Psalm 23
With thanks to page sponsor 2014:
Church of the Good Shepherd, UMC Vienna VA
- Reading the Text:
- NRSV (with link to Anglicized NRSV, Common Worship Psalter, ASB Psalter, and BCP Psalter) at Oremus Bible Browser.
- Hebrew Interlinear Bible, WLCv, WLC5, CHES, AV.
- The Bible Gateway: NRSV, RSV, NIV, NASB, CEV, The Message, KJV, etc.
- The Blue Letter Bible. KJV, alternate versions, Hebrew text with concordance, commentaries.
- The World Wide Study Bible includes commentary, exposition and sermons.
- Historical References, Commentary and
Comparative Texts:
- V.XXXI.2, Adversus Haereses, Irenaeus of Lyons. (c. 180)
- I.7, Paedagogus, Clement of Alexandria (c 200)
- Epistle LXII -- Cyprian of Carthage (c. 253)
- From Augustine's Exposition on the Psalms.
- Rashi's Commentary, c. 1075. chabad.org.
- From the Geneva Notes, 1599.
- From Matthew Henry's Commentary, 1710.
- Section III, Evidences of the Christian Religion, Joseph Addison, c. 1715.
- From Wesley's Notes, c. 1760.
- From the Commentary on the Whole Bible (Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, 1871).
- From The Treasury of David by Charles H. Spurgeon. (1885)
- Contemporary Commentary, Studies, and Exegesis:
- Commentary, Psalm 23, Joel LeMon, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher, 2017.
- Commentary, Psalm 23, Kelly J. Murphy, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher, 2016.
- "Even audiences largely unfamiliar with the Bible's contents are likely to know phrases from Psalm 23 (though whether or not they know what they are hearing is biblical is another question!).'"
- Commentary, Psalm 23, Matt Pollock, A Plain Account 2016
- "If the metaphor were not so strong growing up in church, if the angels had not made that proclamation to those lowly shepherds on that "beautiful, scandalous night" I wouldn't have the slightest idea about what a shepherd does or how they were perceived in the Ancient Near East. But somehow the strength of the metaphor has been preserved. It has been the church that has preserved it for us and for that we can be thankful."
- The Center for Excellence in Preaching, resources from Calvin Theological Seminary: Comments & Observations, Textual Points, Illustration Ideas, 2016.
- Pulpit Fiction, podcast. Reflections of lectionary text, pop culture, current events, etc. Robb Mc Coy and Eric Fistler, 2016.
- "We Lack Nothing," Commented Bible Passages from Taize, 2008.
- Commentary, Psalm 23, Joel LeMon, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher, 2015.
- "Many of us can only hear the first line of the Psalm in the King James Version (KJV): 'The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.'"
- "Lord, I Want to Be a Sheep, In My Heart!" John C. Holbert, Opening the Old Testament, 2015.
- The Center for Excellence in Preaching, Doug Bratt, resources from Calvin Theological Seminary: Comments & Observations, Textual Points, illustration ideas, 2015.
- "Psalm 23 is so familiar, so ingrained in historic American culture that those who preach and teach may feel intimidated by it."
- "The Politics of the King's Shepherd," Alastair Roberts, Political Theology Today, 2015.
- Pulpit Fiction, plus podcast. Reflections of lectionary text, pop culture, current events, etc. Robb Mc Coy and Eric Fistler, 2015.
- Commentary, Psalm 23, Nancy Koester, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher, 2014.
- "On any given Sunday some people come to church to have their souls restored -- to get their lives back."
- Commentary, Psalm 23 (Lent 4A), Elizabeth Webb, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2014.
- The Timeless Psalms: Psalm 23, Easter 4A, Joan Stott, prayers and meditations based on lectionary Psalms, 2014.
- Commentary, Psalm 23 (Lent 4A), Rolf Jacobson, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2014.
- "If you have never preached on Psalm 23 -- or if you haven't preached on it recently -- this is the week."
- "Social Media and the Shepherd," Henry G. Brinton, ON Scripture, Odyssey Networks, 2014. Video: "5 Things You Didn't Know about Social Media."
- "Table for One," Robb McCoy, The Fat Pastor, 2014.
- "God 'prepares a table before me in the presence of my enemies,' reads Psalm 23. What if it is a table for one? What if the enemy is within?"
- The Timeless Psalms: Psalm 23, Lent 4A, Joan Stott, prayers and meditations based on lectionary Psalms, 2014.
- Pulpit Fiction, plus podcast. Reflections of lectionary text, pop culture, current events, etc. Robb Mc Coy and Eric Fistler, 2014.
- The Old Testament Readings: Weekly Comments on the Revised Common Lectionary, Theological Hall of the Uniting Church, Melbourne, Australia.
- Commentary, Psalm 23 (Easter 4C), Shauna Hannan, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2013.
- "Notice this Psalm's emphasis on our active Lord."
- "Disaster," sermon discussion from Frederick Buechner, Frederick Buechner Blog.
- "'At times like these,' the speaker said, 'God is useless.' When I first heard of it, it struck me as appalling, and then it struck me as very brave, and finally it struck me as true."
- "The 23rd Psalm in an Age of Terror: A Pastoral Response to Boston," Timothy F. Simpson, Political Theology, 2013.
- "Feed My Sheep," sermon discussion from Frederick Buechner, Frederick Buechner Blog.
- "Then Jesus said, "Feed my lambs. Feed my sheep;' and you get the feeling that this time Peter didn't miss the point. From fisher of fish to fisher of people to keeper of the keys to shepherd. It was the Rock's final promotion, and from that day forward he never let the head office down again."
- Lectionary Greek (and occasionally Hebrew), Rob Myallis, 2013.
- The Timeless Psalms: Psalm 23, Easter 4C, Joan Stott, prayers and meditations based on lectionary Psalms, 2013.
- Commentary, Psalm 23 (Pentecost +8), Nancy deClaissé-Walford, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2012.
- "Reading Psalm 23 as a word of trust in answer to the heartfelt lament of Psalm 22 may add a new dimension of understanding to both psalms."
- "Of Sheep and Shepherds," Janet H. Hunt, Dancing with the Word, 2012.
- "Still Waters and Death Valleys," David R. Henson, Patheos, 2012.
- "My Shepherd" Russell Rathbun, The Hardest Question, 2012.
- "Is there any such thing as individual salvation?"
- "True Content," Rick Morley, 2012.
- "...the sheep know that the Shepherd is going to take them somewhere good. It’s trust. It’s worry-free."
- Radical Gratitude: Lent 4A, Easter 4B, Easter 4C, lectionary-based stewardship, Northwest United Methodist Foundation. (.pdf)
- "Beyond Our Wants," David Lose, Dear Working Preacher, 2011.
- "If you haven't already, find some time this fall to watch the PBS Frontline program "The Persuaders" for insight into the culture of "want" in which we live."
- Psalm 23, Peter Lockhart, A Different Heresy, 2012.
- Desert Scribblings, Fourth Sunday of Easter, Geoff McElroy.
- "The psalmist recognizes, and the text invites us to recognize as well, that our immediate circumstances are not the end of the story."
- The Old Testament Readings:
Weekly Comments on the Revised Common Lectionary, Theological Hall of the Uniting Church,
- "The KJV translation of the last phrase in the psalm as ?for ever? is another reason that the psalm has been associated with funerals. But the NRSV translation, ?my whole life long?, is more faithful to the Hebrew and gives the psalm another context."
- Commentary, Psalm 23 (Lent 4A), James Limburg,
Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2011.
- "We don't lack lots of things: we lack just one. The one thing we lack is intimacy with God. The one and only thing that can cause us to say, "I shall not want," or "I lack no good thing," is God. Nothing else."
- The Timeless Psalms: Psalm 23 (Lent 4A), Joan Stott, prayers and meditations based on lectionary Psalms, 2011.
- Commentary,
Psalm 23 (Easter 4C), J. Clinton McCann,
Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2010.
- "Everybody knows Psalm 23. In an era of increasing biblical illiteracy, this is an encouraging sign."
- Psalm 23, Easter 4C, The Old Testament Readings: Weekly Comments on the Revised Common Lectionary, Howard Wallace Audrey Schindler, Morag Logan, Paul Tonson, Lorraine Parkinson, Theological Hall of the Uniting Church, Melbourne, Australia.
-
Commentary, Psalm 23 (Pentecost 7B) Nancy deClaissé-Walford,
Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2009.
- Psalm 23 is classified as an Individual Psalm of Thanksgiving."
-
Commentary, Psalm 23 (Easter 4B), James Howell, Preaching This Week,
WorkingPreacher.org, 2009.
- Sheep are not brilliant creatures, and we cannot be flattered that the Psalm thinks of us as sheep. Leave a sheep without a shepherd, and he nibbles a bit of grass here, wanders over there for some more, sees a patch just past that rock; and before you know it the sheep is lost, or has fallen into a ravine, or been devoured by a wolf."
-
Psalm 23, interview with Rabbi Harold Kushner, PBS Religion & Ethics
Newsweekly, November, 2004.
- "God is good. Nature is not good. Nature is blind. Nature is amoral. Fire burns and bullets wound and falling rocks injure and disease germs infect everybody, whether you deserve it or not."
-
"Through the Pistol Smoke Dimly: Psalm 23 in Contemporary Film and
Song," Karl Jacobson, Society of Biblical Literature Forum,
2009.
- "In almost every case where the psalm is taken seriously, contemporary films and songs wrestle with the interplay of lament and trust, the exhortation to confident faith and the argument of present reality."
- Lectionary Commentary and Preaching Paths,
Psalm 23 by Dennis Bratcher, at The Christian Resource Institute.
- "...the most powerful Preaching Path for this Psalm may lead to the specific life needs of a local congregation or community of faith, no matter where they are in the cycle of orientation, disorientation, or reorientation."
-
Fourth Sunday of Easter: Psalm 23, "Come and See What God Has Done": The
Psalms of Easter, Frederick J. Gaiser, Texts in Context, Word & World,
Luther Seminary, 1987.
- "Psalm 23 is another psalm of trust. These apparently spring from the psalms of lament, which regularly include a confession of trust...Those confessions function something like our creeds, remembering and professing who God is and what God has done."
- "God's Love on the Way and at the Journey's End," Larry Broding's Word-Sunday.Com: A Lectionary Resource for Catholics.
- The Twenty-Third, Joel Smeby, Prayer in Downtown, Hopkins, MN.
- "Untamed Hospitality," study guide, Robert B. Kruschwitz, (other resources at) "Hospitality," Christian Reflection, The Center for Christian Ethics at Baylor University, 2007.
- "The Prayers of the Psalter," Henry Wansbrough, Introduction to the Psalms. (Scroll down for
-
Kairos CoMotion Lectionary Discussion,
Psalm 23, Wesley White. "A place of
conversation regarding Progressive Christianity."
- "Starting with an experience that has become a faith statement, 'The Lord is my shepherd,' we move through a variety of additional ways to receive such an experience - lying down, leading beside, restoring, fearless, comforted, etc. - to an expectation ('shall') that this will continue or be present again when needed."
- Comments (commentary) and Clippings (technical notes for in-depth study), Chris Haslam, Anglican
- "An
Exposition of Psalm 23," by Greg Herrick.
- "We live in a world in which many, if not most, people are engulfed with fear and anxiety."
- Psalm
23- A Psalm that Calms the Soul in A Psalm for All Seasons -
Studies in the Book of Psalms by Robert L. Deffinbaugh at the Biblical Studies
Foundation.
- "That which makes God a Good Shepherd also serves as a model to us of proper shepherding. Let us seek to study God’s shepherding and to strive to shepherd others as God shepherds us."
-
"Singing with the Psalter," Michael Morgan, (other resources at)
"Singing Our Lives," Christian Reflection, 2006.
- "What sets the book of Psalms apart from the rest of Scripture is the sacramental nature of its songs, their ability to mold and transform the believer."
- Recommended articles
from ATLAS, an online collection of religion and theology journals, are
linked below.
ATLAS Access options are available for academic institutions, alumni of
selected theological schools, and clergy/church offices. Annotated list of "starting place" articles at ATLAS for this week's texts (includes direct links).
- Barnes, Craig, "Sheep on the Run,"
The Christian Century, 2002.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Bosma, Carl J, "Discerning the Voices in the Psalms, a discussion of two problems in psalmic interpretation," Calvin Theological Journal, 2008.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Calhoun, David B. "Poems in the Park: My Cancer and God's Grace," Presbyterion, 2008.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Charles, Gary W., "Songcatchers,"
Journal for Preachers, 2008. Sermon.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Gaiser, Frederic,
"'Come and See What God Has Done': The Psalms of Easter," Word &
World, 1987. (Section begins on page 211.)
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Golding, Thomas A.,
"The Imagery of Shepherding in the Bible, Part 1," Bibliotheca Sacra,
2006.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Golding, Thomas A.,
"The Imagery of Shepherding in the Bible, Part 2," Bibliotheca Sacra,
2006.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Goulder, Michael,
"David and Yahweh in Psalms 23 and 24," Journal for the Study of the
Old Testament, 2006.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Knauf, Ernst Axel,
"Psalm XXIII 6," Vetus Testamentum, 2001.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Koyama, Kosuke, "You Prepare a Table
Before Me," The Christian Century, 1989.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Long, Kimberly Bracken,
"The Shepherd Jesus," Journal for Preachers, 2006. Sermon.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Lundbom, Jack R.,
"Psalm 23: Song of Passage," Interpretation, 1986.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Michel, Walter L.,
"SLMWT, 'Deep Darkness' or 'Shadow of Death," Biblical Research, 1984.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Otey, Rush,
"The Psalms of Easter," Journal for Preachers, 2002. (Section for
this Psalm begins on page 9.)
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - McCann, J. Clinton, Jr., "Preaching
the Psalms: Psalm 23," Journal for Preachers, 2008.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Merrill, A.L.,
"Psalm XXIII and the Jerusalem Tradition," Vetus Testamentum,
1965.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Pyper, Hugh S., "The Triumph of the Lamb: Psalm 23
and Textual Fitness," Biblical Interpretation, 2001.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Read, David H.C.,
"Communicating Joy," The Living Pulpit, 1996.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Rice, Gene,
"An Exposition of Psalm 23," Journal of Religious Thought, 1995.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Smith, Mark S.,
"Setting and Rhetoric in Psalm 23," Journal for the Study of the Old
Testament, 1988.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Stern, Philip,
"The 'Bloodbath of Anat' and Psalm XXIII," Vetus Testamentum,
1994.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Tappy, Ron,
"Psalm 23: Symbolism and Structure," Catholic Biblical Quarterly,
1995.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Willis, Timothy M.,
"A Fresh Look at Psalm XXIII 3A," Vetus Testamentum, 1987.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
- Barnes, Craig, "Sheep on the Run,"
The Christian Century, 2002.
- Sermons:
- "A Visitor, a Mapmaker and a Banquet," the Rev. Benjamin Anthony, Day 1, 2009.
- "Soul Restoration," the Rev. Dr. Jim Ellison, Day 1, 2008.
- "The Lord Is My Shepherd," "Uncle Clarence and His Farm," Pastor Edward F. Markquart, Grace Lutheran Church, Seattle, Washington - Sermons from Seattle.
- "David," from an Old Testament Sermon Series, Pastor Edward F. Markquart, Grace Lutheran Church, Seattle, Washington - Sermons from Seattle.
- "Trustworthy," the Rev. Rosemary Brown, Day 1, 2001.
- With Children:
- Worshiping with Children, Easter 4, Including children in the congregation's worship, using the Revised Common Lectionary, Carolyn C. Brown, 2015. 2012.
- "Storypath Lectionary Links: Connecting Children's Literature with our Faith Story," April 26, 2015, Union Presbyterian Seminary. 2012.
- Worshiping with Children, Easter 4A, Including children in the congregation's worship, using the Revised Common Lectionary, Carolyn C. Brown, 2011
- "The Lord Is My Shepherd," Dianne Deming, Children's Sermons Today, 2012.
- "The Lord Is My Shepherd," Sunday School Lessons: Family Bible Study, art projects, music, stories, etc.
- "Never-Ending Forgiveness," Steve Sullivan, sermons4kids.com.
- Drama:
- "Lambchop," Mike Poole, dramatix.
- "False Alarm," Fred Lane, dramatix.
- Liturgy:
- The Timeless Psalms: Psalm 23, Easter 4A, Joan Stott, prayers and meditations based on lectionary Psalms, 2014.
- The Timeless Psalms: Psalm 23, Lent 4A, Joan Stott, prayers and meditations based on lectionary Psalms, 2014.
- The Timeless Psalms: Psalm 23, Easter 4C, Joan Stott, prayers and meditations based on lectionary Psalms, 2013.
- The Timeless Psalms: Psalm 23 (Lent 4A), Joan Stott, prayers and meditations based on lectionary Psalms, 2011.
- Sheep, a litany of confession based on Psalm 23, Chaplain Tiffany, Miriam's Tambourine, 2011.
- Responsive Liturgical Paraphrase at The Billabong by Rev Jeff Shrowder, Uniting Church in Australia:
- Graphics & Bulletin Materials:
- Slideshow for on Psalm 23, Creation Sunday, hopeandhealing.org. Free use.
- Psalm 23:1, Psalm 23:2, Psalm 23:2-3, Psalm 23:4, Psalm 23:5, Psalm 23:6, Heartlight - Free Christian PowerPoint Backgrounds.
- "The Lord Is My Shepherd," audio-visual devotional from BeliefNet.
- Commercial Site: The Work of the People - Psalm 23 - Films/Visual Liturgy based on RCL texts.
- Hymns and Music:
- Hymnary.org, hymns, scores, media, information.
- The Seedbed Psalter, with selected tunes for singing.
- “Lord, You Are My Shepherd,” Carolyn Winfrey Gillette’s hymn based on Psalm 23. Tune: TO GOD BE THE GLORY.
- Contemporary/Praise Song suggestions, Together to Celebrate, David MacGregor.
- Hymns with Scripture Allusions: Psalm 23. The Cyber Hymnal.
- Hymn Selections, The Lutheran Hymnal, Lutheran Worship.
- The Billabong, by Rev Jeff Shrowder, Uniting Church in Australia: scroll down for hymn suggestions.
- Hymn selections, (United Methodist) and more from Hymnsite.com.
- Psalm 23 set to Darwall's 148th (66.66.88) by Dale A. Schoening, Metrical Psalms.
- "Walk on ahead, Good Shepherd," Brenton Prigge, NewHymn, a new, relevant hymn set to traditional tunes.
- "The Lord Is My Shepherd," lyrics, midi, sheet music, mp3. Stephen J. Pearson, The Psalmistry. See Terms of Use.
- At Digital Hymnal (midi files, guitar chords, karaoke files, projection text):
- Fine Arts Images Linked at The Text This Week's Art Index:
- Movies scenes with the following themes, listed at The Text This Week's Movie Concordance:
- Study Links and Resources for the Book of Psalms
