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Twenty Third Psalm Explication

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Poetry Explication of “The Twenty-Third Psalm”
“The Twenty-Third Psalm” is a very ancient poem that was translated into English. The predominant metaphor is that of a shepherd and his sheep. The poem is meant to give comfort to people. It shows that God looks after people, like a shepherd looks after his sheep. It is often recited at funerals to give solace to grieving folk. I feel a lot of hope when I read this poem. I have a heavenly father who cares about me and this poem reminds me of that. When I face severe challenges and it seems no one cares about me. It is good to know that I am loved and that I am not alone.
The speaker begins the poem with the metaphor of God as a shepherd (Anonymous 1). A shepherd was someone who watched over and cared for sheep. The speaker is using a shepherd to symbolize God. The speaker is using sheep to …show more content…

Applying oil on someone’s head was a way to honor someone. The speaker is being honored at a party where his enemies are present. The power of God has led the speaker to be respected and honored. The power of God has proven to be greater than the power of the speaker’s enemies. The overflowing cup is a symbol of the blessings that God has given to the speaker. The speaker has more than what he needs. I think this means that God will lead us out of hard times and into joy. The speaker finally talks about how goodness and mercy follow him and how he will live in God’s house eternally (Anonymous 6). The speaker has followed God and he was blessed with a good life. When he dies, he will live with God in Heaven. The tone of the speaker is that of someone who has suffered and earned a just reward. The speaker seems to be telling people that life can be tough. If we follow the guidance of God we can survive and thrive. I think the poem means there will be hardships. The good news is, God will guide us through these demanding

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