Let’s dive into what the ancient interpreters found within those words.
Midrash Tehillim, a collection of rabbinic commentaries on the Book of Psalms, offers some fascinating perspectives. It begins by pointing out something profound: David, the author of the psalm, compares God to a shepherd. But why a shepherd? Rabbi Yosei bar Hanina suggests we can learn from the humble shepherd, constantly tending to his flock with his staff and bag. David elevates this image, applying it to his relationship with the Divine.
But there's a twist! David says, "The elderly will understand." Why the elderly specifically? The Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary) connects this to Jacob, who, in (Genesis 48:15), says, "The God who shepherds me." Jacob, at the end of his long and eventful life, recognized God's constant guidance. So David, echoing Jacob, also calls God his shepherd. It's a beautiful lineage of faith and recognition.
Now, the Midrash takes an interesting turn, connecting Psalm 23 to (Deuteronomy 2:7), "For the Lord your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands." Rabbi Eliezer ben Jacob makes a thought-provoking claim: this blessing applies even when you're studying Torah. If you're engaged in the work of learning, you're blessed. If not... well, you're missing out. It's a powerful encouragement to engage actively with our tradition.
The text then explores the challenges of the road, citing (Proverbs 4:12), "Know the way you should go?" It suggests that our journey in life, especially in earning a livelihood, should involve some effort and even a little "pain." Rabbi Yehuda, quoting Rabbi Eliezer, says that travel wears out clothes, brings wrinkles (laughter lines, even!), and diminishes opportunities.
But here's where it gets truly amazing. The Midrash contrasts this with God's care for the Israelites in the desert. (Deuteronomy 8:4) reminds us, "Your clothes did not wear out from upon you." And (Deuteronomy 2:7) says, "You lacked nothing." No wearing out, no lack. Rabbi Yudan attributes this to their declaration, "This is my God, and I will glorify Him." Because of their faith, God sustained them for forty years. Wow.
The Midrash emphasizes that this lack of want wasn't just a passive state. It was active. Whatever they spoke with their mouths, they received. "I will rain bread from heaven for you," God promised in (Exodus 16:4). "Water you desire," says (Psalm 78:20). "Strike the rock and water will flow," as happened in (Exodus 17:6). Their words, their desires, shaped their reality.
But there's a darker side to this, revealed in the story of the Israelites demanding meat. When Moses hears their complaints, he's overwhelmed. He cries out to God, "Where am I to get meat?" (Numbers 11:13). Moses even says, "If this is what you will do to me, then please kill me now." He felt trapped between God's command and the people's insatiable desires.
The Midrash tells us that God became angry (Psalms 106:32-33), and Moses spoke rashly. The people's constant complaining and testing of God had consequences, even for Moses.
Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai adds a layer of understanding, citing (Psalm 78:18), "And they tested God in their hearts." It wasn't just their words, but their internal doubts and desires that manifested. They lacked only the words of prophecy, says Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai. All those days when Israel rebelled, the divine voice did not speak with Moses. The connection was broken.
Rabbi Yochanan offers another perspective: "They lacked only repentance." (Hosea 14:2) urges, "Take words with you and return to the Lord." Repentance, teshuvah, the act of returning, of realigning ourselves with God.
Finally, Rabbi ibn Ezra suggests that they lacked only "a certain thing," noting that the angel of death claimed a staggering fifteen thousand lives (and a "change"—one out of 489 more!) during those forty years. Even in a time of miraculous provision, death was a constant presence.
So, what does this all mean for us? The Midrash on Psalm 23 isn't just a historical analysis. It’s a call to recognize God's constant presence and provision in our lives. It’s a reminder that our words and our thoughts have power. It’s an invitation to cultivate faith, practice gratitude, and strive for teshuvah—to return to the source of all blessing. Are we truly seeing God as our shepherd? And are we actively shaping our reality with faith, or limiting it with doubt? Something to ponder, isn't it?
Another thing, "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want." This is what the verse says (Psalm 23:1). "The elderly will understand." Rabbi Yosei bar Hanina said that we can learn from the lowly shepherd who walks with his staff and bag all day, and David called God his shepherd. But David said, "The elderly will understand." Jacob called God his shepherd, as it says (Genesis 48:15), "The God who shepherds me." So I also call him my shepherd, as it says, "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want." Another thing, the verse says (Deuteronomy 2:7), "For the Lord your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands." Rabbi Eliezer ben Jacob says that "has blessed you" means that even if you sit and study, you say "in all the work of your hands," and if you do it, you are blessed, and if not, you are not blessed. What does it mean (Proverbs 4:12), "Know the way you should go?" Your going should cause you pain in your livelihood. Rabbi Yehuda said in the name of Rabbi Eliezer that three things the road does: it wears out clothes, causes laughter lines on the body, and decreases going out. But the Holy One, blessed be He, did not do this to Israel, as it says (Deuteronomy 8:4), "Your clothes did not wear out from upon you." (Deuteronomy 2:7) "You lacked nothing." This is the decrease in going out. "The Lord your God is with you." Rabbi Yudan said, "In the merit of your saying, 'This is my God, and I will glorify Him,' I have given you forty years. Your clothes did not wear out. Rabbi Yehuda said, "If there is a king in the country, the country is not lacking anything." So (Deuteronomy 2:7) "The Lord your God is with you, and you lack nothing." "Not lacking anything, but rather just a statement, and it comes to be. If it is said that manna will be like meat or quail, it will become so. If it is said that oil will be like fish sauce, it will become so. If you ask for flour (Numbers 11:8), the people will turn and gather it. Konditon (a place) or crush it in a mortar. Ashishot (a place) and make it into cakes. Therefore it is said, 'nothing is lacking,' but whatever you speak with your mouth, that is what you will receive. 'I will rain bread from heaven for you' (Exodus 16:4). 'Water you desire' (Psalm 78:20). 'Strike the rock and water will flow' (Exodus 17:6). 'We want meat' they said, and when Moses heard this, he went to the Lord and said, 'Your children want meat.' The Lord said to him, 'Give it to them.' Moses said to him (Numbers 11:13), 'Where am I to get meat?' (Numbers 22) 'They will slaughter sheep and cattle for them.' If this is what you will do to me, then please kill me now. Moses said to the Lord, 'If you do not give them meat, they will kill me. And if I speak against them, they will kill me. Kill me now, I beg of you, if you will kill anyone.'" Immediately, the Lord became angry, as it is said (Psalms 106:32-33), "They provoked [Him] at the waters of Meribah, and it went ill with Moses because of them. For they embittered his spirit, and he spoke rashly with his lips." The Lord said to Moses, "Give meat to the children of Israel." Moses replied, "Where can I get meat?" The Lord said to him, "You had fish in Egypt, and you had cattle in Egypt, and you were so wealthy there, and now you have become poor." Moses replied, "It wasn't mine, it was theirs." The Lord said to him, "In Egypt, it was yours, and here it is not yours." (Numbers 11:23) The sages said, "He lacked nothing." They were not lacking anything, but they were considering it in their hearts, and it happened. Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai said, "It can be compared to what Rabbi Berechia said in the name of Rabbi Abahu (Psalms 78:18), 'And they tested God in their hearts.' They were considering it in their hearts, and it happened." Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai said, "They lacked only the words of prophecy. You should know that all those days when Israel rebelled, the divine voice did not speak with Moses, as it is said (Deuteronomy 2:16), 'And it was when all the men of war had perished.' What is written afterwards? (Deuteronomy 2:17) 'And the Lord spoke to me, saying.' Rabbi Yochanan said, "They lacked only repentance, as it is said (Hosea 14:2), 'Take words with you and return to the Lord.'" Rabbi ibn Ezra said, "They lacked only a certain thing. For all the forty years that Israel was in the wilderness, the angel of death was striking them with a death toll of fifteen thousand and change. And how much is one change? It is one out of four hundred and eighty-nine."
