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Sunday, June 07, 2009
THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD
1st In A Series On The Twenty Third Psalm
By Rev. Dr. Harvey C. Martz
Scripture: Psalm 23 New Revised Standard Version
1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters; 3 he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name's sake. 4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff— they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long.
Dick Murray, who helped establish the Disciple Bible Study series in the United Methodist Church, was one of my professors in seminary. Dick was a Korean War veteran and has seen combat in the war. He told of the times he was in harm’s way during battle when he needed to be able to recall verses of scripture to give him courage and comfort.
He said that it was during his wartime service that he realized the only Bible any of us ever own is the one we hold in memory in our minds and hearts. Many of us have committed some verses to memory or perhaps we have even memorized more than a verse or two. It is very likely that if we have memorized more than a verse or two, part of what we memorized is this very important and familiar set of words in Psalm 23.
If we know most or all of Psalm 23, that means we memorized a whole chapter of scripture because it is one of the 150 chapters, or psalms, in the book of Psalms. The Psalms are scripture that was used on a variety of occasions in the life of Israel, and it is scripture that captures the whole range of human emotions: anger, depression, isolation, joy, confidence and trust.
In Psalm 23, in just a little over 100 English words, we are given what Rabbi Kushner calls a more practical theology than we can find in many entire books. I have recited the words of Psalm 23 in hospital rooms and intensive care units and at gravesides. In my years of ministry, I’ve recited it hundreds of times at funeral services and it has been a source of comfort, strength and peace. We are using Rabbi Kushner’s book for a book study that begins on Tuesday June 9, and it will also be the basis for this summer’s sermon series. He says: If we are anxious, the psalm gives us courage and we overcome our fears. If we are grieving, it offers comfort and we find our way through the valley of the shadow. If our lives are embittered by unpleasant people, it teaches us how to deal with them. If the world threatens to wear us down, the psalm guides us to replenish our souls. If we are obsessed with what we lack, it teaches us gratitude for what we have. And most of all, if we feel alone and adrift in a friendless world, it offers us the priceless reassurance that “Thou art with me.”
I decided recently to make the Twenty Third Psalm the basis for this summer’s sermon series because, in a time of uncertainty and fear and loss, we need to have the psalm’s message as a foundation of strength and comfort. In fact, as we look at it together these next few weeks, we will use some other psalms as well for that comfort, just as we began our worship with some reassuring words from psalm 46: God is our refuge and strength, a very help in time of trouble.
These sources are ones that people of faith have turned to for nearly 2500 years, and they have not let us down. We still turn to them. Edward Grinnan is the editor of Guideposts magazine. He recently wrote in the Washington Post about a crisis in his life that brought him back to faith, not the faith he grew up with, but one based on personal meaning instead of doctrinal purity. He tells about how the current economic crisis has led others back to foundations that are more solid and lasting: In one of the most telling poll results we have seen at Guideposts.com, users told us that the financial meltdown had led them to seriously examine their core values. This activity came in ahead of cutting spending and saving more. I guess there is no use in letting a good crisis go to waste. They are not so much questioning their values as returning to them. They are finding that there is nothing truer than their faith. Or as one user said, ‘These bad times remind me of my reliance on God, and that is a good thing.”
I am pleased that we are using Rabbi Kushner’s writings as one of our study resources this summer and for the sermon series because he is able to identify with people who are suffering. He and his family, you may remember, went through the extremely difficult loss of their son who died at the age of fourteen from a rare disease called, Progeria, in which the aging process is greatly accelerated and one becomes very old even at thirteen or fourteen. Out of that personal suffering Kushner wrote, “When Bad Things Happen To Good People.” He tells us that being a person of faith does not mean that we will not suffer or that nothing tragic will ever happen to us. It means that whatever crisis life throws at us, we are not alone, that God is like a shepherd who is with us and who helps us get through the crisis.
Jesus says, “In this world you will have trouble, but take courage for I have overcome this world.” We have also quoted a modern writer named Tim Hansel whose life has been marked by severe back pain from falling sixty feet in a climbing accident. Many of you will remember the quote: God promises us four things in life, PEACE, POWER, PURPOSE, AND TROUBLE! The peace and the power and the purpose are there to help us get through the trouble! The psalmist knew this and I’ll talk a little more about him next week. We don’t know much about him. We know that he had enemies and that he felt God sustaining him even amidst his enemies! We know that he experienced dark and depressing times because he tells us that God led him through those times, through the valley of the shadow of death or the darkest of all valleys.
Those phrases lead me to the last point for this morning. There is more than one way to translate these fifty seven Hebrew words, and I have asked for the bulletin insert to be available for several Sundays so we can see some of that variety. I encourage you to use more than one of these translations in your devotional life over the summer. I encourage you to hear the good news of the psalmist in some fresh new words. You might find a phrase that you like and one that gives you a whole new insight into this marvelous psalm. And, I hope you will find a version of the psalm that you will commit to memory if you have not done so already. We will close by saying together the version of the psalm that we know best: The lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters; He restores my soul. He leads me in the path 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 you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Psalm 23 Translations
New Revised Standard Version 1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters; 3 he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name's sake. 4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff— they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long. The Good News Translation 1 The Lord is my shepherd; I have everything I need. 2 He lets me rest in fields of green grass and leads me to quiet pools of fresh water. 3 He gives me new strength. He guides me in the right paths, as he has promised. 4 Even if I go through the deepest darkness, I will not be afraid, Lord, for you are with me. Your shepherd's rod and staff protect me. 5 You prepare a banquet for me, where all my enemies can see me; you welcome me as an honored guest and fill my cup to the brim. 6 I know that your goodness and love will be with me all my life; and your house will be my home as long as I live.
The New Living Translation
1 A psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I have everything I need. 2 He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. 3 He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. 4 Even when I walk through the dark valley of death, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. 5 You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You welcome me as a guest, anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. 6 Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever.
The Bible in Basic English
1 The Lord takes care of me as his sheep; I will not be without any good thing. 2 He makes a resting-place for me in the green fields: he is my guide by the quiet waters. 3 He gives new life to my soul: he is my guide in the ways of righteousness because of his name. 4 Yes, though I go through the valley of deep shade, I will have no fear of evil; for you are with me, your rod and your support are my comfort. 5 You make ready a table for me in front of my haters: you put oil on my head; my cup is overflowing. 6 Truly, blessing and mercy will be with me all the days of my life; and I will have a place in the house of the Lord all my days.
The Message
1 God, my shepherd! I don't need a thing. 2 You have bedded me down in lush meadows, you find me quiet pools to drink from. 3 True to your word, you let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction. 4 Even when the way goes through Death Valley, I'm not afraid when you walk at my side. Your trusty shepherd's crook makes me feel secure. 5 You serve me a six-course dinner right in front of my enemies. You revive my drooping head; my cup brims with blessing. 6 Your beauty and love chase after me every day of my life. I'm back home in the house of God for the rest of my life.
New International Reader's Version
1 The Lord is my shepherd. He gives me everything I need. 2 He lets me lie down in fields of green grass. He leads me beside quiet waters. 3 He gives me new strength. He guides me in the right paths for the honor of his name. 4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid. You are with me. Your shepherd's rod and staff comfort me. 5 You prepare a feast for me right in front of my enemies. You pour oil on my head. My cup runs over. 6 I am sure that your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life. And I will live in the house of the Lord forever.
The New Jerusalem Bible Psalm of David - 1Yahweh is my shepherd, I lack nothing. 2In grassy meadows he lets me lie. By tranquil streams he leads me 3to restore my spirit. He guides me in paths of saving justice as befits his name. 4Even were I to walk in a ravine as dark as death I should fear no danger, for you are at my side. Your staff and your crook are there to soothe me. 5You prepare a table for me under the eyes of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup brims over. 6Kindness and faithful love pursue me every day of my life. I make my home in the house of Yahweh for all time to come. The Tanakh – The Holy Scriptures
The New Jewish Publication Society Translation According to the Traditional Hebrew Text 1The Lord is my shepherd; I lack nothing. 2He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me to water in places of repose; 3He renews my life; He guides me in right paths as befits His name. 4Though I walk through a valley of deepest dearness, I fear no harm, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff-they comfort me. 5You spread a table for me in full view of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my drink is abundant. 6Only goodness and steadfast love shall pursue me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for many long years.