Psalm 23 Like You’ve Never Heard It Before

“The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.” (Psalm 23:1)

But what if one Hebrew word could open this psalm in a fresh way—moving it from something we’ve memorized to something we feel in our bones?

A student at the Israel Institute of Biblical Studies, a man named James, shared that after 40 years of reading Psalm 23, it was only when he encountered one Hebrew word that he finally understood what God was really saying.

“The Lord Is My Shepherd” in Hebrew

In English, “shepherd” sounds gentle. We picture a soft field, a quiet hillside, and a man with a staff.

In Hebrew, the phrase is “Adonai ro’i” (יְהוָה רֹעִי). The root behind ro’i doesn’t just mean “someone who walks in front of sheep.” It carries the idea of:

• feeding and caring for the flock,
• guarding them from danger,
• and standing between the sheep and whatever would destroy them.

As the one professor describes the word, this isn’t only a calm guide. It is a passionate protector—someone willing to risk, and even lay down, His life for the sheep.

“The Lord is my shepherd reveals God as not just a guide, but a passionate protector who would die for his sheep.”

When James heard that, verses he had read for decades suddenly came alive:

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil, for you are with me;

your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4)

If the Lord is a fierce protector, then the rod and staff aren’t just comforting symbols. They’re reminders that Someone stronger than your fear, your enemies, your anxiety, and even death itself is standing watch over you.

From Familiar Words to Living Scripture

In the video, the Bible study group moves from passive listening to something deeper. As they hear the Hebrew, it is as if the psalm they thought they knew becomes brand new.

That’s what happens when we get closer to the language in which Scripture was first given. The goal isn’t to become a scholar, but to see how much more is packed into words we’ve always loved.

Psalm 23 becomes not only “God is with me,” but:

• God is actively guarding me when I don’t even see the danger.
• God is leading me, but He is also willing to step in front of whatever comes after me.
• My Good Shepherd is not distant—He is deeply committed to my safety, my restoration, and my future.

For Christian women who love Israel, this also reminds us that the psalms we pray were first sung in the Land we love. Learning even a little Hebrew is a way of honoring both the Jewish roots of our faith and the God of Israel who still speaks through His Word.

Why Hebrew Changes the Way You Read Psalm 23

The Israel Institute of Biblical Studies puts it this way:

“Stop reading about God’s word and start feeling it in its original language.”

Most of us meet the Bible in translation—and thank God for that. But when you begin to see key words in Hebrew:

• You notice patterns and wordplays that tie Psalm 23 to other passages.
• You see how “goodness and mercy” (טוֹב וָחֶסֶד – tov va’chesed) are not vague blessings, but covenant love that pursues you.
• You hear echoes of the same Shepherd-heart of God in other parts of Scripture.

It moves the psalm from a comforting background verse to a living, breathing promise from the God who keeps watch over Israel and over you.

Learn Psalm 23 in the Language of David

If your heart stirred when you heard about that one Hebrew word—if something in you thought, “I wish I could understand the Bible like that”—you are not alone. Many believers feel that nudge and simply don’t know where to start.

That’s exactly why the Israel Institute of Biblical Studies exists: to help Christians learn the Bible in the language it was written, with teachers in Israel who love God’s Word and understand its Jewish context.

Their Biblical Hebrew courses are designed for real people with real lives:

• Biblical Hebrew Beginner (Level A) – learn the alphabet, vowels, and essential vocabulary so you can begin to recognize words like ro’i (“my shepherd”).
• Biblical Hebrew Improved & Intermediate (Levels B–C) – build confidence reading narrative and psalms, seeing nuances hidden by translation.
• Biblical Hebrew Advanced & Expert (Levels D–E) – explore poetry and prophecy in depth, connecting language, history, and theology.

You don’t have to move to Jerusalem to learn from Jerusalem. You can join live, online classes from home with believers from around the world.

If Psalm 23 has carried you through dark valleys, imagine how much richer it could become when you hear it in the language of David himself.