What Psalm 23 Actually Promises | 10@9 | 2026.06.24

Tehillim, the Book of Psalms, is more than a sacred text. It is the language Jews have used for centuries to express fear, hope, gratitude, grief, and faith. No book of Tanach is carried more deeply into the emotional moments of life. Perhaps no chapter is more beloved than Psalm 23. In it, King David describes God as a shepherd - a powerful image first used by Yaakov near the end of his life. Yet the shepherd never promises that the road will be free of danger. In fact, David speaks openly of walking through the valley of the shadow of death. Many people lose faith because life does not unfold the way they hoped or prayed it would. Psalm 23 offers a different promise: not that we will be spared every hardship, but that we will never face those hardships alone. Understanding that difference may be the key to understanding what faith truly is. Michael Whitman is the senior rabbi of ADATH Congregation in Hampstead, Quebec, and an adjunct professor at McGill University Faculty of Law. ADATH is a modern orthodox synagogue community in suburban Montreal, providing Judaism for the next generation. We take great pleasure in welcoming everyone with a warm smile, while sharing inspiration through prayer, study, and friendship. Rabbi Whitman shares his thoughts and inspirations through online lectures and shiurim, which are available on: YouTube:    / @rabbimichaelwhitman   Instagram:   / adathmichael   Podcast - Mining the Riches of the Parsha: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast... Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3hWYhCG... Please contact Rabbi Whitman ([email protected]) with any questions or feedback, or to receive a daily email, "Study with Rabbi Whitman Today," with current and past insights for that day, video, and audio, all in one short email sent directly to your inbox.