Psalm 23
King James Bible Written: 1611 • Published: 1611
This poem is in the public domain and may be freely reproduced.
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
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.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
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.
Curator's Note
Perhaps the most famous passage in the Bible, Psalm 23 has brought comfort to millions across four centuries in this translation. The King James rendering gave English some of its most enduring phrases: 'The Lord is my shepherd,' 'green pastures,' 'still waters,' 'the valley of the shadow of death,' 'my cup runneth over.' The psalm moves from third person ('He maketh me to lie down') to second ('Thou art with me') at the moment of greatest danger—the valley of death—when the speaker needs most to address God directly. The extended metaphor shifts from shepherd to host at a banquet table, but the theme remains constant: trust in divine care. The archaic language of the KJV ('Yea, though I walk') lends solemnity and ritual weight. These words are read at funerals, memorized by children, recited in extremity. Whatever one's faith, the psalm's power as poetry is undeniable—its rhythms, its images of green and water and overflowing abundance, its quiet certainty: 'I shall not want.'
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