God and Shepherd
"Psalm 23" uses an extended metaphor to depict God as a shepherd, and his followers as sheep. This includes the speaker, who feels protected and nurtured by the presence of religion in his life.
The House of the Lord
Another metaphor in this psalm depicts God as being a host. The speaker tells us that "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." This metaphor suggests that God welcomes the speaker into his home, a place where the speaker is made to feel comfortable and sheltered.
Paths
The speaker states that God "leadeth me in the paths of righteousness." This metaphor compares the choices we make in our lives to paths, which creates a visual picture of how different choices can lead to different destinations. In this case, God gently guides the speaker to make moral life choices.
Cup runneth over
"My cup runneth over," is a metaphor emphasizing a sense of abundance. In Psalm 23, the speaker tells us the God has "preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies... my cup runneth over." This metaphor emphasizes the fact that God provides the speaker with everything he needs to live a fulfilling life.
Metaphorical places
The speaker uses metaphorical places in order to describe emotional states. For example, the speaker tells us that God allows him to "lie down in green pastures," a metaphor for a calm and peaceful life.
Describing another metaphorical place, the speaker tells us that "though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil." The valley of the shadow of death is a dark metaphorical place, which represents the difficult and frightening experiences a person might have in their life.
