Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not lack. God has been my shepherd all my life to this day. O Lord, save your people and bless your heritage; be their shepherd and carry them forever. The Lord led out His people like sheep and guided them in the wilderness like a flock. Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock! You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth.

He will tend His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs in His arms; He will carry them in His bosom and gently lead those that are with young. Hear the word of the Lord, O nations, and declare it in the coastlands far away; say, “He who scattered Israel will gather him, and will keep him as a shepherd keeps his flock.” “For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I myself will search for My sheep and will seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out My sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. I will bring them out from the nations and gather them from the countries and will bring them into their own land. I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the ravines, and in all the inhabited places of the country. I will set up one shepherd over them, my servant David, and he shall feed them; he shall feed them and be their shepherd.” Jesus said, “I am the Good Shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” May the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, be praised. Brothers and sisters, you were going astray like sheep, but now you have returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls. When the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

Oh, fear the Lord, you His saints, for those who fear Him have no lack! The young lions suffer want and hunger, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing. For the Lord God is a sun and shield; He bestows favor and honor. No good thing does the Lord withhold from those who walk uprightly. For He satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul He fills with good things. Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. God will fully satisfy every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. O Lord, you crown the year with your bounty; your wagon tracks overflow with abundance. The pastures of the wilderness overflow, the hills gird themselves with joy, the meadows clothe themselves with flocks, the valleys deck themselves with grain, they shout and sing together for joy. Thus says the Lord, “I will feed them with good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel shall be their pasture; there they shall lie down in good grazing land, and they shall feed on rich pasture on the mountains of Israel.” Jesus said, “I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture.” For the Lamb amid the throne will be their shepherd, and He will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.

They feast on the abundance of your house, O Lord; you give them drink from the river of your delights. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High.

He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the decrees of the Lord are sure, making wise the simple. Lead me, O Lord, in Your righteousness because of my enemies; make Your way straight before me. You are indeed my rock and my fortress; for your name’s sake lead me and guide me. (He leads the humble in what is right and teaches the humble His way.) You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory with honor.

Thus says the Lord, “I will lead the blind by a road they do not know; by paths they have not known I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground. These are the things I will do, and I will not forsake them.” Even in the uttermost parts of the sea, Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me fast.

See if there is any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting. Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. Let your good spirit lead me on a level path.

The Lord will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs in His arms and carry them in His bosom and gently lead the mother sheep. They shall not hunger or thirst; neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them down, for He who has pity on them will lead them and guide them by springs of water. Righteousness will go before them and will make a path for their steps.

I have taught you the way of wisdom; I have led you in the paths of uprightness. I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice.

Lead me, O Lord, in Your righteousness because of my enemies; make Your way straight before me. For Your name’s sake, O Lord, pardon my guilt, for it is great. You are indeed my rock and my fortress; for your name’s sake lead me and guide me. Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; deliver us and forgive our sins, for your name’s sake, so that you might make known your mighty power.

But you, O Lord my Lord, act on my behalf for your name’s sake; because your steadfast love is good, deliver me. For your name’s sake, O Lord, preserve my life. In your righteousness bring me out of trouble.

Thus says the Lord, “I acted for the sake of My name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations among whom they lived, in whose sight I made myself known to them in bringing them out of the land of Egypt. But I acted for the sake of my name, so that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I had brought them out.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve me against the wrath of my enemies; you stretch out your hand, and your right hand delivers me. I am not afraid of ten thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around. The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Though an army encamps against me, my heart shall not fear; though war rise up against me, yet I will be confident. I keep the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. With the Lord on my side, I do not fear. What can mortals do to me? The Lord said, “I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire, you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.

Shepherd your people with your staff, the flock that belongs to you, which lives alone in a forest amid a garden land; let them feed in Bashan and Gilead as in the days of old.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. My enemies spoke against God, saying, “Can God spread a table in the wilderness?” Jesus said, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever, and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” O how abundant is your goodness that you have laid up for those who fear you and accomplished for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of everyone!

Brothers and sisters, you love righteousness and hate wickedness. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions. It is like the precious oil on the head, running down upon the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down over the collar of his robes. The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; He holds my lot.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwellin the house of the Lord forever. Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for the sake of your goodness, O Lord! All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies. One thing I asked of the Lord; this I seek: to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple. For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will set me high on a rock. Now my head is lifted above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy. I will sing and make melody to the Lord.