# Psalms 23.3

<!-- type: passage | created: 2026-05-06 | updated: 2026-05-06 -->

**Book:** [Psalms](/codex/psalms/) · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

## Immediate context (±2 verses)

**ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/))
> 1. <sup>A Psalm of David.</sup> Jehovah is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; He leadeth me beside still waters.
>
> **3. He restoreth my soul: He guideth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.**
>
> 4. Yea, thou 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. 5. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou hast anointed my head with oil; My cup runneth over. (Psalms 23:1-5, ASV)

**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> 1. <b>A Psalm by David. </b> Yahweh is my shepherd: I shall lack nothing. 2. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.
>
> **3. He restores my soul. He guides me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.**
>
> 4. 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. 5. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil. My cup runs over. (Psalms 23:1-5, WEB)

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> 1. A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. <sup>green: Heb. pastures of tender grass</sup> <sup>still: Heb. waters of quietness</sup>
>
> **3. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.**
>
> 4. 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. 5. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. <sup>anointest: Heb. makest fat</sup> (Psalms 23:1-5, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> 1. A Psalm of David. Jehovah [is] my shepherd, I do not lack, 2. In pastures of tender grass He causeth me to lie down, By quiet waters He doth lead me.
>
> **3. My soul He refresheth, He leadeth me in paths of righteousness, For His name's sake,**
>
> 4. Also, when I walk in a valley of death-shade, I fear no evil, for Thou [art] with me, Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me. 5. Thou arrangest before me a table, Over-against my adversaries, Thou hast anointed with oil my head, My cup is full! (Psalms 23:1-5, YLT)

## Setting

- **Speaker:** various (David majority; Asaph, Korah, Moses, Solomon, anonymous)
- **Audience:** worshipping Israel (corporate + individual devotion)
- **Location:** Israel, various periods
- **Time period:** composition spans c. 1400 BC (Moses, Ps 90), c. 400 BC; principal Davidic composition c. 1000 BC

## Theological reading

## Key words

- [H5315 - nephesh](/codex/h5315-nephesh/), *nephesh* (Strong's H5315). Also appears in: [Genesis 1.21](/codex/genesis-1-21/), [Genesis 1.24-28](/codex/genesis-1-24-28/), [Genesis 2.7](/codex/genesis-2-7/).
- [H6664 - tzedeq](/codex/h6664-tzedeq/), *tzedeq* (Strong's H6664). Also appears in: [Psalms 7.17](/codex/psalms-7-17/), [Psalms 17](/codex/psalms-17/), [Psalms 51](/codex/psalms-51/).
- [H7725 - shuv](/codex/h7725-shuv/), *shuv* (Strong's H7725). Also appears in: [Genesis 3](/codex/genesis-3/), [Genesis 15.16](/codex/genesis-15-16/), [Genesis 16.7-13](/codex/genesis-16-7-13/).
- [H8034 - shem](/codex/h8034-shem/), *shem* (Strong's H8034). Also appears in: [Genesis 3](/codex/genesis-3/), [Genesis 4.26](/codex/genesis-4-26/), [Genesis 6.4](/codex/genesis-6-4/).

## Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

- **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
- **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
- **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
- **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.

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## Quoted in

**Lexicon:**

- [G5590 - psyche](/codex/g5590-psyche/)
- [H5315 - nephesh](/codex/h5315-nephesh/)
- [H6664 - tzedeq](/codex/h6664-tzedeq/)

**Passages:**

- [Daniel 9](/codex/daniel-9/)
- [Daniel 9.24](/codex/daniel-9-24/)
- [Hosea 2.19-20](/codex/hosea-2-19-20/)
- [Isaiah 41.10](/codex/isaiah-41-10/)
- [Isaiah 42.6](/codex/isaiah-42-6/)
- [Isaiah 61.1-6](/codex/isaiah-61-1-6/)
- [Isaiah 61.3](/codex/isaiah-61-3/)
- [Isaiah 62](/codex/isaiah-62/)
- [Proverbs 31.8-9](/codex/proverbs-31-8-9/)
- [Psalms 119.160](/codex/psalms-119-160/)
- [Psalms 17](/codex/psalms-17/)
- [Psalms 51](/codex/psalms-51/)
- [Psalms 51.16-19](/codex/psalms-51-16-19/)
- [Psalms 7.17](/codex/psalms-7-17/)
- [Psalms 89.14](/codex/psalms-89-14/)
- [Psalms 96.13](/codex/psalms-96-13/)

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