Bible

 

Psalms 23 : The 23rd Psalm

Studie

1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth 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 thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth 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 for ever.

Komentář

 

The 23rd Psalm

Napsal(a) Brian David

The Lord as Shepherd, by Nana Schnarr

The 23rd Psalm is one of the best-known and most-loved literary works in the world, and it may well be the best poem ever written. It is also a fine example of the power of figurative language: We read deep things into the vision of ourselves as sheep, led to green pastures and good water by a kind shepherd. It’s empowering to feel the confidence to go fearlessly into the valley of the shadow of death, and to feel the love and caring of a table prepared by the Lord and a cup so full it overflows.

What people don’t know, however, is that this language actually has precise internal meanings, and that when we see them there is an even deeper beauty in the poem. That’s because what it actually describes is the path to heaven, and the fierce desire the Lord has to lead us there.

The first step is to let the Lord be our shepherd – to accept His teaching and His leadership. The green pastures and the still waters represent the things He will teach us for the journey. Then He begins working inside is, setting our spiritual lives in order, so that we desire to do what’s good and to love one another. That’s represented by restoring our souls and leading us in the paths of righteousness.

But we will still face challenges. We still live external lives, out in the world, and we are subject to desires that arise in those externals, in our bodily lives. That’s the valley of the shadow of death. But the rod and staff represent truth from the Lord on both external and internal levels, ideas that can defend us against those desires.

And if we keep following, the Lord will prepare a table for us – a place inside us that he can fill with love (the anointing oil) and wisdom (the overflowing cup). Thus transformed, we can enter heaven, with love for others (“goodness”) and love from the Lord (“mercy”) and can love and be loved to eternity.

One of many beautiful things about this is the fact that it is the Lord who really does all the work. In the whole text, the only action taken by the sheep is walking through the valley of the shadow of death. Other than that, they follow the Lord, trust the Lord, accept the blessings of the Lord. And that is really true! In external states (in the valley) we might seem to be doing the work ourselves, but internally, spiritually, we simply need to give ourselves to the Lord and let Him bless us.

The underlying idea here is that the Lord created us so that He could love us, in loving us wants us to be happy, knows that our greatest happiness will come from being conjoined to Him in heaven, and Himself wants nothing more than to be conjoined to us. So everything He does, in every moment of every day for every person on the face of the planet, is centered on the goal of getting that person to heaven. He wants each and every one of us in heaven more than we are capable of imagining. We just need to cooperate.

(Odkazy: Apocalypse Explained 375 [34], 727 [2]; The Inner Meaning of the Prophets and Psalms 273)

Bible

 

Psalms 89

Studie

   

1 I will sing of the loving kindness of Yahweh forever. With my mouth, I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.

2 I indeed declare, "Love stands firm forever. You established the heavens. Your faithfulness is in them."

3 "I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David, my servant,

4 'I will establish your seed forever, and build up your throne to all generations.'" Selah.

5 The heavens will praise your wonders, Yahweh; your faithfulness also in the assembly of the holy ones.

6 For who in the skies can be compared to Yahweh? Who among the sons of the heavenly beings is like Yahweh,

7 a very awesome God in the council of the holy ones, to be feared above all those who are around him?

8 Yahweh, God of Armies, who is a mighty one, like you? Yah, your faithfulness is around you.

9 You rule the pride of the sea. When its waves rise up, you calm them.

10 You have broken Rahab in pieces, like one of the slain. You have scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.

11 The heavens are yours. The earth also is yours; the world and its fullness. You have founded them.

12 The north and the south, you have created them. Tabor and Hermon rejoice in your name.

13 You have a mighty arm. Your hand is strong, and your right hand is exalted.

14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne. Loving kindness and truth go before your face.

15 Blessed are the people who learn to acclaim you. They walk in the light of your presence, Yahweh.

16 In your name they rejoice all day. In your righteousness, they are exalted.

17 For you are the glory of their strength. In your favor, our horn will be exalted.

18 For our shield belongs to Yahweh; our king to the Holy One of Israel.

19 Then you spoke in vision to your saints, and said, "I have bestowed strength on the warrior. I have exalted a young man from the people.

20 I have found David, my servant. I have anointed him with my holy oil,

21 with whom my hand shall be established. My arm will also strengthen him.

22 No enemy will tax him. No wicked man will oppress him.

23 I will beat down his adversaries before him, and strike those who hate him.

24 But my faithfulness and my loving kindness will be with him. In my name, his horn will be exalted.

25 I will set his hand also on the sea, and his right hand on the rivers.

26 He will call to me, 'You are my Father, my God, and the rock of my salvation!'

27 I will also appoint him my firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth.

28 I will keep my loving kindness for him forevermore. My covenant will stand firm with him.

29 I will also make his seed endure forever, and his throne as the days of heaven.

30 If his children forsake my law, and don't walk in my ordinances;

31 if they break my statutes, and don't keep my commandments;

32 then I will punish their sin with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes.

33 But I will not completely take my loving kindness from him, nor allow my faithfulness to fail.

34 I will not break my covenant, nor alter what my lips have uttered.

35 Once have I sworn by my holiness, I will not lie to David.

36 His seed will endure forever, his throne like the sun before me.

37 It will be established forever like the moon, the faithful witness in the sky." Selah.

38 But you have rejected and spurned. You have been angry with your anointed.

39 You have renounced the covenant of your servant. You have defiled his crown in the dust.

40 You have broken down all his hedges. You have brought his strongholds to ruin.

41 All who pass by the way rob him. He has become a reproach to his neighbors.

42 You have exalted the right hand of his adversaries. You have made all of his enemies rejoice.

43 Yes, you turn back the edge of his sword, and haven't supported him in battle.

44 You have ended his splendor, and thrown his throne down to the ground.

45 You have shortened the days of his youth. You have covered him with shame. Selah.

46 How long, Yahweh? Will you hide yourself forever? Will your wrath burn like fire?

47 Remember how short my time is! For what vanity have you created all the children of men!

48 What man is he who shall live and not see death, who shall deliver his soul from the power of Sheol? Selah.

49 Lord, where are your former loving kindnesses, which you swore to David in your faithfulness?

50 Remember, Lord, the reproach of your servants, how I bear in my heart the taunts of all the mighty peoples,

51 With which your enemies have mocked, Yahweh, with which they have mocked the footsteps of your anointed one.

52 Blessed be Yahweh forevermore. Amen, and Amen. BOOK IV A Prayer by Moses, the man of God.