PSALM 23 (Commentary)

In this brief, but delightful psalm, well known to believers. I.

The psalmist recognizes Yahweh as his shepherd (v. 1). II. He narrates his experiences of the
benefits that this divine shepherd has had for him (vv. 2, 3, 5). III. Infers from
Here, nothing good should be missing (v.1), which doesn't have to
fear no evil (v. 4) and that God will never abandon him on the path of
mercy; therefore he resolves never to abandon God on the path
of duty (v. 6).

Verses 1-6

1. Because Yahweh is his shepherd, David infers that he shall lack nothing.
that it is really good for him (v. 1). David was also a shepherd in his
youth. In 78:70,71, Asaph tells us that "God took David from the sheepfolds of
herd; he brought it from behind the sheep." He knew, therefore, from experience the
concern and affection that a good shepherd feels for his flock. He remembered
the need that such a shepherd has for the sheep and that once there was
risking one's own life to save that of a lamb. With this, it illustrates the care
and the interest that God has in His own; and this seems to refer to our
Savior when he says: 'I am the good shepherd' (Jn. 10:11). He brings the sheep to the
the fold and provides them with everything they need. We must know the voice of such a shepherd and
to follow him. When David considers that Yahweh is his shepherd, he can rightly say with all
trust
"I shall not want," that is to say, "I shall lack nothing." If we do not have something that
we would like to have, we can conclude whether it is harmful to us or that we will have it
in due time.

2. By considering the goodness with which Yahweh, as a good shepherd, takes care of him,
David infers that he has no reason to fear any evil in the midst of the
greatest difficulties and the most serious dangers one can encounter
See here the bliss of the saints as sheep of God's meadow:
They are well situated: 'He will make me rest in places of delicate pastures.'
With the hand of God our Father, we have our daily bread. The greatest
abundance is for the wicked a dry grass, without taste, when he only seeks from it.
the pleasure of the senses; on the other hand, for the son of God, who enjoys goodness
of God in everything he enjoys, it is delicate grass, delicious, even when
have little of the world (37:16; Pr. 16, 17). God makes His saints able to
to rest, for it gives them peace of mind and contentment of heart, anyone
may the luck that befalls them in this world; the soul of the good rests at
delight in the Lord, and that makes all the pastures appear fresh to them
delicious.
(B) Well led: 'He will shepherd me beside still waters' (v.2b).
Those who feed on the goodness of God must follow the guidance of God:
He directs their eyes, the path, and the heart, towards his love. God provides for his
town, not just grass and rest, but also refreshment and holy pleasure. Directs
to their own, not to the stagnant waters, which become corrupted and collect dirt, nor
to the wild and rough waters of the sea, but to the silent waters of the
streams, because the still waters that, however, flow silently without
Cesar, they are the most suitable to represent the spiritual communion of those who
they walk tirelessly toward God, but they do so in silence. "He will guide me along paths
of justice," adds David (v.3b), by the path of duty, in which he instructs me
through His word, and He guides me through His providence. The way
The path of duty is the way to true pleasure, but on these paths we are not.
capable of walking, unless He guides us to them and guides us in them.
They are well taken care of when something is wrong: 'He will comfort (or restore) my
soul" (v.3a). When, after a certain sin, his own heart wounded him
David, and when after another more serious sin, Nathan was sent to tell him:
"You are that man," God restored his soul.

Even if God allows His own to fall into sin, He does not allow them to lie down in it.
calm in sin. 'Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,' it is
to say, through a dark valley, exposed to the assault of beasts and thieves, 'no
"I will not fear any evil" (v. 4). Here are four words that lessen the terror:
It is not about death, but about the shadow of death, a shadow without a body, a figure.
without reality; neither the shadow of a snake bites, nor the shadow of a sword.
mother.
(B) It is a valley of shadow, deep enough to be dark, but the
valleys are also fruitful, as is even death itself for the
pious children of God (Phil. 1:21).
It is a pass, like a short walk.
(D) And it is a passage through the valley, they will not get lost in the valley, but they will come out to
except for the mountain of aromatic spices that is on the other side. There is no evil there.
some for the son of God, for neither death can separate us from the love of
God (Rom. 8:38). The good shepherd not only guides but also escorts his sheep to
through the valley. His presence encourages them: 'for you will be with me'. The rod and
the rod at the end of the verse are not synonyms. The rod is a sturdy stick that
the shepherd of Palestine still uses to defend himself and his sheep,
while the staff is a longer, not so sturdy, curved crook many
times at one end, that the shepherd uses to lead the sheep and to
leaning himself on the ground. By Lv. 27:32, we see that the shepherd counted the
sheep under the staff (Hebr. shábet).

3. From the benefits that God's generosity has granted him, David infers the
constancy and perpetuity of the mercies of Yahweh (vv.5-6): "You shall prepare
table before me in the presence of my adversaries; you provide me with everything
necessary for my soul and for my body, not only in time, but for all eternity
eternity: convenient food, a well-prepared table, well filled
cup: my cup is overflowing, so much so that I not only have enough for myself, but also
for my friends." "You anointed my head with oil, as a good host" (v. Lc.
At the beginning, he had said (v 1): 'I shall not want'; but now he speaks of
positive form (v. 6): "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
every day of my life." Ryrie says: "David sees himself, not only as a...
a guest for a day, but as a recipient of God's covenant: of the
His everlasting goodness." "They will follow me," says David, like the water from the rock.
He followed the camp of Israel through the desert (1 Cor. 10:4). "They will all follow me.
the days of my life, because whom God loves, loves until the end and until the
extreme" (John 13:1). "Certainly it will be so: the goodness and mercy that me
they have followed until here, they will also follow me forward until the end." "The
The house of Yahweh commonly means the sanctuary; sometimes, the whole Earth.
Betrothed (Jer. 12:7; Hos. 8:1; 9:8, 15; Zech. 9:8). Arconada says: 'Here we believe
What is an allegorical trait, like the other comparisons in the psalm, and what
it is equivalent to being hidden under the wings or protection of Yahweh (17:8)." In everything
case, it was like the house of our Father in Heaven, in which there are many
mansions (Jn. 14:2).