Psalm 23 :: a reflection

seeing a familiar text with fresh eyes

Mizmor l’David :: A Song of David :: Psalm text from Sefaria

1

A psalm of David.

The LORD is my shepherd;

I lack nothing.

2

He makes me lie down in green pastures;

He leads me to water in places of repose;

He renews my life;

He guides me in right paths as befits His name.

3

Though I walk through a valley of deepest darkness,

I fear no harm, for You are with me;

Your rod and Your staff-they comfort me.

5

You spread a table for me in full view of my enemies;

You anoint my head with oil; my drink is abundant.

6

Only 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.

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I found an IDF soldier’s interpretation of Psalm 23, which he prayed during the terrible mission of recovering bodies after the October 7th massacre. I appreciate Jewish thinking because it lends itself to a practical application of religious texts to get through a difficult time. Catholicism and Islam seems more obsessed with controlling behaviour by making rules a condition of membership to the faith community, all efforts expended on trying to please the tribe and not much on self awareness and learning limits and inculcating humility.

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Hands up, who has cried out to G-d in a moment of abject despair and darkness? That’s what Psalm 23 is all about. On the run from King Saul, David managed to still find G-d in his journey through the wilderness. Mizmor refers to a song, a melody, a language of G-d, plucked from notes strung together. When I see music used to commune with G-d I remember Tolkien’s Music of the Ainur, from which the material of the Universe emerged, according to Tolkien’s creation story, The Silmarillion. Mondays are Find Yourself in the Psalms day. Lee Weissman teaches these sessions and he posts his Zoom lessons to his YouTube Channel, you can see the button below. It might take a day or two for him to post the video.

Psalm 23 opens with a reference to G-d as my shepherd. Abrahamic leadership as a management style would involve lessons from the wisdom of shepherding. Do you think it’s like Disney, where sheep are willing participants in human processes? I’m a bit dumb and I did, today I learned that isn’t the case—sheep aren’t the poster child for total submission and cooperation.

Sheep don’t have high intelligence, they have ornery characters, they don’t easily go where the shepherd wants. Sheep aptly represent humans, not models of co-operation, they require limits and guidance, repeatedly and constantly. Limits are love, we all need them. Shepherds go to great lengths to set boundaries for their sheep, with the Rod that directs and protects and the Staff that redirects away from danger, the shepherd chooses a path that’s best for the sheep to traverse.

I shall not want refers to trusting G-d. It means Shhhhhhh, trust. This is like that falling back exercise we do with a partner to practise trust. Trust is not easy! How much agony comes from refusing to lean in and trust G-d that we will be okay no matter what?

Serene waters refers to the natural state of the soul, a spiritual resting state and refreshing my soul refers to spiritual rest and sustaining that one receives in returning to G-d.

The imagery of the repast spread on the table before us represents a feast with a beginning and an end which He prepared for us, juxtaposed against the endless expanse of pasture G-d Himself made and over which He has dominion. The cup overflows, in contrast to the nearby stream that does not.

The imagery of dwelling in the house refers to sitting with oneself and being, it refers to accepting one’s lot and deciding the best way to make, ie harvest, something from it, to follow David’s example and be honest with G-d about our feelings and challenges and give them to Him, lean in and take courage to take the next step or breath or turn that next corner.