Psalm 23 in Hebrew: Text, Meaning and Origin

On July 15, 1965, at Philharmonic Hall in New York, Leonard Bernstein conducted the first performance of his Chichester Psalms. The piece had been commissioned by Walter Hussey, Dean of Chichester Cathedral in England, for the cathedral's 1965 music festival. Bernstein, a Jewish composer, made an unusual choice: the words would be sung in Hebrew, and the score does not even include an English translation.

The second movement opens with a boy soloist and a harp, singing the first lines of Psalm 23. According to the Leonard Bernstein Office, the harp evokes King David, the shepherd-psalmist. For many in the audience, it was the first time they heard those familiar words in the language they were written in.

That is what many people look for when they search for "Psalm 23 in Hebrew": to hear the original and understand it. What does each verse say, how is it pronounced, and why do Jews and Christians both hold it so close?

What is Psalm 23, and who wrote it?

Psalm 23 belongs to the Book of Psalms, called Tehillim ("praises") in Hebrew. The text itself opens with mizmor le-David, "a psalm of David". Jewish and Christian tradition attribute it to King David, while scholars debate whether such headings mark authorship, dedication or a collection.

The shepherd image fits the story. In 1 Samuel, when the prophet asks Jesse whether these are all his sons, Jesse answers that the youngest is still out tending the flock (1 Samuel 16:11). That youngest son is David.

What does Psalm 23 say in Hebrew, verse by verse?

The Hebrew below follows the Sefaria edition, with a modern Hebrew transliteration. The four-letter name of God is traditionally read as Adonai.

Verse 1
מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד יְהוָה רֹעִי לֹא אֶחְסָר
Mizmor le-David. Adonai ro'i, lo echsar.
A psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I lack nothing.

Verse 2
בִּנְאוֹת דֶּשֶׁא יַרְבִּיצֵנִי עַל מֵי מְנֻחוֹת יְנַהֲלֵנִי
Bin'ot deshe yarbitseni, al mei menuchot yenahaleni.
He makes me lie down in green pastures and leads me to still waters.

Verse 3
נַפְשִׁי יְשׁוֹבֵב יַנְחֵנִי בְמַעְגְּלֵי צֶדֶק לְמַעַן שְׁמוֹ
Nafshi yeshovev, yancheni ve-ma'aglei tsedek lema'an shemo.
He renews my life and guides me in right paths, for his name's sake.

Verse 4
גַּם כִּי אֵלֵךְ בְּגֵיא צַלְמָוֶת לֹא אִירָא רָע כִּי אַתָּה עִמָּדִי שִׁבְטְךָ וּמִשְׁעַנְתֶּךָ הֵמָּה יְנַחֲמֻנִי
Gam ki elech be-gei tsalmavet, lo ira ra, ki atah imadi; shivtecha u-mish'antecha hema yenachamuni.
"Though I walk through a valley of deepest darkness, I fear no harm, for You are with me" (JPS, via Sefaria).

Verse 5
תַּעֲרֹךְ לְפָנַי שֻׁלְחָן נֶגֶד צֹרְרָי דִּשַּׁנְתָּ בַשֶּׁמֶן רֹאשִׁי כּוֹסִי רְוָיָה
Ta'aroch lefanai shulchan neged tsorerai; dishanta va-shemen roshi, kosi revayah.
You set a table before me in front of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Verse 6
אַךְ טוֹב וָחֶסֶד יִרְדְּפוּנִי כָּל יְמֵי חַיָּי וְשַׁבְתִּי בְּבֵית יְהוָה לְאֹרֶךְ יָמִים
Ach tov va-chesed yirdefuni kol yemei chayai, ve-shavti be-veit Adonai le-orech yamim.
Goodness and steadfast love will follow me all my days, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for many long years.

A few words are worth knowing. Mei menuchot means, literally, "waters of rest". Tsalmavet is the famous "shadow of death", which newer Jewish translations often render as "deepest darkness". Chesed is loyal, steadfast kindness. And notice the turn in verse 4: God is "he" until the valley grows dark, and then the poet speaks to him directly, "You are with me".

How is Psalm 23 used in Jewish tradition?

For Jews, Psalm 23 is part of the Tehillim read in Hebrew throughout life. It holds a special place in mourning: according to Chabad.org, it is the psalm most commonly recited at the Jewish funeral service. It is also read at home in personal prayer and sung to traditional melodies that differ from one community to another.

And in Christian tradition?

Christians received the psalm with the Hebrew Bible. In Bibles that follow the Greek Septuagint and the Latin Vulgate it is numbered Psalm 22. The Nova Vulgata, the Catholic Church's official Latin edition, heads it "Psalm 23 (22)" and begins Dominus pascit me. The Gospel of John gives the shepherd image a new reading when Jesus says, "I am the good shepherd" (John 10:11). Bernstein's piece, written for Chichester Cathedral and sung in Hebrew, shows how one text lives in both traditions.

How does Hill Radiance sing Psalm 23?

The Hill Radiance channel shares psalms and prayers sung in Hebrew, with slow arrangements and the voice up front. The first recording centers on the still waters of verse 2:

The second is built around ki atah imadi, "You are with me", from verse 4:

Many people listen to recordings like these for prayer or a quiet moment. If you are learning the words, keep this page open and read along, verse by verse.

Conclusion: one text, many voices

When the boy soloist in the Chichester Psalms sang Adonai ro'i, lo echsar in 1965, he was singing ancient words in a work by a Jewish composer for a Christian cathedral. That meeting sums up the story of Psalm 23: six short verses that Jews recite in Hebrew and Christians read in their own languages. Knowing the original does not replace any of those readings. It adds to them.

Frequently asked questions

How do you say "The Lord is my shepherd" in Hebrew?

"Adonai ro'i" (יְהוָה רֹעִי). The full first verse ends with "lo echsar", "I lack nothing".

Why do some Bibles call it Psalm 22?

They follow the Septuagint and Vulgate numbering. The text is the same.

Did David write Psalm 23?

Its heading attributes it to David, and both traditions read it that way. Scholars debate whether the heading means authorship or dedication.

References

• Sefaria. Psalms 23 (Hebrew and JPS translation). sefaria.org
• Sefaria. 1 Samuel 16. sefaria.org
• Chabad.org. Funeral Service & Eulogy. chabad.org
• Leonard Bernstein Office. Chichester Psalms (1965). leonardbernstein.com
• Holy See. Nova Vulgata, Liber Psalmorum. vatican.va
• Gospel of John 10:11. biblegateway.com

More psalms and prayers in Hebrew in the Hill Radiance section.