"Telling our Psalm 23 Story"

Psalm 23 (in a version other than KJV)
Lectionary Scriptures Easter 4-C

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even 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 love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. (Psalm 23 NIV)

Oh, so you have looked at the Scriptures this morning and said, “I know this by heart. I’ll just glance over the words and move on.” Think again. More often than not, we have memorized the King James Version of Psalm 23. The words found there are beautiful to be sure. But there are no “Thou’s” in the version above. The words don’t “floweth” in quite the same way, do they? That is why I chose another version of David’s beautiful testimony of faith. There are times when the familiar is too familiar and we forget to listen to the words that are offered to us. So, this morning, I ask that you reread Psalm 23 in a different light. Sit on your porch, in a garden or in a quiet room. Read the words slowly, as if you are reading them for the first time. Perhaps choose several versions to read. Allow the words to take shape not just as David’s walk of faith but that of yours as well. These words are for the living! They are for each of us in our own days.

When I turned to my Bible this morning, I first read “Psalm 23 … a psalm of David”. These words are David’s testimony to the everyday relationship with the LORD in and of his life. TESTIMONY. The words in the wonderful book of Psalms, whether they be words of joy and thanksgiving, words of lament, or words of praise and worship, are all testimonies to God’s involvement in the life of an individual or community. TESTIMONY. That word stops us in our comfortable tracks, doesn’t it? It asks more of us than we are often willing to give. TESTIMONY. If you had pen in hand, what would you write as your own Psalm 23 words of faith? What would you share?

I daresay that the words of faith that find themselves flowing from us would still be those of a consistent, unchangeable, ever-present, loving LORD. David’s shepherd is our shepherd! His LORD is our LORD! Just think for a moment … the LORD, the very One who created all is our shepherd. Imagine that! The One who caused the floods and dried the land is our shepherd. We are God’s priceless possessions for sure, loved both in our “bleating” times and in our times of rest.

How precious to me are the verbs of my shepherd. God MAKES me to lie down, LEADS me to quietness, RESTORES my soul, GUIDES me in paths of righteousness, COMFORTS me in dark places, PREPARES a table before me even in the presence of my enemies, ANOINTS my head with oil. Yes, I am LED by the shepherd and FOLLOWED by goodness and love. These verbs are not only the promises and testimonies of David and not only mine that I claim, but be assured that they are yours as well.

The LORD is David’s shepherd. The LORD is my shepherd. The LORD is your shepherd. We are part of a wonderful flock. How sweet it is to hear the voice of our shepherd. How powerful it is to testify to his care for us and presence with us. Just as David’s words are to us, so might our words be for others.

Holy Shepherd of our lives … This day, we pray that we might stop “bleating” long enough to hear your voice. Place within each of us a testimony to your ever-presence and to your loving care. Pour out of us words that can no longer be kept to ourselves. Open hearts of wayward sheep so that they might hear you calling for them and live into their days being loved and cared for and led by you. Amen.

anna