Psalm 23

New International Version

Psalm 23

A psalm of David.

¹The Lord is my shepherd,^(A) I lack nothing.^(B)
²    He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,^(C)
³    he refreshes my soul.^(D)
He guides me^(E) along the right paths^(F)
    for his name’s sake.^(G)
⁴Even though I walk
    through the darkest valley,^[a]^(H)
I will fear no evil,^(I)
    for you are with me;^(J)
your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

⁵You prepare a table^(K) before me
    in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;^(L)
    my cup^(M) overflows.
⁶Surely your goodness and love^(N) will follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
    forever.

Footnotes

Psalm 23:4 Or the valley of the shadow of death

Psalm 34

New International Version

Psalm 34^[a]^[b]

Of David. When he pretended to be insane^(A) before Abimelek, who drove him away, and he left.

¹I will extol the Lord at all times;^(B)
    his praise will always be on my lips.
²I will glory^(C) in the Lord;
    let the afflicted hear and rejoice.^(D)
³Glorify the Lord^(E) with me;
    let us exalt^(F) his name together.

⁴I sought the Lord,^(G) and he answered me;
    he delivered^(H) me from all my fears.
⁵Those who look to him are radiant;^(I)
    their faces are never covered with shame.^(J)
⁶This poor man called, and the Lord heard him;
    he saved him out of all his troubles.^(K)
⁷The angel of the Lord^(L) encamps around those who fear him,
    and he delivers^(M) them.

⁸Taste and see that the Lord is good;^(N)
    blessed is the one who takes refuge^(O) in him.
⁹Fear the Lord,^(P) you his holy people,
    for those who fear him lack nothing.^(Q)
¹⁰The lions may grow weak and hungry,
    but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.^(R)
¹¹Come, my children, listen^(S) to me;
    I will teach you^(T) the fear of the Lord.^(U)
¹²Whoever of you loves life^(V)
    and desires to see many good days,
¹³keep your tongue^(W) from evil
    and your lips from telling lies.^(X)
¹⁴Turn from evil and do good;^(Y)
    seek peace^(Z) and pursue it.

¹⁵The eyes of the Lord^(AA) are on the righteous,^(AB)
and his ears are attentive^(AC) to their cry;
¹⁶but the face of the Lord is against^(AD) those who do evil,^(AE)
to blot out their name^(AF) from the earth.

¹⁷The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears^(AG) them;
he delivers them from all their troubles.
¹⁸The Lord is close^(AH) to the brokenhearted^(AI)
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

¹⁹The righteous person may have many troubles,^(AJ)
but the Lord delivers him from them all;^(AK)
²⁰he protects all his bones,
not one of them will be broken.^(AL)

²¹Evil will slay the wicked;^(AM)
the foes of the righteous will be condemned.
²²The Lord will rescue^(AN) his servants;
no one who takes refuge^(AO) in him will be condemned.

Footnotes

Psalm 34:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, the verses of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
Psalm 34:1 In Hebrew texts 34:1-22 is numbered 34:2-23.