The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 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. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
ECUMENICAL PRE-6TH CENTURY BC
Psalm 23
Also known as The Shepherd Psalm · The Lord Is My Shepherd
Other forms
Traditional form (King James Version)
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.
About this prayer
Psalm 23 is a psalm of trust attributed in its superscription to David. It is among the most widely known and recited passages in the Bible across all Christian traditions and in Judaism. The psalm uses two controlling images: in the first four verses, God is a shepherd providing for sheep; in the final two verses, God is a host providing for a guest at table. The transition between these images ("You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies") reflects the ancient Near Eastern practice of hospitality as protection, where a host's presence guaranteed the safety of a guest. The psalm ends with the declaration that goodness and mercy will follow the speaker all the days of life, and that he will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. It is the psalm most commonly read at funerals across English-speaking Protestant and Catholic traditions.
When it's said
Psalm 23 is read or sung at funerals and memorial services across virtually every Christian tradition. It appears in the burial rites of the Book of Common Prayer and in Catholic funeral liturgies. It is used in hospital chaplaincy as a prayer with the sick and dying. In Jewish practice it is recited at Shabbat meals and at funerals. Many Christians use it in daily devotion, particularly in times of fear, grief, or uncertainty.
Notes on the text
The phrase "valley of the shadow of death" is the traditional translation of the Hebrew "tsalmaveth," which may also be translated as "deep darkness" or "darkest valley." Some modern translations use "darkest valley" rather than "valley of the shadow of death." The traditional rendering is retained in most liturgical use because of its familiarity and its particular resonance in the context of mortality.
Common questions
Who wrote Psalm 23?
Hebrew tradition attributes Psalm 23 to King David, who is said to have written it as a young man while still a shepherd. The superscription in the Hebrew text reads 'A Psalm of David.' Modern biblical scholarship is divided on whether David personally composed the psalm or whether it was attributed to him in the broader collection of the Psalter, which reached its final form by the 5th or 4th century BC.
What does 'the valley of the shadow of death' mean?
The Hebrew phrase, גיא צלמות (gei tsalmavet), can be translated either as 'valley of the shadow of death' or as 'valley of deep darkness.' The King James Version chose the former, which has shaped English-speaking Christian usage ever since. The phrase refers to any dark, dangerous passage, including but not limited to literal dying. Many translators today prefer 'valley of deep darkness' as closer to the Hebrew, though 'shadow of death' is too well-established in worship to be replaced.
Why is Psalm 23 read at funerals?
Because it speaks directly to the experience of death and the trust that one will dwell with God beyond it. The lines 'Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me' and 'I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever' have made it the most widely read funeral psalm in Western Christianity. The Book of Common Prayer's Order for the Burial of the Dead has included it since 1549.
Is 'the Lord is my shepherd' a metaphor or literal?
It is a metaphor with deep roots in the ancient Near East. Kings, gods, and rulers in the Hebrew Bible and in the surrounding cultures of Egypt, Babylon, and Assyria were regularly called shepherds of their people. The image is metaphorical for God's care, guidance, and provision. Jesus picks up the same image in John 10, where he calls himself 'the good shepherd,' which is one reason Psalm 23 has been read so often in Christian as well as Jewish worship.
Source
Psalm 23 (Old Testament). Attributed to David in its superscription. English text from the English Standard Version (ESV), 2001. KJV form (fully public domain) provided as alternate text. Public domain biblical text.
Last reviewed: May 2026 against primary source.