April 26, 2015
Easter 4
Psalm 23
John 10:11-18
(prayer)
Within the original text of the 23rd Psalm is a title: mizmor le-david (דמִזְמוֹר לְדָוִ) - psalm of David or more precisely, melody of David.
Actually, technically (if my memory serves), in Hebrew, when you put to nouns together the word “of” is implied. For example if you wanted to write house of cards in Hebrew, you’d, only use two words - house cards. Melech melechim: king kings = king of kings. If you want to see this in action, turn to a copy of the King James Bible. Part of the way text is presented in the KJV is that if the translators had to add in an English word that wasn’t actually in the Hebrew so that it would make sense to an English reader, it has that word in italics.
Although the preposition ‘le’ in le-david can mean ‘of David’, if that is what the author meant (“of”) - because the noun mizmor preceded it - le is redundant. Mizmor David means Psalm of David.
The truth is that le is more ambigious: it can mean of or by or for or to or about depending on its context.
So, as we read the title of Psalm 23, it is unclear whether mizmor le-david means Psalm by David or Psalm for David or Psalm to David or Psalm about David or Psalm of David.
So, as we read the title of Psalm 23, it is unclear whether mizmor le-david means Psalm by David or Psalm for David or Psalm to David or Psalm about David or Psalm of David.
Also, the Hebrew language has no direct article, so a fair translation of all of these phrases is “A Psalm of/by/for/to/about David”
Actually, the more I think about it (even though ‘of’ is not a direct translation of ‘le’), it is the best English word we can use, because to say that the 23rd Psalm is ‘of David’ captures the ambiguity of the original title. “Of” could imply any of to, for, by, about.
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David is described as a musician in the book of 2nd Samual; he is described as the ‘hero of Israel’s songs’ (2Sam23:1) - the rabbinic and midrashic tradition is that David was a composer. Many bible readers simply assume that the 74 Psalms that bear David’s name were written by hymn and there are even ancient traditions that David wrote (or at least compiled and edited) all 150 of the Psalms: even those who have other names in the title or have no title at all. Even, I suppose those that were obviously written after David was already dead (i.e. Ps139).
I have no crisis of faith in saying that David may not have written every psalm in the Bible. It does not bother me or damage my spirit if someone wants to claim that David never wrote a psalm in his life. But - in my gut - it makes sense to me that the harp strumming king likely offered praise to God in poetry and song.
I have no hard scholarly evidence to back me up, but “I” like to assume, in spite of the ambiguity of ‘le-david’, that King David poured out his heart and soul into (what we now know as) the 23rd Psalm.
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David was not born to be king of Israel. He was not part of royal family. In fact, Saul was the first ever king of Israel and he reigned during David’s life time. The king was appointed by God. A prophet of God, Samuel, was instructed by God, to anoint the one whom God had chosen.
When God became displeased with Saul, Samuel received divine guidance to anoint a new king from among the sons of Jesse.
Maybe you know the story (1Sam16) of Jesse parading his seven oldest sons before the prophet who proclaimed that none of them were the one God had chosen.
Are these all of your sons?
There is also the youngest - but he is keeping the sheep.
David - the man who would be king - was a shepherd boy. It was seen as a small task by his father: too simple for the older boys.
Maybe it was just his age, or perhaps his father had a low opinion of him, but David was not invited to the feast with Samuel.
And yet, we he was sent for, Samuel knew (at one look) that David was the one whom God had chosen to anoint as king.
It would be many years before David would formally succeed Saul, but the divine decision had been made and sealed with overflowing oil. David would become a warrior for Saul. He would defeat enemy after enemy for his king.
Saul’s own son would become David’s best friend.
Saul’s own son would become David’s best friend.
Before he was acclaimed king, David’s whole life up to that point made him a leader in the eyes of the people and a faithful servant in the eyes of God.
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So, I like to imagine that it was that same shepherd-king who penned the belov`ed words:
לֹא אֶחְסָ יְהוָה רֹעִי
Yah-weh ro-‘i,
lo’ ’e-chə-sar
God, my shepherd.
I Lack nothing.
The king - the one who guides the nation - the one-time shepherd boy - writes that all he needs is for God to be his shepherd.
I like that.
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As we read the 23rd Psalm, we are actually witnessing two separate thoughts that have been combined together. I don’t think it is necessarily the case that two separate poems were joined together by a later editor.
This psalm may have intentionally combined two streams of thought of its author.
It is easy to see these separate streams of thought. Most obviously, the Psalm starts off by speaking of God in the third person, and then it suddenly shifts to second person in verse 4 and then ends again in the third person for verse 6.
He makes me lie down becomes your rod and staff and then (at the end) the house of the Lord forever.
Secondly, God is described in two distinct ways during these six short verses: the guiding shepherd and the generous host.
In spite of these differences in content and style, the psalm still works on the whole because these themes seem to belong together.
I shall not want and concludes my cup overflows are not that different.
It’s the same message - God provides!
The one who guides me through life - in the good and bad - in the safe and dangerous - leads me to a banquet where I find every-flowing grace.
I even like the change of grammatical subjects (from 3rd to 2nd person). Along the journey, God seems distant - as much as rely on the shepherd, there is a disconnect between shepherd and flock, but at the banquet, when we take that seat of honour, it becomes more personal - we are not just following anymore, we are socializing.
God is guide and host. We progress along the way in the depth of our relationship with God.
I don’t know if that is what David was trying to say using third and second person - or if he just combined two trains of thought and didn’t think to edit the language to make it consistent. Even if it was an accident or an oversight, it is profound beyond the words - art can be like that; poetry can be like that.
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Psalm 23 is a work of art for the people of God as much as it was a prayer of thanksgiving for a grateful king of ancient Israel.
I think that is part of why it translates well from 1000 BCE to 2015 - even for those of us who have never ranched or never been the guest of honour at a big party.
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We have to assume that Jesus - like all of the faithful people of his culture knew this Psalm of David we have been talking about as well as other similar references in the Hebrew Scriptures.
The metaphor of God as the people’s shepherd is not limited to Psalm 23.
As we heard today, John’s gospel has for us an expanded teaching on the old metaphor - the value of good shepherding - value for the sheep!
We are meant to identify with the flock when Jesus speaks about being the good shepherd who protects the flock - with his own life if necessary.
We are the ones protected by the commitment and grace of Christ!
We are the ones protected by the commitment and grace of Christ!
Jesus invites us to think about the difference between the good shepherd and the hired hand. I think that is similar to comparing a person who loves their job and believes in the value of what they are doing and another who is just in it for the money (at most).
In our experiences in this world, in our connections with others in workplaces and marketplaces, I am sure we have run into both of these types: the one who cares for something more than
themselves and the one who is only looking out for number one.
themselves and the one who is only looking out for number one.
Jesus’ audience would have understood that comparison as well, because experiences with selfishness have been part of human history since our species’ first breaths.
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And I am sure that each of us can imagine a situation where - when the wolf arrives - our instinct might be to run as well. As I was reading Joh 10 this week, I found myself thinking about that Seinfeld episode where George was at a child's birthday party.
Jesus is not George Costanza!
The good shepherd is committed and persistent.
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My father’s generation had a saying - when the going gets tough, the tough get going. I have to admit that, as a child, I thought that mean that when things got tough, tough people ran away - probably quickly because they were so strong.
But that’s not what the saying means. It is about persisting through hard times; not giving up just because there is resistance to an easy success.
A generation later - people might have been heard saying; just keep on, keepin’ on.
Time moves forward - and so should we - in spite of obstacles along the way.
Messages like this are still readily available - just search for ‘persistence’ in Google Images and you will find dozens of memes seeking to motivate you to not give up.
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King David controlled the greatest tracks of land Israel had known before his time. He commanded strong armies. But he realized that this is not enough - maybe even irrelevant. David sang about God guiding and leading him through dark valleys - so dark it is as if he is enveloped in death’s shadow.
The psalm’s melody invites us to trust that we are not alone, whether it be by the still waters and lush fields or in the dark valley in the midst of enemies.
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The promise David shared was that, we are of deep value to our God - that we are followed and honoured all throughout this life.
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For the early Christians, Jesus was guide and grace as well. The source of goodness and mercy.
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Each of us live within that legacy and promise.
May we find the courage to proclaim from deepest valley and highest meadow:
We are not alone.
We live in God’s world.
Thanks be to God.
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Let us pray;
God, restore our souls. Lead us on right paths. May your mercy and your goodness be
our companion each and every day. Amen.
our companion each and every day. Amen.
#835VU “Praise to the Lord”
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