Psalms 23:1 — Word Study
WLCיְהוָ֥ה רֹ֝עִ֗י לֹ֣א אֶחְסָֽר׃
BSAA Psalmmizmôwr of DavidDâvid The LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah, the divine Shepherd] is my shepherdrâʻâh [caring for me as a shepherd tends his flock] I shall notlôʼ [in no way, never] wantchâçêr▸ [lack or be without, experience need]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| יְהוָ֥ה | Yahweh | Noun proper |
| רֹ֝עִ֗י | [is] shepherd my | Verb qal participle (active) masculine singular common, suffix |
| לֹ֣א | not | Particle |
| אֶחְסָֽר׃ | I lack | Verb, Qal, imperfect first person common singular |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. |
| KJV | The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. |
| ASV | Jehovah is my shepherd; I shall not want. |
| YLT | A Psalm of David. Jehovah [is] my shepherd, I do not lack, |
| WEB | Yahweh is my shepherd; I shall lack nothing. |
| BBE | The Lord takes care of me as his sheep; I will not be without any good thing. |
Where they part company is in the interpretation of אֶחְסָר — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence consists of a main clause followed by a predicate, clearly stating the relationship between the speaker and the LORD.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectמִזְמוֹר
verbרָעָה
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Psalms 23:1
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Lord as Shepherdgenerated
Psalms 23:1 presents a comforting image of the LORD as a shepherd who guides and provides for His people. This psalm emphasizes the deep trust and reliance that the speaker, David, has in God's care. The following verses elaborate on the shepherd's role in providing rest, restoration, and guidance, reinforcing the theme of divine provision and protection throughout the psalm.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 79:13 | Then we Your people, the sheep of Your pasture, will thank You forever; from generation to generation we will declare Your praise. |
| 2 | Psalm 80:1 | Hear us, O Shepherd of Israel, who leads Joseph like a flock; You who sit enthroned between the cherubim, shine forth |
| 3 | Isaiah 40:11 | He tends His flock like a shepherd; He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart. He gently leads the nursing ewes. |
| 4 | Jeremiah 23:3–4 | Then I Myself will gather the remnant of My flock from all the lands to which I have banished them, and I will return them to their pasture, where they will be fruitful and multiply. |
| 5 | Ezekiel 34:11–12 | For this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Behold, I Myself will search for My flock and seek them out. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 18 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — יְהוָ֥ה, Yah.wehgenerated
The name יְהוָ֥ה (Yahweh) signifies the self-existent and eternal nature of God, often translated as 'the LORD'. This name is deeply rooted in the Jewish faith and reflects God's covenant relationship with His people.
In this verse, יְהוָ֥ה serves as the subject, establishing the foundation of trust. The speaker acknowledges God's role as a shepherd, which conveys care, guidance, and provision.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main clause is governed by the finite verb אֶחְסָֽר (I lack), with the subject יְהוָ֥ה (the LORD) preceding it. This structure emphasizes the relationship between the speaker and God as the shepherd.
The Hebrew word order places the subject first, highlighting the importance of the LORD's role in the speaker's life and establishing a strong declaration of faith.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates יְהוָ֥ה as κύριος (Lord), which reflects the same reverence found in the Hebrew text. This choice maintains the significance of God's authority and care.
The Greek word ποιμαίνει is used to render רֹ֝עִ֗י (my shepherd), emphasizing the active role of God in tending to His people.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalms 23:1 tells us that the LORD is like a shepherd who takes care of His people. Because of this, the speaker, David, expresses confidence that he will not lack anything he needs.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It signifies that God provides guidance, care, and protection, similar to how a shepherd looks after his sheep.
It means that with the LORD as my shepherd, I will not experience lack or need in my life.
David's declaration shows his complete reliance on God's provision and care, illustrating a deep faith in His goodness.
Yes, other passages like Isaiah 40:11 and Jeremiah 23:3-4 also depict God as a shepherd caring for His people.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what areas of my life do I need to trust God more as my shepherd?
- How can I recognize God's provision in my daily needs?
- What does it mean to me personally that the LORD is my shepherd?
- How can I share the comfort of this psalm with others who are feeling lost or in need?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
The early Church Fathers referenced this psalm to illustrate God's provision and care. Their comments reflect on the significance of the LORD as the shepherd.
And, moreover, the ark made of imperishable wood was the Saviour Himself. For by this was signified the imperishable and incorruptible tabernacle of (the Lord) Himself, which gendered no corruption of sin.Early Church Fathers on Psalms 23 →
How often have you heard Psalms 23 and not understood it! See how it is applicable to the heavenly sacraments: “The Lord feeds me, and I shall want nothing; he has set me in a place of pasture;Early Church Fathers on Psalms 23 →
The Church speaks to Christ: "The Lord feeds me, and I shall lack nothing" [Psalms 23:1]. The Lord Jesus Christ is my Shepherd, "and I shall lack nothing."Early Church Fathers on Psalms 23 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 23:1 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThe 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
Read John Gill on Psalms 23 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThe 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).
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 23 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BiblePsalms 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…
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 23 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 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…
Read John Trapp on Psalms 23 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(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).
Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 23 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BiblePSALM 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…
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 23 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges1. 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…
Read Cambridge on Psalms 23 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleThe 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.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 23 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
Yahweh is my shepherd; I shall lack nothing.
A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
Tyndale line
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
Jehovah is my shepherd; I shall not want.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
A Psalme of David. The Lord is my shepheard, I shall not want.
Strictly literal
Jehovah is my shepherd; I shall not want.
A Psalm of David. Jehovah [is] my shepherd, I do not lack,
A PSALM OF DAVID. YHWH [is] my shepherd, I do not lack,
“A psalm of David.” The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
Yahweh is my shepherd; I will lack nothing.
From the Latin
On the first day of the week, a psalm for David. The earth is the Lord’s and the fulness thereof: the world, and all they that dwell therein.
Simplified
Since the Lord is my shepherd, I have everything I need.
The Lord takes care of me as his sheep; I will not be without any good thing.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text of Psalms 23:1 reads, 'יְהוָ֥ה רֹ֝עִ֗י לֹ֣א אֶחְסָֽר׃', which translates to 'The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.' The Septuagint, while not providing a direct translation here, matches all four key words in a word-by-word correspondence, indicating agreement with the Masoretic Text in terms of the core concepts. There are no significant differences in meaning between these witnesses for this verse.
יְהוָ֥ה רֹ֝עִ֗י לֹ֣א אֶחְסָֽר׃
4 of the 4 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Psalms 23:1
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) is the proper name of the God of Israel, often rendered as Jehovah or the Lord. It signifies the self-existent or eternal nature of God. The name is closely associated with the revelation to Moses in Exodus 3:12-15 and is used in conjunction with other terms to denote sacred places. Some scholars suggest it derives from a root meaning 'to bring into being.'
יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)
יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb
יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D
the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy
יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh
base
H3068 יהוה i.e. יַהְוֶה n. pr. dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel
3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw'
from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish
national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.
see HEBREW for 01961
see HEBREW for 03050
see HEBREW for 03069
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — LORD.
Jehovah = "the existing One"
1) the proper name of the one true God
1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of a.do.na (אֲדֹנָי "Lord" H0136)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — The Lord.
Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — (Jerusalem of) the Lord.
Combined with ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
N-proper — Noun properHNpt
The Hebrew word רָעָה (*ra'ah*) is built from a primitive root meaning to tend or pasture a flock. It covers a range of meanings including to graze, rule, associate with, and befriend. The term appears in contexts related to shepherding and companionship, with a specific mention of the 'binding-house of shepherds' in 2 Kings 10:12.
בֵּית־עֵ֫קֶד הָרֹעִים perh. n.pr.loc. (binding-house of the shepherds) 2 K 10:12
base
רָעָה 167 vb. pasture, tend, graze
Qal
trans.
intrans.
Niph. poss.
Hiph. v.
base
[רָעָה] vb. prob. associate with
Qal cherish faithfulness
Hithp. do not make companionship with a bad-tempered man
base
[רָעָה] vb. denom. Pi. be a special friend;—Ju 14:20
ref
H7462a בֵּית־עֵ֫קֶד הָרֹעִים binding-house of shepherds H7462b רָעָה pasture, tend, graze H7462c רָעָה prob. associate with H7462d רָעָה vb. denom. Pi. be a special friend
7462 ra`ah raw-aw'
a primitive root; to tend a flock; i.e. pasture it;
intransitively, to graze (literally or figuratively);
generally to rule; by extension, to associate with (as a
friend):--X break, companion, keep company with, devour, eat
up, evil entreat, feed, use as a friend, make friendship with,
herdman, keep (sheep)(-er), pastor, + shearing house,
shepherd, wander, waste.
בֵּית־עֵ֫קֶד הָרֹעִים (bet-e.qed ha.ro.im) — House of Shepherds.
Ra'ah = "pasturing"
perh. "binding-house of the shepherds"
רָעָה (ra.ah) — to pasture.
1) to pasture, tend, graze, feed
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to tend, pasture
1a1a) to shepherd
1a1b) of ruler, teacher (fig)
1a1c) of people as flock (fig)
1a1d) shepherd, herdsman (subst)
1a2) to feed, graze
1a2a) of cows, sheep etc (literal)
1a2b) of idolater, Israel as flock (fig)
1b) (Hiphil) shepherd, shepherdess
Also means: ro.i (רֹעִי "to shepherd" H7473)
רָעָה (ra.ah) — to accompany.
1) to associate with, be a friend of (meaning probable)
1a) (Qal) to associate with
1b) (Hithpael) to be companions
רָעָה (ra.ah) — to befriend.
(Piel) to be a special friend
V-Qal | Suff — Verb qal participle (active) masculine singular common · suffixHVqrmsc/Sp1bs
לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'
לֹא or לוֹא adv. not
base
H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not
3808 lo' lo
or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often
used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,
ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,
no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out
of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +
of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.
לֹא (lo) — not.
1) not, no
1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)
1b) not (with modifier-negation)
1c) nothing (subst)
1d) without (with particle)
1e) before (of time)
Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)
Part — ParticleHTn
חָסֵר (chacer) is a Hebrew verb meaning to lack or be without. It encompasses various nuances such as diminishing, decreasing, and causing something to be lacking. The entries indicate its use in different forms, including Qal, Piel, and Hiphil, which reflect its active and causative aspects.
חָסֵר vb. lack, need, be lacking, decrease
Qal
lack
be lacking
diminish, decrease
Pi. cause to lack
Hiph. cause to be lacking, fail
base
H2637 חָסֵר lack, need, be lacking, decrease .. lack
. be lacking
. diminish, decrease
. cause to lack
. cause to be lacking, fail
2637 chacer khaw-sare'
a primitive root; to lack; by implication, to fail, want,
lessen:--be abated, bereave, decrease, (cause to) fail, (have)
lack, make lower, want.
חָסֵר (cha.ser) — to lack.
1) to lack, be without, decrease, be lacking, have a need
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to lack
1a2) to be lacking
1a3) to diminish, decrease
1b) (Piel) to cause to lack
1c) (Hiphil) to cause to be lacking
V-Qal-Imperf-1cs — Verb · Qal · imperfect first person common singularHVqi1cs
(forms of chacer, "to lack," ayin, "nought"): This word in its various forms has the usual meaning of "want," "need," "deficiency." There is but little change in the use of the word in the different versions. Sometimes one of the common synonyms is exchanged for the word itself, e.g. in the Old Testament, 1Sa 21:15 the Revised Version (British and American) has "lack" ("Do I lack madmen?") where the King James Version has "need of"; Pr 5:23, "for lack," instead of "without"; 6:32, "void of" for "lacketh"; 10:21, "lack" for "want"; 31:11, "lack" for "need"; Isa 59:15, "lacking" for "faileth." In the New Testament "lack" is the translation of hustereo, literally, "to be behind," and endees, "in want." In