John Trapp on Psalms 23:1

PSAL. XXIII.

VErſ. 1. The Lord is my Shepherd] This Pſalm may well be called Davids Bucolicon, or Paſtoral; ſo daintily hath he ſtruck upon the whole ſtring, through the whole Hymn. Eſt Pſalmus honorabilis, ſaith Aben-Ezra; it is a noble Pſalm, written and ſung by David; R. Kimchi. R. Solom. not when he fled into the Forreſt of Hareth, I Sam. 22.5. as ſome Hebrews will have it; but when as having overcome all his enemies, and ſetled his Kingdom, he enjoyed great peace and quiet, and had one foot as it were upon the battlements of Heaven.Leo. Modena The Jews at this day uſe for moſt part to repeat this Pſalm after they are ſate down to meat. God is often in Scripture called the Shepheard of his people, Pſal. 80.1. Ezek. 34.12, 14, 15. Iſa. 40.11. Joh. 10.11. 1 Pet. 2.25. although non eſt officium magis contemptibile quam opilionis, ſaith R. Joſ. Bar. Hamna. there is not a more contemptible office than that of a Shepheard. Every Shepheard was an abomination to the Aegyptians. But God diſdaineth not to feed his Flock, to guide, to govern, to defend them, to handle, and heal them, to tend, and take care of them; and all this he hath tied himſelf by Covenant to do, Ezek. 34.25. well therefore might David confidently conclude,

I ſhall not want] Non deficiam, indigebo, deſtituar. The wicked in the fulneſs of his ſufficiency is in ſtraits, Job 20.22. Tantalus-like, he is ever wanting: content he hath none. Contrarily, true piety brings true plenty, and a Saint is never to ſeek of wel-contenting ſufficiency, 1 Tim 6.6. for to him, Parva ſeges ſatis eſt. And he ſaith, Diſcite quam parvo liceat producere vitam, Et quantum natura petat, &c.Lucan, Pharſt lib. 4.