Famously Mistaken
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. Psalm 23:1 NASB
Shepherd – This is perhaps the second or third most well-known verse in the Bible. It comes somewhere in the group including Genesis 1:1 and Matthew 7:12. The only problem is that we have very little comprehension of its original meaning. It has been thoroughly converted into a spiritual security drug. If you really want to understand the complexities of this psalm, and its particularly misleading translations in nearly any English Bible, then I suggest you read Chapter 5 of Joel Hoffman’s book, And God Said: How Translations Conceal the Bible’s Original Meaning. Here are a few summary pointers:
“The modern ‘shepherd’ conveys a marginalized loner who spends more time with sheep than with people. The original model was a brave, strong, valiant, regal protector of the weak, providing safety and food and ensuring tranquility. . . We don’t have anything like a ro’eh anymore. We don’t have any job or position that includes the crucial aspects of a ro’eh: might, bravery, romance, and exalted social position.”[1]
Right away we see that the translation “shepherd” doesn’t communicate the expansive role that ro’eh played when David wrote the poem. Nothing in English does. But this isn’t the only issue. Translating the verb ḥāsēr into English as “shall not want” creates even more problems. In English the translation makes us think that this poem guarantees God will give us what we need, or worse, what we desire. TWOT offers some correction, noting that ḥāsēr “is used primarily, however, in reference to the lack of wisdom and understanding.”[2] God isn’t Santa Claus.
Finally, Hoffman demonstrates that Psalm 23 really isn’t about shepherding at all.
“But the psalm is not about shepherds. It is about supreme might, protection from safety, gallant heroism, and the nearness of God even in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles. The shepherd imagery is just the canvas upon which the poetry is painted. . . in Psalm 23 it’s hard for modern readers to ignore that shepherd bit and focus on the real point.”[3]
“ . . . Psalm 23 . . . is not really about sheep or modern-day shepherds. Sheep are only the background to the much more powerful image of a valiant protector who is with us, who keeps us safe from enemies, lets us enjoy the beauty of the world, and gives our lives higher purpose as we strive to dwell in God’s House.”[4]
Okay, so we’ve straightened out a few mistakes in one of the most popular Bible verses. Is that it? No, it’s not! What we’ve discovered is that even in very familiar passages, translations tend to portray the Hebrew in modern imagery, that is, as if the verses were written for us. This is a very big mistake. Unfortunately, it is not one that is easily corrected in translation. What it means is that there aren’t any English Bibles that really give you the depth and cultural awareness of the Hebrew text. You’re stuck. You’ll have to dig deeper, study more, ask more questions and refuse to take the easy way. Sorry, that’s just the way it is. If you really didn’t understand what was happening in Psalm 23, how much more do you think you’re actually misunderstanding all those other verses?
Topical Index: shepherd, king, protector, want, need, lack, ro’eh, ḥāsēr, Psalm 23
[1] Joel Hoffman, And God Said: How Translations Conceal the Bible’s Original Meaning, p. 144.
[2] Scott, J. B. (1999). 705 חָסֵר. R. L. Harris, G. L. Archer Jr., & B. K. Waltke (Eds.), Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (electronic ed., p. 309). Chicago: Moody Press.
[3] Hoffman, op. cit., p. 147.
[4] Ibid., p. 228.
