Psalm 23 in Hebrew

"The LORD is my shepherd." Psalm 23 is among the most loved passages in all of Scripture, and the Hebrew is spare and vivid in a way translations can only hint at. Here is the full pointed Hebrew with a transliteration, the familiar English, and a look at the shepherd, the soul, and the word hesed — God's steadfast, covenant love.

Working with a passage of your own? Hebrew translator translates Biblical Hebrew both ways.

Verse in Biblical Hebrew

Psalm 23:1-6

מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִ֑ד יְהוָ֥ה רֹ֝עִ֗י לֹ֣א אֶחְסָֽר׃ בִּנְא֣וֹת דֶּ֭שֶׁא יַרְבִּיצֵ֑נִי עַל־מֵ֖י מְנֻח֣וֹת יְנַהֲלֵֽנִי׃ נַפְשִׁ֥י יְשׁוֹבֵ֑ב יַֽנְחֵ֥נִי בְמַעְגְּלֵי־צֶ֝֗דֶק לְמַ֣עַן שְׁמֽוֹ׃ גַּ֤ם כִּֽי־אֵלֵ֨ךְ בְּגֵ֪יא צַלְמָ֡וֶת לֹא־אִ֘ירָ֤א רָ֗ע כִּי־אַתָּ֥ה עִמָּדִ֑י שִׁבְטְךָ֥ וּ֝מִשְׁעַנְתֶּ֗ךָ הֵ֣מָּה יְנַֽחֲמֻֽנִי׃ תַּעֲרֹ֬ךְ לְפָנַ֨י ׀ שֻׁלְחָ֗ן נֶ֥גֶד צֹרְרָ֑י דִּשַּׁ֖נְתָּ בַשֶּׁ֥מֶן רֹ֝אשִׁ֗י כּוֹסִ֥י רְוָיָֽה׃ אַ֤ךְ ׀ ט֤וֹב וָחֶ֣סֶד יִ֭רְדְּפוּנִי כָּל־יְמֵ֣י חַיָּ֑י וְשַׁבְתִּ֥י בְּבֵית־יְ֝הוָ֗ה לְאֹ֣רֶךְ יָמִֽים׃

Transliteration

Mizmor le-David: YHWH ro'i, lo ehsar. Bin'ot deshe yarbitzeni; al mei menuhot yenahaleni. Nafshi yeshovev; yanheni ve-ma'gelei tsedeq le-ma'an shemo. Gam ki elekh be-gei tsalmavet, lo ira ra, ki attah immadi. Shivetkha u-mish'antekha, hemah yenahamuni.

How to say it

miz-MOR leh-dah-VEED; ah-doh-NAI roh-EE, lo ekh-SAR. bin-OHT DEH-sheh yar-bee-TZEH-nee; al may meh-noo-KHOT yeh-nah-hah-LEH-nee.

What it means in English

A psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not lack. He makes me lie down in grassy pastures; he leads me beside waters of rest. He restores my life and guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

The familiar wording (KJV 1611, Psalm 23):

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.

A few things worth knowing

  • The divine name is written in Hebrew letters in the source text; Jewish reading tradition normally says Adonai instead.
  • נַפְשִׁי can mean my life, my self, or my soul depending on context.
  • חֶסֶד near the end is often rendered mercy, goodness, lovingkindness, or steadfast love.
  • The Hebrew above runs through the whole of Psalm 23; the English shown is the opening, not the full psalm.

The LORD as shepherd

The Hebrew רֹעִי is "my shepherd." The image is not sentimental only; it includes guidance, provision, protection, and the authority of one who leads the flock.

Goodness and hesed

The final verse pairs טוֹב, goodness, with חֶסֶד, covenant kindness or steadfast love. That pairing gives the psalm its strong ending: divine care follows the speaker through life.

Where this text comes from

We use Unicode/XML Leningrad Codex UXLC 2.5, Psalm 23, a public-domain edition, so the wording here is stable and free to read, copy, and share. You can check the source for yourself.

More prayers and verses in their original languages

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Psalm 23 begin in Hebrew?
It begins מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד יְהוָה רֹעִי לֹא אֶחְסָר, "A psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not lack."
What does ro'i mean?
רֹעִי means "my shepherd."
What does hesed mean in Psalm 23?
חֶסֶד points to steadfast covenant kindness, mercy, or loyal love.