Symbol Analysis
Psalm 23 has two major extended metaphors. The first is the analogy between the Lord (God) and a shepherd, a guy who herds sheep. An extended metaphor is just a metaphor that continues for more than just one line or phrase in the poem. It's woven throughout several lines, or sometimes the whole poem. The metaphor comparing the Lord to a shepherd appears in the first four lines of the psalm. The big point of the metaphor is that the Lord looks after and nurtures his flock, and the speaker is part of that flock.
You have to remember that shepherds were as common in ancient Israel as coffee shop baristas are in Brooklyn. To an ancient audience, a shepherd isn't this quaint, romantic wanderer that sometimes appears in later literature. It was a real – and very important – profession, though it wasn't a job that a rich person would normally do.
- Line 1: You really couldn't ask for a metaphor to be more clearly spelled out. The Lord = shepherd. The speaker = sheep. Got it. This metaphor makes specific reference to the shepherd as provider of necessities, or "wants."
- Lines 2: The metaphor of the sheep and shepherd is extended into the second line. Green pastures as a symbol of nourishment, because sheep eat grass, and also comfort, because the sheep is lying down. Still waters are also a symbol of nourishment, and also peace and tranquility. Just remember that the body of the sheep is implicitly analogized to the soul of the speaker. The Lord brings peace, comfort, and nourishment to the speaker's soul.
- Line 3: In a very basic metaphor, righteousness is compared to a path. As a shepherd, the Lord keeps his flock on the right path. The Lord's "name" might be a symbol for reputation.