"The Psalm that Won’t Go Away (Thank God!)"
A sermon by Pastor Bill Chadwick
Oak Grove Presbyterian Church
April 18, 2010
Philippians 4:8-9, 13, 19 Psalm 23
A young woman shared the story of her mother who has a fear of tunnels which isn't unusual. Anyway, one Spring this Mother had to drive the Pennsylvania Turnpike to visit her daughter at college. Knowing the mother's fear of tunnels, the daughter was a little concerned about the trip. When Mom arrived safely the daughter asked: "Did you have any trouble?"
"Just the tunnels," Mom replied. "One of them was 2 ½."
Puzzled the daughter asked if she meant 2 ½ miles or 2 ½ minutes. Mom answered, "Neither. 2 ½ times through the 23rd Psalm." (The Pastor's Story File)
Let’s walk our way through this beloved psalm. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
There’s an old story of a Sunday School class who was given the assignment of memorizing the 23rd Psalm. One little guy just did not have the gift of memorization. He tried and tried, but when it came to the day to recite the psalm in front of the entire congregation he said, “The Lord is my shepherd…and that’s all I know.” 23
There’s a sermon right there.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures. Sheep are Nervous Nellies. They will not lie down and rest unless they feel safe. God, the Good Shepherd, leads the psalmist to a place of safety and refreshment.
He leads me beside still waters.Two things to note immediately. The shepherd leads, he does not drive from behind like cattle. We’re all familiar with the phrase, “It’s like herding cats!” Well, sheep are like that. It’s very difficult to herd sheep. But sheep who have come to know the shepherd’s voice and have come to respect and trust the shepherd may be led. The shepherd goes before.
Beside still waters.Remember that this psalm comes out of a culture in which water is hard to come by and much valued. Also, sheep do not like running water. They are afraid of it. They will not drink from a running stream. They will drink from mud puddles filled with their own manure and all the bacteria and parasites that might entail. The shepherd needs to find sources of good, clean water for the sheep.
Jesus himself picks up this image in calling himself “living water.”
He restores my soul. For the sheep if they have good water and safe pastures life is good. They are able to rest and be restored. For us, if we allow the shepherd to lead us and we rest in God’s grace, our spirits are restored.
There is a Native American version of this psalm. This verse reads: “He puts His hand upon my head and all the ‘tired’ is gone.”
He leads me in paths of righteousnessor better translated, “right paths.” The right way to go, as we talked about in the children’s sermon. Long ago I read a book entitled, A Shepherd Looks at the Twenty-third Psalm, written by an honest-to-gosh shepherd, Philip Keller. A wonderful book. The very favorite thing I learned about sheep from that book is how sheep get lost. Keller writes that the sheep will be in a pasture and happily eating. The sheep chomps a nice green tuft of grass. When done with that he sees some more juicy stuff out of the corner of his eye and goes over there. From tuft to tuft. Now over here and then over there. Nibbling, moseying, nibbling, moseying, head down. After a long period the sheep looks up and, “Hey! Where’d everybody go?! This doesn’t look familiar…”
How do sheep get lost? Philip Keller says, “They nibble themselves lost.” Just like us. We are “good” people. Most of us have had good moral instruction. Not an ax murderer in sight. But maybe we decide to take a questionable tax deduction, and then we take a little ethical shortcut at work, and then pretty soon we’re cooking the books …and before we know it, we’ve nibbled ourselves lost.
Or we’re happily in a committed relationship for years. And then a little “harmless” flirtation, followed by just a “casual lunch” and pretty soon we’ve “nibbled” ourselves lost.
He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake “For his name’s sake,” which means “as a matter of reputation.” If the sheep are not kept on the right paths the shepherd would be embarrassed. If those of us who are God’s sheep do not follow down the right paths, we tarnish the name of God.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil, for you re with me, your rod and your staff they comfort me. Here the psalm changes from a third person account about God, to the personal, you are with me.
The valley of the shadow of death.Such an evocative phrase! The valley of the shadow of death. I have read that there is a valley not far from Jericho which was literally known as the “valley of shadow,” a narrow pass through rugged terrain with cliffs rising on both sides, plagued by wolves and robbers, extremely dangerous to a flock of helpless sheep. (John Harnish). I’ve never been to that specific valley, but I’ve been through the valley of shadow. Haven’t you?
Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I fear no evil…Why do I fear no evil, for you are with me so often as a pastor (which means shepherd and is the term I prefer over minister or reverend) so often as a pastor as I wait with people in hospital waiting rooms all I can offer is the ministry of presence. to be with someone. God’s presence with us in the valley of the shadow…
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.Here the psalm changes from shepherd/sheep motif to one of host and guest.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemiesThis comes from the idea of the tent of refuge, places of sanctuary in which enemies may not go enter. I am safe. My enemy may stand and glower outside, but he cannot pursue me into the tent.
You anoint my head with oil. My cup overflows. In the tent of sanctuary I am not only safe, God prepares a great feast. Anointing with sweet perfume. Overflowing cup of wine. It’s a banquet!
Isn’t that a wonderful image of promise coming immediately after the image of shadow of death?
Now, before we get to the concluding line let’s go back to the beginning. Perhaps the most important word in this psalm is the fourth word: my. The Lord is my shepherd. God gives us great freedom. We’re not herded from behind. We are led from the front and may choose to follow the shepherd or not. It’s not enough to know the psalm. We need to know the shepherd.
Dr. Fred B. Craddock tells of growing up on a farm and playing the old game of Hide & Seek. He was really good at it because he was tiny. One time he hid under the porch, sneaking through a hole just big enough for him. His sister, who was it, found all the other kids but could not find him. He thought, “This is great! She’ll never find me.” After a while he thought, “Hmm. She’ll never find me. Not so great after all.” So he stuck out a toe. She didn’t see it. Then he stuck out a whole leg. She yelled out, "I see you, I see you," and ran back to the base and declare I was now it. I said, 'Doggone it, you found me.'' What did I really want, did I want to hide or did I really want to be found?
Dr. Craddock shares that this often is a parable of the way we run from God. The only stronger and deeper desire in the human spirit to find God that he knows is the desire of God to find us.
When we stop running from God and accept the guidance and direction that God is so eager to share, then we will find the green pastures and the still waters where we can be nurtured and find authentic life.
As Jesus put it in John 10:10: “I have come that they might have life and have it abundantly.”
“The beautiful thing about this shepherd (as embodied in Jesus) is that He doesn’t just give us everything we need, He is everything we need. If you’re hungry He is the Bread of Life. If you’re thirsty He is the Living Water. If you’re in the dark He is the Light of the World. If you’re lost He is the Way. If you need it He has it. If He doesn’t have it you don’t need it.” (James Merrit)
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. An old Scottish preacher picked up on the theme of shepherd and talked about sheepherding dogs as well. He concluded his sermon by saying, “The Lord is my shepherd, aye, and more than that. He has twa fine collie dogs, named Goodness and Mercy. With the shepherd afore and the dogs behind, there’s hope that poor sinners like you and me might win home at the last.” Amen and amen!
Eugene Petersen’s Paraphrase of Psalm 23 from The Message
God, my shepherd! I don’t need a thing.
You have bedded me down in lush meadows,
you find me quiet pools to drink from.
True to your word,
you let me catch my breath
and send me in the right direction.
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.
You serve me a six-course dinner
right in front of my enemies.
You revive my drooping head;
my cup brims with blessing.
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. |
