PSALM 23: A NOT-SO-SIMPLE SOUL-CRY & HEART-RESPONSE
INTENTION:
In any language, the words we use carry a depth
of meaning that cannot always be conveyed just from the word alone—whether from
its history (etymology), misunderstandings, misinterpretations,
mistranslations, doctrines, unintentional ignorance, and/or from one’s own
personal perceptions.
The term “Lost in Translation” portrays how the
intended meaning (or depth) of something gets changed / altered in a way that
either diminishes or misrepresents entirely what the intended meaning was.
The Bible is not immune to this, and we will
delve into how “not-so-simple” Psalm 23 actually is.
BREAKDOWN:
·
Part 1:
A simple read of Psalm
23 ( www.BibleGateway.com ).
·
Part 2:
A read-through of what
each verse encapsulates (says / shares / means) from the Lexicon of each Hebrew
word ( www.BlueLetterBible.org ).
·
Part 3:
Grouping Psalm 23 as an empassioned Soul-Cry by David, and the Lord’s Heart-Response to him.
I.
READING: Psalm
23:1-6 (NKJV)
1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me
beside the still waters.
3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of
righteousness for His name’s sake.
4 Yea, 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.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my
enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of
my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
II.
ENCAPSULATED:
When we look at the detailed meanings in the Hebrew words,
we draw such a deeper meaning in what David is trying to convey.
No longer does it become a simple Psalm we can
memorise, but one that reflects how David thinks and feels of the Lord and of
himself.
David is both a shepherd himself, as well as a strategic and
tactical fighter (highly knowledgeable and experienced) and leader in battle.
This is reflected in the words and terms he uses.
Let’s read through Psalm
23 in detail, denoting the Hebrew words which are underlined for reference.
Of note: italicised words are mine given for clarifications.
1. The Lord [H3068] is my shepherd [H7462]; I shall not want [H2637].
The Lord [the existing One] shepherds and
pastors me [tending to and feeding me] as my special friend and companion when
lack and failure come to me.
2. He makes me to
lie down [H7257] in green [H1877] pastures [H4999]; He leads [H5095] me beside the still [H4496] waters [H4325].
I am gently guided [me running with a sparkle]
to the goal of rest and refresh at the dwelling place of the shepherd—a
pasturing meadow that is home to me [pleasant, beautiful, comfortable,
suitable, and befitting to my needs].
This is His and my habitation—with the
permanence of food and drink [of tranquil water, tender and green sprouting
grass and herbs] that cause me to recline, lay down, and stretch myself out for
utter rest.
3. He restores [H7725] my soul [H5315]; He leads [H5148] me in the paths [H4570] of righteousness [H6664] for His name’s [H8034] sake.
Which turns back, replenishes, and restores my
soul [my life, self, mind, will, and emotions]; He surrounds (encircles) me in
protection, transporting me in His covenant of justice, righteousness,
vindication, salvation, and victory [upholding His reputation; confirming His
true character and nature].
4. Yea, though I walk [H3212] through the valley [H1516] of the shadow of death [H6757], I will fear [H3372] no evil [H7451]: for You are with me; Your rod
[H7626] and Your staff [H4938], they comfort [H5162] me.
You [Lord] cause (lead) me
to come away (out) from the narrow gorge that is overcast in deep shadows {the
sun blocked by the steepness of gorge} which is a place of extreme danger {ill
defense and vulnerable in battle}.
I am afraid! Afflicted by the worst evil, pain,
unhappiness, hurt, misery, distress, injury, calamity, adversity, and wrongs
(of persons, thoughts, deeds, and actions). I am sorrowful, regretful, grieved,
and need consoling.
But I am comforted and
consoled by Your shepherds’ staff—a knowing of Your support and sustenance to
me.
5. You prepare [H6186] a table [H7979] before [H6440] me in the presence of my enemies
[H6887]; You anoint [H1878] my head [H7218] with oil [H8081]; my cup [H3563] runs over [H7310].
In outright contempt of that which is
afflicting me [bringing me distress, trouble, vexation, hostility, enmity, and
harassment], You honour, esteem, and ordain me (show value to me) with an
arranged, private, and sacred meal equal to that which is set for a king's
table.
You, Lord, define me as the choicest (best). As
in an acceptable offering, you draw out and hold together the abundant oil that
medicates, satisfies, saturates, and runs over me.
6. Surely goodness [H2896] and mercy [H2617] shall follow [H7291] me all the days [H3117] of my life [H2416]; and I will dwell [H3427] in the house [H1004] of the Lord [H3068] forever [H753 + H3117].
Intentionally and with great pleasure, You
eagerly secure (pursue) me in goodness and mercy! Your desire is beautiful,
bountiful, cheerful, fair, favour, fine, glad, gracious, joyful, kind, best,
loving, merry, most pleasant, pleasing, pleasurable, precious, prosperous,
ready, sweet, appropriate, beneficial, agreeable, valuable, and faithful (to
and for me).
Lord, You do this constantly and
continually—yesterday, today, tomorrow—always and forever. My entire life and
existence.
I am established in Your home as being Your
family; and I am at ease, abiding with You as part of Your family. Forever.
PSALM 23 (ENCAPSULATED):
1 The Lord
[the existing One] shepherds and pastors me [tending to and feeding me] as my
special friend and companion when lack and failure come to me.
2 I am gently guided [me running with a sparkle] to
the goal of rest and refresh at the dwelling place of the shepherd—a pasturing
meadow that is home to me [pleasant, beautiful, comfortable, suitable, and
befitting to my needs].
This is His
and my habitation—with the permanence of food and drink [of tranquil water,
tender and green sprouting grass and herbs] that cause me to recline, lay down,
and stretch myself out for utter rest.
3 Which
turns back, replenishes, and restores my soul [my life, self, mind, will, and
emotions]; He surrounds (encircles) me in protection, transporting me in His
covenant of justice, righteousness, vindication, salvation, and victory
[upholding His reputation; confirming His true character and nature].
4 You
[Lord] cause (lead) me to come away (out) from the narrow gorge that is
overcast in deep shadows {the sun blocked by the steepness of gorge}
which is a place of extreme danger {ill defense and vulnerable in battle}.
I am
afraid! Afflicted by the worst evil, pain, unhappiness, hurt, misery, distress,
injury, calamity, adversity, and wrongs (of persons, thoughts, deeds, and
actions). I am sorrowful, regretful, grieved, and need consoling.
But I am
comforted and consoled by Your shepherds’ staff—a knowing of Your support and
sustenance to me.
5 In
outright contempt of that which is afflicting me [bringing me distress,
trouble, vexation, hostility, enmity, and harassment], You honour, esteem, and
ordain me (show value to me) with an arranged, private, and sacred meal equal
to that which is set for a king's table.
You, Lord,
define me as the choicest (best). As in an acceptable offering, you draw out
and hold together the abundant oil that medicates, satisfies, saturates, and
runs over me.
6 Intentionally
and with great pleasure, You eagerly secure (pursue) me in goodness and mercy!
Your desire is beautiful, bountiful, cheerful, fair, favour, fine, glad,
gracious, joyful, kind, best, loving, merry, most pleasant, pleasing,
pleasurable, precious, prosperous, ready, sweet, appropriate, beneficial,
agreeable, valuable, and faithful (to and for me).
Lord, You
do this constantly and continually—yesterday, today, tomorrow—always and
forever. My entire life and existence.
I am
established in Your home as being Your family; and I am at ease, abiding with
You as part of Your family. Forever.
III.
EMPASSIONED GROUPING:
For myself, I can see Psalm
23 almost as a journal-entry by David—one that is perhaps (as I like to do)
raw and spontaneous.
But in that spontaneity, we can still experience all the
passion, pain, and emotions within it.
And as I like to feel where David was coming from, I can
experience it as an agonising Soul-Cry from David in a tremendous (tumultuous)
moment in his life (just one of several he faced).
For David
(and for me), he wrote-out his then-current, agonising, reality in front of the
Lord—done as a back-and-forth with the Lord (who responded in all Their Heart
to show David who They are).
This
back-and-forth dialog David did, is very similar to the style of journaling I
do with the Lord in those raw moments.
Yet, if we
separate out the back-and-forth, grouping David’s Soul-Cry together and the
Lord’s Heart-Response together, we get…
Psalm 23:
·
David’s (My / Your) Reality-Soul-Cry to the Lord:
Father, I am afraid! Lack and failure are upon
me.
It’s like I have been travelling through a dark
narrow gorge where I am defenseless (helpless), an easy target to an enemy that
is afflicting me with the worst kinds of evil, pain, unhappiness, hurt, misery,
distress, injury, calamity, adversity, and wrongs.
And on top of that, even my own thoughts and actions are against
me.
Oh, how I am sorrowful, regretful, grieved, and
need consoling. Help me, Father!
·
The Lord’s Reality-Heart-Response to David (Me / You):
Child, I AM your Shepherd. Trust me as I confirm to
you my righteous and just character and nature.
Watch, as I lead you out from that gorge you are
in; completely surrounding you in My great protection.
Let’s go! Follow me. Do you see and hear my
staff?—it should always be a reminder for you of comfort and support for
where I always desire take you: to My dwelling place. Knowing this of Me will
cause you to "run with a sparkle" because the goal is one of rest and
refresh.
Look around at this place I bring you to: a meadow, beautiful, comfortable;
with tranquil waters and tender green vegetation. Here you get to replenish
your soul in peace and rest.
Your enemy brought about so much trouble and
distress.
But I will demonstrate how valuable you are to
Me (the best) by lifting you up in honour—sitting with Me at a King's table to
enjoy a unique, special, intimate, and sacred meal with Me.
Your enemy will see this and hate it. Ha,
I mock them!
For I AM the One who sanctifies you—I pour over
you the best anointing oils that medicate, satisfy, and saturate you in My
worth.
It is such a great pleasure for Me to do this
for you, My child! Because, no matter where you are in this life, I will
actively and cheerfully pursue you in this same goodness and mercy forever—yes:
constantly and continually; yesterday, today, tomorrow—forever!
Why? Because I have established you in My home as
MY family. We exist in this (OUR) house together!
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