Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style

What does “I shall not want” mean in Psalm 23?

Written and fact-checked by
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

In Psalm 23:1, “I shall not want” means that the speaker trusts God to provide everything that is needed. Here, “want” means “lack” or “be in need” rather than “desire.” Other versions in English may make this meaning more explicit. For example, the New International Version (NIV) renders it as, “I lack nothing,” while the New Life Version (NLV) reads, “I will have everything I need.”