Grace,
peace, and mercy are yours from the Triune God. Amen.
Psalm
23 is one of the most famous psalms in the world. Many people, of all walks of
life, at one time or another, have heard this psalm read and can usually recite
at least one line of the psalm. As Walter Brueggemann states, “The grip it has
on biblical spirituality is deep and genuine.”
Most
people associate the psalm with one common event: a funeral. But there is so
much more to this psalm than sadness and death. It is widely considered that
David wrote the majority of the psalms, including Psalm 23, as a reflection on
events that happened or were happening in his life at the time. Because he grew
up a shepherd, many of David’s writings depicted the metaphor of seeing God as
a shepherd.
The
definition of a shepherd's job is to care for his flock, making sure they are
safe, nourished, calm, and happy at all times. However, the term “shepherd” has
come to be used in a much broader way, describing leadership either of an
individual or a group as well as referring to a “king whose task it is to
protect and provide for the subjects of the realm.” David tends to use
metaphors such as “rock”, “shield”, and “deliverer” but by using “shepherd”,
someone who lives with his flock and protects it with his life, David is
showing us just how intimate his relationship with God really is. So it is of
no surprise that the imagery found in Psalm 23 is rich in metaphor and theology
with the predominant metaphor being that of God the shepherd which flows throughout
the entire psalm.
Most
are quite satisfied to interpret this psalm in a way that puts the shepherd as
the centre of the imagery. Christians even go as far as to say that the psalm
is referring to Jesus, although the Jewish author of the psalter would not have
seen it that way at all. However, Psalm 23 can be seen as being written from
the vantage point of the sheep, instead of the shepherd. Examining verses 1 through 3, you can see
that David thought of God as his protector, provider, and king and knew that he
would want for nothing, that he lacked nothing. David had faith that God would
always provide. While a shepherd by trade, he considered himself a sheep to the
shepherd God.
One
of the most famous lines of Psalm 23 is verse 4a: “Yea, though I walk through
the valley of death, I fear no evil.” You will often hear this line recited not
only at funerals, but also in movies and television shows where the person
feels they are about to enter a dark or dangerous time in their life. While
normally associated with the hidden powers of death, verse 4 is imagery that
turns away from the sheep and towards that of a traveller in a place where the
roads were unsafe, perhaps either literally or metaphorically. While God
doesn’t promise an easy life empty of suffering or trials, God does promise to
walk with us during troubled times, providing comfort, courage, and strength.
Despite being hunted by Saul, being a womanizer, and being an all-around
sinner, David is convinced that the presence of God is enough to get him
through all of his trials and tribulations.
While
it is quite common to say that the shepherd metaphor flows through the entire
psalm, many scholars believe that in the final part of the psalm, verses 5 to
6, the image of God the shepherd switches to the image of God the host and
giver of hospitality. No greater security or comfort could be obtained by a
traveler in the ancient Near East than to be offered the hospitality of a home.
Not only was there shelter and food, but there was also protection. By
preparing a table in front of David’s enemies, God was publicly announcing that
no harm can come to David.
Psalm
23 is a very deep and powerful message about David’s trust and faith in God. It
is loaded with theology, imagery, and metaphor. So why then do we always
associate the psalm with death? Why is it such a popular piece of text even to
the secular world? As it turns out, the popularity of Psalm 23 is a relatively
new concept, largely influenced by the Protestant imprint on North American
culture. Throughout the 19th century, Psalm 23 became synonymous
with North American views of death but prior to that, the psalm was not often
seen, heard, or discussed. Sunday school literature often discussed death with
reminders of discipleship in order to gain a good death. But Psalm 23 was not
to be found. The Book of Common Prayer did not have Psalm 23 as a funeral
psalm, instead listing Psalm 39 and 90. As well, prior to the Civil War, Psalm
23 was not part of popular culture such as deathbed scenes in novels. It wasn’t
until two decades after the war that Psalm 23 began to show up in secular
culture.
Today,
Psalm 23 is firmly imbedded into our culture. Even those parents with a looser
hold on their Christian beliefs will teach their children the Lord’s Prayer and
Psalm 23 in what has been called a “double summary of faith.” Books, movies, songs, hymns, greeting cards,
and wall plaques have immortalized this song of praise ahead of others in the
collection of 150 psalms. It is short and easy for people to memorize and there
are plenty of feel-good messages that can be pulled from the psalm. One message
contained in the first three verses is one of affirmation of God’s continued
trustworthiness to provide for our growth, health, and protection. The Valley
of the Shadow of Death could mean either a literal road that may contain
dangers or a metaphorical road full of life and death moments that occur in our
lives. In either case, the psalmist wants us to know that God will keep us safe
not by deflecting trouble from our paths but instead by journeying with us. The
second half of the psalm has an overlying message of faith, trust, and the
promise of everlasting life. A banquet set in front of your enemies shows faith
in God’s protection and that by staying with God, a person will experience all
of God’s love and mercy for all eternity.
Ultimately,
when you sit back and listen to Psalm 23, you can find comfort in the shepherd
imagery, knowing that if you stay with God the shepherd you will be forever
safe. Shepherds are tasked with taking care of large herds of sheep, of making
sure they stay alive, are fed, and are brought safely to their place of grazing,
and them home again, of course. And, if even one sheep wanders off and gets
lost, the shepherd will go and find that one sheep, trusting that the herd will
take care of themselves for a few moments. To the shepherd, the sheep are
family. The image of the shepherd can be used to describe our relationship with
God. God tends to all people, cares for us, makes sure we have what we need,
ensures we know we are loved, and will find us if we get lost. To God, we are
family.
And that is good news, indeed. Amen.
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