Psalms 23–6
Psalm 23:1-6
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Psa.23.1 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- מזמור: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- לדוד: PREP+NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- רעי: NOUN,m,pl,cons
- לא: PART_NEG
- אחסר: VERB,qal,impf,1,_,sg
Parallels
- John 10:11-14 (thematic): Jesus calls himself the Good Shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep—echoes the Lord’s role as shepherd who guides, protects, and cares for his people.
- Isaiah 40:11 (verbal): ‘He will tend his flock like a shepherd’—uses near-verbal shepherd imagery of feeding, gathering, and caring that parallels Psalm 23’s portrait of God.
- Ezekiel 34:11-16 (thematic): God promises to seek, rescue, pasture, and strengthen his scattered sheep—an expanded prophetic account of the divine shepherd-care found in Psalm 23.
- Psalm 100:3 (verbal): ‘Know that the LORD, he is God... we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture’—direct sheep/flock language linking the community to God as shepherd.
- Philippians 4:19 (thematic): ‘My God will supply every need of yours’—New Testament assurance of divine provision parallels the Psalm’s ‘I shall not want’ (I will lack nothing) theme.
Alternative generated candidates
- A psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not lack.
- The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
Psa.23.2 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- בנאות: PREP+NOUN,f,pl,cons
- דשא: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ירביצני: VERB,piel,impf,3,m,sg
- על: PREP
- מי: PRON,interr,sg
- מנחות: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- ינהלני: VERB,hiph,impf,3,m,sg
Parallels
- Ezekiel 34:14-15 (verbal): God promises to feed his flock and make them lie down in good pasture—language and pastoral imagery closely parallel 'He makes me lie down in green pastures.'
- Isaiah 40:11 (thematic): Describes the LORD as a shepherd who tends his flock, gathers them, and leads them beside springs of water—similar shepherding and leading-to-water motifs.
- John 10:9-11 (thematic): Jesus as the Good Shepherd who enters for the sheep and cares for them; New Testament appropriation of shepherd imagery of guidance, provision, and safety.
- Revelation 7:17 (verbal): Speaks of the Lamb shepherding his people and guiding them to springs of living water—directly echoes the 'beside still waters' motif with salvific application.
- Psalm 36:8 (thematic): Speaks of God's provision—'you give them drink from your river of delights'—using water imagery to express divine sustenance and blessing akin to green pastures and still waters.
Alternative generated candidates
- He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters.
- He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters.
Psa.23.3 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- נפשי: NOUN,f,sg,abs+1cs
- ישובב: VERB,piel,imperfect,3,m,sg
- ינחני: VERB,hiphil,imperfect,3,m,sg,1cs
- במעגלי: PREP+NOUN,m,pl,cons
- צדק: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- למען: PREP
- שמו: NOUN,m,sg,abs+PRON,3,m,sg
Parallels
- Psalm 19:7 (verbal): Uses the same verb/concept (משיבת נפש) — 'the law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul' — a close verbal parallel to 'He restores my soul.'
- Psalm 51:12 (thematic): A petition for restoration: 'Restore to me the joy of your salvation' parallels the motif of divine renewal of the inner life (soul).
- Proverbs 3:6 (thematic): 'In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight' parallels the idea of God guiding/leading one in right paths (paths of righteousness).
- Ezekiel 36:22-23 (verbal): God acts 'for my holy name's sake' — directly parallels the purpose clause 'for his name's sake' that follows the guidance/restoration in Psalm 23:3.
- Psalm 25:12-13 (thematic): Speaks of the LORD teaching and guiding the one who fears him 'in the way' and 'to dwell in the land' — thematically related to being led in paths of righteousness.
Alternative generated candidates
- He restores my soul; he leads me in paths of righteousness for the sake of his name.
- He restores my soul; he leads me in paths of righteousness for the sake of his name.
Psa.23.4 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- גם: ADV
- כי: CONJ
- אלך: VERB,qal,impf,1,_,sg
- בגיא: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- צלמות: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- לא: PART_NEG
- אירא: VERB,qal,impf,1,_,sg
- רע: ADJ,m,sg,abs
- כי: CONJ
- אתה: PRON,2,m,sg
- עמדי: PREP+1cs
- שבטך: NOUN,m,sg,abs+PRON,2,m,sg
- ומשענתך: CONJ+NOUN,f,sg,abs+PRON,2,m,sg
- המה: PRON,3,m,pl
- ינחמני: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,pl+PRON,1,_,sg
Parallels
- Isaiah 41:10 (verbal): God's direct assurance — 'Fear not, for I am with you' — parallels the psalmist's lack of fear because God's presence accompanies him in danger.
- Hebrews 13:5-6 (quotation): The New Testament echoes the OT theme of God's abiding presence ('I will never leave you') and the resulting confidence ('we can say, The Lord is my helper; I will not fear').
- Matthew 28:20 (allusion): Jesus' promise 'I am with you always' reflects the same comforting presence that removes fear in the face of peril, as in the psalm.
- Psalm 27:1 (thematic): Both psalms express confidence before danger: 'The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?' — a parallel assertion of fearlessness grounded in God's presence.
- Isaiah 43:2 (thematic): God's promise to be with his people through threatening circumstances ('when you pass through the waters... I will be with you') echoes the psalmist's comfort amid the 'valley of the shadow of death.'
Alternative generated candidates
- 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.
- Even though I walk through the valley of deep darkness, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff—they comfort me.
Psa.23.5 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- תערך: VERB,qal,imperfect,2,m,sg
- לפני: PREP
- שלחן: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- נגד: PREP
- צררי: NOUN,m,pl,suff
- דשנת: VERB,qal,perf,2,m,sg
- בשמן: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ראשי: NOUN,m,sg,abs+PRON,1,sg
- כוסי: NOUN,f,sg,suff
- רויה: ADJ,f,sg
Parallels
- 1 Samuel 16:13 (verbal): Samuel anoints David’s head with oil—direct lexical and cultic echo of 'you anoint my head with oil,' linking divine favor and anointing for leadership.
- Psalm 92:10 (verbal): Speaks of being 'anointed with fresh oil' (or exalted and anointed), a close verbal parallel that reinforces the motif of divine blessing expressed by anointing.
- Isaiah 25:6 (thematic): God prepares a rich banquet—'a feast of rich food'—paralleling the image of God preparing a table and providing abundance (banquet/feast language).
- Psalm 116:13 (verbal): 'I will lift up the cup of salvation' uses cup imagery to express deliverance and thanksgiving, echoing 'my cup overflows' as a symbol of abundant blessing and covenantal joy.
Alternative generated candidates
- You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
- You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Psa.23.6 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- אך: PART
- טוב: ADJ,m,pl,abs
- וחסד: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ירדפוני: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,pl
- כל: DET
- ימי: NOUN,m,pl,cs
- חיי: NOUN,m,pl,cons
- ושבתי: VERB,qal,perf,1,c,sg
- בבית: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,def
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- לארך: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ימים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
Parallels
- Ps.27:4-6 (verbal): Almost identical language and intent: David's desire “to dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life,” echoing Ps 23:6’s resolve to live in God’s house forever.
- Ps.100:5 (verbal): Shares the refrain about God's goodness and steadfast love/mercy enduring forever — parallel theological vocabulary (good/goodness and mercy/steadfast love).
- Ps.132:14 (thematic): Speaks of God’s chosen dwelling and a perpetual habitation (‘here will I dwell…for I have desired it’), paralleling the theme of permanent presence in the LORD’s house.
- John 14:2-3 (allusion): Jesus’ promise that believers will dwell in the Father’s house (many rooms) and be with him echoes the psalm’s assurance of abiding in God’s house forever.
- Rev.21:3-4 (allusion): Eschatological fulfillment of dwelling with God: ‘God will dwell with them,’ which corresponds to the psalm’s ultimate hope of living in the LORD’s presence forever.
Alternative generated candidates
- Surely goodness and steadfast love shall pursue me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for length of days.
- Surely goodness and steadfast love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD for the length of my days.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul; he guides me in paths of righteousness for the sake of his name.
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.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and steadfast love shall pursue me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD for the length of my days.