"The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing."
— Psalm 23:1 (NIV)
Psalm 23 is the "Lord is my shepherd" psalm, one of the most-read passages in the Bible. This page gives the full psalm, who wrote it, and a plain reading. For more verses on the theme, see Bible verses about the Good Shepherd, Bible verses about comfort, and Bible verses about God's presence.
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The psalm
Psalm 23 (NIV) is titled "A psalm of David" and reads:
- "The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
- He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,
- he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name's sake.
- Even though I walk through the darkest valley, 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 your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever."
The King James opens, "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want," and verse 4 reads, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." Verse 6 says, "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever."
Key words
"Shepherd" is ra'ah (H7462), to tend and feed a flock. "Want" or "lack" is chacer (H2637), to be without. In verse 6, "love" (KJV "mercy") is chesed (H2617), God's steadfast, loyal love, and "follow" is radaph (H7291), a word usually used for pursuing or chasing.
What the psalm is saying
David, who had been a shepherd himself, pictures God as the one who feeds, leads, and protects. In verses 1-3 God provides rest, water, and the right path. In verse 4 the psalm shifts from "he" to "you": in the darkest valley, God is not described from a distance but spoken to directly, "for you are with me."
Verses 5-6 change the picture to a host who sets a table and fills a cup even with enemies nearby. The last line says God's goodness and steadfast love do not just trail behind; they pursue. Jesus later took up the same picture: "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep" (John 10:11). For more on that, see Bible verses about protection and Bible verses about provision.
Questions people ask
What does Psalm 23 say?
It begins, "The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing" (NIV), or "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want" (KJV), and ends, "I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever." The full six verses are above.
Who wrote Psalm 23?
The psalm's title is "A psalm of David." See Bible verses about David.
What does "I shall not want" mean?
The Hebrew word chacer means to lack or be without. The NIV puts it, "I lack nothing": with God as shepherd, the psalmist has what he needs.
What is the valley of the shadow of death?
That is the KJV wording of verse 4. The NIV says "the darkest valley." It pictures the most dangerous, fearful stretch of the path, and the psalm's answer is "I will fear no evil, for you are with me." See Bible verses about grief.
Why is Psalm 23 read at funerals?
Its last line, "I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever," and verse 4's promise of God's presence in the darkest valley speak to grief and death. See Bible verses about death and Bible verses about comfort.
