Matthew 6:33
About this verseJesus tells his followers to make God's kingdom and his ways their first concern, and to trust him to provide everything else they need.
Psalm 23:1
With the Lord as his shepherd, David is sure he will have everything he needs — the opening line of the Bible's best-loved psalm of trust.
A psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I will never be in need.
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Say the verse aloud, filling in each blank. Tap a blank for a hint.
What Psalm 23:1 means
David, once a shepherd himself, pictures God as his shepherd. A good shepherd leads, feeds, protects, and knows each sheep by name. “I will never be in need” means: with a shepherd like this, I will not go without anything I truly need.
It is a confession of trust more than a claim about circumstances. The rest of the psalm walks through green pastures and dark valleys alike — held the whole way. Learning verse one by heart opens the door to one of the most comforting passages in Scripture.
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Questions about Psalm 23:1
What does Psalm 23:1 mean?
It declares that because the Lord cares for us like a shepherd — leading, providing, and protecting — we will lack nothing we truly need. It is a statement of trust in God’s care.
What does ‘I shall not want’ mean?
Older translations word this line ‘I shall not want’; the Open Word Bible says ‘I will never be in need’. ‘Want’ there means lack. It doesn’t promise every desire; it means that under God’s shepherding care you will not be without what you genuinely need.