The Psalms and the Psalm
page detail from Psalms, 1611 KJV Bible (Replica Edition) photo by jch
Sermon Series “Through the Bible,” № 30, Psalm 23
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. –Psalm 23:4
Today, we move into the Book of Psalms, which is distinguished by the place it appears in most of our Protestant Bibles. When I was in elementary Sunday school, our teachers frequently led so-called “sword drills,” awarding prizes to whoever could look up most quickly a set list of scriptures. I remember one of my teachers saying that to find Psalms, simply put your Bible on the table, and open it to the center, so that half of the pages are folded to the left, and half to the right. Most of the time, this method of finding the psalms still works for me.
In our Bible, the Book of Psalms is organized into five collections, perhaps recalling the five books of the Torah or Law: Book one (1-41) book two (42-72) book three (73-89) book four (90-106) and book five (107-150). Some studies of the psalms organize them by stylistic type, such as celebration, instruction, remembrance, trust, vengeance, confession, lament, and praise.
The psalms long have been associated with David, the shepherd boy who became King of Israel approximately 1,000 B.C.E. Many of the psalms identify him as the author, and others refer to incidents in his life and reign. The ascriptions that preface some psalms give us a glimpse into the system of music guilds associated with temple worship, some attributed to groups like the Korahites or the Ezraites. Though it’s not entirely clear that David was the sole author of most psalms, he probably did write some of them.
When I titled this sermon “The Psalms and the Psalm,” I was thinking about one traditionally attributed to David, the 23rd. I suspect that it is the best known and most loved of all the psalms. When planning a funeral, the text requested more often than any other is Psalm 23. Out of such a large collection of psalms, why did this one come to hold such an honored place? What is it about this psalm that so speaks to the heart? I think it’s because the 23rd psalm expresses two great spiritual truths. First, it acknowledges that along the path of life there are places where “shadows” threaten to destroy us. At one time or another, we all experience the discomfort and fear of something lurking in the shadows. We feel like it could come out of the darkness at any moment, and that would be the end of us. Second, the psalm doesn’t simply acknowledge the threat of what lies in the shadows, but goes on to tell us that God has done something about it. The psalm promises support to move forward in spite of what lies in the shadows. Such a promise is welcome news. Sometimes what we need most is the encouragement and strength that only God can give.
Some people today think the comparison of God to a sheep herder, like the similar comparison Jesus made in our gospel lesson, is hopelessly outdated. What would an ancient, country shepherd know about our contemporary suburban working conditions and lifestyle? For those living in and around Edwardsville, in relative peace and prosperity, it may be difficult to appreciate the message that God cares for us and saves us as shepherds care for and save their sheep.
During life’s calm and sunny periods, we don’t think much about the promise of care and safety. But life’s weather pattern isn’t always so tranquil. Our sensitivity to the message rises when crime comes to our neighborhood, when nations are at war, when the stock market tumbles, when our schools experience violence, when our workplace is in turmoil, when a family member is ill, or when family life falls apart. When we’re in desperate need of security, the image of a Good Shepherd becomes more appealing. Trust in God comes when there are enemies hiding in the crevasses and crouched behind the rocks in a valley that is all dark shadows. During such times, I’ve found that simply reciting the 23rd Psalm, or singing a verse from one of its many renditions, can be an act of prayer that helps to calm the mind and quiet the heart.
Speaking of singing, the Hebrew title for the Book Psalms is “Tehillim,” meaning “praises.” The Greek title “Psalmoi” is close to our English word “psalm,” with a plural suffix attached. The Psalms are essentially the hymn book of Israel, revised through several generations.
If you closely examine our Presbyterian “Glory to God” hymnal, then you’ll see how much influence the Psalms still have. Of the 853 songs therein, more than 100 are settings of a psalm. More than fifty are “common-meter” tunes, as designated by the capital letters “CM’ near the tune name. Common-meter means all these texts and tunes are interchangeable. This is how the Scottish Psalter worked, as far back as the 1500s. And it’s probably how things worked 3,000 years ago in temple worship, with many of the texts sung to a set of familiar interchangeable tunes. Today, we will practice the temple method, as well as reinforce the message of the 23rd Psalm, by singing our final hymn “The Lord’s My Shepherd, I’ll Not Want” to the tune of “Amazing Grace.”
We’ll sing it, remembering each of us occasionally faces dark valleys, and walks through dangerous places. The 23rd psalm gives us an image to counter our fears. It provides a picture of a banquet in the palace of a Great Tribal Chief. The enemies surround them, but in a display of deep spiritual trust, the psalmist knows things will turn out all right. The chief will protect us. God prepares an abundant table before us in the presence of the enemy. God fills our cups to overflowing with the wine of joyous celebration. The Good Shepherd is among us, offering strength, courage, light, and life, to those who trust in God.
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