The Psalm of Faith
Talbot W. Chambers, D. D. Psalm 23:1-6 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.… This has sometimes been called the Psalm of faith, and certainly with great reason. It breathes in every line the air of serene and happy confidence undisturbed by a single doubt. Nowhere else is the absence of misgiving or anxiety so remarkable. Yet equally noteworthy is the connection of this state of safety, rest, and peace with the statement made in the opening words; for the fact that Jehovah condescended to be the writer's shepherd was the underlying basis of the whole experience. The representation of God as a shepherd is found first in Jacob's blessing of Joseph (Genesis 48:15), "the God which fed me," — literally, who was my shepherd. It was afterwards often used in reference to Israel as a people, and in the New Testament is applied to our Lord both by Himself and by His disciples. The whole tone of the lyric is personal, and this it is that makes it so precious. Jehovah cares for the flock just because He cares for each member of it. The believer is never lost in a crowd. "I shall not want." The expression is absolute and unlimited. Neither food, nor protection, nor guidance, nor loving care and sympathy shall be lacking. The believer is sure not only of repose, restoration, and guidance, but also of protection and deliverance even in the most trying circumstances...The last verse of the Psalm summarises what went before, with the additional thought of its continuance. "Only goodness and loving kindness" means that the favour bestowed on the believer is unmixed, or that the exceptions are so few as to be unworthy of consideration. Goodness supplies our needs, and mercy blots out our sins. (Talbot W. Chambers, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: {A Psalm of David.} The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. WEB: Yahweh is my shepherd: I shall lack nothing.