Psalms

Psalm 23:1–6

¹A Psalm of David.

The LORD is my shepherd;^a

I shall not want.

²He makes me lie down in green pastures;

He leads me beside quiet waters.

³He restores my soul;

He guides me in the paths of righteousness

for the sake of His name.

⁴Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,^b

I will fear no evil,

for You are with me;

Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

⁵You prepare a table before me

in the presence of my enemies.

You anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.

⁶Surely goodness and mercy will follow me

all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the house of the LORD

forever.^c

Footnotes

a 23:1 See Revelation 7:17|REV 7:17.
b 23:4 Or the valley of deep darkness
c 23:6 Literally for a length of days

Read all of Psalm 23

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Psalm 23:1

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
A Psalm	מִזְמ֥וֹר	miz·mō·wr	Noun - masculine singular	H4210 melody
of David	לְדָוִ֑ד	lə·ḏā·wiḏ	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1732 David
The LORD	יְהוָ֥ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
is my shepherd	רֹ֝עִ֗י	rō·‘î	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H7462 pasture, tend, graze
I shall not	לֹ֣א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
want	אֶחְסָֽר׃	’eḥ·sār	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular	H2637 lack, need, be lacking, decrease

Psalm 23:2

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
He makes me lie down	יַרְבִּיצֵ֑נִי	yar·bî·ṣê·nî	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular; first person common singular	H7257 stretch oneself out, lie down, lie stretched out
in green	דֶּ֭שֶׁא	de·še	Noun - masculine singular	H1877 grass
pastures	בִּנְא֣וֹת	bin·’ō·wṯ	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine plural construct	H4999 home, pasture
He leads me	יְנַהֲלֵֽנִי׃	yə·na·hă·lê·nî	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular; first person common singular	H5095 lead, guide to a watering-place (or station), and cause to rest there; bring to a…
beside	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
quiet	מְנֻח֣וֹת	mə·nu·ḥō·wṯ	Noun - feminine plural	H4496 resting-place, rest
waters	מֵ֖י	mê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H4325 water, juice, urine

Psalm 23:3

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
He restores	יְשׁוֹבֵ֑ב	yə·šō·w·ḇêḇ	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7725 turn back, return
my soul	נַפְשִׁ֥י	nap̄·šî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
He guides me	יַֽנְחֵ֥נִי	yan·ḥê·nî	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular; first person common singular	H5148 lead, guide
in the paths	בְמַעְגְּלֵי־	ḇə·ma‘·gə·lê-	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine plural construct	H4570 entrenchment
of righteousness	צֶ֝֗דֶק	ṣe·ḏeq	Noun - masculine singular	H6664 rightness, righteousness
for the sake	לְמַ֣עַן	lə·ma·‘an	Preposition	H4616 purpose, intent
of His name	שְׁמֽוֹ׃	šə·mōw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H8034 name

Psalm 23:4

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Even	גַּ֤ם	gam	Conjunction	H1571 also, moreover, yea
though	כִּֽי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
I walk	אֵלֵ֨ךְ	’ê·lêḵ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular	H1980 go, come, walk
through the valley	בְּגֵ֪יא	bə·ḡê	Preposition-b; Noun - common singular construct	H1516 valley
of the shadow of death	צַלְמָ֡וֶת	ṣal·mā·weṯ	Noun - masculine singular	H6757 death-shadow, deep shadow
I will fear	אִ֘ירָ֤א	’î·rā	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular	H3372 fear
no	לֹא־	lō-	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
evil	רָ֗ע	rā‘	Adjective - masculine singular	H7451 bad, evil
for	כִּי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
You	אַתָּ֥ה	’at·tāh	Pronoun - second person masculine singular	H859 thou
are with me	עִמָּדִ֑י	‘im·mā·ḏî	Preposition; first person common singular	H5978 along with
Your rod	שִׁבְטְךָ֥	šiḇ·ṭə·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H7626 rod, staff, club, sceptre
and Your staff	וּ֝מִשְׁעַנְתֶּ֗ךָ	ū·miš·‘an·te·ḵā	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H4938 id.
they	הֵ֣מָּה	hêm·māh	Pronoun - third person masculine plural	H1992 they, them
comfort me	יְנַֽחֲמֻֽנִי׃	yə·na·ḥă·mu·nî	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine plural; first person common singular	H5162 be sorry, console

Psalm 23:5

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
You prepare	תַּעֲרֹ֬ךְ	ta·‘ă·rōḵ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H6186 arrange or set in order
a table	שֻׁלְחָ֗ן	šul·ḥān	Noun - masculine singular	H7979 table
before me	לְפָנַ֨י׀	lə·p̄ā·nay	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common singular	H6440 face, before
in the presence of	נֶ֥גֶד	ne·ḡeḏ	Preposition	H5048 what is conspicuous or in front
my enemies	צֹרְרָ֑י	ṣō·rə·rāy	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct; first person common singular	H6887 bind, tie up, be restricted, narrow, scant, cramped
You anoint	דִּשַּׁ֖נְתָּ	diš·šan·tā	Verb - Piel - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H1878 be fat, grow fat
my head	רֹ֝אשִׁ֗י	rō·šî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H7218 head
with oil	בַשֶּׁ֥מֶן	ḇaš·še·men	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H8081 fat, oil
my cup	כּוֹסִ֥י	kō·w·sî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H3563 cup
overflows	רְוָיָֽה׃	rə·wā·yāh	Noun - feminine singular	H7310 saturation

Psalm 23:6

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Surely	אַ֤ךְ׀	’aḵ	Adverb	H389 surely
goodness	ט֤וֹב	ṭō·wḇ	Noun - masculine singular	H2896 pleasant, agreeable, good
and mercy	וָחֶ֣סֶד	wā·ḥe·seḏ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H2617 goodness, kindness
will follow me	יִ֭רְדְּפוּנִי	yir·də·p̄ū·nî	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural; first person common singular	H7291 pursue, chase, persecute
all	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
the days	יְמֵ֣י	yə·mê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H3117 day
of my life	חַיָּ֑י	ḥay·yāy	Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common singular	H2416 alive, living
and I will dwell	וְשַׁבְתִּ֥י	wə·šaḇ·tî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular	H7725 turn back, return
in the house	בְּבֵית־	bə·ḇêṯ-	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H1004 house
of the LORD	יְ֝הוָ֗ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
forever	לְאֹ֣רֶךְ	lə·’ō·reḵ	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular construct	H753 length