Psalms 23:1

The Lord [is] my shepherd,.... This is to be understood not of Jehovah the Father, and of his feeding the people of Israel in the wilderness, as the Targum paraphrases it, though the character of a

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. Psalms 23:1-6 -The Lord's Shepherd-like Care for His People. The image (Psalms 23:1-2); the reality, the spritual history of even redeemed, one (Psalms 23:3-6).

Psalms 23 THE The matter of this Psalm gives us some general discovery of the time of its writing; which was when David was delivered out of his distresses, and quietly settled in his kingdom. A Psalm of David. David deseribeth his own happiness, , both in temporal, , and in spiritual things, . His confidence in God’ s mercy, and vows to dwell in his house for ever, . He hath showed himself to be so by his gracious providences towards me and for me; and he hath taken upon him that office and relation to me by his entering into covenant with me, whereby he hath engaged himself to rule, and feed, and preserve, and heal me, and do all which shepherds do, or are obliged to do, to their flocks; which David very well understood, and had doubtless carefully performed his duty to his sheep; and therefore he strengthens his faith by this consideration, that God was his Shepherd; and as God was a much better Shepherd than he or any man could he, so he might confidently expect more than ordinary benefits from his conduct. I shall not want, to wit, any thing which is really necessary for me, either for this life or for the next. But foolish man may think many things to be necessary for him, which the all-wise God knoweth to be not only unnecessary, but hurtful, and therefore mercifully denies what men ignorantly desire to their hurt.

Psalms 23:1 « A Psalm of David. » The LORD [is] my shepherd; I shall not want.Ver. 1. The Lord is my shepherd] This psalm may well be called David’ s Bucolicon, or pastoral; so daintily hath he struck upon the whole string, through the whole hymn. Est Psalmus honorahilis, saith Aben Ezra; it is a noble psalm written and sung by David; not when he fled into the forest of Hareth, 1 Samuel 22:5, as some Hebrews will have it (R. Kimchi, R. Solom.); but when, as having overcome all his enemies and settled his kingdom, he enjoyed great peace and quiet, and had one foot as it were upon the battlements of heaven. The Jews at this day use for the most part to repeat this psalm after they are set down to meat (Leo. Modena). God is often in Scripture called the Shepherd of his people, Psalms 80:1 Ezekiel 34:12; Ezekiel 34:14-15 Isaiah 40:11 John 10:11 1 Peter 2:25, although non est ofiicium magis contemptibile quam opilionis, saith R. Jos. Bar. Haman, there is not a more contemptible office than that of a shepherd. Every shepherd was an abomination to the Egyptians. But God disdaineth not to feed his flock, to guide, to govern, to defend them, to handle and heal them, to tend and take care of them; and all this he hath tied himself by covenant to do, Ezekiel 34:25 : well therefore might David confidently conclude, I shall not want] Non deficiam, iudigebo, destituar. The wicked in the fulness of his sufficiency is in straits, Job 20:22. Tantalus-like, he is ever wanting; content he hath none. Contrarily, true piety brings true plenty, and a saint is never to seek of well contenting sufficiency, 1 Timothy 6:6, for to him, Parva seges satis est. A small crop is enough, And he saith, Discite quam parvo liceat producers vitam, Et quantum natura petat, &c. (Lucan. Pharsi. l. 4).

(1) Shepherd.—This image, as applied to God, appears in Hebrew literature first (Genesis 48:15; Genesis 49:24) of his relation to the individual (comp. Psalms 119:176); as the shepherd of His people the image is much more frequent (Psalms 78:52; Psalms 80:1; Isaiah 40:11; Isaiah 63:11; Ezekiel 34; Micah 7:14).

PSALM XXIII The Lord is the Pastor of his people; therefore it may be inferred that they shall not want, 1. How he guides, feeds, and protects them, 2, 3. Even in the greatest dangers they may be confident of his support, 4. His abundant provision for them, 5. The confidence they may have of his continual mercy, and their eternal happiness, 6. NOTES ON PSALM XXIII There is nothing particular in the title; it is simply attributed to David; but as it appears to be a thanksgiving of the Israelites for their redemption from the Bablylonish captivity, it cannot with propriety be attributed to David. Some think it was written by David in his exile, which is not likely; others, that he penned it when he was finally delivered from the persecution of Saul. I rather incline to the opinion that it was written after the captivity. The Chaldee seems to suppose that it was written to celebrate the goodness of God to the Israelites in the desert. It is a truly beautiful Psalm. Supposing it to have been written after the captivity, we see, 1. The redeemed captives giving thanks to God for their liberty. 2. Acknowledging that God had brought back their lives from the grave. 3. They represent themselves in Judea as a flock in an excellent pasture. 4. They declare that from the dangers they have passed through, and from which God had delivered them, they can have no fear of any enemy. 5. They conclude, from what God has done for them, that his goodness and mercy shall follow them all their days. And, 6. That they shall no more be deprived of God's worship, but shall all their days have access to his temple. Verse 1. The Lord is my shepherd] There are two allegories in this Psalm which are admirably well adapted to the purpose for which they are produced, and supported both with art and elegance. The first is that of a shepherd; the second, that of a great feast, set out by a host the most kind and the most liberal As a flock, they have the most excellent pasture; as guests, they have the most nutritive and abundant fare. God condescends to call himself the Shepherd of his people, and his followers are considered as a flock under his guidance and direction. 1. He leads them out and in, so that they find pasture and safety. 2. He knows where to feed them, and in the course of his grace and providence leads them in the way in which they should go. 3. He watches over them and keeps them from being destroyed by ravenous beasts. 4. If any have strayed, he brings them back. 5. He brings them to the shade in times of scorching heat; in times of persecution and affliction, he finds out an asylum for them. 6. He takes care that they shall lack no manner of thing that is good. But who are his flock?

1. The Lord is my shepherd] How natural a figure in a pastoral country, and for the shepherd-king, if the Psalm is his! Jehovah is often spoken of as the Shepherd of Israel, and Israel as His flock, especially in the Psalms of Asaph. See Psalms 74:1, Psalms 77:20, Psalms 78:52; Psalms 78:70 ff.; Psalms 79:13; Psalms 80:1, and cp. Psalms 95:7, Psalms 100:3; Micah 7:14; and the exquisite description of Jehovah’s care for the returning exiles in Isaiah 40:11. Jacob speaks of “the God who shepherded me” (Genesis 48:15, cp. Genesis 49:24). The title of shepherd is also applied to rulers; and in particular to David (2 Samuel 5:2; 2 Samuel 7:7); and to the future king of whom David was a type (Micah 5:4; Ezekiel 34:23); and so Christ appropriates it to Himself (John 10:1; cp. Hebrews 13:20; 1 Peter 2:25). I shall not want] The language, partly of experience in the present, partly of confidence for the future. So of Israel, looking back on the wandering in the wilderness, “thou hast lacked nothing” (Deuteronomy 2:7); and looking forward to the Land of Promise, “thou shalt not lack anything in it” (Deuteronomy 8:9). Cp. Psalms 34:10; Psalms 84:11.

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.

1. The Lord is my shepherd—One of the most endearing and comprehensive titles known to an Asiatic nomad.