; 119:176), in the prophets (Isa. 40:11; Eze. 34; Micah 7:14), and in the NT (Luke 15:3–7; John 10:1–18; 21:15–17; Heb. 13:20; 1 Peter 2:25; 1 Peter 5:4). To understand and to appreciate the beauty and meaning of the imagery, one must know the hazardous nature of the Judean wilderness, and the intimate life of the shepherd and his sheep, especially the devotion that springs up between them during the many hours of solitude that they spend together. I shall not want. A statement of absolute trust in God. This clause is the keynote of the psalm.

Green pastures. Literally, “pastures of fresh, new grass.” Still waters. Literally, “waters of resting places,” that is, resting places with water, as by a river, brook, well, or lake. What a picture of the grace of God is given here (see PP 413)! The Good Shepherd leads His sheep “beside the still waters” only the better to prepare them for the strenuous activities of the open road. God grants hours of refreshment to enable men the better to meet the hard battles of the daily round of affairs.

Restoreth. Heb. shub (see on Ps. 19:7).

Nichol, F. D. (1978). The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary : The Holy Bible with exegetical and expository comment. Commentary Reference Series (Ps 11:1). Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Publishing Association.

Soul. Heb. nephesh (see on Ps. 3:2; 16:10). Paths of righteousness. Those familiar with the rough terrain of Judea know how easy it is to waste time and suffer serious mishap when traversing the highlands, cut with deep wadis, if they do not find the right path. If we permit, God always leads us in the right way, although at the time that way may not seem easy. For his name’s sake. God’s guidance is a revelation to men of His character (see Ex. 33:19; see on Ps. 31:3).

The shadow of death. Heb. ṣalmaweth, by popular etymology from ṣel, “shadow,” and maweth, “death.” Both words are very common in the OT, ṣel being found 49 times, 45 times translated “shadow,” and maweth occurring 157 times, 128 times translated “death.” Some modern scholars derive ṣalmaweth from an Akkadian root ṣalamu, meaning “to grow black,” and hence translate ṣalmaweth “darkness.” The traditional derivation has the support of the LXX. The Ugaritic (see pp. 618, 619) sheds no light on ṣalmaweth. In the extant literature of that language the word occurs only once in an obscure passage. Bunyan has made the phrase “the shadow of death” especially precious to readers of his great allegory, Pilgrim’s Progress. Thou art with me. This is enough. The Christian needs nothing more than the consciousness of God’s presence. “Only Thee, only Thee, none on earth but Thee.” Rod. Heb. shebeṭ, used of a shepherd’s rod or staff (Lev. 27:32); of a teacher’s staff (2 Sam. 7:14; Prov. 13:24); and of a ruler’s scepter (Gen. 49:10; Isa. 14:5). It was sometimes used as a weapon (2 Sam. 23:21), and such a function is probably the thought in Ps. 23:4, the rod being used as a weapon to ward off ravenous beasts that infested the pasturelands. Staff. Heb. mish‘eneth, “a staff,” “a support,” for example for the sick and aged to lean upon (Ex. 21:19; Zech. 8:4). They comfort. “They” is emphatic, as if to say, “It is they that comfort me.” The rod and staff are tokens of the Shepherd’s presence, and show the Shepherd to be ready to succor at any instant. The Shepherd provides rest, refreshment, nourishment, restoration, fellowship, guidance, deliverance from fear, comfort, security, victory over enemies. What more can the Christian ask? Nevertheless, the psalmist proceeds to emphasize these evidences of Jehovah’s goodness and adds to them by employing a different figure, that of the gracious Host.

Preparest a table. David now represents himself as a guest in God’s banquet hall. Jehovah is even more than a shepherd—He is a king, lavishing upon His guests the bounties of His table. Compare the parable of the marriage of the king’s son (Matt. 22:1– 14). The phrase “preparest a table” is idiomatic for preparing a meal (see Prov. 9:2). Of mine enemies. Since God is the host, the plots of the enemies to injure must come to nought. My cup runneth over. Compare Eph. 3:20. David is here thinking primarily, if not altogether, of the cup of joy of the Lord. God gives unstintingly of His mercies, pressed down and running over. In a secondary sense the figure may describe the blessings of material prosperity. David had enjoyed such blessings. He also learned through hard

experience that prosperity is dangerous to spiritual life. “The cup most difficult to carry is … the cup that is full to the brim” (MH 212). Even harder, if possible, is it to carry the cup that “runneth over.”

Mercy. Material and spiritual blessings are personified as following David all through life. His language shows complete trust in God’s guidance through life’s present vicissitudes, and gladly anticipates that guidance in the future. House of the Lord. The psalmist’s continuance as a guest in God’s house is assured (see Ps. 15:1; cf. Ps. 27:4; 65:4; Ps. 84:4). For ever. Literally, “to length of days,” implying as long as he lives. But the believing child of God looks beyond his fellowship with God in this life to eternal communion in the world to come. The psalm closes in a mood of unending gladness.