Psalm 23 is the 23rd psalm of the

Book of Psalms The Book of Psalms ( or ; he, תְּהִלִּים, , lit. "praises"), also known as the Psalms, or the Psalter, is the first book of the ("Writings"), the third section of the Tanakh, and a book of the Old Testament. The title is derived ...

, beginning in English in the

King James Version The King James Version (KJV), also the King James Bible (KJB) and the Authorized Version, is an English translation of the Christian Bible for the Church of England, which was commissioned in 1604 and published in 1611, by sponsorship of K ...

: "The Lord is my shepherd". In Latin, it is known by the

incipit The incipit () of a text is the first few words of the text, employed as an identifying label. In a musical composition, an incipit is an initial sequence of notes, having the same purpose. The word ''incipit'' comes from Latin and means "it b ...

, "". The Book of Psalms is part of the

third section The Third Section of His Imperial Majesty's Own Chancellery (russian: Tretiye Otdeleniye, or ''III otdeleniye sobstvennoy E.I.V. kantselyarii'' - in full: Третье отделение Собственной Его Императорского � ...

of the

Hebrew Bible The Hebrew Bible or Tanakh (;"Tanach"
'' Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι� ...

Old Testament The Old Testament (often abbreviated OT) is the first division of the Christian biblical canon, which is based primarily upon the 24 books of the Hebrew Bible or Tanakh, a collection of ancient religious Hebrew writings by the Israelites. The ...

. In the slightly different numbering system used in the Greek

Septuagint The Greek Old Testament, or Septuagint (, ; from the la, septuaginta, lit=seventy; often abbreviated ''70''; in Roman numerals, LXX), is the earliest extant Greek translation of books from the Hebrew Bible. It includes several books beyond t ...

and Latin

Vulgate The Vulgate (; also called (Bible in common tongue), ) is a late-4th-century Latin translation of the Bible. The Vulgate is largely the work of Jerome who, in 382, had been commissioned by Pope Damasus I to revise the Gospels u ...

translations of the Bible, this psalm is Psalm 22. Like many psalms, Psalm 23 is used in both Jewish and Christian liturgies. It has often been set to music.

Haredi Haredi Judaism ( he, ', ; also spelled ''Charedi'' in English; plural ''Haredim'' or ''Charedim'') consists of groups within Orthodox Judaism that are characterized by their strict adherence to ''halakha'' (Jewish law) and traditions, in oppos ...

educator

Tziporah Heller Tziporah Heller Gottlieb is an American-born Haredi educator, author, and speaker based in Jerusalem. She is a senior faculty member at the Neve Yerushalayim College for Women, principal of the Bnos Avigail seminary on the Neve campus, and a lectu ...

referred to it as perhaps the best-known of the psalms due to "its universal message of trust in God, and its simplicity."

Text

Hebrew Bible version

The following is the Hebrew text of Psalm 23:

English translation (King James Version)

: A Psalm of David. # The is my shepherd; I shall not want. # He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. # He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. # Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. # Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. # Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the for ever.

Interpretation of themes

The theme of God as a shepherd was common in ancient Israel and Mesopotamia. For example,

King Hammurabi Hammurabi (Akkadian: ; ) was the sixth Amorite king of the Old Babylonian Empire, reigning from to BC. He was preceded by his father, Sin-Muballit, who abdicated due to failing health. During his reign, he conquered Elam and the city-states ...

, in the conclusion to his famous legal code, wrote: "I am the shepherd who brings well-being and abundant prosperity; my rule is just.... so that the strong might not oppress the weak, and that even the orphan and the widow might be treated with justice." This imagery and language was well known to the community that created the Psalm, and was easily imported into its worship. Psalm 23 portrays God as a good

shepherd A shepherd or sheepherder is a person who tends, herds, feeds, or guards flocks of sheep. ''Shepherd'' derives from Old English ''sceaphierde (''sceap'' 'sheep' + ''hierde'' ' herder'). ''Shepherding is one of the world's oldest occupations, ...

, feeding (verse 1) and leading (verse 3) his flock. The "rod and staff" (verse 4) are also the implements of a shepherd. Some commentators see the shepherd imagery pervading the entire psalm. It is known that the shepherd is to know each sheep by name, thus when God is given the analogy of a shepherd, he is not only a protector but also the caretaker. God, as the caretaker, leads the sheep to green pastures (verse 2) and still waters (verse 2) because he knows that each of his sheep must be personally led to be fed. Thus, without its shepherd, the sheep would die either by a predator or of starvation, since sheep are known for their helplessness without their shepherd. J. Douglas MacMillan argues that verse 5 ("Thou preparest a table before me") refers to the "old oriental shepherding practice" of using little raised tables to feed sheep. J. Douglas MacMillan (1988), ''The Lord Our Shepherd'', Bryntirion: Evangelical Press of Wales Similarly, "Thou anointest my head with oil" may refer to an ancient form of backliner – the oil is poured on wounds, and repels flies. MacMillan also notes that verse 6 ("Goodness and mercy shall follow me") reminds him of two loyal sheepdogs coming behind the flock. The header or first verse of the Psalm ascribes authorship to

King David David (; , "beloved one") (traditional spelling), , ''Dāwūd''; grc-koi, Δαυΐδ, Dauíd; la, Davidus, David; gez , ዳዊት, ''Dawit''; xcl, Դաւիթ, ''Dawitʿ''; cu, Давíдъ, ''Davidŭ''; possibly meaning "beloved one". w ...

, said in the Hebrew Scriptures to have been a field shepherd himself as a youth. However, some scholars do not agree with this attributed authorship, and hypothesize various other possibilities, commonly dating it to the post-exilic period. Taken together, Psalms 22, 23 and 24 are seen by some as shepherd psalms, where the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep as suffering servant and king.

Uses in Judaism

Psalm 23 is traditionally sung during the third Shabbat meal as well as before first and second in some of the Jewish communities during the

Kiddush Kiddush (; he, קידוש ), literally, "sanctification", is a blessing recited over wine or grape juice to sanctify the Shabbat and Jewish holidays. Additionally, the word refers to a small repast held on Shabbat or festival mornings after th ...

. It is also commonly recited in the presence of a deceased person, such as by those keeping watch over the body before burial, and at the funeral service itself.

Uses in Christian tradition

Eastman Johnson, The Lord is My Shepherd

For Christians the image of God as a shepherd evokes connections not only with David but with

Jesus Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label= Hebrew/ Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and relig ...

, described as "

Good Shepherd The Good Shepherd ( el, ποιμὴν ὁ καλός, ''poimḗn ho kalós'') is an image used in the pericope of , in which Jesus Christ is depicted as the Good Shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep. Similar imagery is used in Psalm 23 ...

" in the

Gospel of John The Gospel of John ( grc, Εὐαγγέλιον κατὰ Ἰωάννην, translit=Euangélion katà Iōánnēn) is the fourth of the four canonical gospels. It contains a highly schematic account of the ministry of Jesus, with seven "sig ...

. The phrase about "the valley of the shadow of death" is often taken as an allusion to the eternal life given by Jesus. Orthodox Christians typically include this Psalm in the prayers of preparation for receiving the

Eucharist The Eucharist (; from Greek , , ), also known as Holy Communion and the Lord's Supper, is a Christian rite that is considered a sacrament in most churches, and as an ordinance in others. According to the New Testament, the rite was institu ...

. The

Reformation The Reformation (alternatively named the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation) was a major movement within Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the Catholic Church and in ...

inspired widespread efforts in western Europe to make biblical texts available in vernacular languages. One of the most popular early English versions was the

Geneva Bible The Geneva Bible is one of the most historically significant translations of the Bible into English, preceding the King James Version by 51 years. It was the primary Bible of 16th-century English Protestantism and was used by William Shakespea ...

(1557). The most widely recognized version of the psalm in English today is undoubtedly the one drawn from the

King James Bible The King James Version (KJV), also the King James Bible (KJB) and the Authorized Version, is an English translation of the Christian Bible for the Church of England, which was commissioned in 1604 and published in 1611, by sponsorship of ...

(1611). In the

Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwide . It is am ...

, this psalm is assigned to the Daytime hours of Sunday Week 2 in the

Liturgy of the Hours The Liturgy of the Hours (Latin: ''Liturgia Horarum'') or Divine Office (Latin: ''Officium Divinum'') or ''Opus Dei'' ("Work of God") are a set of Catholic prayers comprising the canonical hours, often also referred to as the breviary, of the ...

, and is sung as a responsorial in Masses for the dead. In the

Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the established Christian church in England and the mother church of the international Anglican Communion. It traces its history to the Christian church recorded as existing in the Roman province of Brit ...

's ''

Book of Common Prayer The ''Book of Common Prayer'' (BCP) is the name given to a number of related prayer books used in the Anglican Communion and by other Christian churches historically related to Anglicanism. The original book, published in 1549 in the reign ...

'', it is appointed to be read on the evening of the fourth day of the month. The psalm is a popular passage for memorization and is often used in sermons.

Use in funerals

In the twentieth century, Psalm 23 became particularly associated with funeral liturgies in the English-speaking world, and films with funeral scenes often depict a graveside recitation of the psalm. Official liturgies of English-speaking churches were slow to adopt this practice. The ''Book of Common Prayer'' has only Psalms 39 and 90 in its Order for the Burial of the Dead, and in the Episcopal Church in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

, Psalm 23 was not used for funerals until the 1928 revision of the prayer book.

Musical settings

Metrical versions

Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the world's largest and most widespread religion with roughly 2.38 billion followers representing one-third of the global popula ...

, a number of paraphrased versions of Psalm 23 emerged after the

Protestant Reformation The Reformation (alternatively named the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation) was a major movement within Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the Catholic Church and i ...

in the form of Metrical psalms — poetic versions that could be set to

hymn tune A hymn tune is the melody of a musical composition to which a hymn text is sung. Musically speaking, a hymn is generally understood to have four-part (or more) harmony, a fast harmonic rhythm (chords change frequently), with or without refrai ...

s. An early metrical version of the psalm in English was made in 1565 by

Thomas Sternhold Thomas Sternhold (1500–1549) was an English courtier and the principal author of the first English metrical version of the Psalms, originally attached to the Prayer-Book as augmented by John Hopkins. Life Anthony Wood says that Sternhold ...

. Other notable metrical versions to emerge from this period include those from ''The Bay Psalm Book'' (1640), the '' Sidney Psalms'' by

Philip Sidney Philip, also Phillip, is a male given name, derived from the Greek (''Philippos'', lit. "horse-loving" or "fond of horses"), from a compound of (''philos'', "dear", "loved", "loving") and (''hippos'', "horse"). Prominent Philips who popularize ...

, and settings by George Herbert and Isaac Watts. One of the best known metrical versions of Psalm 23 is the Christian

hymn A hymn is a type of song, and partially synonymous with devotional song, specifically written for the purpose of adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification. The word ''hymn ...

, " The Lord's My Shepherd", a translation first published in the 1650

Scottish Psalter Decisions concerning the conduct of public worship in the Church of Scotland are entirely at the discretion of the parish minister. As a result, a wide variety of musical resources are used. However, at various times in its history, the General A ...

. Although widely attributed to the English Parliamentarian

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, the text was the result of significant editing by a translating committee in the 1640s before publication. The hymn is one of the most popular hymns amongst English-speaking congregations today, and it is traditionally sung to the

''Crimond'', generally attributed to Jessie Seymour Irvine. Other melodies, such as '' Brother James' Air'' or ''

Amazing Grace "Amazing Grace" is a Christian hymn published in 1779 with words written in 1772 by English Anglican clergyman and poet John Newton (1725–1807). It is an immensely popular hymn, particularly in the United States, where it is used for both ...

'', ''Belmont'', ''Evan'', ''Martyrdom'', ''Orlington'', and ''Wiltshire'' may also be used. Another popular Christian hymn to be based on Psalm 23 is " The King of Love My Shepherd Is" by Henry Baker (1868).

Liturgical and classical

Heinrich Schütz Heinrich Schütz (; 6 November 1672) was a German early Baroque composer and organist, generally regarded as the most important German composer before Johann Sebastian Bach, as well as one of the most important composers of the 17th century. He ...

: a setting of a metric paraphrase in German, "Der Herr ist mein getreuer Hirt", SWV 120, for the '' Becker Psalter'' (1628) * Bach: Cantata No.112 '' Der Herr ist mein getreuer Hirt, BWV 112'' * James Leith Macbeth Bain: hymn tune ''Brother James' Air'' * Rabbi

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: Notable performance by

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and Cantor Yitzchak Meir Helfgot *

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: Op. 91, No. 1 (1975) * Bernstein: ''

Chichester Psalms ''Chichester Psalms'' is an extended choral composition in three movements by Leonard Bernstein for boy treble or countertenor, choir and orchestra. The text was arranged by the composer from the Book of Psalms in the original Hebrew. Part 1 use ...

'' (Hebrew, in Part 2, together with Psalm 2) * Bruckner: Psalm 22 ''Der Herr regieret mich'' WAB 34 () *

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: ''Psalm XXIII'' (2003) * Paul Creston: ''Psalm XXIII'' (1945) * Dvořák: verses 1–4, No. 4 of his '' Biblical Songs'' (1894) *

Howard Goodall Howard Lindsay Goodall (; born 26 May 1958) is an English composer of musicals, choral music and music for television. He also presents music-based programmes for television and radio, for which he has won many awards. In May 2008, he was na ...

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: Symphony No. 12, movements 2 and 4 * Herbert Howells: ''

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'' * Jessie Seymour Irvine: hymn tune ''Crimond'' * Friedrich Kiel: verse 4 in No. 1 of his Six Motets, Op. 82 *

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(in Latin) *

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in the film '' David and Bathsheba'' *

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* Miklós Rózsa *

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: Three Psalms, Op. 61 (No. 2) * John Rutter: '' The Lord Is My Shepherd'' (1978), included in his ''

Requiem A Requiem or Requiem Mass, also known as Mass for the dead ( la, Missa pro defunctis) or Mass of the dead ( la, Missa defunctorum), is a Mass of the Catholic Church offered for the repose of the soul or souls of one or more deceased persons, ...

'' (1985) *

Franz Schubert Franz Peter Schubert (; 31 January 179719 November 1828) was an Austrian composer of the late Classical and early Romantic eras. Despite his short lifetime, Schubert left behind a vast ''oeuvre'', including more than 600 secular vocal wo ...

: "Gott meine Zuversicht" ("Gott ist mein Hirt", 1820) (German text by

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) *

Charles Villiers Stanford Sir Charles Villiers Stanford (30 September 1852 – 29 March 1924) was an Anglo-Irish composer, music teacher, and conductor of the late Romantic era. Born to a well-off and highly musical family in Dublin, Stanford was educated at the ...

: "The Lord is my shepherd" (1886) *

Randall Thompson Randall Thompson (April 21, 1899 – July 9, 1984) was an American composer, particularly noted for his choral works. Career Randall attended The Lawrenceville School, where his father was an English teacher. He then attended Harvard University, ...

Benjamin Till Benjamin Till (born 8 August 1974) is a multi-award-winning English composer, director and film maker. Early years Till was born in Oswestry, Shropshire, and spent much of his childhood in the Northamptonshire town of Higham Ferrers. He attend ...

: "Mizmor L'David" (2020, in Hebrew) *

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* Alexander Zemlinsky: Op. 14, (1910) for chorus and orchestra * Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach: Gam Ki Elech b'Gey Tzalmavet Lo Irah Rah Ki Atah Imadi. גם כי אלךGem Ki Elech 1
YouTube).

Songs

*1958:

Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous jazz orchestra from 1923 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Ellington was bas ...

– "Part VI" from ''

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'' with

Mahalia Jackson Mahalia Jackson ( ; born Mahala Jackson; October 26, 1911 – January 27, 1972) was an American gospel singer, widely considered one of the most influential vocalists of the 20th century. With a career spanning 40 years, Jackson was integral to t ...

*1966:

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– "23rd Psalm" from the album ''

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'' deLuxe Edition (not released until 2014) *1966: Ed Ames – "My Cup Runneth Over"

RCA Victor RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also A ...

single from the Musical Production "I Do!, I Do!" *1972: Dave Cousins – " Lay Down" from the album ''

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'' *1977:

Dennis Brown Dennis Emmanuel Brown CD (1 February 1957 – 1 July 1999) was a Jamaican reggae singer. During his prolific career, which began in the late 1960s when he was aged eleven, he recorded more than 75 albums and was one of the major stars of lo ...

– "Here I Come" from the album '' Wolf & Leopards'' *1977:

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– "Jah Guide" from the album '' Equal Rights'' *1977:

Pink Floyd Pink Floyd are an English rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining an early following as one of the first British psychedelic groups, they were distinguished by their extended compositions, sonic experimentation, philosophical lyrics an ...

– "

Sheep Sheep or domestic sheep (''Ovis aries'') are domesticated, ruminant mammals typically kept as livestock. Although the term ''sheep'' can apply to other species in the genus '' Ovis'', in everyday usage it almost always refers to domesticate ...

" from the album ''

Animals Animals are multicellular, eukaryotic organisms in the biological kingdom Animalia. With few exceptions, animals consume organic material, breathe oxygen, are able to move, can reproduce sexually, and go through an ontogenetic stage in ...

'' *1978: Patti Smith Group – " Privilege (Set Me Free)" from the album ''

Easter Easter,Traditional names for the feast in English are "Easter Day", as in the '' Book of Common Prayer''; "Easter Sunday", used by James Ussher''The Whole Works of the Most Rev. James Ussher, Volume 4'') and Samuel Pepys''The Diary of Samue ...

'' *1980:

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– "Alabama Getaway" from the album '' Go to Heaven'' *1981:

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– "Welcome To Hell" from the album '' Welcome to Hell'' *1982: Keith Green – "The Lord is my shepherd" from the album '' Songs for the Shepherd'' *1983:

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– "Forgotten Sons" from the album ''

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'' *1985:

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– "The Lord is my shepherd" from the album ''

'' *1988:

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– "The Lord is my shepherd" from the album '' You Must Be Certain of the Devil'' *1988: U2 – " Love Rescue Me" from the album ''

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'' *1989: Lil' Louis – "Blackout" from the album ''From The Mind Of Lil Louis'' *1990:

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– "The 23rd Psalm" from the album ''

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'' *1993: Alpha Blondy – "Psaume 23" from the album ''Jerusalem'' *1993:

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– ''Psalm (Maggot's Lair)'' from album ''Path of Sorrows'' *1994:

– theme to '' The Vicar of Dibley'', later covered by

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feat. L.V. – " Gangsta's Paradise" *1995: Michael W. Smith – "As It Is In Heaven" from '' I'll Lead You Home'' *1995:

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– "

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" from the album '' Me Against The World'' *1996:

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, (

Whitney Houston Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer and actress. Nicknamed "Honorific nicknames in popular music, The Voice", she is Whitney Houston albums discography, one of the bestselling music artists ...

's mother) – "The Lord is my shepherd" from '' The Preacher's Wife: Original Soundtrack Album'' *1996: Staind “Four Walls” from the album ''Tormented'' *1997: Christopher Wallace (The Notorious B.I.G.) – "You're Nobody ('Til Somebody Kills You)" from the album '' Life After Death'' *1998:

Colin Mawby Colin Mawby KSG (9 May 1936 – 24 November 2019) was an English organist, choral conductor and composer. From 1961 he was Master of Music at Westminster Cathedral, then from 1981 he was the choral director at Radio Telefís Éireann. He comp ...

– recording with

Charlotte Church Charlotte Maria Church (born Charlotte Maria Reed, 21 February 1986) is a Welsh singer-songwriter, actress, television presenter and political activist from Cardiff. Church rose to fame in childhood as a classical singer before branching ...

*1998: Kathy Troccoli – "Psalm 23" from '' Corner of Eden'' *1999:

E Nomine E Nomine (Latin for "Out of the Name", from the ''In Nomine'', "In the Name f) is a German musical project formed in 1999 by producers Christian Weller and Friedrich "Fritz" Graner. Their music, which they call monumental vocal style, is a combi ...

– "Psalm 23" from the album '' Das Testament'' *1999:

Jonathan Elias Jonathan Elias (born 1956) is an American composer best known for his film soundtracks. Background Elias was born in New York City in 1956. He is of Jewish-Hungarian background. Elias started playing piano at the age of six, and was composin ...

– "Forgiveness" from the album ''

The Prayer Cycle ''The Prayer Cycle'' is a choral/orchestral album by American film and television composer Jonathan Elias. The album was released by Sony Classical Records in the United States on March 23, 1999. The project, recorded and mixed by co-producer R ...

'' *1999:

Ky-mani Marley Ky-Mani Marley (born 26 February 1976) is a Jamaican singer and musician. His name is of East African origin, and means "Adventurous Traveler". He is the only child of Bob Marley with Anita Belnavis, a Jamaican table tennis champion. In 200 ...

– "Lord is my shepherd" from the album ''The Journey'' *2000:

Mark Knopfler Mark Freuder Knopfler (born 12 August 1949) is a British singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. Born in Scotland and raised in England, he was the lead guitarist, singer and songwriter of the rock band Dire Straits. He pursued a s ...

– "Baloney Again" from the album '' Sailing to Philadelphia'' *2000:

Marilyn Manson Brian Hugh Warner (born January 5, 1969), known professionally as Marilyn Manson, is an American rock musician. He came to prominence as the lead singer of the band which shares his name, of which he remains the only constant member since it ...

– "In The Shadow Of The Valley Of Death" from the album '' Holy Wood'' *2001: Dan Nichols – "Psalm 23" from the album ''Be Strong'' *2002:

Boards of Canada Boards of Canada are a Scottish electronic music duo consisting of brothers Michael Sandison and Marcus Eoin, formed initially as a group in 1986 before becoming a duo in the 1990s.Hoffmann, Heiko.Pitchfork: Interviews: Boards of Canada (Septemb ...

– "From One Source All Things Depend" from the album ''

Geogaddi ''Geogaddi'' is the second studio album by Scottish electronic music duo Boards of Canada. It was released on 13 February 2002 in Japan, then five days later in Europe, by Warp. The album is aesthetically and stylistically darker than the approa ...

'' *2003:

Lucinda Williams Lucinda Gayle Williams (born January 26, 1953) is an American singer-songwriter and a solo guitarist. She recorded her first two albums: '' Ramblin' on My Mind'' (1979) and '' Happy Woman Blues'' (1980), in a traditional country and blues style ...

– "Atonement" from the album ''

World Without Tears ''World Without Tears'' is the seventh studio album by American singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams, released on April 8, 2003, by Lost Highway Records. The album debuted at No. 18 on the ''Billboard'' 200, selling 54,000 copies in its first week. ...

'' *2004:

Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer. Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...

– " Jesus Walks" from the album ''

The College Dropout ''The College Dropout'' is the debut studio album by American rapper and producer Kanye West. It was released on February 10, 2004, by Def Jam Recordings and Jay-Z's Roc-A-Fella Records. In the years leading up to release, West had received p ...

'' *2004:

Megadeth Megadeth is an American thrash metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1983 by vocalist/guitarist Dave Mustaine. Known for their technically complex guitar work and musicianship, Megadeth is one of the "big four" of American thrash metal along wit ...

– "Shadow of Deth" from the album '' The System Has Failed'' *2004:

OverClocked Remix OverClocked ReMix, also known as OC ReMix and OCR, is a non-commercial organization dedicated to preserving and paying tribute to video game music through arranging and re-interpreting the songs, both with new technology and software and by var ...

– "Beneath the Surface (Aquatic Ambiance)" from ''Kong in Concert'' *2005:

Ministry (band) Ministry is an American industrial metal band founded in Chicago, Illinois in 1981 by producer, singer, and instrumentalist Al Jourgensen. Originally a synth-pop outfit, Ministry evolved into one of the pioneers of industrial rock and industr ...

– "No W (Redux)" from ''Rantology'' *2005:

The Tossers The Tossers are an American six-piece Celtic punk band from Chicago, Illinois, United States, formed in July 1993. They have toured with Murphy's Law, Streetlight Manifesto, Catch 22, Dropkick Murphys, The Reverend Horton Heat, Flogging Molly, ...

- "The Valley of the Shadow of Death" from the album ''

The Valley of the Shadow of Death ''The Valley of the Shadow of Death'' is Chicago Celtic Punk band The Tossers' fifth studio album. It was released in 2005 on Victory Records and is their first album with the label. The title is from the Bible, Psalm 23:4 "Even though I walk ...

'' *2007:

Group 1 Crew Group 1 Crew was an American Christian hip hop band signed to Fervent Records and Warner Bros. Records. They made their debut with the hit song "Can't Go On" on WOW Hits 2007. Soon after they released their first EP ''I have a dream'' (2006 ...

– "Forgive Me" from the album ''

'' *2007:

Dream Theater Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 under the name Majesty by John Petrucci, John Myung and Mike Portnoy while they attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. They subsequently dropped out o ...

– "In The Presence Of Enemies Part 2" from the album '' Systematic Chaos'' *2008: Jon Foreman – "The House of God, Forever" from the EP, ''

Summer Summer is the hottest of the four temperate seasons, occurring after spring and before autumn. At or centred on the summer solstice, the earliest sunrise and latest sunset occurs, daylight hours are longest and dark hours are shortest, wit ...

'' *2008:

The Offspring The Offspring is an American rock band from Garden Grove, California, formed in 1984. Originally formed under the name Manic Subsidal, the band's current lineup consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Bryan "Dexter" Holland, lead guit ...

– " Hammerhead" from the album '' Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace'' *2009: India.Arie,

MC Lyte Lana Michele Moorer (born October 11, 1970), better known by her stage name MC Lyte, is an American rap music, rapper, Disc jockey, DJ, actress and entrepreneur. Considered one of the pioneers of female rap, Lyte first gained fame in the late 19 ...

– "Psalms 23" from the album '' Testimony: Vol. 2, Love & Politics'' *2009:

Rick Ross William Leonard Roberts II (born January 28, 1976), known professionally as Rick Ross, is an American rapper. Prior to releasing his debut single, "Hustlin'", in 2006, Ross was the subject of a bidding war, receiving offers from Diddy's Bad ...

– "Valley of Death" from the album '' Deeper Than Rap'' *2010:

Nas Nas (born 1973) is the stage name of American rapper Nasir Jones. Nas, NaS, or NAS may also refer to: Aviation * Nasair, a low-cost airline carrier and subsidiary based in Eritrea * National Air Services, an airline in Saudi Arabia ** Nas Air ...

Damian Marley Damian Robert Nesta "Jr. Gong" Marley (born 21 July 1978) is a Jamaican DJ, singer, lyricist and rapper. He is the recipient of four Grammy Awards. Early life, education and family Damian Marley is the youngest son of reggae musician Bob Marle ...

– "Strong Will Continue" from the album ''

Distant Relatives ''Distant Relatives'' is a collaborative studio album by American rapper Nas and Jamaican reggae vocalist Damian Marley. It was released on May 18, 2010, by Universal Republic and Def Jam Recordings. The album is Nas' tenth (third for Def Jam) a ...

'' *2011:

Hollywood Undead Hollywood Undead is an American rap rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 2005. All of the band members use pseudonyms and previously wore their own unique mask, most of which were based on the common hockey goaltender design. The ...

– " Hear Me Now" from the album '' American Tragedy'' *2012: Shawn James – "Through the Valley" from the album ''Shadows'' *2013:

J. Cole Jermaine Lamarr Cole (born January 28, 1985) is an American rapper and record producer. Born on a military base in Germany and raised in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Cole initially gained recognition as a rapper following the release of his d ...

(featuring

Kendrick Lamar Kendrick Lamar Duckworth (born June 17, 1987) is an American rapper and songwriter. Known for his progressive musical styles and socially conscious songwriting, he is often considered one of the most influential hip hop artists of his generat ...

) — " Forbidden Fruit" *2016: The Last Shadow Puppets – " Everything You've Come to Expect" from the album of the same name

References

Works cited

Rashi Shlomo Yitzchaki ( he, רבי שלמה יצחקי; la, Salomon Isaacides; french: Salomon de Troyes, 22 February 1040 – 13 July 1105), today generally known by the acronym Rashi (see below), was a medieval French rabbi and author of a compre ...

's commentary. * {{Authority control

023 3 (three) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 2 and preceding 4, and is the smallest odd prime number and the only prime preceding a square number. It has religious or cultural significance in many societie ...

Works attributed to David Shepherds Zemirot