Psalm 23 (22 in the Septuagint and Vulgate numbering) is one of the most familiar psalms in the Psalter, a song of trust that presents the Lord as shepherd and host. It is traditionally attributed to David, whose early life as a shepherd in Judah supplies the pastoral imagery. Scholars differ on its precise date: some accept a Davidic origin in the tenth century BC, while others place its final form later. In the ancient Near East the shepherd was a standard metaphor for the king; by applying it to the Lord the psalm affirms divine kingship. Placed between the suffering of Psalm 22 and the entry of the King of glory in Psalm 24, it stands at the centre of a royal sequence. Its structure moves from green pastures and restful waters, through guidance on the right path, to the table prepared in the sight of foes and the hope of dwelling in the Lord’s house for ever.

The selected verses (1-2a, 2b-3, 5, 6) with the response “The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want” retain that movement. The Lord is the shepherd who leaves the psalmist wanting nothing and gives repose in fresh green pastures. He leads beside restful waters, revives the soul, and guides along the right path for the sake of his name. He prepares a table in the sight of foes, anoints the head with oil, and fills the cup to overflowing. Goodness and mercy follow all the days of life, and the psalmist will dwell in the Lord’s house for length of days unending. Provision, guidance and hospitality are the marks of this shepherd-king.

In the Roman Catholic Lectionary, these verses are appointed as the Responsorial Psalm for the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (Year A). The First Reading (Ezekiel 34:11-12, 15-17) presents the Lord himself as the shepherd who searches for the scattered sheep and judges between them. The Second Reading (1 Corinthians 15:20-26, 28) proclaims Christ as the firstfruits of the resurrection who will hand over the kingdom to the Father after every rival power is destroyed. The Gospel (Matthew 25:31-46) shows the Son of Man coming in glory to separate the sheep from the goats according to the works of mercy.

Psalm 23 gathers these images of the shepherd-king. The Lord who tends his flock in Ezekiel is the same Lord who, in Christ, is the good shepherd and the judge of the nations. The table prepared before foes anticipates both the Eucharist and the final banquet of the Kingdom. For the assembly, the psalm turns the solemnity into a profession that Christ reigns not by force but by pastoral care. The response “The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want” becomes both comfort and allegiance: the King of the universe is the one who leads, feeds and judges his people, and in his house they will dwell for length of days unending.