PSALM 23

LITERARY ANALYSIS

MARJORIE B. BANDEJAS
 Psalm 23

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.
INTRODUCTION:

Psalm 23 also known as The Lord is My Shepherd is a very popular psalm. Not only that it is
famous, it is also dubbed as the “Most loved Psalm”, “The Psalm everybody knows” and “The song
of the souls of men”. Undoubtedly, Psalm 23 is the most universal Scripture known and loved in
all lands. From its original manuscript written in Hebrew, it has been translated into different
languages all over the world. In fact, it has a Filipino version too which is being sung during
masses in the Roman Catholic Church and even used in Responsorial Psalm during special
celebrations.

A psalm is a sacred song, hymn or poem; usually is associated with the Book of Psalms, a book in
the Bible containing 150 of these sacred works. But aside from being a sacred song, Psalm 23 is
also a literary masterpiece because of the outstanding artistry and technique used in writing and
most especially because of its meaning that apply to all humanity and the passage of time it
survived.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF ISRAEL.

Religion in Israel is a central feature of the country and plays a major role in shaping Israeli
culture and lifestyle. Religion also played a central role in the country’s history. Not only that it
is where Jesus of Nazareth – the founder of Christianity – was born, the State of Israel as we know
today is also said to be the Promised Land, also known as the “Land of Milk and Honey”.

The people of Israel trace their origin to Abraham, who established the belief that there is only
one God, the creator of the universe. Abraham, his son Isaac, and grandson Jacob are referred to
as the patriarchs of the Israelites. All of them lived in the Land of Canaan, that later came to be
known as the Land of Israel. The name Israel is derived from the name given by God to Jacob.

The rule of Israelites in the land of Israel starts with the conquests of Joshua (ca. 1250 BCE). The
period from 1000-587 BCE is known as the "Period of the Kings". The most noteworthy kings were
King David (1010-970 BCE), who made Jerusalem the Capital of Israel, and his son Solomon (970-
931 BCE), who built the first Temple in Jerusalem as prescribed in the Tanach (Old Testament).

The people of modern-day Israel share the same language and culture shaped by the Jewish
heritage and religion passed through generations starting with the founding father Abraham
(ca. 1800 BCE). Thus, Jews have had a continuous presence in the land of Israel for the past 3,300
years.

CULTURE IN ANCIENT ISRAEL

Sacrifice is a common tradition in the Ancient Israel. One way to think about ancient sacrifices is
as “gifts” given to God. When they performed sacrifices, ancient Israelites gave to God some of
what they believed God had given them, expressing their close relationship with God and seeking
to deepen that bond.

In the Hebrew Bible, sacrifice always involves transformation. One of the most common ways to
transform something is to destroy it. Destruction removes the animal.

Sin or purification offering dealt with disruption in the relationship between human beings and
God. The offering depended on the identity and status of the person required to make it. The
chief priest, for example, had to bring a bull, whereas ordinary Israelites brought a female goat
or lamb. Those who were too poor to afford a goat or sheep could offer birds, and an offering of
grain flour was acceptable from the very poor.
COMPARISION TO THE FILIPINO CULTURE

The Igorot Tribes of the Northern Luzon in the Philippines also has this tradition called Cañao.
Cañao is a socio-religious ritual where chickens, pigs, and/or carabaos are butchered or feasted
on.

According to studies, the Benguet people believe in the existence of unseen beings that originated
from the sky world and the underworld. These unseen beings are described as spirits that have
been thought to have power over man. In addition, it is believed that spirits can be influenced by
man to his advantage. Through that, the people struggle to win the favors of the spirits with the
use of prayers and material offerings in a ritual. Knowing their attributes and whims is
significant as a basis to classify said spirits as to hierarchy and generosity.

CONNECTION TO OTHER AREAS OF DISCIPLINE: SHEEP FARMING IN ISRAEL

Sheep farming in Israel is some of the most productive in the world, with carefully developed
breeds of sheep that produce high quantities of milk. This success is perhaps no surprise when
you consider the history of sheep farming in Israel. In the Old Testament, Abel, the second son of
Adam and Eve, became a shepherd. Many other important Biblical figures, including Abraham,
Isaac, Jacob, Rachel, and King David, kept flocks of goats and sheep. For early Jews, sheep
provided wool, meat, and milk. Because flocks of sheep were transportable, shepherding was an
ideal occupation for Jews as they travelled in search of a permanent homeland. Today, Israelis
have built upon this legacy of shepherding by improving their sheep breeds.
DEFINITION OF TERMS:

 Shepherd – a person who tends and rears sheep

 Pasture – land covered with grass and other low plants suitable for grazing animals,
especially cattle or sheep.

 Anoint – The practice of anointing with perfumed oil, it is common among the Hebrews
and was significant of consecration to a holy or sacred use.

Thee, thou and thine (or thy) are Early Modern English second person singular pronouns.
When the first English translations of the Bible were being made, the informal thee and
thou were used specifically in reference to God to indicate an approachable and
unfamiliar God, but was later changed to thee and thou to sound more formal o modern
English speaker. (just a good-to-know info 😊 )

GENRE

Psalm 23 false under the genre of poetry. Poetry is verse and rhythmic writing with
imagery that evokes an emotional response from the reader. The art of poetry is
rhythmical in composition, written or spoken. This genre of literature is for exciting
pleasure by beautiful, imaginative, or elevated thoughts. A psalm is a sacred song, hymn,
or poem.

UNIVERSALITY

One of the characteristics of a literary piece to be considered as a masterpiece is that it

should be able to stand the test of time. Psalm 23 was written more than some millennia
ago yet it is still very popular. The reason Psalm 23 has remained so popular and
profound for believers around the world throughout the ages is that it doesn't just work
in one given situation. It works in any given situation.

This is a psalm that speaks to us when life is good. It tells us that we can be sure that it's
good because God has made us, he loves us and he also made the world and everything
in it. Just like a shepherd to his sheep.

So much as Psalm 23 is about the good times, it's also about the bad times. In Psalm 23
"valley of the shadow of death" was mentioned which sounds like a very bad place
indeed. Yet all of us are there at one time or another in our lives. Many of us know what
it is like to grieve for people close to us. Many of us know what it is like to have serious
illness or mental health problems, to be separated from our families, to see an important
relationship break down or to lose the job that we loved.

The last part of Psalm 23 sends a message that no matter how bad the situation could
be, everything will be alright because God is with us.

It is a psalm that does not talk only about King David. It is about us. It is a psalm for
good times, for bad times, of hope for the future.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

King David authored many Psalms that are found in the Old Testament of the Bible and
the Jewish sacred book. His poems are known for being wildly emotional. At times, he
questions God and calls out to him, asking why his prayers are not being heard. In other
poems, he seems assured of God’s presence and answers to his prayers. Although his
poems can at times seem contradictory, they reveal the inconsistencies of the human
heart. David has been recognized as one who was real with God. He never tried to hide his
true feelings or thoughts from his God. Rather, he poured out his heart to his God and
sought Him earnestly. For this reason, King David of Israel has been named “A man after
God’s own heart”. Followers of Christianity and Judaism have long turned to his poems
as sources of comfort. Readers can easily identify with King David’s feelings toward God.
King David was not without his share of suffering. Knowledge of David’s life gives this
particular poem an even greater depth of meaning. David suffered the loss of a child, the
guilt of having committed adultery, and the tragedies of war. Even so, he continued to
turn back to God even when he sinned. David’s story is one that suggests that God is a
God of forgiveness, and thus many people can identify with David’s poems.

FIGURES OF SPEECH & SYMBOLISM

Psalm 23 has two major extended metaphors:

The analogy between the Lord (God) and a shepherd. - The Lord is my shepherd

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.

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.

PLOT

Man in a tub – The speaker has a realization that everything will be alright in the end.

POINT OF VIEW

First Person Point of View

SETTING

The setting is peaceful pastureland, an area with which David, as a shepherd, was once
familiar. David notices that like himself, God, too, is a “shepherd,” and that David, the
shepherd, is himself led by God like a sheep or lamb.

THEME

Protection and Security - The Lord provides and will continue to provide; this security
includes such things as food and drink, shelter from enemies, and protection in hostile
circumstances.

Trust - Psalm 23 is a celebration of trust in the Lord, in his protection and goodness. The
speaker sounded so confident when he directly said “I shall not want” and “I will fear no
evil”. Based on what the Lord does for him every day, he concludes that he has nothing
to fear in the future.

Rites of Passage - the psalm depicts a rite of passage that begins with faith in the Lord,
faith that leads through danger to salvation. That it is movement toward greater good is
obvious in the steady improvement in the status of the speaker.