ENG 448: Linguistics and Literature Analysis of Psalm 23

Prepared: Maria Carmela Rachel G Esclanda Submitted: Felix M. Mercado, PhD

PhD English Professor IV

The LORD Is My Shepherd

King James Version

1. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4. 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.
5. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil;
my cup runneth over.
6. 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.
Knoxx version

1. The Lord is my shepherd; how can I lack anything?

2. He gives me a resting-place where there is pasture, and leads me out by cool waters, to make me
live anew.
3. As in honour pledged, by sure paths he leads me; what though I walk with the shadow of death all
around me?
4. Hurt I fear none, while thou art with me; thy rod, thy crook are my comfort. What though my
enemies trouble me?
5. Full in their view thou does spread a banquet before me; richly thou dost anoint my head with oil,
generous the cup that steals away my senses!
6. All my life thy goodnesss pursues me; through the long years, the Lord's house shall be my
dwelling-place.

Moffatt New Translation

1. The Eternal shepherds me, I lack for nothing; he makes me lie in meadows green, he leads me to
refreshing streams, he revives life in me.
2. He guides me by true paths, as he himself is true.
3. My road may run through a glen of gloom, but I fear no harm, for thou art beside me; thy club, thy
staff -- they give me courage.
4. Thou art my host, spreading a feast for me, while my foes have to look on!
5. Thou hast poured oil upon my head, my cup is brimming over;
yes, and all through my life.
6. Goodness and Kindness wait on me, the Eternal's guest within his household evermore.

Historical Background

The original historical context of Psalm 23 is the ancient Kingdom of Israel, in which sheep were a major
part of the economy. We’re talking about huge flocks of sheep running into the thousands in some cases. King
David, probably the most famous king of Israel, worked as a shepherd when he was a boy, just as many other
boys did at the time. This Psalm, which is associated with his name, likely reflects his own experience as a shepherd
as he reflects on God as the shepherd of his own life.

The sheep-grazing areas in Israel are mostly dry, rocky, semi-desert areas, where the sheep are often
taken far away from the agricultural land near town, especially in the spring and summer. This is an area of steep
and dangerous cliffs and canyons. Even a sure-footed sheep or goat is in real danger of falling to its death. In
fact, I’ve seen a couple of them nearly fall myself out in this area.
 This is nothing like the situation in America or Australia, where sheep are kept in huge, fenced pastures.
This is instead dry and rocky ground where there is just a little grass here and there for the sheep to eat. This means
the sheep have to be moved constantly from one spot to another throughout the day. And the little grass they
find to eat is often dry and brown, dried out by the desert sun.

The sheep also need to be watered at least once a day. This is difficult since there are so few water
sources in most parts of this region. This means that the shepherd needs to walk the sheep to and from the water
source each day. But he must choose a different route each time, so the grass will not be overgrazed and the
pasture destroyed.

“In pastures of fresh grass, he makes me lie down, beside the waters of places of rest he leads me” (Psalm 23:2) .

The idea of finding a pasture filled with lots of fresh, green grass and a bubbling stream beside is almost a
vision of heaven out in this area (Psa. 23:2). This is also the implication of the shepherd making or causing the
sheep to lie down. It implies that there is so much to eat, the sheep are full and can stop eating, something that
rarely happens in the desert.

“My soul he restores; he leads me in the paths of righteousness for the sake of his name” (Psalm 23:3).

The paths (or literally “trails”) taken by the sheep can be seen all over these parts of Israel still today (Psa.
23:3). There are thousands of them everywhere, and of no help in directing the sheep, unless they have the
guidance of a shepherd. In the same way, the Psalmist says, God leads us in the right way, the way of
“righteousness.”

“Even if I walk in the valley of the shadow of death, I will not fear evil, for you are with me. Your rod and your staff,
they comfort me” (Psa. 23:4).

The “valley of the shadow of death” is an allusion to the dangerous and steep cliffs and canyons in the
desert (Psa. 23:4). But even here, the sheep can relax, because the shepherd is always carefully watching. In the
same way, God is always with us through the difficult times in our lives.

The rod and staff of the shepherd are used to direct the sheep in the way they should go (Psa. 23:4). The
rod is used to thwack the sheep hard enough to get its attention, which is not always an easy thing to do. The
staff, which functions as a shepherd’s crook, pushes or pulls the sheep in the right direction. Why are these irritating
forms of correction a comfort? Because the sheep know that ultimately the shepherd is helping them. It’s the
same when God helps us: ultimately, it’s for our good.

“You prepare before me a table in front of my enemies; you have anointed my head with oil, my cup
overflows” (Psa. 23:5).

A “table in front of my enemies” means that God provides the needs of his people even when they are
facing enemies (Psa. 23:5). This is an allusion to the wolves and other predators that threaten the sheep. Even
though they are lurking nearby, the sheep can keep on eating peacefully. Why? Because the shepherd is there
to protect them.

That God has “anointed my head with oil” refers to the anointing of sheep with oil mixed with things like
sulfur and tar to repel biting insects (Psa. 23:5). People also applied oil to their skin to protect it from the ravages
of the dry, desert air (Psa. 104:15). But the more direct allusion here is to the anointing of kings and prophets with
oil as a sign of their selection by God, just as was done with King David himself, when he was anointed king of
Israel (1 Sam. 16:13). Christians see here an allusion to Messiah Jesus, and to our anointing by the Holy Spirit in him
(Acts 10:38, 2 Cor. 1:21). (“Messiah” means “anointed one.”)

“Surely goodness and kindness will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever” (Psa. 23:6).

The blessing of this kind of life with God is reflected in the phrases, “my cup overflows,” in other words, I
have more than enough, and “goodness and kindness will pursue me all the days of my life” (Psa. 23:6). This is the
opposite of pursuing the good life, rather a good life will pursue me.

The focus of religious worship in David’s day was the Tabernacle that had been built in the time of Moses.
This was soon replaced in the time of Solomon, his son, with the Temple in Jerusalem. But in either case, this
structure was regarded as the “house” of the Lord, where the presence of the Lord was believed to dwell. By
saying that he wants to “dwell in the house of the LORD forever,” the psalmist is saying that he wants to live in
God’s direct presence forever (Psa. 23:6)
Tone
Overwhelmingly positive tone, Psalm 23 argues that life itself is a "valley of the shadow death," full of
potential dangers and evils. The speaker of Psalm 23 believes he will escape death and pass directly into heaven.
Narration
The speaker is familiar with the humble pastoral life. The speaker knows the Lord will protect him. The final
verse of Psalm 23 sums up the speaker's faith.
Imagery
The imagery presents God as a sephard of men leading them both through life and death. The speaker
is the sheep and the Lord guides his sheep through all troubles and gives him refuge: 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.

When our imagination is activated by Psalm 23, the green pasture can form a mental image of the
peaceful existence of the children of God as they are led by the Lord. The imagery, along with the understanding
of Psalm 23, is comforting.

1. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

Language
Psalm 23’s original language was in Hebrew that became especially popular after it was included in the
Anglican Book of Common Prayer, and it's often used in funerals. The four versions of David’s Psalm are
wonderfully translated by the group of translators of different versions: the New International Version (NIV),
ESVBible.org, the King James Version (KJV), and the New International Version Online (NIV online). Among the
four, the KJV is found to have the most formal presentation of its translation. The King James Version uses archaic
words that make the poem sounds very classical and it is true because this poem has passed the test of time and
it has been widely used by many people around the world.
The language of the King James Bible is conservative. The translators consciously favored older, even
obsolete forms (for example, “Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies” in Psalm 23)
over more modern forms that were already in common use in the 1600s. The archaic language gave the Bible
an austerity, even at its time of publication. This was felt to be more appropriate than everyday speech for the
Holy Scriptures.
Analysis of Phono-Graphological Features
Phonological Features
Psalm 23 has no rhyme scheme.

Literary Devices
Graphological Features (Use of Punctuation Marks)
Period, comma, semi-colon and dash were the punctuations used in the poem. To join two closely related
independent clauses which would normally be combined with a comma to make one subordinate to the other,
colons and semi-colons were used. The semicolon used to separate the independent clauses is being maintained
throughout in the KJV and the ESV.
Analysis of Lexical Features
118
words
1 . The Eternal shepherds me , I lack for nothing ; he makes me lie in meadows green , he leads me to refreshing strea
ms , he revives life in me .
2 . He guides me by true paths , as he himself is true .
3 . My road may run through a glen of gloom , but I fear no harm , for thou art beside me ; thy club , thy staff -
- they give me courage .
4 . Thou art my host , spreading a feast for me , while my foes have to look on !
5 . Thou hast poured oil upon my head , my cup is brimming over ; yes , and all through my life .
6 . Goodness and Kindness wait on me , the Eternal 's guest within his household evermore .
Adjective
Adverb
Conjunction
Determiner
Noun
Number
Preposition
Pronoun
Verb

KINDS OF NOUN EXAMPLES

Abstract Noun Gloom, art, life,
KINDS OF ADJECTIVE EXAMPLES
goodness, kindness,
 eternal, nothing, harm,
courage
Concrete Noun Shepherd, meadows, Descriptive adjective Green, refreshing,
streams, paths, road, true,
glen, club, staff
Proper Noun shepherd
Non-count Noun oil

Analysis of Syntactic Features

Sentence 1 is a compound complex sentence, Sentence 2 is a compound sentence, Sentence 3 is also
compound complex. While sentence 4 is a complex sentence. Sentence 5is also compound complex and the
last is a compound sentence.
Discourse Level

The first line is perhaps the most famous in all the psalms. Its power derives from the crisp use of metaphor—
the assumed, rather than directly stated, comparison between God and a shepherd. The nature of this
comparison must have been evident to ancient Hebrews who meditated upon this poem. Like most Near Eastern
peoples, the Hebrews relied on a herding economy, and the importance of the shepherd-figure derives not only
from the necessity of sheep to that economy but also from the hostile nature of the environment. Because of the
predators, poachers, and harsh desert conditions that threatened grazing lands, the shepherd needed to take
great care to protect the sheep. The qualities of sheep complete the psalm’s main metaphor. By calling God his
shepherd and himself God’s lamb, the psalmist expresses a specific relationship between the two. The psalmist is
helpless, innocent, and utterly dependent on God. God, for his part, fulfills his role as shepherd by protecting the
psalmist. Thus, the psalmist “shall not want.”

The second two verses describe God as a guide. The images in verse 2 are entirely pastoral: the shepherd
leads his lamb to “green pastures” and “still waters.”

God still leads the psalmist, but the metaphor of the shepherd is no longer evident. This second type of
“leading” involves the psalmist’s soul, which God “restoreth” by guiding the psalmist “in the paths of
righteousness.” Righteousness here probably refers to the Hebrew law, which is extensively delineated throughout
the first books of the Old Testament and was regarded by the Hebrew people as a direct expression of God. By
following the Hebrew law, the psalmist is paying tribute to God and furthering God’s influence. Thus, it is in his own
“name’s sake” that God leads the speaker to righteousness.

In the fourth verse the psalmist discusses faith in terms of trust—which is perhaps the purest expression of
faith. The verse also contains implications of misfortunes in the speaker’s life. These are conveyed through the
second-most famous metaphor in the poem: “the valley of the shadow of death.” Valleys in ancient Palestine
represented many good and terrifying aspects of life. They were places for grazing sheep and for building cities
but also for battles. In this verse, the valley is one of death and evil, but because the speaker has utter trust in
God as shepherd, he or she is free from fear. God is close by, protecting the speaker with the shepherd’s tools: a
rod for use as a weapon, and a staff for support. The psalmist’s sense of personal closeness with God is
emphasized by the shift from third to second person: whereas before he referred to God as “He,” now he uses
“Thou.”

In verse 5, the metaphor for God shifts from shepherd to host. The role of host in most ancient civilizations
was an important one. A host was obligated to provide his guests with comfort and pleasure, but he was also
responsible for the protection of anyone staying in his house. God as host provides a table for a feast, perhaps
the sacrificial feast conducted in the Temple as part of Hebrew religious ceremony. This feast includes an
abundance of wine (“my cup runneth over”) as well as oil. Oil in ancient Hebrew culture had many uses. It was
often a sign of opulence, and people who could afford oil applied it to their bodies as an expression of gladness
and refreshment. Oil was also used to soften wounds, which in this verse might reflect the danger implied in verse
4. But most significant is the ritual of “anointing” in which the Hebrews applied oil to the foreheads of kings, priests,
and the sick to symbolize blessing and purification. Though the psalmist is a helpless lamb, he or she is also like a
king by virtue of closeness with God. At the same time, however, the speaker is like the sick, vulnerable to death
and in need of God’s blessing.

The last verse is a final declaration of hope and faith. The hope is eternal: the psalmist’s faith transcends
the barriers of time and thus makes the stay in “the house of the Lord” one that will last “for ever.” Since all guests
must eventually leave, the last line suggests the psalmist is in fact not a guest but rather a member of the
household. As such, he or she is indefinitely entitled to the shelter of the house and the pleasures offered by God.

Compare and Contrast of the 1st and last line

The first line use of metaphor—comparison between God and a shepherd. The last line is a declaration
of hope and faith.
Analysis of Psalm 23 Literary Features

Allegory: An allegory is a sort of extended metaphor where two different things are being compared for their
similarities in an effort to clarify something about the object of the allegory. In an allegory, each element of an
account represents a feature of the object of the allegory. The objects of this allegory are those who participate
in the destruction of Israel…that they treat Israel like a sheep herd and each element of the allegory directly
applies to these people. Psalm 23:1-4 is an allegory.

1. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4. 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.

Metaphor: The green pasture represents: the grace of God because it is green, alive and plentiful; the peace of
God because the sheep live in harmony – guided and protected by the Shepherd. "The Lord is my shepherd" is
a clear metaphor.

Psalm 23 has two major extended metaphors.

1. The first is the analogy between the Lord (God) and a shepherd, a guy who herds sheep. An extended
metaphor is just a metaphor that continues for more than just one line or phrase in the poem. It's woven
throughout several lines, or sometimes the whole poem. The metaphor comparing the Lord to a shepherd
appears in the first four lines of the psalm. The big point of the metaphor is that the Lord looks after and nurtures
his flock, and the speaker is part of that flock.
To an ancient audience, a shepherd isn't this quaint, romantic wanderer that sometimes appears in later
literature. It was a real – and very important – profession, though it wasn't a job that a rich person would normally
do.

 Line 1: You really couldn't ask for a metaphor to be more clearly spelled out. The Lord = shepherd. The
speaker = sheep. This metaphor makes specific reference to the shepherd as provider of necessities, or
"wants."
 Lines 2: The metaphor of the sheep and shepherd is extended into the second line. Green pastures as a
symbol of nourishment, because sheep eat grass, and also comfort, because the sheep is lying down. Still
waters are also a symbol of nourishment, and also peace and tranquility. Just remember that the body
of the sheep is implicitly analogized to the soul of the speaker. The Lord brings peace, comfort, and
nourishment to the speaker's soul.
 Line 3: In a very basic metaphor, righteousness is compared to a path. As a shepherd, the Lord keeps his
flock on the right path. The Lord's "name" might be a symbol for reputation.

2. The second major extended metaphor in the psalm is the analogy between the Lord and a host. A good host
makes sure his guests have enough food and shelter, and that's what the Lord does, too. The roles of host and
shepherd are similar in some ways. For example, in both cases, your responsibility is to take care of others, to keep
them safe, happy, and healthy.

Also, both the host and shepherd are in some way superior to the people (or sheep) they're tending. The
shepherd is a human, while the sheep are animals. And the host is the one who has the means to provide for the
guest. In the same way, the Lord is in a superior position relative to humans. One important difference between
the two roles: the shepherd belongs to a natural environment, and the host to a social one.

 Line 5: The analogy between the Lord and the host is implicit. That is to say, it isn't spelled out directly, but
who else but a host would be serving meals? The image of a cup overflowing with liquid represents
abundance.
 Line 6: The Lord's protection, generosity, hospitality, and kindness are symbolized by the idea of being
allowed to live in the Lord's house. The house itself is metaphorical.

Parallelism: Psalm 23 contains much parallelism:

(a) "I will fear no evil, for you are with me"
(b) "your rod and your staff, they comfort me"

Paradox: The first line of v.4 has, just as does v.3, a different intent in Hebrew than in English. The usual English
translation is “though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death”, posing a complicated paradox: either
the valley, most likely life, is shadowed by death’s inevitability or the valley is part of, belongs to, death’s
shadow –a much more ominous possibility. And, if death casts a shadow, is it, then. an entity capable of
obscuring the light that would otherwise fall in fullness upon the valley? Another ominous possibility.

Personification: The characteristics of the children of God are applied to sheep led by the shepherd through a
green pasture. The sheep grazing to restore their energy; the children of God having their souls restored. The
sheep rest near a silent body of water; the children of God live in peace and harmony in the presence of God.
Repetition: Repetition is the simple repeating of a word, within a short space of words, with no particular
placement of the words to secure emphasis.

1. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
2. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Symbolism: Symbolic meaning attributed to natural objects or facts.

Line 10 “thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.”

Speaker of the Poem: Speaker of the poem is known to be as a person who knows the shepherd.

Mood of the Poem: The mood of the poem is joyful because the speaker is telling about all of his many blessings
and how the lord is generous.

Conflict of the Poem: The conflict of the poem is that the speaker is against himself for covering other’s belonging
and being jealous of others.

Universal Truth of the Poem: That being greedy will not satisfy because worldly desires won’t last, but for a short
time.

Psalm 23 Summary

Psalm 23 is a poem about being gracious for what you are blessed with. As human nature drives us to
cover what others have, we have to stop and remember what we have already been given. By being thankful
for what we have the poem tells us we will receive blessings and honor God through being thankful for what has
given to us.

Reference:

Shmoop Editorial Team. (2008, November 11). Psalm 23 ("The Lord is My Shepherd") Symbolism, Imagery,
Allegory. Retrieved September 6, 2019, from https://www.shmoop.com/psalm-23/symbolism-
imagery.html

Maccabi, R (2014). Literary analysis of Psalm 23. Psalms Studied Online <http://psalmsstudy.com/psalms-
literary-analysis-by-chapter/literary-analysis-psalm-23/>