Bible Quiz – Psalm 23 (True / False)

 

Bible Quiz – Psalm 23 (True / False) 

Psalm 23 is one of the most beloved passages in Scripture—often memorized, frequently quoted, and deeply comforting. Yet its familiarity can also make it easy to assume meanings that are not actually in the text.

This Bible Quiz is designed not just to test memory, but to sharpen careful reading, contextual discipline, and theological precision. Each section increases in difficulty and challenges readers to distinguish between what Psalm 23 truly says and what we may import from elsewhere in Scripture.

Whether you are a casual reader, a Bible teacher, or a serious student of Scripture, this quiz will help you read Psalm 23 with fresh eyes and deeper reverence.

 

📝 Quiz Instructions (Read Carefully)

All questions are True / False

Answers must be based only on Psalm 23

Do not rely on:

Familiar sermons

Parallel passages

New Testament interpretations

Theological assumptions

Each quiz section is followed by:

The correct answer

The complete reference verse (KJV)

A brief explanation clarifying why the statement is true or false

 

🧩 Quiz Sections Explained

 

Basic True / False Quiz

This section tests direct comprehension of Psalm 23.

Questions are straightforward and focus on explicit statements in the text.

Goal:

✔ Confirm careful reading

✔ Identify common misunderstandings

 

Cross-Reference Trap Section

These questions sound biblical and often are biblical—but not from Psalm 23.

Statements borrow language from:

Other Psalms

The Prophets

The Gospels

Revelation

Goal:

✔ Discern textual boundaries

✔ Avoid mixing passages unintentionally

 

EXTREME Scholar Trap Round

This final section is intentionally difficult.

It uses:

Hebrew word assumptions

Later theological frameworks

Liturgical, covenantal, or doctrinal overlays

All statements reflect real scholarly ideas, but the challenge is this:

👉 Are they actually stated in Psalm 23?

Goal:

✔ Train exegetical discipline

✔ Prevent over-interpretation

✔ Respect authorial intent

 

🎯 How to Use This Quiz

Personal Bible study

Group discussions or Sunday School

Seminary or advanced Scripture classes

Teaching tools for pastors and educators

 

Take your time. Read the psalm repeatedly. Let the text speak for itself.

 

Bible Quiz – Psalm 23 (True / False)

 

1.                ___ The psalmist declares that because the Lord is his shepherd, he will never face hardship.

 

2.                ___ Psalm 23 says the Lord leads His sheep beside still waters.

 

3.                ___ The phrase “He restoreth my soul” appears before the mention of green pastures.

 

4.                ___ The psalm teaches that righteousness comes from human obedience rather than God’s guidance.

 

5.                ___ The “valley of the shadow of death” is described as a place where the psalmist feels abandoned by God.

 

6.                ___ The rod and the staff are presented as sources of comfort.

 

7.                ___ God prepares a table for the psalmist in a peaceful place away from enemies.

 

8.                ___ Anointing with oil in Psalm 23 is associated with abundance and blessing.

 

9.                ___ The psalmist expresses confidence that goodness and mercy will follow him for part of his life.

 

10.          ___ Psalm 23 ends with the hope of dwelling in the house of the Lord forever.

 

Answers, Complete Reference Verses & Explanations

 

1. False

Reference – Psalm 23:1 (KJV)

“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.”

Explanation:

The verse promises provision, not the absence of hardship. The psalm later acknowledges danger and enemies, showing faith amid difficulty, not denial of it.

 

2. True

Reference – Psalm 23:2 (KJV)

“He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.”

Explanation:

Still waters symbolize peace, rest, and safety under God’s guidance.

 

3. False

Reference – Psalm 23:2–3 (KJV)

“He maketh me to lie down in green pastures…

He restoreth my soul…”

Explanation:

Restoration of the soul comes after the mention of green pastures and still waters.

 

4. False

Reference – Psalm 23:3 (KJV)

“He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.”

Explanation:

Righteousness flows from God’s leading, not human effort alone.

 

5. False

Reference – Psalm 23:4 (KJV)

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me…”

Explanation:

God’s presence is emphasized most strongly in the darkest place.

 

6. True

Reference – Psalm 23:4 (KJV)

“Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”

Explanation:

The rod (protection) and staff (guidance) reflect God’s loving discipline and care.

 

7. False

Reference – Psalm 23:5 (KJV)

“Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies…”

Explanation:

God’s provision is public and victorious—even in hostile circumstances.

 

8. True

Reference – Psalm 23:5 (KJV)

“Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.”

Explanation:

Anointing represents honor, favor, healing, and abundance.

 

9. False

Reference – Psalm 23:6 (KJV)

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life…”

Explanation:

The promise covers the entire lifetime, not just a season.

 

10. True

Reference – Psalm 23:6 (KJV)

“…and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.”

Explanation:

The psalm concludes with eternal assurance and unbroken fellowship with God.

 

✨  Reflection

Psalm 23 is not a promise of an easy life—but of a faithful Shepherd who provides, guides, protects, and remains present through every valley and victory.

 

⚠️ Cross-Reference Trap Section – Psalm 23 (True / False)

Instructions:

Each statement sounds scriptural. Decide whether it is True or False based strictly on Psalm 23, not other Bible passages.

 

1.                ___ The Lord restores the soul by forgiving sins and removing transgressions.

 

2.                ___ The shepherd seeks the lost sheep and carries it on his shoulders.

 

3.                ___ The psalm teaches that the Lord is both shepherd and king, seated on a throne.

 

4.                ___ God’s rod is described as a weapon that destroys the wicked.

 

5.                ___ The psalm promises that those who follow the Lord will never hunger or thirst again.

 

6.                ___ The shepherd leads His sheep through fire and flood without harm.

 

7.                ___ The table prepared by the Lord symbolizes the bread of life and living water.

 

8.                ___ The psalmist declares that God’s mercy endures forever.

 

9.                ___ The house of the Lord is identified as the temple in Jerusalem.

 

10.          ___ The psalm ends with resurrection hope and victory over the grave.

 

Cross-Reference Trap Answers, Verses & Explanations

 

1. False

Related Passage (Not Psalm 23): Psalm 51:12

Psalm 23 Reference – Psalm 23:3 (KJV)

“He restoreth my soul…”

Explanation:

Psalm 23 does not mention sin or forgiveness explicitly—only restoration through guidance.

 

2. False

Related Passage: Luke 15:4–5

Explanation:

The lost sheep parable is Jesus’ teaching, not David’s Psalm 23 imagery.

 

3. False

Explanation:

Psalm 23 presents God only as shepherd, not king on a throne (see Psalm 24 or Isaiah 6).

 

4. False

Psalm 23 Reference – Psalm 23:4 (KJV)

“Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”

Explanation:

The rod comforts and protects the sheep; judgment imagery appears elsewhere (Psalm 2).

 

5. False

Related Passage: John 6:35; Revelation 7:16

Explanation:

Psalm 23 speaks of provision, not eternal freedom from hunger and thirst.

 

6. False

Related Passage: Isaiah 43:2

Explanation:

Fire and flood imagery is absent from Psalm 23.

 

7. False

Related Passage: John 6:48; John 4:14

Psalm 23 Reference – Psalm 23:5 (KJV)

“Thou preparest a table before me…”

Explanation:

The table represents honor and provision, not sacramental symbolism.

 

8. False

Related Passage: Psalm 136

Psalm 23 Reference – Psalm 23:6 (KJV)

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me…”

Explanation:

Psalm 23 emphasizes personal, lifelong mercy, not the repeated covenant refrain.

 

9. False

Explanation:

Psalm 23 never specifies a physical temple or Jerusalem—“house of the LORD” is theological, not geographical.

 

10. False

Explanation:

Psalm 23 ends with eternal dwelling, not explicit resurrection language (see Job 19 or Daniel 12).

 

🔍 Why These Are “Traps”

These statements:

Use true biblical ideas

Come from other Psalms, prophets, Gospels, or Revelation

Test whether readers stay text-faithful to Psalm 23

 

If this challenged you, explore Psalm 23 verse-by-verse and compare Scripture with Scripture—but never confuse parallel truth with original context.

 

EXTREME Scholar Trap Round

 

Instructions:

Answer True (T) or False (F) using only Psalm 23 (Masoretic text / KJV sense).

Correct theology from elsewhere in Scripture does not make a statement true here.

 

1.                ___ The shepherd imagery in Psalm 23 requires a covenantal kingship framework similar to Psalm 2.

 

2.                ___ The phrase “I shall not want” refers specifically to freedom from material poverty.

 

3.                ___ “He maketh me to lie down” implies enforced rest through divine discipline.

 

4.                ___ “He restoreth my soul” uses nephesh to describe spiritual regeneration in the New Testament sense.

 

5.                ___ The paths of righteousness are identified as Torah commandments.

 

6.                ___ “For his name’s sake” indicates God’s redemptive plan for all nations.

 

7.                ___ The valley of the shadow of death must be interpreted as physical death, not metaphorical danger.

 

8.                ___ The shift from third person (“He”) to second person (“Thou”) signals a liturgical structure used in temple worship.

 

9.                ___ The rod and staff symbolize Law and Gospel respectively.

 

10.          ___ “My cup runneth over” refers to covenantal blessing promised exclusively to Israel.

 

11.          ___ Preparing a table before enemies implies a formal victory banquet following military conquest.

 

12.          ___ Anointing with oil reflects a priestly ordination rite.

 

13.          ___ Goodness and mercy “following” the psalmist reflects Deuteronomic covenant curses reversed.

 

14.          ___ “All the days of my life” guarantees uninterrupted prosperity without suffering.

 

15.          ___ Dwelling in the house of the LORD forever requires a post-exilic temple theology.

 

EXTREME SCHOLAR TRAP ANSWERS

(All answers below are False — the traps lie in over-reading the text.)

 

1. False

Explanation:

Psalm 23 contains pastoral imagery, not royal or messianic kingship theology.

 

2. False

Reference – Psalm 23:1 (KJV)

“I shall not want.”

Explanation:

The phrase means lack nothing necessary, not immunity from poverty.

 

3. False

Explanation:

The verb implies permission and safety, not coercive discipline.

 

4. False

Reference – Psalm 23:3 (KJV)

“He restoreth my soul…”

Explanation:

Nephesh here refers to life / vitality, not NT regeneration.

 

5. False

Explanation:

The psalm does not identify righteousness with Torah observance.

 

6. False

Explanation:

“For his name’s sake” highlights God’s reputation and faithfulness, not universal mission.

 

7. False

Reference – Psalm 23:4 (KJV)

“the valley of the shadow of death…”

Explanation:

The Hebrew allows for deep darkness, not only literal death.

 

8. False

Explanation:

The pronoun shift expresses intimacy, not proven liturgical structure.

 

9. False

Explanation:

Law/Gospel symbolism is a later theological framework, not stated here.

 

10. False

Explanation:

The blessing is personal, not ethnically or covenant-restricted in the text.

 

11. False

Explanation:

No military or conquest language appears in Psalm 23.

 

12. False

Reference – Psalm 23:5 (KJV)

“Thou anointest my head with oil…”

Explanation:

This reflects hospitality and honor, not priestly ordination.

 

13. False

Reference – Psalm 23:6 (KJV)

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me…”

Explanation:

The language is relational and pastoral, not Deuteronomic reversal.

 

14. False

Explanation:

The psalm explicitly includes danger and enemies—suffering is assumed.

 

15. False

Explanation:

“House of the LORD” is theological presence, not tied to a specific temple era.

 

🧠 Why This Round Is EXTREME

These traps:

Use true biblical theology from other texts

Exploit Hebrew word assumptions

Apply later doctrinal systems retroactively

Test discipline in textual boundaries

 

📌 Final Challenge

If you survived this round, you didn’t just know Scripture—you respected its context.

 

If this quiz stretched your thinking, don’t stop here.

Re-read Psalm 23 slowly, prayerfully, and without assumptions—and let Scripture interpret Scripture in its proper place.

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The better we read God’s Word, the deeper it reads us.